What game is most like Mage Wars Arena?

Descent Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) (2012) is the closest match to Mage Wars Arena, sharing fantasy, fighting, dice rolling. It rates 7.7/10 on BoardGameGeek.

What should I play if I like Mage Wars Arena?

Descent Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition), Altar Quest, Magic: The Gathering are the top-ranked alternatives to Mage Wars Arena in the MeeplePick database, matched on medium-heavy complexity as well as mechanics. All 18 are ranked on this page with the shared mechanics shown for each.

Is Descent Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) harder than Mage Wars Arena?

Compared with Mage Wars Arena, Descent Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) is 0.5 lighter and ~30 min longer (3.2 vs 3.7 complexity on BoardGameGeek's 1–5 scale).

Mage Wars Arena / Similar games

18 games like Mage Wars Arena

The best games like Mage Wars Arena are Descent Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition), Altar Quest and Magic: The Gathering — the closest of 18 ranked alternatives, scored by shared mechanics and category. Descent Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) shares fantasy, fighting, dice rolling with Mage Wars Arena.

Every alternative below links to its own Mage Wars Arena-style fact page, drawn from MeeplePick’s card game / fantasy shelf.

Ranked by shared category (3 pts) and mechanics (2 pts), bonus within 0.7 of Mage Wars Arena’s 3.7 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. Descent Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) (2012)
1–5 players · 120 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium
Shares with Mage Wars Arena: Fantasy, Fighting, Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, Line of Sight · 3 of Mage Wars Arena’s 6 mechanics (50%)
vs Mage Wars Arena: both play at 2 · plays solo · scales to 5 · ~30 min longer · 0.5 lighter
View Descent Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) on Amazon →
2. Altar Quest (2020)
1–4 players · 30–90 min · ★ 8.1 · Medium
Shares with Mage Wars Arena: Card Game, Fantasy, Fighting, Dice Rolling, Grid Movement · 2 of Mage Wars Arena’s 6 mechanics (33%)
vs Mage Wars Arena: both play at 2 · plays solo · scales to 4 · ~30 min shorter · 0.4 lighter
View Altar Quest on Amazon →
3. Magic: The Gathering (1993)
2 players · 20 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium
Shares with Mage Wars Arena: Card Game, Fantasy, Fighting, Deck Construction · 1 of Mage Wars Arena’s 6 mechanics (17%)
vs Mage Wars Arena: both play at 2 · ~70 min shorter · 0.4 lighter
View Magic: The Gathering on Amazon →
4. Warhammer Underworlds Shadespire (2017)
2 players · 30 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium-light
Shares with Mage Wars Arena: Card Game, Fantasy, Fighting, Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, Line of Sight · 3 of Mage Wars Arena’s 6 mechanics (50%)
vs Mage Wars Arena: both play at 2 · ~60 min shorter · 1.2 lighter
5. War of the Ring Second Edition (2012)
2–4 players · 150–180 min · ★ 8.5 · Medium-heavy
Shares with Mage Wars Arena: Fantasy, Fighting, Dice Rolling · 1 of Mage Wars Arena’s 6 mechanics (17%)
vs Mage Wars Arena: both play at 2 · scales to 4 · ~75 min longer · +0.5 heavier
6. Shadows of Brimstone City of the Ancients (2014)
1–4 players · 120 min · ★ 8.0 · Medium
Shares with Mage Wars Arena: Fantasy, Fighting, Dice Rolling, Grid Movement · 2 of Mage Wars Arena’s 6 mechanics (33%)
vs Mage Wars Arena: both play at 2 · plays solo · scales to 4 · ~30 min longer · 0.3 lighter
7. Runewars (2010)
2–4 players · 180–240 min · ★ 7.6 · Medium-heavy
Shares with Mage Wars Arena: Fantasy, Fighting, Grid Movement, Simultaneous Action Selection · 2 of Mage Wars Arena’s 6 mechanics (33%)
vs Mage Wars Arena: both play at 2 · scales to 4 · ~120 min longer · same complexity
8. BattleCON Devastation of Indines (2013)
1–5 players · 45 min · ★ 7.9 · Medium
Shares with Mage Wars Arena: Card Game, Fantasy, Fighting, Simultaneous Action Selection · 1 of Mage Wars Arena’s 6 mechanics (17%)
vs Mage Wars Arena: both play at 2 · plays solo · scales to 5 · ~45 min shorter · 0.6 lighter
9. Blood Bowl Living Rulebook (2004)
2 players · 120 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium
Shares with Mage Wars Arena: Fantasy, Fighting, Dice Rolling, Grid Movement · 2 of Mage Wars Arena’s 6 mechanics (33%)
vs Mage Wars Arena: both play at 2 · ~30 min longer · 0.5 lighter
10. Blood Bowl (2016 Edition) (2016)
2 players · 45–120 min · ★ 8.1 · Medium-heavy
Shares with Mage Wars Arena: Fantasy, Fighting, Dice Rolling, Grid Movement · 2 of Mage Wars Arena’s 6 mechanics (33%)
vs Mage Wars Arena: both play at 2 · about the same length · same complexity
11. A Game of Thrones The Card Game (Second Edition) (2015)
2–4 players · 60–120 min · ★ 7.6 · Medium-heavy
Shares with Mage Wars Arena: Card Game, Fantasy, Fighting, Simultaneous Action Selection · 1 of Mage Wars Arena’s 6 mechanics (17%)
vs Mage Wars Arena: both play at 2 · scales to 4 · about the same length · same complexity
12. Blood Bowl (Third Edition) (1994)
2 players · 180 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium
Shares with Mage Wars Arena: Fantasy, Fighting, Dice Rolling, Grid Movement · 2 of Mage Wars Arena’s 6 mechanics (33%)
vs Mage Wars Arena: both play at 2 · ~90 min longer · 0.7 lighter
13. Arkham Horror The Card Game (2016)
1–2 players · 60–120 min · ★ 8.2 · Medium
Shares with Mage Wars Arena: Card Game, Fantasy, Deck Construction · 1 of Mage Wars Arena’s 6 mechanics (17%)
vs Mage Wars Arena: both play at 2 · plays solo · about the same length · 0.2 lighter
14. Kingdom Death Monster (2015)
1–4 players · 60–180 min · ★ 8.6 · Heavy
Shares with Mage Wars Arena: Fantasy, Dice Rolling, Grid Movement · 2 of Mage Wars Arena’s 6 mechanics (33%)
vs Mage Wars Arena: both play at 2 · plays solo · scales to 4 · ~30 min longer · +0.6 heavier
15. Legend of the Five Rings The Card Game (2017)
2 players · 45–90 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium-heavy
Shares with Mage Wars Arena: Card Game, Fantasy, Deck Construction, Simultaneous Action Selection · 2 of Mage Wars Arena’s 6 mechanics (33%)
vs Mage Wars Arena: both play at 2 · ~22 min shorter · +0.3 heavier
16. Eldritch Horror (2013)
1–8 players · 120–240 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium
Shares with Mage Wars Arena: Fantasy, Fighting, Dice Rolling · 1 of Mage Wars Arena’s 6 mechanics (17%)
vs Mage Wars Arena: both play at 2 · plays solo · scales to 8 · ~90 min longer · 0.4 lighter
17. Middle-earth (1995)
1–5 players · 90 min · ★ 7.3 · Medium-heavy
Shares with Mage Wars Arena: Card Game, Fantasy, Fighting, Dice Rolling · 1 of Mage Wars Arena’s 6 mechanics (17%)
vs Mage Wars Arena: both play at 2 · plays solo · scales to 5 · about the same length · same complexity
18. Too Many Bones Undertow (2018)
1–2 players · 60–180 min · ★ 8.8 · Medium-heavy
Shares with Mage Wars Arena: Fantasy, Fighting, Dice Rolling · 1 of Mage Wars Arena’s 6 mechanics (17%)
vs Mage Wars Arena: both play at 2 · plays solo · ~30 min longer · +0.3 heavier

Check Descent Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) on Amazon →

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

Frequently asked

What game is most like Mage Wars Arena?: Descent Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) (2012) is the closest match to Mage Wars Arena, sharing fantasy, fighting, dice rolling. It rates 7.7/10 on BoardGameGeek.
What should I play if I like Mage Wars Arena?: Descent Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition), Altar Quest, Magic: The Gathering are the top-ranked alternatives to Mage Wars Arena in the MeeplePick database, matched on medium-heavy complexity as well as mechanics. All 18 are ranked on this page with the shared mechanics shown for each.
Is Descent Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) harder than Mage Wars Arena?: Compared with Mage Wars Arena, Descent Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) is 0.5 lighter and ~30 min longer (3.2 vs 3.7 complexity on BoardGameGeek's 1–5 scale).

Narrow it down

best 2-player board games · deck construction games · dice rolling games · grid movement games · line of sight games

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