Board games are excellent, but not everyone knows this since they are so caught up with their Xbox One and PlayStation 4 video game consoles. For those who are still in love with board games, there are more to these types of games rather than the traditional ones such as Chess, Checkers, and Monopoly.

Back in 2014, there were several new board games to hit store shelves, and we've played quite a few of them to be able to conjure up a list of the best. Folks who want to try something new should give the names on our list a test drive because they are not so bad.

Some will even say that they are better than the popular ones; fighting words, we know, but it is not so impossible to believe.

Star Realms

This board game began life on Kickstarter, the audacious crowd-funding company, and has since then managed to become reality. It's a card based games that can accommodate two players or more, but that all depends on the amount of cards bought. Folks who have played Dominion should be right at home with Star Realms.

Dead of Winter: A Crossroads Game

We've gotten so obsessed with the post-apocalyptic wasteland that the concept has found itself in a board game. Dead of Winter requires two players to work together in order to face-off successfully against zombies, along with completing a primary objective. Furthermore, both players are also out to fulfill one of 24 objectives that are random, so there's a bit of competitiveness going on here.

Marvel Dice Masters: Avengers vs. X-Men

Look at that, a Marvel board game, who is surprised? Not us. Marvel, since being acquired by Disney, is a different studio that has been doing great things, and having its name and characters slapped to a board game is no exception. The game is similar to Marvel vs. Capcom, but instead of smashing buttons to get rid of an opponent, players have to roll that dice.

Castles of Mad King Ludwig

This is a German game, and it is a bit weird, but fun nonetheless. The game is all about a single or three other players being turned into architects who must design the interior of the mad king's remarkable castle. As time goes by, each player will get the chance of becoming the master builder, but it won't be easy.

Five Tribes

One of the best and most challenging board games released in 2014. It is a strategic masterpiece, and won't be fun for those who lack patience. There's around a dozen ways to score points, but with three other players on the prowl, becoming top dog will take a bit of strategic thinking.