When it comes to board games, Canada isn’t the first country most people think of. People will think of Germany maybe, or the U.S. But in recent years, Canada has been slowly collecting board-game acclaim, so for this Canada Day week, we’re going to highlight some of the standout Canadian made games and their designers!

Canadian board games aren’t a defined category like “Euro-games,” and there isn’t a unifying theme or mechanic that makes a game “Canadian”. Because of this, so many great games aren’t recognized as being from Canada, and I was definitely surprised at some of these smash hits that I just assumed were from somewhere else but were actually home-grown. 

1. Eric M. Lang

The first designer on our list is Eric M. Lang, most recently known for big strategy games with lots of cool miniatures including Blood Rage and Rising Sun (but his resume lists many other games, including those based on franchises like Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones). Born in Montreal, Eric has won many awards for his work, including the 2016 Diana Jones Award for Excellence in Gaming.

2. The Bamboozle Brothers

Next are the “Bamboozle Brothers,” Jay Cormier (B.C) and Sen-Foong Lim (Ontario), co-designers of games like Junk Art and Belfort. I see so many people playing Junk Art at Hexagon and was so surprised to find out that it was made in Canada!

3. Adrian Adamescu and Daryl Andrews

Another surprise was that Sagrada, one of my own favourite games, was designed in Canada. Co-designed by both Adrian Adamescu and Daryl Andrews, I was sure this game came from Spain or somewhere else in Europe because of its theme. Both designers are actually from Ontario, which goes to show that you can’t judge a game by its box!

4. Christopher Chung

Christopher Chung, another Ontario-based designer, is best known for his game Lanterns: The Harvest Festival. This game was actually awarded the Mensa Select in 2015, and it’s easy to see why. This fun tile placing game is easy to learn, and another one of my favourites!

5. Dr. Gordon Hamilton

Dr. Hamilton, or as he goes by online, Gord!, is geographically the closest designer to Hexagon, hailing from Calgary. A mathematician, his game Santorini is beloved by many Hexperts and we’re always happy to show you how to play!

Looking at this list, it’s interesting to see how diverse the Canadian board game industry is. We have themes as wide-ranging as Spanish cathedrals and feudal Japanese warfare, and mechanics as different as dexterity/tower building and abstract strategy. I hope this theme of diversity helps the growth of the Canadian games industry.