There are games everyone hears about. They’re the all-stars, the quarterbacks, the ones with hundreds of positive reviews and raging fans. Then, there are these games. The games nobody talks about, but that doesn’t take away how great they are. These are the sleeper hits, the journeymen, the games that’ll have your back during the most challenging times. Here are some deeply underrated board games you’ll love to play!

5. Dungeon WC

Although it may look odder than most games on our shelves, we’ve learned not to judge a game by its box. Dungeon WC is a cooperative tile-laying game about going to the loo, but we assure you, it is fantastic. Your main goal is to, well, get to the toilet as soon as possible! While fighting monsters and getting through obstacles. The game is played in real-time, providing a 5-minute blast of fun. Short as it is, Dungeon WC is memorable and oh boy, is it intense.

4. Star Wars: Imperial Assault

From something short, we move on to a game that prides itself on size. Star Wars: Imperial Assault. The game places you in the midst of a galactic civil war. From that point onwards, you can choose to play in one of 2 ways. One of those ways is the campaign, in which a ragtag team of Rebels, each controlled by a separate player, will have to face against the forces of the Galactic Empire, controlled by a single player, in a series of dangerous missions. The other mode is skirmish, in which two players go head-to-head in combat, using tactical moves and cards to become victorious. Both game modes are a blast, with the campaign taking the center of the awesomeness stage.

3. Fireball Island

If you’re into something not as tense as Dungeon WC or as complex as Star Wars: Imperial Assault, here is a chance at the right mix. Fireball Island: The Curse of Vul’kar is light on the rules, but high on the spectacle. It provides 3D terrain and exciting scenarios, while the looming presence of a fireball-spewing Vulcano makes things particularly scary. Try to get as much treasure as you can while dodging the fire, then escape before it’s too late (Pompeii style). If this game doesn’t make your family gasp, we don’t know what will.

2. Hive

Oh boy, do I have a lot to say about Hive! We can all agree chess is a great game. Chess is fantastic, the only problem with it is that it is imposing as hell. Playing a game of chess feels drastic and dramatic and sometimes overbearing. Hive is just like chess, in the sense that you move multiple pieces with different patterns, but instead of the scary checkered star of The Queen’s Gambit, Hive gives you ample room to breathe and have fun, as you’re not limited by a board. It also has fewer pieces, which makes it way quicker. If you’ve never played it, you’re missing out on the 2-player experience of a lifetime.

1. Munchkin Warhammer 40.000

Wait, don’t leave! Before you call us liars – since we all know Munchkin is a beloved classic of the board gaming world – let us explain ourselves. Yes, Munchkin is a hit. However, Munchkin Warhammer 40.000 is the redheaded stepchild of both these games. How is it then that the child of two industry classics doesn’t get as much love? Maybe it’s just that the genres don’t mix too well. Maybe it’s that the mechanics change a bit from the original and people don’t like that. Whatever it may be, we find it to be a perfect blend of both games, introducing some light fun in the complex Warhammer universe. We urge you to give it a try, as it is an absolute gem. And better yet, it’s a game full with awesome extensions that make it better and better.

So that’s our list of underrated board games. If you’d like to judge how good these games are for yourself, you can buy them off of our online shop and leave a review to give us your opinion. Also, if you know of any other underrated board games, be sure to tell us about them in the comment section!