The new Zatu website is finally here! Seeing this fresh design and how it improves the experience got me thinking about board games that have enjoyed a similar glow up, whether through a new theme, reskin, or second edition. The core gameplay often remains the same, but the new look can make a game feel elevated, polished, and far more inviting. The kind of game you want to bring back to the table again and again, leaving its less popular predecessor behind.
To celebrate the new website design, here are a few games we love for their fresh new looks.
Unfathomable by Sophie Jones
For those who might not know, Unfathomable is a reskin of the much older Battlestar Galactica board game. At its heart, it is a hidden traitor experience where the crew must work together to complete a larger mission, while some players secretly plot to sabotage everything. The original leaned heavily on its television roots, with Cylons and familiar characters, which worked for fans but could feel closed off to new players.
The Cthulhu-themed reskin changes all that. Players are trapped together on a single ship, and when traitors are revealed they stay in the action, undermining the crew rather than being sidelined. Moving away from the TV licence allowed the designers to fold in expansion content more naturally and redesign the board spaces with better flow, free from the limits of the original theme.
The mechanics remain largely the same, but the new setting makes Unfathomable more approachable and easier to get to the table. The playful horror theme adds tension and excitement, drawing players in even if they aren’t familiar with Battlestar. It’s a perfect example of how a fresh coat of paint can breathe new life into an already brilliant game, showing that a clever reskin can make a classic feel entirely new.
Diamant (2024 Edition) by Dan Street-Phillips
Diamant or Incan gold is a game that has gone through a lot of changes over the years. Firstly, depending on where you are geographically will dictate which version of this push your luck, dungeon exploration you will know. In the States it’s known as Incan Gold whereas if you’re in Europe then Diamant is the name you would recognise.
In the game, you’re flipping over cards as you delve deeper into five separate caves. Along your path you will discover rubies, however if you get trapped you lose all the rubies you have found. The only way to save the gems is to leave the cave…but knowing when to run away is the key fun of the game! I always preferred Diamant due to its wonderfully tactile treasure chests in which you stash your rubies in, but its artwork was always a little old fashioned.
Well recently they dropped a brand new version with a much more colourful and modern look. The characters are larger than life and the colour palette is now vibrant and fun and perhaps most importantly, it still comes with those nice tactile treasure chests and bags of rubies and diamonds to fill them with!
Sushi Go Party! by Pete Bartlam
It’s certainly barbecue weather now, and while most people lean toward grilled meats and prawns, there are other, slightly more sophisticated options, like sushi.
OK, I’m not suggesting this for your outdoor feast, but when the sun goes down and the sundowners have been properly quaffed, up to eight of you can gather round to build exotic menus in Sushi Go Party.
Why? Because it’s fun, easy to learn, compact, and packed with lovely little cartoon-faced sushi. What’s not to like? Starting with a hand of cards showing menu items, everyone selects one card to play face down. Once revealed, the remaining cards are passed on. This continues until all cards are played, the round ends, and points are scored. After three rounds, the game is done.
Sushi Go Party is essentially the same game as the original Sushi Go but in a bigger, tastier format. More cards mean more players can join in, and the menus can be mixed for variety. The design stays faithful to the cute style everyone loves, yet the extra content makes each game feel fresh. It comes in a cheerful tin, and the tenth anniversary edition even arrived in a bento box, proving that the same game can wear some very stylish outfits.
You only ever play one card from your hand. The rest depends on what is passed to you, just as others rely on what you pass along the sushi conveyor carousel of delight.
La Granja Deluxe Master Set by Luke Pickles
Throw your mind back to 2014 – a brand new game arrives where players use cards in a variety of ways while trying to build the best farm across the island of Mallorca. The goal is to become La Granja, the best of the best, and the game is very well received. Yet, viewed through the lens of time, the artwork leaves a little to be desired. The muted yellows and greens help the icons stand out, but it was never a great beauty to look at.
Enter the 2023 reprint from Board and Dice and the Deluxe Master Set. The artwork has been brightened up, with detailed player farm boards, a vibrant central board, and deluxe chunky tokens that feel wonderful on the table. Add in the waves of modular expansions created by guest designers, and the Deluxe Master Set has quickly become the definitive way to play La Granja.
Ethnos 2nd Edition by Chris Ridley
Eurogames often get a reputation for being beige and drab, which can put off new players even when the gameplay is genuinely fun. Ethnos 1st Edition fits that stereotype. The
mechanics are solid, and the epic high-fantasy setting has its charm, but the muted, low-contrast colours make the cards hard to read at a distance or in poor lighting. The map is featureless, the box art grey, and you can see why friends or family might pass before even opening it.
Ethnos 2nd Edition takes a completely different approach. The artwork is vibrant and high contrast, instantly making the game feel more modern and inviting. The map transforms into a colourful island of diverse biomes that are easier to distinguish, and it’s twice the size, making it accessible for everyone. It's the kind of redesign that says "we listened" without compromising what made the original work.
This edition also adds meaningful upgrades: a new Solo Mode, updated tribe abilities, and a brand new tribe – The Merchants – who shake up scoring each round, replacing Halflings. And honestly, I always found the Halflings to be a “filler” tribe.
The 2nd Edition shows that a redesign isn’t just about fixing flaws; it’s about letting the game shine. If you've been curious about Ethnos but put off by the 1st edition's aesthetic, the 2nd Edition is absolutely worth a second look.
John Company 2nd Edition by Ian Paczek
The John Company was the nickname for the East India Company, and this economic Euro game places you in the role of a family within the organisation. You send your young men to serve as writers and clerks, hoping they will climb the ranks to become Director of Trade, President of Bengal, or even Chairman. There’s a lot of history running through the design, which is no surprise given that designer Cole Wehrle has a PhD in the literature of British colonialism.
The 1st edition was an excellent game, but it carried a steep learning curve and fairly basic components such as coloured wooden cubes and ship hulls. In both editions, the core gameplay is the same score victory points by turning company power into family prestige back in Britain.
The 2nd edition has been enhanced with screen-printed wooden tokens for family members, optional metal coins, and stackable towers for the provinces of India. Furthermore, the map of India is on the game board, rather than being abstracted away in the 1st edition.
This is a truly great game and worth playing, still heavy and complex and a darling of the dedicated board gamer, but the upgraded components invite you into the history and let you embrace the challenge.
Carcassonne Hunters and Gatherers by David Ireland
Carcassonne Hunters and Gatherers has always been a favourite of mine. Created by Rio Grande, it was my first introduction to any Carcassonne way back in 2004 and I’ve always felt it’s the best. Classic Carcassonne rules included in the set but the additional rules introduced to this version just make it better than the standard game. The theme of the stone age caveman also just works and gives the game a wonderful setting.
Then in 2020, Z-Man Games got their hands on it and released a 2nd edition. I couldn’t believe it, I could not understand why they were messing with a masterpiece, it seemed totally unnecessary. Then in 2021 at Draughts board game cafe in London I found a copy on their shelves and so we set it up. It’s better than the original! I didn’t want to believe or accept this, but they improved it. They kept everything that made Hunters and Gatherers great and then just adjusted a few elements. It’s brilliant.
It reminds me that change can be a good thing. Even when something is already excellent, a new look and a few smart updates can make the experience better for everyone. So I’m truly excited for Zatu’s new website and what they’ll now have to offer us.
Air, Land & Sea: Critters at War by Chris Ridley
If you’re drawn to compact, tense card battles, Air, Land & Sea delivers elegant gameplay in just 18 cards. Players battle over three theatres – Air, Land, and Sea – using cards with unique abilities, choosing whether to play them face-up to trigger their powers or face-down as generic strength-2 cards. The strategic core is identical across all versions.
What really sets the reskin, Critters At War, apart is the art. The original leans on a muted World War II style, which works for players seeking a serious, grounded theme but can feel inaccessible to those after something lighter. Critters At War flips this entirely, replacing soldiers with vibrant, cartoonish animals – Undercover Raccoons, Capybara Riflemen, and more – illustrated by Derek Laufman. The bright palette and playful anthropomorphism make you want to examine each card as it hits the theatre, while still preserving the tactical depth of the original.
This reskin proves how visuals can change the table experience. The game itself hasn’t changed, yet the new aesthetic makes it approachable and fun for a wider audience. Whether you prefer military precision or a whimsical critter army, the gameplay is just as satisfying, it’s all about which style draws you in.
Star Wars: Battle of Hoth by Pete Bartlam
When you’ve got a tabletop miniatures board game as good as Richard Borg’s Memoir ’44 that’s easy to learn, quick to play yet offering a lot of tense tactical decisions, how do you update it and take it onwards?
You take it into the distant future in a galaxy far, far away!
You see, there are a few people who don’t like the idea of games set in World War II but on the other hand there are an awful lot of people who do like the Star Wars world. In the mode of if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, just reskin it, Days of Wonder have given us an excellent implementation of the iconic ice battle from The Empire Strikes Back. A whole new audience can enjoy the exquisite torment of having your lovingly sculpted troops and figures unable to complete their crushing masterstroke because you haven’t got the card to command them.
The theming is phenomenal with true replicas of snowtroopers, speeders, droids and, of course, AT-ATs. Plus, commander characters Luke, Han, Leia and Lord Vader himself.
Memoir ’44 itself spawned many add-ons so we may see more yet to come.
Azul Master Chocolatier by Sophie Jones
Unlike full rethemes or second editions that often sneak in a few rule tweaks, Azul Master Chocolatier changes absolutely nothing about Azul’s brain teasing tile placement. It simply swaps Portuguese tiles for a beautifully arranged box of chocolates. Underneath the glossy wrapper it’s exactly the same game.
And yet it somehow feels different. This edition is cosy and genuinely mouth watering. It’s honestly hard not to try and eat the pieces, it probably should come with a warning. Playing it while sharing actual chocolate almost feels like part of the rules. The table presence is gorgeous and that alone shifts the mood. Instead of shouting please don’t take that white tile you find yourself desperately fighting over luxury white chocolates, which is undeniably more fun.
There is one small addition in the form of a factory variant that nudges the game toward a more competitive edge. You can happily ignore it, but it’s amazing how something as simple as a double-sided factory board can inject a bit more carnage into a familiar favourite.
And there you have it, 10 games that show how a fresh coat of paint or a thoughtful redesign can make a familiar favourite feel brand new. Sometimes a game is already great, but a new look and a revisit can turn the experience into something even better and make it look stunning on the table. With its bright new design and user-friendly tweaks, Zatu’s website is just like these games, easier to browse, a joy to use, and full of rewards waiting to be discovered. So, which “new look, same game” will make its way into your basket next?
About the Author:
* Sophie is a gamer, blogger, podcaster, and book lover with a passion for solo narrative video games. When she's not immersed in games or writing, she's probably out hiking. Her favourite board games feature worker placement, nature themes, and smart tableau-building mechanics.
