Core Worlds / Similar games

18 games like Core Worlds

The best games like Core Worlds are Eminent Domain, Race for the Galaxy and It's a Wonderful World — the closest of 18 ranked alternatives, scored by shared mechanics and category. Eminent Domain shares card game, civilization, science fiction with Core Worlds.

Every alternative below links to its own Core Worlds-style fact page, drawn from MeeplePick’s card game / civilization shelf.

Ranked by shared category (3 pts) and mechanics (2 pts), bonus within 0.7 of Core Worlds’s 2.9 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. 1. Eminent Domain (2011)
    2–4 players · 45 min · ★ 7.0 · Medium
    Shares with Core Worlds: Card Game, Civilization, Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Card Drafting, Deck, Hand Management · 3 of Core Worlds’s 3 mechanics (100%)
    vs Core Worlds: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~45 min shorter · 0.4 lighter
    View Eminent Domain on Amazon →
  2. 2–4 players · 30–60 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium
    Shares with Core Worlds: Card Game, Civilization, Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Hand Management · 1 of Core Worlds’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs Core Worlds: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~45 min shorter · same complexity
    View Race for the Galaxy on Amazon →
  3. 1–5 players · 30–60 min · ★ 7.9 · Medium-light
    Shares with Core Worlds: Card Game, Civilization, Science Fiction, Card Drafting, Hand Management · 2 of Core Worlds’s 3 mechanics (67%)
    vs Core Worlds: overlaps at 2–5 players · plays solo · ~45 min shorter · 0.6 lighter
    View It's a Wonderful World on Amazon →
  4. 4. Aeon's End (2016)
    1–4 players · 60 min · ★ 8.0 · Medium
    Shares with Core Worlds: Card Game, Science Fiction, Card Drafting, Deck, Hand Management · 3 of Core Worlds’s 3 mechanics (100%)
    vs Core Worlds: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~30 min shorter · same complexity
  5. 1–4 players · 80–150 min · ★ 8.1 · Medium-heavy
    Shares with Core Worlds: Card Game, Civilization, Science Fiction, Hand Management · 1 of Core Worlds’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs Core Worlds: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~25 min longer · +0.7 heavier
  6. 1–4 players · 45 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium-light
    Shares with Core Worlds: Card Game, Science Fiction, Card Drafting, Deck, Hand Management · 3 of Core Worlds’s 3 mechanics (100%)
    vs Core Worlds: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~45 min shorter · 0.7 lighter
  7. 1–5 players · 30–60 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium
    Shares with Core Worlds: Card Game, Science Fiction, Card Drafting, Deck · 2 of Core Worlds’s 3 mechanics (67%)
    vs Core Worlds: overlaps at 2–5 players · plays solo · ~45 min shorter · 0.2 lighter
  8. 1–5 players · 120 min · ★ 8.4 · Medium
    Shares with Core Worlds: Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Hand Management · 1 of Core Worlds’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs Core Worlds: overlaps at 2–5 players · plays solo · ~30 min longer · +0.4 heavier
  9. 1–4 players · 60–90 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium
    Shares with Core Worlds: Card Game, Science Fiction, Card Drafting, Hand Management · 2 of Core Worlds’s 3 mechanics (67%)
    vs Core Worlds: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~15 min shorter · same complexity
  10. 1–4 players · 45–90 min · ★ 7.4 · Medium
    Shares with Core Worlds: Card Game, Civilization, Card Drafting, Hand Management · 2 of Core Worlds’s 3 mechanics (67%)
    vs Core Worlds: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~22 min shorter · same complexity
  11. 11. Alien Artifacts (2017)
    2–5 players · 60 min · ★ 6.7 · Medium
    Shares with Core Worlds: Card Game, Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Card Drafting, Hand Management · 2 of Core Worlds’s 3 mechanics (67%)
    vs Core Worlds: overlaps at 2–5 players · ~30 min shorter · same complexity
  12. 12. City of Iron (2013)
    2–4 players · 120 min · ★ 7.2 · Medium
    Shares with Core Worlds: Card Game, Civilization, Card Drafting, Deck, Hand Management · 3 of Core Worlds’s 3 mechanics (100%)
    vs Core Worlds: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~30 min longer · +0.4 heavier
  13. 13. 7 Wonders Duel (2015)
    2 players · 30 min · ★ 8.1 · Medium-light
    Shares with Core Worlds: Card Game, Civilization, Card Drafting · 1 of Core Worlds’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs Core Worlds: both play at 2 · ~60 min shorter · 0.7 lighter
  14. 1–5 players · 60–90 min · ★ 7.3 · Medium
    Shares with Core Worlds: Card Game, Science Fiction, Card Drafting, Deck, Hand Management · 3 of Core Worlds’s 3 mechanics (100%)
    vs Core Worlds: overlaps at 2–5 players · plays solo · ~15 min shorter · 0.2 lighter
  15. 15. Abyss (2014)
    2–4 players · 30–60 min · ★ 7.3 · Medium-light
    Shares with Core Worlds: Card Game, Science Fiction, Card Drafting, Hand Management · 2 of Core Worlds’s 3 mechanics (67%)
    vs Core Worlds: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~45 min shorter · 0.6 lighter
  16. 1–4 players · 5–1000 min · ★ 8.1 · Medium
    Shares with Core Worlds: Card Game, Science Fiction, Hand Management · 1 of Core Worlds’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs Core Worlds: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~413 min longer · same complexity
  17. 2–5 players · 60–90 min · ★ 6.5 · Medium-light
    Shares with Core Worlds: Card Game, Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Card Drafting, Deck · 2 of Core Worlds’s 3 mechanics (67%)
    vs Core Worlds: overlaps at 2–5 players · ~15 min shorter · 0.4 lighter
  18. 2–4 players · 90–120 min · ★ 7.3 · Medium
    Shares with Core Worlds: Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Card Drafting, Deck, Hand Management · 3 of Core Worlds’s 3 mechanics (100%)
    vs Core Worlds: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~15 min longer · +0.3 heavier
Check Eminent Domain on Amazon →

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

Frequently asked

What game is most like Core Worlds?
Eminent Domain (2011) is the closest match to Core Worlds, sharing card game, civilization, science fiction. It rates 7.0/10 on BoardGameGeek.
What should I play if I like Core Worlds?
Eminent Domain, Race for the Galaxy, It's a Wonderful World are the top-ranked alternatives to Core Worlds in the MeeplePick database, matched on medium complexity as well as mechanics. All 18 are ranked on this page with the shared mechanics shown for each.
Is Eminent Domain harder than Core Worlds?
Compared with Core Worlds, Eminent Domain is 0.4 lighter and ~45 min shorter (2.5 vs 2.9 complexity on BoardGameGeek's 1–5 scale).

Narrow it down

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