There’s something in Norwegian water that inspires people to create. Last time I counted, hard-working Norwegian authors had created over 50 board games, both standalone and expansions. Impressive numbers—and they don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. Some of them are masterpieces, some are kinda okay. We bring you the top five board games from Norway.
Top Five Norwegian Board Games
Sadly, I didn’t have time to play all 50 games, so we’ll settle for Norwegian board games that have the best overall rating on BoardGameGeek.com. That’s one great page if you’re a board game player.
5. Santa Maria (2017)
Players: 1-4
Playtime: 45-90 min
Complexity: Medium
In Santa Maria, your task is to establish and develop colonies while keeping their population happy and content. Players use polyominoes to place buildings and dice to activate them. After that, you do what every honest colony should—produce goods, send ships, and develop religion. Your population’s happiness is key here: whoever gathers the most happiness after three rounds wins the game. No kingmaker effect, which is always a plus.
Santa Maria is a complex game, but not too complex. Short turns ensure no player is left waiting too long, and you can try different strategies that may or may not work depending on the number of players. Highly replayable and not too hard to learn.
4. The Magnificent (2019) & The Magnificent: SNØ (2020)
Players: 1-4
Playtime: 60-90 min
Complexity: Medium
Step into the boots of a circus manager—hire performers, attract an audience, sell tickets. Sounds simple, but it never is. Just like Santa Maria, you’ll be using polyominoes and dice. Yep, the same studio created them, so we notice some similarities, like no direct interaction with other players. Consider it a beautifully illustrated, highly replayable strategy game.
The already great base game also has a great expansion. The Magnificent: SNØ brings you a new performer, a bunch of new cards, tiles, dice, gems, and tents. Bear in mind that the expansion is not standalone—you still need the base game to play.
3. Capital Lux 2: Generations (2020)
Players: 1-4
Playtime: 15-40 min
Complexity: Medium-Light
A standalone sequel to Capital Lux, this is a fast-paced card drafting game. Collect as many points as possible, but beware—you mustn’t become more powerful than the capital, or retaliation will be swift. The game lasts for three rounds, and the player with the most points, surprisingly, wins.
Although it sounds simple, Capital Lux 2: Generations is actually a challenging game with high replayability. Fast-paced and with simple rules, this will definitely be a hit at board game events in Bergen venues.
2. Revive (2022)
Players: 1-4
Playtime: 90-120 min
Complexity: Medium to Heavy
Reviving civilization is never easy, but it can be fun. 5,000 years after everything went to hell, you must pick one of six tribes and start your journey from primitive technologies to a world of machines. You need to build, populate, and explore, in addition to playing cards and using your switch token. When the endgame is triggered, each player gets another turn, and the point counting begins.
Playing with four really brings out the competitive and interactive aspect of the game. Three players create a nice balance, while in a 1v1 or solo game, you can build in peace. The game is highly replayable, although not as fun if you play solo.
1. Europa Universalis: Price of Power (2023)
Players: 1-4
Playtime: Hours and hours
Complexity: Heavy
At first, there was the original Europa Universalis board game, made in 1993. Then the Swedes—Paradox Development Studio—turned it into a great video game. And in 2023, a Norwegian designer made a board game based on their video game, which was based on another board game. Confusing, I know, but they did a great job with Europa Universalis: Price of Power.
Ruling the world has never been an easy task, and this game will put all your strategic abilities to the test. One wrong move, and you’ll fall—history will forget you. Think, concentrate, dedicate your time, and you’ll be rewarded with one of the best board games ever. However, be warned—it will consume both your time and your table space. And it will haunt you at night.
Where to Buy Norwegian Board Games
The usual advice when buying anything in Norway—Prisjakt.no is your friend. Bear in mind that these games are definitely not budget-friendly. After all, these are the top five board games made by Norwegian game creators. If you have the chance, always try before you buy. How? Check out popular board game groups in Bergen and see if someone has one of these games. Make some new friends in the process.
Summa Summarum
I won’t lie—I was surprised when I found out how many board games were made by Norwegian authors. They keep making great games, and this short article is just a small token of appreciation. In the future, you can expect more in-depth reviews. If you’d like to write one for our page, feel free to contact us.