National Games Week 2026Nov 22–28Thanksgiving week
National
Games Week

Look back · 2005 list

The Top 100 games of National Games Week 2005, twenty-one years later

In 2005 the second National Games Week ended with a ranked list of the hundred games its hosts loved and played most. Here it is again, in the original order and spelling, with a look at what it tells a game night in 2026.

72still sold today
16out of print
12unconfirmed
Tiny people with dice, pawns and a dragon figure climbing a long fan of cards
A hundred games, ranked by the hosts who played them.
1

How the 2005 list was put together

The list came from the people who hosted. When hosts joined the week, the organizers asked each of them to name three favorite games, which produced several hundred titles. During the week itself those hosts played thousands of games at their events. The organizers combined the two, favorites and games actually played, and then added the games logged at events reported on BoardGameGeek, the hobby database the organizers listed as an affiliate.

The result was published as a ranked list from 1 to 100, with each game's publisher at the time and a printable PDF version. Nothing in the 2005 list explained the weighting between favorites and plays, so the order is best read as a rough popularity count among committed hosts in 2005, not a sales chart or a critics' poll. It also leans toward the hobby crowd: people keen enough to sign up and host were more likely to own a miniatures army or a deck of collectible cards than the average family. The names below keep the 2005 spelling, small typos included, so the list reads the way hosts first saw it.

2

What the list says about tabletop games in 2005

The top five tell the story: Heroclix, Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, Settlers of Catan and Mechwarrior. Three of those five are collectible miniatures or collectible card games. Across the whole list there are 14 miniatures games and 11 collectible or constructible card games, which matches the 2004 member survey, where role-playing, collectible card and miniatures games together outweighed plain board games.

The other big thread is the German-style board game. Carcassonne sits at 6 and Puerto Rico at 8, and Rio Grande Games, the American publisher of many of those titles, has 14 entries, more than any other company. Ticket to Ride, a year old in 2005, was already ninth. Classic family games held on too: Risk, Monopoly, Scrabble, Chess, Clue and UNO all made it, though none in the top ten. Cooperative games were rare. Only two, Shadows Over Camelot and Arkham Horror, appear anywhere on the list.

The list

All 100 games, in the 2005 order

Order and names as the 2005 list printed them. The status line shows whether each game could still be bought new in October 2026.

  1. 1HeroclixWizkids Inc. · miniaturesStill sold
  2. 2Dungeons & DragonsWizards of the Coast · RPGStill sold
  3. 3Magic: The Gathering CCGWizards of the Coast · trading cardStill sold
  4. 4Settlers of CatanMayfair Games · boardStill sold, now CATAN
  5. 5MechwarriorWizkids Inc. · miniaturesOut of print
  6. 6CarcassonneRio Grande Games · tile-layingStill sold
  7. 7Pirates of the Spanish MainWizkids Inc. · constructible cardOut of print
  8. 8Puerto RicoRio Grande Games · boardStill sold, now Puerto Rico 1897
  9. 9Ticket to RideDays of Wonder · boardStill sold
  10. 10Star Wars MinaturesWizards of the Coast · miniaturesOut of print
  11. 11Axis & AlliesWizards of the Coast / Avalon Hill · war boardStill sold
  12. 12Warhammer 40,000Games Workshop · miniaturesStill sold
  13. 13Memoir '44Days of Wonder · war boardStill sold
  14. 14Mage KnightWizkids Inc. · miniaturesOut of print
  15. 15RiskParker Brothers · boardStill sold
  16. 16Pokémon TCGPokémon USA · trading cardStill sold
  17. 17MunchkinSteve Jackson Games · cardStill sold
  18. 18MonopolyParker Brothers · boardStill sold
  19. 19Yu Gi OhUpper Deck Entertainment · trading cardStill sold
  20. 20Vs. SystemUpper Deck Entertainment · trading cardStill sold, now Vs. System 2PCG
  21. 21Shadows Over CamelotDays of Wonder · cooperativeUnconfirmed
  22. 22Apples to ApplesOut of the Box · partyStill sold
  23. 23Dungeons & Dragons MiniaturesWizards of the Coast · miniaturesOut of print
  24. 24Power GridRio Grande Games · boardStill sold, now Power Grid: Recharged
  25. 25Vampire: The MasqueradeWhite Wolf Publishing · RPGStill sold
  26. 26RoboRallyWizards of the Coast / Avalon Hill · boardStill sold
  27. 27ScrabbleMilton Bradley Games · wordStill sold
  28. 28HeroscapeHasbro · miniatures boardStill sold
  29. 29WarmachinePrivateer Press · miniaturesStill sold
  30. 30FluxxLooney Labs · cardStill sold
  31. 31BattletechFanPro · miniatures/boardStill sold
  32. 32Tigris & EuphratesMayfair Games · boardUnconfirmed
  33. 33Killer BunniesPlayroom Entertainment · cardStill sold
  34. 34ChessclassicStill sold
  35. 35BlokusEducational Insights · abstractStill sold
  36. 36TsuroWizkids Inc. · tile-layingStill sold
  37. 37Warhammer FantasyGames Workshop · miniaturesStill sold, now Warhammer: The Old World
  38. 38El GrandeRio Grande Games · boardStill sold
  39. 39Princes of FlorenceRio Grande Games · boardStill sold
  40. 40Lord of the Rings TCGDecipher Inc. · trading cardOut of print
  41. 41ShadowrunFanPro · RPGStill sold
  42. 42Ticket to Ride EuropeDays of Wonder · boardStill sold
  43. 43BohnanzaRio Grande Games · cardStill sold
  44. 44Rocketman: Axis of EvilWizkids Inc. · miniaturesOut of print
  45. 45Trivial PursuitMilton Bradley Games · triviaStill sold
  46. 46AlhambraUberplay Entertainment · boardStill sold
  47. 47CivilizationEagle Games · boardOut of print
  48. 48Lost CitiesRio Grande Games · cardStill sold
  49. 49SamuariRio Grande Games · boardUnconfirmed
  50. 50CraniumCranium · partyStill sold
  51. 51Zombies!!!Twilight Creations · boardStill sold
  52. 52Call of CthulhuChaosium · RPGStill sold
  53. 53Star Wars CCGWizards of the Coast · trading cardOut of print
  54. 54Twilight ImperiumFantasy Flight Games · boardStill sold
  55. 55Through DesertFantasy Flight Games · abstractStill sold
  56. 56AcquireWizards of the Coast · boardStill sold
  57. 57Age of SteamCafé Games Limited · boardStill sold
  58. 58Legend of the Five Rings CCGAlderac Entertainment Group · trading cardOut of print
  59. 59San JuanRio Grande Games · cardUnconfirmed
  60. 60AttikaRio Grande Games · boardUnconfirmed
  61. 61Bang!Mayfair Games · cardStill sold
  62. 62Betrayal at House on the HillWizards of the Coast / Avalon Hill · boardStill sold
  63. 63Duel MastersWizards of the Coast · trading cardStill sold
  64. 64RiftsPalladium Books · RPGStill sold
  65. 65CitadelsFantasy Flight Games · cardStill sold
  66. 66AnachronismTri King Games · cardOut of print
  67. 67RaUberplay Entertainment · boardStill sold
  68. 68TikalRio Grande Games · boardUnconfirmed
  69. 69WerewolfWhite Wolf Publishing · RPGStill sold, now Werewolf: The Apocalypse 5th Edition
  70. 70Cosmic EncountersWizards of the Coast / Avalon Hill · boardStill sold
  71. 71IngeniousFantasy Flight Games · abstractStill sold
  72. 72Axis & Allies MiniaturesWizards of the Coast · miniaturesOut of print
  73. 73ClueMilton Bradley Games · boardStill sold
  74. 74For SaleUberplay Entertainment · cardStill sold
  75. 75Formula De'Euro Games · racingStill sold, now Formula D
  76. 76GuillotineWizards of the Coast · cardStill sold
  77. 77RuneboundFantasy Flight Games · boardUnconfirmed
  78. 78Star Wars RPGWizards of the Coast · RPGOut of print
  79. 79Arkham HorrorFantasy Flight Games · cooperativeStill sold
  80. 80Blood BowlGames Workshop · miniatures boardStill sold
  81. 81GoaRio Grande Games · boardUnconfirmed
  82. 82GURPSSteve Jackson Games · RPGStill sold
  83. 83TalismanGames Workshop · boardStill sold
  84. 84Amun ReRio Grande Games · boardStill sold
  85. 85DiplomacyWizards of the Coast / Avalon Hill · boardStill sold
  86. 86Time's UpR&R Games · partyStill sold
  87. 87City of Heroes CCGAlderac Entertainment Group · trading cardOut of print
  88. 88SETSET Enterprises · cardStill sold
  89. 89TitanAvalon Hill · boardOut of print
  90. 90UNOMattel · cardStill sold
  91. 91Wizard Card GameU.S. Game systems · cardStill sold
  92. 92DiamantSchmidt Spiele · push-your-luckStill sold
  93. 93History of the WorldMilton Bradley Games · boardUnconfirmed
  94. 94Lord of the Rings MiniaturesGames Workshop · miniaturesStill sold, now Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game
  95. 95Modern ArtMayfair Games · auctionUnconfirmed
  96. 96Pirate's CoveDays of Wonder · boardUnconfirmed
  97. 97Risk 2010Wizards of the Coast / Avalon Hill · boardStill sold, now Risk 2210 A.D.
  98. 98TransAmericaRio Grande Games · boardUnconfirmed
  99. 99Vegas ShowdownWizards of the Coast / Avalon Hill · boardStill sold
  100. 100Warlord CCGAlderac Entertainment Group · trading cardOut of print

How the 2026 status was checked

Each of the 100 games was looked up again in October 2026, one at a time, under its 2005 name and under any newer one. A game counts as still sold when its current publisher lists it or a recent printing or expansion turned up; renamed lines such as Catan and Warhammer: The Old World count here under their new names. Out of print means the line was ended and no reprint was found. Unconfirmed means neither could be shown, for example a reprint that was funded but had not reached shops. Still sold means a new copy can be bought somewhere, not that every store has one in stock.

3

What changed in twenty-one years

Plenty of the list is still easy to find, sometimes under a new name. Settlers of Catan is sold today simply as Catan, and several publishers named here have merged, been bought or changed their names since 2005. A few collectible games on the list stopped releasing new cards long ago, and some board games have gone through several new editions. The card for each game on this page notes where it stands now, so the prose here leaves that to the data.

The bigger change is in what people play together. Cooperative games, where the whole table wins or loses as one, have grown from two entries on this list into a full genre. The types of board games guide describes it alongside the other eight, and the history of National Games Week explains what happened to the week after this list was published.

A person carrying a game box from an old attic shelf to a bright modern shelf
Some games moved on to new editions; some stayed on the old shelf.
4

Using the 2005 list for a game night today

Treat the list as a menu with history attached. For a mixed group of newcomers, look for the short ones: Tsuro, Lost Cities, For Sale, Bohnanza, SET, Apples to Apples and Time's Up all teach in minutes. For a table of regulars, Puerto Rico, Power Grid, El Grande and Tigris & Euphrates still give a long, thoughtful evening.

A fun idea for this year's week: ask each guest to bring one game from the list, play a round of each and vote on whether it still holds up. The game night hosting guide has a printable score sheet that works for exactly that, and the dates for National Games Week show when the next week falls. There was never a 2006 list to compare against; the page about the 2006 week explains why.

FAQ

Questions people ask

What was the number one game of National Games Week 2005?

Heroclix, the collectible miniatures game then published by WizKids, topped the 2005 Top 100. Dungeons & Dragons was second, Magic: The Gathering third and Settlers of Catan fourth. The ranking combined hosts' favorite games, the games they played at their events and events reported on BoardGameGeek, so it reflects keen hobby players more than the general public.

How was the National Games Week Top 100 chosen?

Hosts named three favorite games when they joined the week. The organizers combined those answers with the games actually played at hosts' events, and added games logged at events reported on BoardGameGeek. The 2005 list did not say how each source was weighted, so the order is a rough measure of popularity among hosts that year.

Is there a Top 100 list for 2006?

No. The third National Games Week ran from November 19 to 25, 2006, but no ranked list for that year was ever published. The page meant to hold it only showed a notice that the link was out of date. The 2005 list on this page is the only Top 100 the original week produced.

Which games from the 2005 list are good for beginners?

Short games with simple rules work best for newcomers. From this list, Tsuro, Lost Cities, For Sale, Bohnanza, SET, UNO, Apples to Apples and Time's Up are all quick to teach. Ticket to Ride and Carcassonne are good next steps for a group that wants something a little longer.

Why are so many miniatures and card games on the list?

The list was built from committed hosts, and many of them were regulars at game stores, where collectible card games and miniatures games were hugely popular in 2005. The 2004 member survey showed the same pattern: role-playing, collectible card and miniatures games together made up more than half of the genres members named.

How many games from the 2005 Top 100 are still sold?

Of the 100 games, 72 could still be bought new when the list was checked in October 2026, 16 were out of print and 12 could not be confirmed either way. Some are sold under a new name, such as Catan, and several publishers have merged or changed names since 2005.

Which classic family games made the 2005 list?

Risk, Monopoly, Scrabble, Chess, Clue and UNO all appear, though none reached the top ten. Risk came highest at number 15 and Monopoly was 18th. The upper part of the list was held by miniatures, collectible card games and German-style board games such as Carcassonne and Puerto Rico.

Which publisher had the most games on the 2005 Top 100?

Rio Grande Games, the American publisher of many German-style board games, had 14 entries, more than any other company. They range from Carcassonne at number 6 and Puerto Rico at 8 to Power Grid, El Grande, Bohnanza, Lost Cities and TransAmerica.

Updated Status of each game checked October 2026