In case you’re wondering what to get the board gamers in your life for Christmas this year, here’s a list of the games in the top 500 that have appeared at a high rank or that have gone up over 100 ranks since 01/01/2013 in BGG‘s ‘Board games’ category and over 200 ranks in other categories since either 01/01/2013 or 03/03/2013 (I missed the ‘Strategy games’ category on 01/01/2013, so its section is the one covering a shorter period).

Big movers among 'Board games':
007 (+129) Terra Mystica
027 (+231) Mage Wars
032 (+292) Robinson Crusoe: Adventure on the Cursed Island
046 (+448) The Resistance: Avalon
048 (+452) Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Rise of the Runelords - Base Set
055 (+253) Keyflower
070 (+225) Mice and Mystics
089 (+358) Suburbia
095 (+253) Sentinels of the Multiverse
098 (+310) Love Letter
105 (+395) Bora Bora
111 (+167) Hanabi
115 (+168) Zombicide
146 (+314) Legendary: A Marvel Deck Building Game
152 (+348) Star Wars: The Card Game
164 (+336) Clash of Cultures
172 (+328) Kemet
176 (+104) The Manhattan Project
202 (+298) Spartacus: A Game of Blood & Treachery
242 (+103) Escape: The Curse of the Temple
244 (+256) Ginkgopolis
246 (+246) Myrmes
255 (+191) Libertalia
275 (+225) Legends of Andor
283 (+217) Trains
289 (+211) Archipelago
291 (+209) Bruges
300 (+200) Dixit: Journey
312 (+188) CO₂
319 (+181) Merchant of Venus (second edition)
333 (+167) Forbidden Desert
347 (+153) Tammany Hall
350 (+150) Snowdonia
351 (+149) Spyrium
355 (+145) Targi
358 (+142) Polis: Fight for the Hegemony
364 (+136) Andean Abyss

Big movers among 'Strategy games':
091 (+279) Kemet
150 (+350) Trains
151 (+349) Bruges
179 (+321) Russian Railroads
182 (+318) Caverna: The Cave Farmers
186 (+314) Spyrium
213 (+287) Yedo
223 (+277) Nations
261 (+239) Rialto
264 (+236) Pax Porfiriana
266 (+234) Ascension: Immortal Heroes
270 (+230) Guildhall
295 (+205) Amerigo
300 (+200) Viticulture

Big movers among 'War games':
036 (+464) Conflict of Heroes: Awakening the Bear (second edition)
054 (+446) 1775: Rebellion
113 (+387) The Guns of Gettysburg
128 (+372) Fading Glory
136 (+364) Cuba Libre
139 (+361) A Distant Plain
154 (+346) D-Day Dice
194 (+306) Hordes
199 (+301) Star Trek: Attack Wing
206 (+294) World at War: The Untold Stories
277 (+223) Saints in Armor
300 (+200) It Never Snows

Big movers among 'Family games':
043 (+457) Forbidden Desert
066 (+434) Guildhall
077 (+423) Evo (second edition)
108 (+392) Augustus
118 (+382) Mus
125 (+375) Eight-Minute Empire
169 (+331) Timeline: Historical Events
176 (+324) Tokaido
187 (+313) The Little Prince: Make Me a Planet
191 (+309) Qwixx
211 (+289) Timeline: Discoveries
213 (+287) Divinare
216 (+284) The Great Heartland Hauling Co.
234 (+266) Flash Duel: Second Edition
245 (+255) The Red Dragon Inn 3
248 (+252) La Boca
249 (+251) Sushi Go!
253 (+247) Mesopotamia
256 (+244) Rapa Nui
279 (+221) Boss Monster: Master of the Dungeon
291 (+209) Qin

Big movers among 'Collectible games':
013 (+487) Dungeon Command: Curse of Undeath
015 (+485) Krosmaster: Arena
019 (+481) Dungeon Command: Tyranny of Goblins
048 (+452) Serpent's Tongue
067 (+433) Kanzume Goddess
090 (+410) Berserk: War of the Realms
100 (+361) X610Z
116 (+384) Guerra De Mitos
159 (+341) Eragra: The Game of Eras and the First Step

Big movers among 'Thematic games':
005 (+495) Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Rise of the Runelords - Base Set
055 (+445) Duel of Ages II
070 (+430) Yedo
083 (+213) Castaways
108 (+392) Space Cadets
109 (+391) Firefly: The Game
117 (+383) DC Comics Deck-Building Game
119 (+381) Legacy: The Testament of Duke de Crecy
131 (+369) Relic
135 (+365) Room 25
138 (+362) The Red Dragon Inn 3
145 (+355) Nothing Personal
154 (+346) City of Remnants
168 (+332) The Road to Canterbury
178 (+322) The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Deck-Building Game
195 (+305) Samurai Sword
202 (+298) Fief
211 (+289) Star Trek Deck Building Game: The Original Series
212 (+288) Dawn of the Zeds (Second edition)
217 (+283) Crimson Skies
228 (+272) Darkest Night
250 (+250) Eldritch Horror
254 (+246) Game of Thrones
259 (+241) The Lord of the Rings: Strategy Battle Game
260 (+240) Space Marine
262 (+238) Warhammer Epic 40,000
265 (+235) Dawn of the Zeds (first edition)
268 (+232) BioShock Infinite: The Siege of Columbia
275 (+225) Dragon Rampage
281 (+219) Level 7 [Omega Protocol]
282 (+218) Munchkin Booty
290 (+210) Lost Legends
296 (+204) Zpocalypse