A list of nearly every board game I’ve ever played, grouped by complexity, and ranked according to my personal experiences.

These rankings reflect my personal experiences, and only give a rough idea of which games I’ve enjoyed playing more than others.

Disclaimers:

  1. For some of the games listed below, I’ve only played a knockoff version. For example, I’ve played Coup many times using a deck of cards and some poker chips.
  2. There are many games that I’ve only played a few times (or maybe just once), so my opinion on them isn’t based on a ton of experience.

Light (roughly BGG weight 0 - 1.3)

  1. Hedbanz
  2. Can’t Stop - Best played digitally.
  3. Diamant / Incan Gold
  4. A Fake Artist Goes to New York
  5. Werewords
  6. Kemps
  7. Wits & Wagers Party
  8. Kingdomino
  9. Wink
  10. Buttons
  11. The Mind
  12. Skull
  13. Telestrations
  14. Wavelength
  15. Ninety-Nine (the “adding” game)
  16. Sushi Go!
  17. 6 nimmt!
  18. Spyfall
  19. Exploding Kittens
  20. No Thanks!
  21. For Sale
  22. UNO
  23. Love Letter
  24. Paper Soccer
  25. Cards Against Humanity
  26. Sleeping Queens
  27. When I Dream

Medium-Light (1.3 - 2)

  1. Coup
  2. Hanabi - This is my most-played game, by far. Best played digitally.
  3. The Resistance: Avalon
  4. Just One
  5. Codenames and (Duet)
  6. Jaipur
  7. Downforce
  8. Dice Forge
  9. King of Tokyo
  10. Two Rooms and a Boom
  11. Gin Rummy
  12. Magic Maze
  13. Deception: Murder in Hong Kong
  14. Splendor
  15. Marshmallow Test
  16. Snatch
  17. Blokus
  18. Colt Express
  19. Carcassonne
  20. Paperback
  21. Secret Hitler
  22. Hey, That’s My Fish!
  23. Eruption
  24. Bananagrams
  25. Onirim
  26. Lost Cities
  27. Celestia
  28. Hanamikoji
  29. Mint Works
  30. Monopoly
  31. Tokaido
  32. Ticket to Ride
  33. Dou Dizhu
  34. Tuo La Ji - I think this game is almost as heavy as Bridge (~3.86).
  35. Mysterium
  36. Werewolf / Mafia
  37. Munchkin
  38. Cribbage
  39. One Night Ultimate Werewolf

Medium (2 - 3)

  1. Forbidden Desert
  2. Istanbul
  3. Lords of Vegas
  4. Exit: The Game
  5. The Crew
  6. Small World
  7. Dominion
  8. Chinatown
  9. Modern Art
  10. Pandemic
  11. Flash Point: Fire Rescue
  12. Catan
  13. Poker (Texas Hold’Em, Ricochet)
  14. Quantum
  15. Fort
  16. Inis
  17. Agricola: All Creatures Big and Small
  18. Burgle Bros. (solo only)
  19. 7 Wonders
  20. Viticulture: Essential Edition
  21. Ninety-Nine (the trick-taking game)
  22. Ghost Stories (solo only)
  23. Irish Gauge
  24. Targi
  25. Stone Age
  26. Le Havre: The Inland Port
  27. Charterstone
  28. Race for the Galaxy
  29. Mission: Red Planet
  30. Pathfinder Adventure Card Game (solo only)
  31. Betrayal at House on the Hill
  32. Hive
  33. Smash Up

Medium-Heavy / Heavy (3 - 5)

  1. Brass: Lancashire
  2. Caylus
  3. Yokohama
  4. Troyes
  5. Russian Railroads
  6. Marco Polo II
  7. Food Chain Magnate
  8. Puerto Rico
  9. Spirit Island
  10. Tzolk’in: The Mayan Calendar
  11. Root
  12. Argent: The Consortium
  13. City of the Big Shoulders
  14. Pandemic Legacy: Season 2
  15. Gaia Project
  16. Terra Mystica
  17. In the Year of the Dragon
  18. Lewis and Clark: The Expedition
  19. Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization
  20. Power Grid
  21. Village
  22. Concordia
  23. Keyflower
  24. Scythe
  25. At the Gates of Loyang (solo only)
  26. Twilight Struggle
  27. Kingdom Death: Monster (incomplete)
  28. Chess
  29. Bridge
  30. Go

Total: 27 + 39 + 33 + 30 = 129

Interested in (definitely not exhaustive): Captain Sonar, Dead Last, Femtitvå, Great Western Trail, Lifeboats, Le Havre, Magical Athlete, Mechs vs. Minions, Smartphone Inc.

More on knockoffs: Many lighter games can be played with just a standard deck of cards, some paper, and a pen (e.g., see here, here, here). There’s also a huge list of card games on Pagat, and some “minimalist card decks” (e.g., here).