Zenith (2025)

“In the Intermediate category, the award goes to Zenith, designed by Gregory Grard and Mathieu Roussel.”

The reviewer highly praises Zenith as an "absolutely fantastic" two-player game, easily one of the best they have played in years, exceeding expectations with its back-and-forth gameplay and constant engagement.

“We like Zenith so much that we recommend it in the following board game recommendation lists.”

Alex Radical describes Zenith as an absolutely fantastic two-player tug-of-war game that he adores, particularly praising its unique mechanism where influence tokens reset after being claimed, leading to continuous strategic engagement.

“Taken as a whole, Zenith feels like a gift from an alternate timeline, one where lane-battlers look very different from ours and multi-use cards are radical innovations rather than perfunctory inclusions. I love this game’s textures, its swings, its vibrant colors, the clarity of its objectives and the ease with which they get lost against the backdrop of the game’s smaller struggles.”

The reviewers enthusiastically recommend Zenith, praising its tight design, quick gameplay, and fun tug-of-war mechanic, though they note that the game's symbology can be initially difficult to understand.

The reviewer highlights Zenith as one of the most exciting upcoming board games showcased at GAMA Expo, deeming it among the best titles presented at the event.

“In Zenith, you’ll utilize a hand of multi-use cards (drawn from a huge central deck) to drag planet tokens in your direction, advance up the tech track, and tussle for a larger hand advantage. If you don’t mind a huge variety of card icons (and their accompanying player aids that are packed with explanations), or at least have the patience to get the hang of the card language through the first 30 minutes, then you are in a for a cosmic treat here.”

Zenith is highlighted as a highly recommended tabletop game for couples, signifying it as an engaging and enjoyable choice for shared gaming experiences.

Zenith is highly recommended by Board Game Animal, earning a place on their curated list of the top board games of 2025, indicating it is a standout title.

MarcoOmnigamer found 'Zenith' to be a highly enjoyable and fun engine-building game, particularly praising its elegant design for two players and the impressive way its various tasks and technologies synergize to create an accelerating and satisfying gameplay experience.

“This game is simply excellent. On the surface, it appears to be an innocent tug-of-war, area control game, but each subsequent play only deepens the strategic decision-making.”