Revving up the post-apocalyptic highway, Thunder Road: Vendetta has claimed the crown as 2023’s best strategy game at The American Tabletop Awards, thrilling players with its explosive blend of high-speed racing, tactical combat, and chaotic car crashes. This revitalized classic from Restoration Games masterfully balances frantic action with deep strategic choices, earning praise for its unexpected depth beneath the roaring engines and flying debris.
The American Tabletop Awards, the United States’ answer to Germany’s Spiel des Jahres, is back for the sixth consecutive year. The annual award celebrates the very best in board gaming across four different categories, with dozens of games judged by a panel of industry experts who collaborate within a shared set of ethical guidelines. The result is a collection of 20 excellent games, with four winners overall. The categories mirror those of last year, and include titles best for Early Gamers, an assortment of Casual Games, more traditional Strategy Games, as well as Complex Games for more experienced players.
Blob Party, from Wizkids, takes home this year’s award for Early Gamers – games intended for ages 12 and under. The cooperative party game beat out recommended titles such as the dice game Chicken! and AEG’s Deep Dive. Meanwhile, in the Casual Games category, it was Sea Salt & Paper whose well-photographed papercraft art style turned the most heads among the committee. Pandasaurus’ well-regarded card game narrowly took the award from runners up Dorfromantik: The Board Game and Next Station: Tokyo.
The Strategy Game category, in addition to recognizing Restoration Games’ action-focused title Thunder Road: Vendetta as the year’s best, also made a recommendation of two other titles. Daybreak, a game about climate change by Matt Leacock (Pandemic) and Matteo Menapace, received praise from the judges. Elizabeth Hargrave (Wingspan) and Jeff Fraser were also recognized for their work on The Fox Experiment.
Finally, in the Complex Games category, The White Castle took home the top prize. Devir Games’ latest is a Eurogame with lots of desirable systems, including both worker and dice placement. Also recommended in the category are Nucleum from Board & Dice and Inside Up’s Earth.
Thunder Road: Vendetta
$58 $58
How did Thunder Road: Vendetta beat out other strategy games to win
Thunder Road: Vendetta won the 2023 best strategy game at The American Tabletop Awards by surprising players and judges with a depth of strategy hidden beneath its chaotic, explosive gameplay. Despite being built on a roll-and-move mechanic often associated with randomness, the game offers meaningful tactical decisions such as vehicle management, positioning, and risk assessment during collisions and hazards. It stood out by balancing frantic action with strategic planning, allowing players to manage randomness and make calculated moves to outmaneuver opponents on a hazardous post-apocalyptic highway. The game beat out strong contenders like Daybreak and The Fox Experiment, both highly regarded designs, by delivering a unique blend of accessible yet deep gameplay that rewards both strategy and adaptability in a dynamic environment. Additionally, expansions and upgrades add further strategic layers, addressing critiques about randomness and enhancing player agency, which likely contributed to its recognition.
What specific features helped Thunder Road: Vendetta win the American Tabletop Award
Several specific features helped Thunder Road: Vendetta secure the 2023 best strategy game award at The American Tabletop Awards:
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The game introduces random danger tokens such as wrecks and oil slicks, adding unpredictable hazards that increase tension and strategic depth on the board.
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Damage mechanics are enhanced by damage tokens with varied effects, which can dramatically alter gameplay by sending cars across the board, creating dynamic and surprising scenarios.
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Players gain more tactical options during their turns, including assigning dice to repair damage, boost nitro, or call in an attack helicopter, allowing for meaningful decision-making beyond simple dice rolls.
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The game balances chaotic, explosive car combat with layers of strategic planning, rewarding players who can navigate the randomness and make calculated moves.
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Its revitalization of a classic 1986 design with modernized mechanics and engaging thematic elements (post-apocalyptic racing and vehicular combat) made it both accessible and deeply engaging.
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The combination of dice rolling, grid movement, player elimination, and “take that” mechanics delivers a lively yet strategic experience that stood out among other nominees.
These features combined to create a game that is both thrilling and strategically rich, impressing the judges with its surprising depth beneath the chaotic surface.
