As usual, to help with holiday shopping, I’ve run a special report to find out what games advanced the most in BoardGameGeek rankings over (roughly) the past year. This year, the report compares data from 11/27/2015 with that from 11/28/2014. Naturally, some older games continued to advance in that timeframe.

Fast, positive movers among 'Board games':
007 (+493) Pandemic Legacy
011 (+489) Star Wars: Imperial Assault
035 (+465) Roll for the Galaxy
038 (+462) Codenames
046 (+414) Castles of Mad King Ludwig
056 (+444) Alchemists
061 (+251) Legendary Encounters: An Alien Deck Building Game
069 (+431) Patchwork
072 (+428) The Voyages of Marco Polo
074 (+138) Imperial Settlers
094 (+406) Fields of Arle
095 (+405) Viticulture
120 (+380) Arcadia Quest
122 (+378) La Granja
126 (+374) Sheriff of Nottingham
137 (+363) 7 Wonders: Duel
168 (+332) Orléans
170 (+330) Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation (Deluxe Edition)
196 (+304) Forbidden Stars
208 (+292) Xia: Legends of a Drift System
214 (+286) King of New York
218 (+282) Blood Rage
225 (+275) Pandemic: The Cure
227 (+273) Tajemnicze Domostwo
229 (+271) Marvel Dice Masters: Uncanny X-Men
233 (+267) Deus
250 (+250) Power Grid deluxe: Europe/North America
255 (+245) Kanban: Automotive Revolution
262 (+238) Shadows of Brimstone: City of the Ancients
269 (+231) AquaSphere
270 (+230) Spyfall
273 (+227) Mysterium
278 (+128) The Duke
289 (+211) Star Wars: Armada
291 (+209) Elysium
298 (+121) Sushi Go!
306 (+194) Colt Express
321 (+179) Evolution
326 (+174) Abyss
331 (+169) Ca$h 'n Guns (second edition)
338 (+162) Paperback
347 (+153) XCOM: The Board Game
352 (+148) Cthulhu Wars
353 (+147) Fire in the Lake
362 (+138) Panamax
369 (+131) One Night Ultimate Werewolf Daybreak
370 (+130) Camel Up
372 (+128) The Battle of Five Armies
373 (+110) Smash Up: Science Fiction Double Feature
380 (+120) Legendary: Villains – Marvel Deck Building Game
381 (+119) Specter Ops
392 (+108) Shadows of Brimstone: Swamps of Death

Fast, positive movers among 'Strategy games':
002 (+498) Pandemic Legacy
022 (+478) Roll for the Galaxy
034 (+466) Fields of Arle
036 (+464) The Voyages of Marco Polo
037 (+348) Alchemists
056 (+262) La Granja
057 (+213) Viticulture
058 (+442) 7 Wonders: Duel
079 (+421) Orléans
092 (+408) Forbidden Stars
099 (+401) Blood Rage
105 (+395) Power Grid deluxe: Europe/North America
108 (+392) Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation (Deluxe Edition)
123 (+377) Kanban: Automotive Revolution
135 (+266) Deus
140 (+360) Blood Bowl (Third Edition)
151 (+253) AquaSphere
163 (+337) Elysium
175 (+325) Cthulhu Wars
196 (+304) Paperback
198 (+302) Evolution
216 (+284) Specter Ops
219 (+281) San Juan (second edition)
225 (+275) ZhanGuo
226 (+269) Tragedy Looper
239 (+212) Hyperborea
241 (+259) Level 7 [Omega Protocol]
244 (+245) Lords of Xidit
251 (+249) Argent: The Consortium
253 (+247) Isle of Skye: From Chieftain to King
258 (+242) Saint Petersburg (second edition)
259 (+241) Brew Crafters
270 (+230) Wir sind das Volk!
275 (+225) Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization
276 (+224) Summoner Wars: Alliances Master Set
277 (+223) The Gallerist
293 (+207) Baseball Highlights: 2045
294 (+206) Tiny Epic Galaxies
299 (+201) Eight-Minute Empire: Legends

Fast, positive movers among 'War games':
024 (+476) Star Wars: Armada
044 (+456) Churchill
075 (+425) Triumph & Tragedy
091 (+340) Quartermaster General
096 (+404) Nexus Ops
116 (+338) Warfighter: The Tactical Special Forces Card Game
179 (+321) Warhammer: Diskwars
188 (+312) D-Day at Tarawa
216 (+284) Enemy Action: Ardennes
220 (+280) Warmachine
236 (+264) Dungeon Command: Tyranny of Goblins
246 (+254) W1815
254 (+246) Wings of Glory: WW1 Rules and Accessories Pack
286 (+214) Wing Leader: Victories 1940-1942

Fast, positive movers among 'Family games':
003 (+368) Patchwork
024 (+476) Pandemic: The Cure
055 (+445) Isle of Skye: From Chieftain to King
060 (+440) Smash Up: Monster Smash
071 (+429) Love Letter: Batman
072 (+428) Red7
075 (+425) Steampunk Rally
078 (+422) Eight-Minute Empire: Legends
089 (+411) Between Two Cities
096 (+404) Diamonds
098 (+402) Tales & Games: The Hare & the Tortoise
101 (+201) La Isla
102 (+398) Cacao
107 (+393) Flick 'em Up!
109 (+391) Broom Service
115 (+385) Nations: The Dice Game
119 (+381) Star Trek: Catan
122 (+378) Arboretum
138 (+362) Medieval Academy
141 (+359) Loony Quest
149 (+267) Rhino Hero
154 (+346) Timeline: Diversity
156 (+344) Lanterns: The Harvest Festival
164 (+336) DC Comics Deck-Building Game: Heroes Unite
166 (+334) Welcome to the Dungeon
177 (+323) Samurai Spirit
192 (+308) OddVille
193 (+307) Lost Legacy: The Starship
205 (+295) New York 1901
206 (+294) Pantheon
219 (+281) VivaJava: The Coffee Game: The Dice Game
236 (+264) Le Fantôme de l'Opéra
246 (+254) Dead Man's Draw
259 (+241) Mangrovia
265 (+235) Harbour
287 (+213) Deep Sea Adventure
295 (+205) Artifacts, Inc.

Fast, positive movers among 'Collectible games':
002 (+498) Summoner Wars: Alliances Master Set
003 (+497) A Game of Thrones: The Card Game (Second Edition)
007 (+493) Legendary: Villains – Marvel Deck Building Game
008 (+492) Ashes: Rise of the Phoenixborn
014 (+486) Dungeons & Dragons Dice Masters: Battle for Faerûn
025 (+475) Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Wrath of the Righteous – Base Set
039 (+461) DC Comics Deck-Building Game: Forever Evil
042 (+458) Vs. System 2PCG
043 (+457) Epic
045 (+455) Blue Moon
056 (+444) Star Trek Deck Building Game: The Next Generation – The Next Phase
081 (+419) Nature of the Beast: Farm vs. Forest
085 (+415) Warmachine: High Command
114 (+386) Adventure Time Card Wars: Finn vs. Jake
115 (+385) Ortus Regni
118 (+382) Krynea Battlefield
121 (+379) Battle Scenes
133 (+367) ApocalypZe Card Game
156 (+344) Guerra De Mitos II
163 (+204) Schneller als Kurz
182 (+318) Shadowrun Duels

Fast, positive movers among 'Thematic games':
001 (+499) Pandemic Legacy
003 (+310) Star Wars: Imperial Assault
016 (+484) Blood Rage
027 (+473) Star Wars: Armada
030 (+470) Shadows of Brimstone: Swamps of Death
034 (+405) Cthulhu Wars
036 (+464) T.I.M.E Stories
043 (+457) Mysterium
049 (+451) Legendary: Villains – Marvel Deck Building Game
069 (+431) Specter Ops
071 (+429) XCOM: The Board Game
085 (+415) Baseball Highlights: 2045
101 (+399) Thunderstone Advance: Worlds Collide
105 (+395) Zombicide Season 3: Rue Morgue
106 (+394) Legendary Encounters: A Predator Deck Building Game
111 (+389) Kingdom Death: Monster
113 (+387) Thunderstone Advance: Numenera
114 (+386) Race! Formula 90
116 (+384) Flick 'em Up!
120 (+380) Witness
131 (+369) Sons of Anarchy: Men of Mayhem
140 (+360) Above and Below
148 (+352) The Grizzled
160 (+340) TurfMaster
161 (+339) XenoShyft: Onslaught
164 (+336) Fallen
189 (+311) Fury of Dracula (third edition)
191 (+309) Dungeons & Dragons: Temple of Elemental Evil Board Game
204 (+296) Kingsport Festival
223 (+277) Onward to Venus
224 (+276) Dead Men Tell No Tales
226 (+274) Mistfall
228 (+272) Magic: The Gathering – Arena of the Planeswalkers
232 (+268) Ancient Terrible Things
236 (+264) Rum & Bones
237 (+263) The Bloody Inn
247 (+253) Hostage Negotiator
248 (+252) DungeonQuest Revised Edition
254 (+246) Thunderbirds
257 (+243) Risk: Star Wars Edition
259 (+241) Super Dungeon Explore: Forgotten King
260 (+234) Chaosmos
264 (+236) DC Comics Deck-Building Game: Forever Evil
277 (+223) Space Cadets: Away Missions
287 (+213) Article 27: The UN Security Council Game
288 (+212) Star Trek Deck Building Game: The Next Generation – The Next Phase