Calico / Similar games

18 games like Calico

The best games like Calico are Azul, Seikatsu A Pet's Life and Hive — the closest of 18 ranked alternatives, scored by shared mechanics and category. Azul shares abstract strategy, puzzle, pattern building with Calico.

Check Azul price on Amazon →

As an Amazon Associate, MeeplePick earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Every alternative below links to its own Calico-style fact page, drawn from MeeplePick’s abstract strategy / animals shelf.

Ranked by shared category (3 pts) and mechanics (2 pts), bonus within 0.7 of Calico’s 2.2 weight, then BoardGameGeek’s Bayesian rating — one entry per series, 18 shown.

As an Amazon Associate, MeeplePick earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

  1. Azul board game cover
    1. Azul (2017)
    2–4 players · 30–45 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium-light · See Azul alternatives →
    Shares with Calico: Abstract Strategy, Puzzle, Pattern Building, Set Collection · 4 shared tags · 2 of Calico’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Calico: overlaps at 2–4 players · about the same length · 0.4 lighter
  2. Seikatsu  A Pet's Life board game cover
    1–4 players · 15–30 min · ★ 7.2 · Medium-light
    Shares with Calico: Abstract Strategy, Animals, Puzzle, Pattern Building, Set Collection · 5 shared tags · 2 of Calico’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Calico: overlaps at 1–4 players · ~15 min shorter · 0.5 lighter
  3. Hive board game cover
    3. Hive (2000)
    2 players · 20 min · ★ 7.3 · Medium-light · See Hive alternatives →
    Shares with Calico: Abstract Strategy, Animals, Enclosure, Hexagon Grid · 4 shared tags · 2 of Calico’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Calico: both play at 2 · ~17 min shorter · same complexity
  4. Through the Desert board game cover
    2–5 players · 45 min · ★ 7.1 · Medium-light · See Through the Desert alternatives →
    Shares with Calico: Abstract Strategy, Animals, Enclosure, Hexagon Grid · 4 shared tags · 2 of Calico’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Calico: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 5 · about the same length · same complexity
  5. Cascadia board game cover
    5. Cascadia (2021)
    1–4 players · 30–45 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium-light
    Shares with Calico: Abstract Strategy, Animals, Puzzle, Hexagon Grid, Pattern Building · 5 shared tags · 2 of Calico’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Calico: overlaps at 1–4 players · about the same length · same complexity
  6. Sagrada board game cover
    6. Sagrada (2017)
    1–4 players · 30–45 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium-light · See Sagrada alternatives →
    Shares with Calico: Puzzle, Pattern Building, Set Collection, Solo / Solitaire Game · 4 shared tags · 3 of Calico’s 6 mechanics (50%)
    vs Calico: overlaps at 1–4 players · about the same length · 0.3 lighter
  7. The Isle of Cats board game cover
    1–4 players · 60–90 min · ★ 8.0 · Medium-light · See The Isle of Cats alternatives →
    Shares with Calico: Animals, Puzzle, Pattern Building · 3 shared tags · 1 of Calico’s 6 mechanics (17%)
    vs Calico: overlaps at 1–4 players · ~38 min longer · same complexity
  8. Crystallo board game cover
    8. Crystallo (2018)
    1 players · 20–30 min · ★ 7.1 · Medium-light
    Shares with Calico: Abstract Strategy, Puzzle, Pattern Building, Set Collection, Solo / Solitaire Game · 5 shared tags · 3 of Calico’s 6 mechanics (50%)
    vs Calico: both play at 1 · ~12 min shorter · 0.4 lighter
  9. Indian Summer board game cover
    9. Indian Summer (2017)
    1–4 players · 15–60 min · ★ 6.8 · Medium-light · See Indian Summer alternatives →
    Shares with Calico: Abstract Strategy, Animals, Puzzle, Pattern Building · 4 shared tags · 1 of Calico’s 6 mechanics (17%)
    vs Calico: overlaps at 1–4 players · about the same length · same complexity
  10. Spring Meadow board game cover
    10. Spring Meadow (2018)
    1–4 players · 15–60 min · ★ 7.1 · Medium-light
    Shares with Calico: Abstract Strategy, Animals, Puzzle, Pattern Building · 4 shared tags · 1 of Calico’s 6 mechanics (17%)
    vs Calico: overlaps at 1–4 players · about the same length · 0.4 lighter
  11. Miyabi board game cover
    11. Miyabi (2019)
    2–4 players · 45 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium-light
    Shares with Calico: Abstract Strategy, Puzzle, Pattern Building, Set Collection · 4 shared tags · 2 of Calico’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Calico: overlaps at 2–4 players · about the same length · 0.2 lighter
  12. PARKS board game cover
    12. PARKS (2019)
    1–5 players · 30–60 min · ★ 7.9 · Medium-light · See PARKS alternatives →
    Shares with Calico: Animals, Set Collection, Solo / Solitaire Game · 3 shared tags · 2 of Calico’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Calico: overlaps at 1–4 players · scales to 5 · about the same length · same complexity
  13. Tiny Towns board game cover
    13. Tiny Towns (2019)
    1–6 players · 45–60 min · ★ 7.3 · Medium-light · See Tiny Towns alternatives →
    Shares with Calico: Abstract Strategy, Animals, Pattern Building · 3 shared tags · 1 of Calico’s 6 mechanics (17%)
    vs Calico: overlaps at 1–4 players · scales to 6 · ~15 min longer · same complexity
  14. Castles of Mad King Ludwig board game cover
    1–4 players · 90 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium · See Castles of Mad King Ludwig alternatives →
    Shares with Calico: Puzzle, Pattern Building, Set Collection · 3 shared tags · 2 of Calico’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Calico: overlaps at 1–4 players · ~53 min longer · +0.5 heavier
  15. Haru Ichiban board game cover
    15. Haru Ichiban (2014)
    2 players · 20 min · ★ 6.7 · Medium-light
    Shares with Calico: Abstract Strategy, Animals, Puzzle, Pattern Building · 4 shared tags · 1 of Calico’s 6 mechanics (17%)
    vs Calico: both play at 2 · ~17 min shorter · 0.5 lighter
  16. Samurai board game cover
    16. Samurai (1998)
    2–4 players · 30–60 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium-light · See Samurai alternatives →
    Shares with Calico: Abstract Strategy, Hexagon Grid, Set Collection · 3 shared tags · 2 of Calico’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Calico: overlaps at 2–4 players · about the same length · +0.3 heavier
  17. Reef board game cover
    17. Reef (2018)
    2–4 players · 30–45 min · ★ 7.1 · Medium-light · See Reef alternatives →
    Shares with Calico: Abstract Strategy, Animals, Pattern Building · 3 shared tags · 1 of Calico’s 6 mechanics (17%)
    vs Calico: overlaps at 2–4 players · about the same length · 0.4 lighter
  18. Arraial board game cover
    18. Arraial (2018)
    1–4 players · 30 min · ★ 6.7 · Medium-light
    Shares with Calico: Abstract Strategy, Puzzle, Pattern Building, Solo / Solitaire Game · 4 shared tags · 2 of Calico’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Calico: overlaps at 1–4 players · about the same length · 0.7 lighter

Frequently asked

What game is most like Calico?
Azul (2017) is the closest match to Calico, sharing abstract strategy, puzzle, pattern building. It rates 7.8/10 on BoardGameGeek.
What should I play if I like Calico?
Azul, Seikatsu A Pet's Life, Hive are the top-ranked alternatives to Calico in the MeeplePick database, matched on medium-light complexity as well as mechanics. All 18 are ranked on this page with the shared mechanics shown for each.
Is Azul harder than Calico?
Compared with Calico, Azul is 0.4 lighter and about the same length (1.8 vs 2.2 complexity on BoardGameGeek's 1–5 scale).

Narrow it down

best 1-player board games · best 2-player board games · best 3-player board games · best 4-player board games · enclosure games · hexagon grid games · pattern building games · scenario / mission / campaign game games

Looking for the original? See the full Calico fact page — players, play time, age and complexity.