The satisfying civilization building, exciting card drafting, and strategic resource management of7 Wondershas won the classic board game many fans. Though it’s always a solid choice for game night, you might be ready to try a new tabletop title instead. Below you’ll find our picks for the best board games like7 Wonders.Each entry on this list has a few similarities in terms of either mechanics or theme, but offers a novel experience that you and your group will surely enjoy.
1. Civilization: A New Dawn
If you enjoy the theme of7 Wondersbut want to try a tabletop title that offers several different gameplay mechanics, thenCivilization: A New Dawnmight be the perfect addition to your gaming shelf.A New Dawnis an adaption of the Sid Meier’sCivilizationvideo game series that takes the source material’s best elements and distills them into a rich and engaging two hour experience. Players take on the role of a great leader and lead their empire to wealth and conquest. You’ll start with humble resource gathering in the early stages of the game, but by the end you’ll be developing new technologies and constructing world wonders.
2. Sushi Go Party
If you like the card drafting system from7 Wonders,then you’ll love the core gameplay mechanics ofSushi Go Party,a quirky card game with fun artwork and a light but enjoyable theme. Rather than building a whole new civilization, you’ll simply be putting together the best Japanese meal imaginable by combining different types of sushi, dumplings, and sashimi. Collect sets to activate bonuses and score points, and horde the most delicious desserts so your opponents can’t claim them.
3. Race for the Galaxy
Race for the Galaxytakes the civilization-building genre of board games into deep space. Instead of conquering territories on a map, you’ll be discovering entire new worlds. The game’s central distinguishing feature is its action-taking mechanic. At the beginning of every round, each player gets to select a single action phase that everyone can utilize, such as producing goods, playing a development card, or trading. However, since everyone can only pick one of these phases, a few action types will be missing each round. You’ll need to plan appropriately to avoid these limitations, and instead leverage them as a means of slowing down your opponents.
4. Bunny Kingdom
Expand your fief and gain glory for the amount of spaces and different resources you control inBunny Kingdom,a simple yet exciting area control board game with a drafting mechanic that’s somewhat similar to7 Wonders. The theme is amusing, the rules are easy to learn, and the artwork is goofy and fun. If you’re looking for a new family-friendly board game that everyone can enjoy, this one’s a great pick.
5. Between Two Cities
If you’d like a more cooperative board game experience that still has some thematic similarities to7 Wonders, you’ll likely enjoyBetween Two Cities.Just like in7 Wonders,players only interact with the people seated to their immediate right and left. This time, you’ll have to set up a unique arrangement of sixteen buildings with each of these players, and only the city under your control that scores the fewest points will count at the end game. The game leaves room for tons of fun table talk, and offers a lot of replay value.
6. Paper Tales
Paper Talesis an easy-to-learn tableau construction card game with simple yet exciting gameplay. The game takes place in four stages, with a drafting system that changes directions each round. You can recruit characters that gather resources and fight for you in battle, or piece together a collection of buildings to showcase your power and unlock interesting effects.Paper Talesalso features a unique aging system, which requires you to plan strategically, since the characters you’ve played won’t be sticking around indefinitely.
7. Underwater Cities
InUnderwater Cities,your goal is to make life on the sea floor not only possible, but also resource efficient. Over the course of approximately two and a half hours, you’ll have to build farms, research centers, tunnels, and domed cities to accomplish this goal. Color-matching card placement is essential to gaining the upper hand, because it gives you the action advantage you need for accelerating your engine. Your turns start off slow, but escalates quickly, which can be immensely satisfying.
8. Dominion
The exceptional kingdom and deck building card gameDominionis a game night classic with a ton of exciting expansions. Your goal is to collect the most victory points. However, these points are typically associated with cards that don’t do anything for you during the game, besides slowing down your engine. To bolster your deck, you’ll need to add treasures and actions that let you draw and purchase multiple cards in the same turn. Cursing your opponents with attacks will slow them down, and give you just enough time to claim the last province.
9. It’s a Wonderful World
It’s a Wonderful Worldis a relatively short engine building card game that takes place in a dystopian future full of resource exploitation and giant metal cities. There’s a drafting setup that mirrors7 Wondersand forces you to watch your opponent’s moves carefully. To build an efficient tableau, you’ll need to think carefully about which cards you want to keep and which ones you should recycle for scrap instead. There’s a solo mode, but in my experience, the game works best with four to five players.
10. Citadels(Revised Edition)
Citadelsis a classic card game that’s all about designing a thriving city with your building cards. However, it’s not so simple as saving up your coins and investing exclusively in taverns. At the beginning of every round, the players will receive a new role with unique powers. The bishop saves your districts from ruination, while the warlord lets you tear down your opponent’s structures. The thief lets you take a few coins from your fellow players, and the merchant gives you more buying power. And if you’re the architect, you can put together the bricks in your city faster than everyone else.
