Carcassonne is essentially medieval Dominoes, only with pretty pictures and a novel layer of area control mechanics. Inspired by the French town of the same name (which is heralded for its impressive fortifications), the game sees players collectively expanding an intricate countryside map, building and claiming territory in order to score the most points.
Like the legendary game of Catan, it's one of those gateway board games that everyone and their mom has played at one point or another. But is Carcassonne really worth it in 2025? And does it still deserve to be considered one of the best board games two decades after it was first published?
