Defenders of the Realm / Similar games

18 games like Defenders of the Realm

The best games like Defenders of the Realm are Descent Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition), Massive Darkness and Mansions of Madness Second Edition — the closest of 18 ranked alternatives, scored by shared mechanics and category. Descent Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) shares adventure, fantasy, fighting with Defenders of the Realm.

Every alternative below links to its own Defenders of the Realm-style fact page, drawn from MeeplePick’s adventure / fantasy shelf.

Ranked by shared category (3 pts) and mechanics (2 pts), bonus within 0.7 of Defenders of the Realm’s 2.7 weight, then BoardGameGeek’s Bayesian rating — one entry per series, 18 shown.

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1. 1. Descent Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) (2012)
   1–5 players · 120 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium
   Shares with Defenders of the Realm: Adventure, Fantasy, Fighting, Miniatures, Action Points, Cooperative Game, Dice Rolling, Hand Management · 4 of Defenders of the Realm’s 6 mechanics (67%)
   vs Defenders of the Realm: overlaps at 1–4 players · scales to 5 · ~30 min longer · +0.5 heavier
   View Descent Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) on Amazon →
2. 2. Massive Darkness (2017)
   1–6 players · 120 min · ★ 7.2 · Medium
   Shares with Defenders of the Realm: Adventure, Fantasy, Fighting, Miniatures, Action Points, Cooperative Game, Dice Rolling, Hand Management +1 more · 5 of Defenders of the Realm’s 6 mechanics (83%)
   vs Defenders of the Realm: overlaps at 1–4 players · scales to 6 · ~30 min longer · 0.2 lighter
   View Massive Darkness on Amazon →
3. 3. Mansions of Madness Second Edition (2016)
   1–5 players · 120–180 min · ★ 8.1 · Medium
   Shares with Defenders of the Realm: Adventure, Fantasy, Fighting, Miniatures, Cooperative Game, Dice Rolling, Hand Management · 3 of Defenders of the Realm’s 6 mechanics (50%)
   vs Defenders of the Realm: overlaps at 1–4 players · scales to 5 · ~60 min longer · same complexity
   View Mansions of Madness Second Edition on Amazon →
4. 4. Zombicide Black Plague (2015)
   1–6 players · 60–180 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium
   Shares with Defenders of the Realm: Adventure, Fantasy, Fighting, Miniatures, Cooperative Game, Dice Rolling, Variable Player Powers · 3 of Defenders of the Realm’s 6 mechanics (50%)
   vs Defenders of the Realm: overlaps at 1–4 players · scales to 6 · ~30 min longer · 0.2 lighter
5. 5. Eldritch Horror (2013)
   1–8 players · 120–240 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium
   Shares with Defenders of the Realm: Adventure, Fantasy, Fighting, Action Points, Cooperative Game, Dice Rolling, Point to Point Movement · 4 of Defenders of the Realm’s 6 mechanics (67%)
   vs Defenders of the Realm: overlaps at 1–4 players · scales to 8 · ~90 min longer · +0.6 heavier
6. 6. Deep Madness (2018)
   1–6 players · 60–120 min · ★ 8.0 · Medium
   Shares with Defenders of the Realm: Adventure, Fighting, Miniatures, Action Points, Cooperative Game, Dice Rolling, Hand Management +1 more · 5 of Defenders of the Realm’s 6 mechanics (83%)
   vs Defenders of the Realm: overlaps at 1–4 players · scales to 6 · about the same length · +0.6 heavier
7. 7. Mice and Mystics (2012)
   1–4 players · 60–90 min · ★ 7.3 · Medium
   Shares with Defenders of the Realm: Adventure, Fantasy, Fighting, Miniatures, Cooperative Game, Dice Rolling, Variable Player Powers · 3 of Defenders of the Realm’s 6 mechanics (50%)
   vs Defenders of the Realm: overlaps at 1–4 players · ~15 min shorter · same complexity
8. 8. Big Trouble in Little China The Game (2018)
   1–4 players · 60–120 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium
   Shares with Defenders of the Realm: Adventure, Fantasy, Fighting, Miniatures, Action Points, Cooperative Game, Dice Rolling, Point to Point Movement · 4 of Defenders of the Realm’s 6 mechanics (67%)
   vs Defenders of the Realm: overlaps at 1–4 players · about the same length · +0.2 heavier
9. 9. Street Masters (2018)
   1–4 players · 45–120 min · ★ 8.2 · Medium
   Shares with Defenders of the Realm: Adventure, Fantasy, Fighting, Miniatures, Cooperative Game, Dice Rolling, Hand Management · 3 of Defenders of the Realm’s 6 mechanics (50%)
   vs Defenders of the Realm: overlaps at 1–4 players · about the same length · same complexity
10. 10. Arcadia Quest (2014)
    2–4 players · 60 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium
    Shares with Defenders of the Realm: Adventure, Fantasy, Fighting, Miniatures, Dice Rolling, Variable Player Powers · 2 of Defenders of the Realm’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Defenders of the Realm: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~30 min shorter · 0.2 lighter
11. 11. Kingdom Rush Rift in Time (2020)
    1–4 players · 45–90 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium
    Shares with Defenders of the Realm: Adventure, Fantasy, Fighting, Miniatures, Cooperative Game, Hand Management, Variable Player Powers · 3 of Defenders of the Realm’s 6 mechanics (50%)
    vs Defenders of the Realm: overlaps at 1–4 players · ~22 min shorter · +0.2 heavier
12. 12. Cthulhu Wars (2015)
    2–4 players · 90–120 min · ★ 7.9 · Medium
    Shares with Defenders of the Realm: Fantasy, Fighting, Miniatures, Action Points, Dice Rolling, Variable Player Powers · 3 of Defenders of the Realm’s 6 mechanics (50%)
    vs Defenders of the Realm: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~15 min longer · +0.4 heavier
13. 13. Fireteam Zero (2015)
    1–4 players · 90 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium
    Shares with Defenders of the Realm: Adventure, Fantasy, Fighting, Miniatures, Cooperative Game, Dice Rolling, Variable Player Powers · 3 of Defenders of the Realm’s 6 mechanics (50%)
    vs Defenders of the Realm: overlaps at 1–4 players · about the same length · same complexity
14. 14. Shadows of Brimstone City of the Ancients (2014)
    1–4 players · 120 min · ★ 8.0 · Medium
    Shares with Defenders of the Realm: Adventure, Fantasy, Fighting, Cooperative Game, Dice Rolling, Variable Player Powers · 3 of Defenders of the Realm’s 6 mechanics (50%)
    vs Defenders of the Realm: overlaps at 1–4 players · ~30 min longer · +0.6 heavier
15. 15. Conan (2016)
    2–5 players · 90 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium
    Shares with Defenders of the Realm: Adventure, Fantasy, Fighting, Miniatures, Action Points, Dice Rolling · 2 of Defenders of the Realm’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Defenders of the Realm: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 5 · about the same length · same complexity
16. 16. Claustrophobia (2009)
    2 players · 45 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium-light
    Shares with Defenders of the Realm: Adventure, Fantasy, Fighting, Miniatures, Dice Rolling, Variable Player Powers · 2 of Defenders of the Realm’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Defenders of the Realm: both play at 2 · ~45 min shorter · 0.2 lighter
17. 17. Warhammer Quest Silver Tower (2016)
    2–4 players · 60–120 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium-light
    Shares with Defenders of the Realm: Adventure, Fantasy, Fighting, Miniatures, Cooperative Game, Dice Rolling, Variable Player Powers · 3 of Defenders of the Realm’s 6 mechanics (50%)
    vs Defenders of the Realm: overlaps at 2–4 players · about the same length · 0.4 lighter
18. 18. Cthulhu Death May Die (2019)
    1–5 players · 90–120 min · ★ 8.2 · Medium-light
    Shares with Defenders of the Realm: Fantasy, Fighting, Action Points, Cooperative Game, Dice Rolling, Variable Player Powers · 4 of Defenders of the Realm’s 6 mechanics (67%)
    vs Defenders of the Realm: overlaps at 1–4 players · scales to 5 · ~15 min longer · 0.3 lighter

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