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Translation Candidates Showcase

Auto-generated from the LLM extraction over the BGG top-100. Heat: Pedal to the Metal got a full deep-dive (notes/heat_deep_dive.md) — this report surfaces other Heat-caliber candidates at condensed depth.

TL;DR

From 100 extracted top-100 BGG games, the analysis surfaced 12 Tier-1A candidates (truest greenfield: no port AND no loop-translation), 10 Tier-1B candidates (port exists but loop unclaimed — secondary), and 10 Tier-2 candidates (softer criteria). Heat is the deepest-investigated of Tier-1A.

Quality bar (applies to all Tier-1):

  • closest_loop_translation = "none yet" (no other digital game has taken this loop)
  • mobile_translation_difficulty in {Easy, Medium}
  • confidence >= 0.75 (the LLM analysis is well-grounded)
  • bayesaverage >= 7.5 (BGG-validated quality, complexity-aware)
  • usersrated >= 5000 (community signal, not niche-only)
  • direct_digital_port is null OR is just a port (not itself a translation)

Tier 1A vs 1B: 1A is the cleanest opportunity — no digital version of this game exists at all. 1B has a port (Asmodee Digital, Dire Wolf, etc.) but no other game has taken the loop and added a digital meta-layer (the StS pattern). 1A is what we're really hunting for.

Tier 1A — Truest greenfield (no port, no translation)

This is the Heat tier. These games have no digital presence at all yet still scored high on BGG quality, mobile-portability, and LLM analysis confidence.

Orléans (BGG #26, weight 3.0, bayes 7.86, conf 0.80)

Core loop: Draw follower tokens from your bag, plan placement on action tracks; activate tracks to gain goods, knights, tokens. What you do: draw followers from bag, place on action — mixed:probabilistic+combinatorial decisions with engine_compounding rewards. Aesthetics: Challenge, Discovery Translation difficulty: Easy — Bag-building loop is clean and digitizable. Available on Tabletopia and BGA but no dedicated standalone port. Direct digital port: no digital port Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: bag_building, simultaneous_action_planning, follower_type_synergy, track_completion_unlocks, event_phase_pressure

Heat: Pedal to the Metal (BGG #47, weight 2.2, bayes 7.79, conf 0.85)

🟢 Full deep-dive available: notes/heat_deep_dive.md

Core loop: Choose a gear, play that many speed cards; corner too fast and you stuff heat cards into your deck. What you do: play speed cards, manage heat — mixed:combinatorial+probabilistic decisions with mixed:immediate+delayed rewards. Aesthetics: Challenge, Sensation, Fellowship Translation difficulty: Easy — Hand-managed deck with simple math is a slam-dunk for mobile; only BGA exists today, no native port yet. Direct digital port: no digital port Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: gear_shift_hand_size, heat_card_deck_pollution, corner_speed_check, slipstream_catch_up, championship_meta_persistence

Great Western Trail (BGG #10, weight 3.7, bayes 7.98, conf 0.85)

Core loop: Move your cowboy 1-N steps up the trail; do the action of whatever building you stop at; cycle herd cards to deliver high-value cattle in Kansas City. What you do: move along trail, take location action — combinatorial decisions with mixed:delayed+engine_compounding rewards. Aesthetics: Challenge, Discovery Translation difficulty: Medium — No official digital app exists despite huge popularity — only BGA and TTS mods; the multi-track scoring and movement-as-rondel would adapt well. Direct digital port: no digital port Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: movement_as_action_selection, deck_thinning_for_quality, multi_track_parallel_scoring, personal_building_placement, delivery_destination_payoff

A Feast for Odin (BGG #28, weight 3.9, bayes 7.94, conf 0.80)

Core loop: Place vikings on a 61-action board; tile-pack your home board to cover -86 of penalty squares. What you do: place viking on action column — combinatorial decisions with delayed rewards. Aesthetics: Challenge, Expression Translation difficulty: Medium — The 61-action board and polyomino tile-laying are visually demanding on small screens. No official standalone port exists yet, only BGA. Direct digital port: no digital port Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: polyomino_grid_coverage, negative_space_penalty, action_column_worker_cost, feast_pressure_each_round, exploration_via_tile_chain

Arkham Horror: The Card Game (BGG #20, weight 3.6, bayes 7.89, conf 0.80)

Core loop: Spend 3 actions per turn investigating locations; commit cards to skill tests resolved by chaos token draw. What you do: spend action, commit cards — mixed:probabilistic+combinatorial decisions with mixed:immediate+delayed rewards. Aesthetics: Narrative, Challenge, Discovery Translation difficulty: Medium — Branching scenario logic and chaos bag math are easy to digitize, but the deep deckbuilding metagame and licensed Lovecraft scenarios make a full port a huge content investment. No official LCG digital port exists. Direct digital port: no digital port Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: chaos_bag_resolution, card_commit_to_skill_test, campaign_deck_persistence, investigator_weakness_card, scenario_branching_state

Tzolk'in: The Mayan Calendar (BGG #37, weight 3.7, bayes 7.68, conf 0.85)

Core loop: Drop a worker on a turning gear or pull one off for a stronger action — the longer you wait, the better the payoff. What you do: place or pick up worker — combinatorial decisions with delayed rewards. Aesthetics: Challenge, Discovery Translation difficulty: Medium — The rotating-gear timing is visually digital-friendly but the depth of multi-turn planning fights short mobile sessions; no official port exists. Direct digital port: no digital port Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: time_delayed_action_escalation, rotating_gear_action_track, deferred_payoff_optimization, tech_tier_unlock, corn_economy_squeeze

Clans of Caledonia (BGG #44, weight 3.5, bayes 7.68, conf 0.75)

Core loop: Take one of eight economic actions per turn, expand on the hex map, and feed a swinging commodity market. What you do: build, produce, trade — mixed:spatial+combinatorial decisions with engine_compounding rewards. Aesthetics: Challenge, Discovery Translation difficulty: Medium — Bookkeeping-heavy economy is digital-friendly but only BGA exists; no native port. Direct digital port: no digital port Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: fluctuating_market_prices, hex_network_expansion, production_chain_unlock, asymmetric_clan_powers, round_scoring_objectives

Le Havre (BGG #40, weight 3.7, bayes 7.66, conf 0.85)

Core loop: Either grab a growing pile of goods or pay to use a building to convert resources into VP-bearing buildings and ships. What you do: take goods or use building — combinatorial decisions with engine_compounding rewards. Aesthetics: Challenge, Submission Translation difficulty: Medium — Heavy bookkeeping suits digital, but long arc and no official port; Digidiced has done other Rosenberg titles but not Le Havre. Direct digital port: no digital port Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: growing_supply_offer, rentable_player_buildings, feeding_pressure, resource_upgrade_chain, loan_punishment

El Grande (BGG #58, weight 2.9, bayes 7.59, conf 0.80)

Core loop: Bid a power card for turn order, choose an action, deploy knights into adjacent regions to win majority scoring. What you do: play power card and place caballeros — combinatorial decisions with delayed rewards. Aesthetics: Challenge, Submission Translation difficulty: Medium — Area majority is clean to render but king-adjacency rules and the secret castillo dial need careful UX; no official port exists. Direct digital port: no digital port Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: area_majority_periodic_scoring, selection_order_bid, secret_simultaneous_reveal, king_adjacency_constraint, action_card_pool_rotation

The Voyages of Marco Polo (BGG #42, weight 3.2, bayes 7.54, conf 0.80)

Core loop: Roll five personal dice each round and place them on action spaces; higher pips give better results but cost more if blocked. What you do: place dice on action — mixed:combinatorial+probabilistic decisions with mixed:immediate+delayed rewards. Aesthetics: Challenge, Discovery Translation difficulty: Medium — Dice-as-workers is digital-friendly but no official port exists; only BGA browser play. Direct digital port: no digital port Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: dice_as_workers, pip_value_action_quality, blocking_cost_escalation, asymmetric_starting_powers, contract_set_collection

Tigris & Euphrates (BGG #71, weight 3.5, bayes 7.51, conf 0.80)

Core loop: Place colored tiles to grow kingdoms, fight internal/external conflicts; your final score is your weakest color. What you do: place tile, trigger conflict — mixed:spatial+combinatorial decisions with mixed:immediate+delayed rewards. Aesthetics: Challenge, Discovery Translation difficulty: Medium — Past iOS/Android ports were delisted in 2020. The lowest-color scoring is unintuitive but renderable; no current native app. Direct digital port: no digital port Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: lowest_color_scoring, kingdom_merge_conflict, leader_tile_typed, monument_persistent_income, hand_refill_to_six

Keyflower (BGG #49, weight 3.3, bayes 7.50, conf 0.80)

Core loop: Use colored meeples to bid on tiles or to activate any tile in any village — including opponents'. What you do: bid worker on tile — mixed:combinatorial+social decisions with delayed rewards. Aesthetics: Challenge, Discovery Translation difficulty: Medium — Color-bid auctions and shared use of opponent tiles are digital-friendly, but only BGA exists; no native port. Direct digital port: no digital port Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: color_constrained_bidding, use_opponent_tiles, winter_hidden_objective_reveal, auction_or_activate_dual_use, village_tile_tableau

Tier 1B — Port exists, loop unclaimed (secondary)

A digital port of the game itself exists, but no other digital game has taken the core loop and translated it (Dominion → Slay the Spire pattern). The opportunity is real but the audience already has a digital home for the game itself, so positioning is harder.

Ark Nova (BGG #2, weight 3.8, bayes 8.35, conf 0.85)

Core loop: Play one of your 5 action cards (stronger if it's lower in your row); use it to draft animals, build enclosures, or fund conservation. What you do: play one of five rotating action cards — combinatorial decisions with engine_compounding rewards. Aesthetics: Challenge, Discovery, Expression Translation difficulty: Easy — Already done by Dire Wolf cross-platform; the action-strength-by-slot mechanic and card economy compress cleanly to touch. Direct digital port: Ark Nova (Steam/iOS/Android, Dire Wolf Digital) Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: action_card_strength_by_slot, tableau_animal_requirements, dual_track_scoring, card_engine_with_icons, conservation_race_track

Dune: Imperium – Uprising (BGG #5, weight 3.5, bayes 8.23, conf 0.85)

Core loop: Play a card to send an agent to a worker space the icons unlock; reveal remaining cards for persuasion to buy more cards and swords for the conflict. What you do: play card to send agent to space — mixed:combinatorial+social decisions with mixed:delayed+engine_compounding rewards. Aesthetics: Challenge, Fantasy Translation difficulty: Easy — Dire Wolf already ships Dune: Imperium digitally and Uprising assets are being added; the deck/worker hybrid loop fits async play. Direct digital port: Dune: Imperium Digital (Steam/iOS/Android, Dire Wolf Digital) — Uprising integration in progress Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: card_gates_worker_space, split_play_agent_then_reveal, faction_influence_tracks, blind_conflict_commitment, spy_placement_subgame

Dune: Imperium (BGG #6, weight 3.1, bayes 8.22, conf 0.90)

Core loop: Play a card whose icons unlock a worker space; later reveal leftover cards for persuasion to buy cards and swords to fight the round's conflict. What you do: play card to send agent to space — mixed:combinatorial+social decisions with mixed:delayed+engine_compounding rewards. Aesthetics: Challenge, Fantasy Translation difficulty: Easy — Dire Wolf has shipped a full cross-platform port; deckbuilding plus worker placement compresses cleanly to touch with async play. Direct digital port: Dune: Imperium Digital (Steam/iOS/Android, Dire Wolf Digital) Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: card_gates_worker_space, split_play_agent_then_reveal, faction_influence_tracks, blind_conflict_commitment, deck_thinning_via_trash

Terraforming Mars (BGG #4, weight 3.3, bayes 8.19, conf 0.95)

Core loop: Buy project cards into hand, pay to play them to raise production, place tiles on Mars, and tick three global parameters to game-end. What you do: buy and play project cards — combinatorial decisions with engine_compounding rewards. Aesthetics: Challenge, Discovery, Fantasy Translation difficulty: Easy — Asmodee/LuckyHammers port exists; resource accounting and 200+ unique cards are exactly what digital handles better than cardboard. Direct digital port: Terraforming Mars (Steam/iOS/Android, Asmodee Digital) Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: production_track_engine, tile_bonus_adjacency, global_parameter_triggers, tag_synergy_card_play, milestone_award_race

Spirit Island (BGG #15, weight 4.1, bayes 8.14, conf 0.90)

Core loop: Pay energy to play power cards on island regions; coordinate with other spirits to destroy invaders before their explore/build/ravage cadence overruns the land. What you do: play power cards to attack invaders — mixed:combinatorial+spatial decisions with mixed:immediate+delayed rewards. Aesthetics: Challenge, Fellowship, Narrative Translation difficulty: Easy — Handelabra ported it cleanly to Steam and mobile; the deterministic invader phases and power-card targeting are perfect for digital. Direct digital port: Spirit Island (Steam/iOS/Android, Handelabra) Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: scripted_enemy_cadence, fear_track_softens_win_condition, power_card_growth_choice, elemental_threshold_bonuses, asymmetric_spirit_economy

Twilight Struggle (BGG #5, weight 3.6, bayes 8.04, conf 0.90)

Core loop: Each turn play cards choosing ops value or event; place influence on a world map in a tug-of-war for regional control. What you do: play card for ops or event — mixed:combinatorial+social decisions with mixed:immediate+delayed rewards. Aesthetics: Challenge, Narrative Translation difficulty: Easy — Playdek port has been a reference Steam adaptation since 2016; the card-for-ops dilemma and influence math are perfect for digital. Direct digital port: Twilight Struggle (Steam/iOS, Playdek) Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: headline_event_simultaneous_reveal, ops_vs_event_dilemma, regional_influence_tug_of_war, defcon_escalation_meta, scoring_card_timing_pressure

The Castles of Burgundy (BGG #14, weight 3.0, bayes 8.03, conf 0.90)

Core loop: Roll two dice; use each to take a tile from a numbered depot, place a tile of matching number into your estate, ship goods, or buy workers to shift pips. What you do: spend dice to take/place tiles — mixed:probabilistic+spatial decisions with mixed:immediate+delayed rewards. Aesthetics: Challenge, Discovery Translation difficulty: Easy — Digidiced cross-platform port works great; dice-as-actions and tile-fitting are quintessentially touch-friendly. Direct digital port: The Castles of Burgundy (Steam/iOS/Android, Digidiced) Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: dice_to_numbered_slot, tile_region_completion_bonus, worker_pip_shift, personal_polyomino_estate, depot_refresh_phase

Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization (BGG #3, weight 4.4, bayes 8.01, conf 0.95)

Core loop: Spend civil actions to draft tech/leader/wonder cards from a sliding row, then reassign workers to feed the engine you're building. What you do: spend civil/military actions to draft cards — combinatorial decisions with engine_compounding rewards. Aesthetics: Challenge, Discovery Translation difficulty: Easy — Already done by CGE Digital; the bookkeeping-heavy worker reallocation actually benefits from automation, and async play fits long arcs. Direct digital port: Through the Ages (Steam/iOS/Android, CGE Digital) Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: card_row_cost_decay, worker_reassignment_economy, asymmetric_military_pressure, wonder_progressive_build, leader_swap_buff

7 Wonders Duel (BGG #16, weight 2.2, bayes 7.95, conf 0.90)

Core loop: Take a face-up card from a tiered pyramid (uncovering the row beneath); build it for resources, military, or science, or burn for coins/wonders. What you do: draft card from pyramid — combinatorial decisions with mixed:immediate+delayed rewards. Aesthetics: Challenge, Discovery Translation difficulty: Easy — Repos shipped a strong mobile app in 2019; the pyramid mechanic is naturally touch-first and 30-min sessions fit phone perfectly. Direct digital port: 7 Wonders Duel (iOS/Android, Repos Production) Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: pyramid_card_reveal_drafting, two_sudden_death_paths, resource_cost_inflation, wonder_picks_one_extra_turn, science_set_collection

Scythe (BGG #8, weight 3.5, bayes 7.95, conf 0.90)

Core loop: Choose one of four sectors on your player mat; do the top action (move/trade/produce) and optionally pay for the bottom (build/enlist/upgrade/deploy). What you do: pick a sector, take top+bottom action — mixed:combinatorial+spatial decisions with mixed:delayed+engine_compounding rewards. Aesthetics: Challenge, Expression, Discovery Translation difficulty: Easy — Knights of Unity ported it to Steam and mobile; the four-sector mat is touch-friendly and combat is deterministic bid-reveal. Direct digital port: Scythe: Digital Edition (Steam/iOS/Android, Knights of Unity) Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: paired_top_bottom_action, sector_lockout_last_round, achievement_star_race_endgame, popularity_coin_multiplier, hidden_dial_combat_bid

Tier 2 — Worth exploring (one softening factor)

Brass: Birmingham (BGG #13, weight 3.9, bayes 8.39, conf 0.85)

Core loop: Spend a location or industry card to build a tile in a matching city, lay canals/rails, sell goods to flip tiles, and chain into beer. What you do: spend card to build/network/develop — mixed:combinatorial+spatial decisions with mixed:delayed+engine_compounding rewards. Aesthetics: Challenge, Expression Translation difficulty: Medium — Phalanx Steam port exists but is famously rough; the beer-chaining sell action and market dynamics need careful UI work to feel clean on touch. Direct digital port: Brass: Birmingham (Steam, Phalanx Games / Cublo) Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: card_locks_build_location, income_vs_vp_track_split, resource_market_decay, two_era_score_reset, beer_consumption_chain

Gloomhaven (BGG #1, weight 3.9, bayes 8.30, conf 0.90)

Core loop: Each round pick two ability cards; combine one top action with one bottom to fight monsters on a hex grid before your hand burns out. What you do: play two cards, pick top/bottom action — mixed:combinatorial+spatial decisions with mixed:delayed+engine_compounding rewards. Aesthetics: Challenge, Narrative, Discovery Translation difficulty: Medium — The card-pair selection and exhaustion economy port well, but the campaign legacy meta and party coordination create UI and session-length friction. Direct digital port: Gloomhaven (Steam/console, Asmodee Digital + Flaming Fowl) Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: card_burn_attrition, top_bottom_dual_use_card, initiative_via_card_value, modifier_deck_variance, branching_campaign_unlock

Gaia Project (BGG #7, weight 4.4, bayes 8.09, conf 0.85)

Core loop: Spend ore to terraform a neighbor planet to your home type, build a dwelling, upgrade buildings, and climb six tech tracks. What you do: terraform and build on hex planets — mixed:combinatorial+spatial decisions with engine_compounding rewards. Aesthetics: Challenge, Discovery Translation difficulty: Medium — Digidiced ported it well, but the rules surface and faction asymmetry make onboarding hard on phone screens; the spatial network rewards a tablet. Direct digital port: Gaia Project (Steam/iOS/Android, Digidiced) Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: terraform_distance_cost, asymmetric_faction_economy, tech_track_climb, power_bowl_cycling, federation_scoring_polyomino

SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (BGG #16, weight 3.8, bayes 8.02, conf 0.60)

Core loop: Spend resources to launch probes at moving planets, scan distant stars for signal traces, and analyze sample tracks to score discoveries. What you do: launch probes and analyze data — combinatorial decisions with mixed:delayed+engine_compounding rewards. Aesthetics: Discovery, Challenge, Narrative Translation difficulty: Medium — No official port yet — only TTS mod; CGE has a digital team so one is plausible, but the orbital tracks and 200-card economy are heavy to UI well. Direct digital port: no digital port Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: orbital_position_timing, multi_track_research_progression, sample_analysis_pipeline, tech_card_engine, discovery_drip_reveal

Brass: Lancashire (BGG #22, weight 3.8, bayes 7.96, conf 0.85)

Core loop: Spend cards to build industries and rail/canal links; flip tiles via shared market consumption to score VPs. What you do: play card, build industry — combinatorial decisions with delayed rewards. Aesthetics: Challenge Translation difficulty: Medium — Mechanically clean and digitizable, but deep player-interactive market and network constraints make solo AI hard. Digital port exists on Steam and iPad. Direct digital port: Brass (Steam/iOS, Cublo) Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: shared_resource_market, tile_flip_via_external_demand, card_location_gating, two_phase_era_reset, spend_to_set_turn_order

Concordia (BGG #18, weight 3.0, bayes 7.93, conf 0.90)

Core loop: Play one of your hand cards to take its action (move, build, produce); end-game scoring multiplies cards by board state. What you do: play card, take its action — combinatorial decisions with delayed rewards. Aesthetics: Challenge, Discovery Translation difficulty: Easy — Clean rules, no hidden info beyond cards in hand, and an existing well-regarded digital edition. Perfect fit for async multiplayer. Direct digital port: Concordia: Digital Edition (Steam/iOS/Android/Switch) Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: multi_use_card_actions, hand_as_action_palette, scoring_card_multipliers, deck_growth_via_drafting, spatial_network_extension

Lost Ruins of Arnak (BGG #30, weight 2.9, bayes 7.92, conf 0.90)

Core loop: Each turn, play a card to move/buy or place a worker on an action; explore tiles, fight guardians, climb research track. What you do: play card or place worker — combinatorial decisions with engine_compounding rewards. Aesthetics: Discovery, Challenge Translation difficulty: Easy — Compact deck and one-action-per-turn pacing fit mobile perfectly. CGE digital edition is in development on Steam. Direct digital port: Lost Ruins of Arnak (Steam, CGE — upcoming) Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: deckbuilding_meets_worker_placement, research_track_dual_climb, guardian_boss_fight, site_tile_reveal, fear_card_pollution

Root (BGG #47, weight 3.8, bayes 7.88, conf 0.95)

Core loop: Each player runs a totally different faction with its own rules, racing to 30 VP across a forest map. What you do: take faction-specific action — mixed:spatial+social decisions with mixed:immediate+delayed rewards. Aesthetics: Narrative, Challenge, Fellowship, Fantasy Translation difficulty: Medium — Asymmetry is hard for AI but Dire Wolf shipped an excellent Steam/mobile port with bots that mostly work. Direct digital port: Root (Steam/mobile, Dire Wolf Digital) Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: radically_asymmetric_factions, area_control_with_warriors, faction_specific_victory_path, card_suit_terrain_match, negotiation_table_politics

Terra Mystica (BGG #11, weight 4.0, bayes 7.86, conf 0.90)

Core loop: Spend workers to shift a neighboring hex closer to your home terrain, build a dwelling there, and upgrade buildings to grow income. What you do: terraform a hex and build — mixed:combinatorial+spatial decisions with engine_compounding rewards. Aesthetics: Challenge, Expression Translation difficulty: Easy — Digidiced port has been the gold standard since 2017; deterministic rules and async multiplayer suit it perfectly. Direct digital port: Terra Mystica (Steam/iOS/Android, Digidiced) Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: terraform_distance_cost, adjacency_power_gain, cult_track_progression, power_bowl_cycling, asymmetric_faction_economy

Wingspan (BGG #43, weight 2.5, bayes 7.85, conf 1.00)

Core loop: Pay food and eggs to play a bird into a habitat row; later actions in that habitat trigger every bird in it. What you do: play bird, trigger chain — combinatorial decisions with engine_compounding rewards. Aesthetics: Discovery, Challenge, Sensation Translation difficulty: Easy — Card-driven engine with clear iconography; official Steam/mobile port by Monster Couch is a hit. Direct digital port: Wingspan (Steam/mobile, Monster Couch) Loop translation status: none yet — gold signal Primitive tags: row_triggered_chain, tableau_engine_growth, habitat_specialization, egg_currency_dual_use, bonus_card_secret_objective

Honorable mentions — interesting primitives, harder problems

High BGG quality and unclaimed, but the LLM flagged a translation friction (Hard difficulty, social/asymmetric mechanic, etc.). Not v1 candidates but worth noting — a clever digital twist could change the calculus.

  • Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 (#2, bayes 8.35, diff Hard) — spend actions to treat and cure. Why hard: Base Pandemic ports easily, but Legacy depends on physically destroying components and a story that unfolds across months of group play, which resists digital translation.
  • Twilight Imperium: Fourth Edition (#9, bayes 8.22, diff Hard) — pick strategy card and execute. Why hard: 8-hour 6-player game with table negotiation and political agendas; an official digital is in development but the social trade layer is the soul.
  • War of the Ring: Second Edition (#12, bayes 8.20, diff Hard) — roll action dice, spend on track. Why hard: Heavy asymmetric two-player wargame with hidden Fellowship movement and event cards; no official digital port, only TTS mods.
  • Star Wars: Rebellion (#6, bayes 8.17, diff Hard) — assign leaders to missions or commands. Why hard: Hidden-base deduction across a galaxy map plus simultaneous leader bluff is heavy UI; no official digital port exists, only TTS mods.
  • Viticulture Essential Edition (#19, bayes 7.81, diff Easy) — place worker on action space. Why hard: Worker placement digitizes well; the seasonal split limits decision space per turn. Digidiced port already exists across platforms.
  • Crokinole (#78, bayes 7.80, diff Medium) — flick disc at target. Why hard: Physics-based flicking apps exist and feel okay, but the tactile satisfaction of the wood is irreplaceable on glass.
  • Food Chain Magnate (#29, bayes 7.78, diff Hard) — draft staff, route cards. Why hard: Player-vs-player marketing geography and milestone-grabbing IS the game; AI cannot capture the cutthroat read of opponents. No official digital port.
  • Puerto Rico (#21, bayes 7.75, diff Easy) — pick role, all execute. Why hard: Fully deterministic, perfect information — trivial to digitize. Old Ravensburger HD port exists; no current premium app.

Methodology

  • Source: 100 games extracted from the BGG top 100 by rank, after re-fetching with descriptions (BGG /thing API, Bearer-auth required as of Oct 2025).
  • Extraction: 5 parallel Claude Code subagents using prompts/extraction_v2.md. Each game got an LLM-synthesized JSON with core_verb, decision_shape, reward_schedule, MDA aesthetics, translation difficulty, direct_digital_port (the game itself digitized), and closest_loop_translation (a different game that took the loop and added a meta-layer — the StS pattern).
  • Tiering: Tier-1 requires no port AND no loop-translation AND high BGG quality AND Easy/Medium difficulty AND high LLM confidence. Tier-2 softens one of these.
  • Caveats: only 100 games extracted so far. Scaling to top 1000 or top 5000 will surface more (and possibly better) candidates from outside the BGG-elite tier — the elite tier is biased toward heavy multi-hour Eurogames that resist mobile translation.