1911 Amundsen vs Scott

The two-player race dynamic is so tense it actually feels like you're navigating a frozen hellscape, and the way the route planning depletes your supplies is brutally clever. I've played it three nights in a row and each game ended with a photo finish that had us both on our feet.

The theme is fantastic and really makes you feel the historical tension of the race, but the rulebook is a bit of a slog to get through on a first play. Once we had the turn order down, the strategic depth of managing your expedition's resources kept us all engaged for the full two hours.