Istanbul / Similar games

18 games like Istanbul

The best games like Istanbul are Yokohama, The Settlers of Catan and The Voyages of Marco Polo — the closest of 18 ranked alternatives, scored by shared mechanics and category. Yokohama shares economic, contracts, grid movement with Istanbul.

Every alternative below links to its own Istanbul-style fact page, drawn from MeeplePick’s economic shelf.

Ranked by shared category (3 pts) and mechanics (2 pts), bonus within 0.7 of Istanbul’s 2.6 weight, then BoardGameGeek’s Bayesian rating — one entry per series, 18 shown.

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1. 1. Yokohama (2016)
   2–4 players · 90 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium
   Shares with Istanbul: Economic, Contracts, Grid Movement, Modular Board, Network and Route Building · 4 of Istanbul’s 6 mechanics (67%)
   vs Istanbul: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~40 min longer · +0.7 heavier
   View Yokohama on Amazon →
2. 2. The Settlers of Catan (1995)
   3–4 players · 60–120 min · ★ 7.2 · Medium-light
   Shares with Istanbul: Economic, Dice Rolling, Modular Board, Network and Route Building · 3 of Istanbul’s 6 mechanics (50%)
   vs Istanbul: overlaps at 3–4 players · ~40 min longer · 0.3 lighter
   View The Settlers of Catan on Amazon →
3. 3. The Voyages of Marco Polo (2015)
   2–4 players · 40–100 min · ★ 7.9 · Medium
   Shares with Istanbul: Economic, Contracts, Dice Rolling · 2 of Istanbul’s 6 mechanics (33%)
   vs Istanbul: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~20 min longer · +0.6 heavier
   View The Voyages of Marco Polo on Amazon →
4. 4. Grand Austria Hotel (2015)
   2–4 players · 60–120 min · ★ 7.9 · Medium
   Shares with Istanbul: Economic, Contracts, Dice Rolling · 2 of Istanbul’s 6 mechanics (33%)
   vs Istanbul: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~40 min longer · +0.6 heavier
5. 5. My Little Scythe (2017)
   1–6 players · 45–60 min · ★ 7.4 · Medium-light
   Shares with Istanbul: Economic, Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, Pick-up and Deliver · 3 of Istanbul’s 6 mechanics (50%)
   vs Istanbul: overlaps at 2–5 players · plays solo · scales to 6 · about the same length · 0.6 lighter
6. 6. Roll for the Galaxy (2014)
   2–5 players · 45 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium
   Shares with Istanbul: Economic, Contracts, Dice Rolling · 2 of Istanbul’s 6 mechanics (33%)
   vs Istanbul: overlaps at 2–5 players · about the same length · +0.2 heavier
7. 7. Rajas of the Ganges (2017)
   2–4 players · 45–75 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium
   Shares with Istanbul: Economic, Dice Rolling, Network and Route Building · 2 of Istanbul’s 6 mechanics (33%)
   vs Istanbul: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~10 min longer · +0.3 heavier
8. 8. Glen More II Chronicles (2019)
   2–4 players · 90–120 min · ★ 8.0 · Medium
   Shares with Istanbul: Economic, Dice Rolling, Grid Movement · 2 of Istanbul’s 6 mechanics (33%)
   vs Istanbul: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~55 min longer · +0.5 heavier
9. 9. Santiago de Cuba (2011)
   2–4 players · 40–75 min · ★ 6.9 · Medium-light
   Shares with Istanbul: Economic, Dice Rolling, Modular Board, Pick-up and Deliver · 3 of Istanbul’s 6 mechanics (50%)
   vs Istanbul: overlaps at 2–4 players · about the same length · 0.4 lighter
10. 10. Clans of Caledonia (2017)
    1–4 players · 30–120 min · ★ 8.0 · Medium
    Shares with Istanbul: Economic, Contracts, Modular Board, Network and Route Building · 3 of Istanbul’s 6 mechanics (50%)
    vs Istanbul: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~25 min longer · +0.9 heavier
11. 11. Twilight Imperium Fourth Edition (2017)
    3–6 players · 240–480 min · ★ 8.7 · Heavy
    Shares with Istanbul: Economic, Dice Rolling, Grid Movement · 2 of Istanbul’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Istanbul: overlaps at 3–5 players · scales to 6 · ~310 min longer · +1.7 heavier
12. 12. Viticulture Essential Edition (2015)
    1–6 players · 45–90 min · ★ 8.1 · Medium
    Shares with Istanbul: Economic, Contracts · 1 of Istanbul’s 6 mechanics (17%)
    vs Istanbul: overlaps at 2–5 players · plays solo · scales to 6 · ~18 min longer · +0.3 heavier
13. 13. Roads & Boats (1999)
    1–4 players · 240 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium-heavy
    Shares with Istanbul: Economic, Grid Movement, Modular Board, Network and Route Building, Pick-up and Deliver · 4 of Istanbul’s 6 mechanics (67%)
    vs Istanbul: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~190 min longer · +1.6 heavier
14. 14. Gaia Project (2017)
    1–4 players · 60–150 min · ★ 8.5 · Heavy
    Shares with Istanbul: Economic, Modular Board, Network and Route Building · 2 of Istanbul’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Istanbul: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~55 min longer · +1.8 heavier
15. 15. Silverton (1991)
    1–6 players · 180 min · ★ 7.1 · Medium
    Shares with Istanbul: Economic, Dice Rolling, Network and Route Building, Pick-up and Deliver · 3 of Istanbul’s 6 mechanics (50%)
    vs Istanbul: overlaps at 2–5 players · plays solo · scales to 6 · ~130 min longer · +0.7 heavier
16. 16. Power Grid (Recharged Version) (2004)
    2–6 players · 120 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium
    Shares with Istanbul: Economic, Network and Route Building · 1 of Istanbul’s 6 mechanics (17%)
    vs Istanbul: overlaps at 2–5 players · scales to 6 · ~70 min longer · +0.7 heavier
17. 17. Crown of Emara (2018)
    1–4 players · 45–75 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium
    Shares with Istanbul: Economic, Modular Board, Pick-up and Deliver · 2 of Istanbul’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Istanbul: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~10 min longer · +0.5 heavier
18. 18. Akrotiri (2014)
    2 players · 45 min · ★ 7.3 · Medium
    Shares with Istanbul: Economic, Modular Board, Pick-up and Deliver · 2 of Istanbul’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Istanbul: both play at 2 · about the same length · same complexity

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