If you have been hunting for a gateway game that pulls new players in without putting them to sleep, the 2026 Origins Awards just handed you a recommendation. Railroad Tiles, Horrible Guild's tile-laying network-builder, has been named Gateway Game of the Year, the prize that singles out the best on-ramp into the hobby.
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See how it worksIt comes from Hjalmar Hach and Lorenzo Silva, the same duo behind Railroad Ink, the roll-and-write series that became a staple of pub tables and travel bags. Railroad Tiles keeps the puzzly joy of drawing routes but swaps the dry-wipe markers for physical tiles. Over eight rounds you draft tiles from a shared pool and lay railways and roads in front of you, linking up cities and dropping cars, trains and travellers onto your growing map to score. The clever bit is in the drafting: the more tiles you grab, the later you pick next round, so greed has a cost.
It plays 1 to 4 (with a solo mode), wraps up in about 45 minutes, and is friendly enough for an eight-year-old while still giving veterans something to optimise. Soft, inviting artwork by Francesco De Benedittis and Marta Tranquilli suits its family-table ambitions.
Run game nights? Backseat Gamer handles RSVPs, waitlists, date polling, and game voting so you can focus on playing.
Start organising for freeThe Origins Awards, handed out at Origins Game Fair in Columbus from 17 to 21 June, are one of the hobby's oldest honours, so a Gateway win is a real seal of approval.
If you are the one always teaching newcomers at your group, Railroad Tiles is exactly the kind of quick, low-stress opener that gets a night rolling. It is out now from Horrible Guild. Fancy putting it on the table with a crowd? Set up a game night near you and find out who else wants in.
Sources: Tabletop Sentinel | Horrible Guild | Meeple Mountain
