Mahjong / Similar games

18 games like Mahjong

The best games like Mahjong are Samurai, Azul Summer Pavilion and War Chest — the closest of 18 ranked alternatives, scored by shared mechanics and category. Samurai shares abstract strategy, hand management, set collection with Mahjong.

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

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

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1. 

   1. Samurai (1998)

   2–4 players · 30–60 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium-light · See Samurai alternatives →

   Shares with Mahjong: Abstract Strategy, Hand Management, Set Collection · 3 shared tags · 2 of Mahjong’s 2 mechanics (100%)

   vs Mahjong: overlaps at 3–4 players · goes down to 2 · ~75 min shorter · same complexity

   Check price for Samurai →
2. 

   2. Azul Summer Pavilion (2019)

   2–4 players · 30–45 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium-light · See Azul Summer Pavilion alternatives →

   Shares with Mahjong: Abstract Strategy, Set Collection · 2 shared tags · 1 of Mahjong’s 2 mechanics (50%)

   vs Mahjong: overlaps at 3–4 players · goes down to 2 · ~82 min shorter · 0.6 lighter

   Check price for Azul Summer Pavilion →
3. 

   3. War Chest (2018)

   2–4 players · 30 min · ★ 8.0 · Medium-light · See War Chest alternatives →

   Shares with Mahjong: Abstract Strategy, Hand Management · 2 shared tags · 1 of Mahjong’s 2 mechanics (50%)

   vs Mahjong: overlaps at 3–4 players · goes down to 2 · ~90 min shorter · 0.3 lighter

   Check price for War Chest →
4. 

   4. Calico (2020)

   1–4 players · 30–45 min · ★ 7.9 · Medium-light · See Calico alternatives →

   Shares with Mahjong: Abstract Strategy, Set Collection · 2 shared tags · 1 of Mahjong’s 2 mechanics (50%)

   vs Mahjong: overlaps at 3–4 players · plays solo · ~82 min shorter · 0.4 lighter
5. 

   5. Illimat (2017)

   2–4 players · 15–60 min · ★ 7.4 · Medium-light

   Shares with Mahjong: Abstract Strategy, Hand Management, Set Collection · 3 shared tags · 2 of Mahjong’s 2 mechanics (100%)

   vs Mahjong: overlaps at 3–4 players · goes down to 2 · ~82 min shorter · 0.6 lighter
6. 

   6. Mensa Connections (2004)

   1–4 players · 45 min · ★ 7.1 · Medium-light · See Mensa Connections alternatives →

   Shares with Mahjong: Abstract Strategy, Hand Management · 2 shared tags · 1 of Mahjong’s 2 mechanics (50%)

   vs Mahjong: overlaps at 3–4 players · plays solo · ~75 min shorter · 0.6 lighter
7. 

   7. Dogs of War (2014)

   3–5 players · 75 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium

   Shares with Mahjong: Abstract Strategy, Hand Management · 2 shared tags · 1 of Mahjong’s 2 mechanics (50%)

   vs Mahjong: overlaps at 3–4 players · scales to 5 · ~45 min shorter · same complexity
8. 

   8. Tash-Kalar Arena of Legends (2013)

   2–4 players · 30–60 min · ★ 7.2 · Medium · See Tash-Kalar Arena of Legends alternatives →

   Shares with Mahjong: Abstract Strategy, Hand Management · 2 shared tags · 1 of Mahjong’s 2 mechanics (50%)

   vs Mahjong: overlaps at 3–4 players · goes down to 2 · ~75 min shorter · +0.3 heavier
9. 

   9. Torres (1999)

   2–4 players · 60 min · ★ 7.1 · Medium · See Torres alternatives →

   Shares with Mahjong: Abstract Strategy, Hand Management · 2 shared tags · 1 of Mahjong’s 2 mechanics (50%)

   vs Mahjong: overlaps at 3–4 players · goes down to 2 · ~60 min shorter · +0.3 heavier
10. 

    10. The King is Dead Second Edition (2020)

    2–4 players · 30–45 min · ★ 8.0 · Medium-light

    Shares with Mahjong: Abstract Strategy, Hand Management · 2 shared tags · 1 of Mahjong’s 2 mechanics (50%)

    vs Mahjong: overlaps at 3–4 players · goes down to 2 · ~82 min shorter · 0.5 lighter
11. 

    11. Mandala (2019)

    2 players · 20 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium-light

    Shares with Mahjong: Abstract Strategy, Hand Management, Set Collection · 3 shared tags · 2 of Mahjong’s 2 mechanics (100%)

    vs Mahjong: no player-count overlap (2 vs 3–4) · goes down to 2 · ~100 min shorter · 0.8 lighter
12. 

    12. Babylonia (2019)

    2–4 players · 60 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium

    Shares with Mahjong: Abstract Strategy, Hand Management · 2 shared tags · 1 of Mahjong’s 2 mechanics (50%)

    vs Mahjong: overlaps at 3–4 players · goes down to 2 · ~60 min shorter · same complexity
13. 

    13. Tsuro Phoenix Rising (2019)

    2–8 players · 20–50 min · ★ 6.5 · Medium

    Shares with Mahjong: Abstract Strategy, Hand Management, Set Collection · 3 shared tags · 2 of Mahjong’s 2 mechanics (100%)

    vs Mahjong: overlaps at 3–4 players · goes down to 2 · scales to 8 · ~85 min shorter · +0.2 heavier
14. 

    14. GYM (2017)

    2–6 players · 10–20 min · ★ 6.3 · Medium-light

    Shares with Mahjong: Abstract Strategy, Hand Management, Set Collection · 3 shared tags · 2 of Mahjong’s 2 mechanics (100%)

    vs Mahjong: overlaps at 3–4 players · goes down to 2 · scales to 6 · ~105 min shorter · same complexity
15. 

    15. Blokus Trigon (2006)

    2–4 players · 20 min · ★ 6.9 · Medium-light

    Shares with Mahjong: Abstract Strategy, Hand Management · 2 shared tags · 1 of Mahjong’s 2 mechanics (50%)

    vs Mahjong: overlaps at 3–4 players · goes down to 2 · ~100 min shorter · 0.6 lighter
16. 

    16. Carolvs Magnvs (2000)

    2–4 players · 60 min · ★ 6.8 · Medium · See Carolvs Magnvs alternatives →

    Shares with Mahjong: Abstract Strategy, Hand Management · 2 shared tags · 1 of Mahjong’s 2 mechanics (50%)

    vs Mahjong: overlaps at 3–4 players · goes down to 2 · ~60 min shorter · same complexity
17. 

    17. Kahuna (1998)

    2 players · 30–40 min · ★ 6.6 · Medium-light · See Kahuna alternatives →

    Shares with Mahjong: Abstract Strategy, Hand Management · 2 shared tags · 1 of Mahjong’s 2 mechanics (50%)

    vs Mahjong: no player-count overlap (2 vs 3–4) · goes down to 2 · ~85 min shorter · 0.5 lighter
18. 

    18. The Rose King (1992)

    2–4 players · 30 min · ★ 6.8 · Medium-light · See The Rose King alternatives →

    Shares with Mahjong: Abstract Strategy, Hand Management · 2 shared tags · 1 of Mahjong’s 2 mechanics (50%)

    vs Mahjong: overlaps at 3–4 players · goes down to 2 · ~90 min shorter · 0.6 lighter

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