Nations / Similar games

18 games like Nations

The best games like Nations are Through the Ages A New Story of Civilization, City of Iron and The Manhattan Project Energy Empire — the closest of 18 ranked alternatives, scored by shared mechanics and category. Through the Ages A New Story of Civilization shares card game, civilization, economic with Nations.

Every alternative below links to its own Nations-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 Nations’s 3.5 weight, then BoardGameGeek’s Bayesian rating — one entry per series, 18 shown.

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1. 1. Through the Ages A New Story of Civilization (2015)
   2–4 players · 120 min · ★ 8.4 · Heavy
   Shares with Nations: Card Game, Civilization, Economic, Card Drafting, Events · 2 of Nations’s 4 mechanics (50%)
   vs Nations: overlaps at 2–4 players · about the same length · +0.9 heavier
   View Through the Ages A New Story of Civilization on Amazon →
2. 2. City of Iron (2013)
   2–4 players · 120 min · ★ 7.2 · Medium
   Shares with Nations: Card Game, Civilization, Economic, Card Drafting, Variable Player Powers · 2 of Nations’s 4 mechanics (50%)
   vs Nations: overlaps at 2–4 players · about the same length · 0.3 lighter
   View City of Iron on Amazon →
3. 3. The Manhattan Project Energy Empire (2016)
   1–5 players · 60–120 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium
   Shares with Nations: Civilization, Economic, Events, Variable Player Powers · 2 of Nations’s 4 mechanics (50%)
   vs Nations: overlaps at 1–5 players · ~30 min shorter · 0.5 lighter
   View The Manhattan Project Energy Empire on Amazon →
4. 4. 51st State Master Set (2016)
   1–4 players · 60–90 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium
   Shares with Nations: Card Game, Economic, Card Drafting, Variable Player Powers · 2 of Nations’s 4 mechanics (50%)
   vs Nations: overlaps at 1–4 players · ~45 min shorter · 0.6 lighter
5. 5. Pax Porfiriana (2012)
   1–6 players · 120 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium-heavy
   Shares with Nations: Card Game, Economic, Card Drafting, Variable Player Powers · 2 of Nations’s 4 mechanics (50%)
   vs Nations: overlaps at 1–5 players · scales to 6 · about the same length · same complexity
6. 6. 7 Wonders Duel (2015)
   2 players · 30 min · ★ 8.1 · Medium-light
   Shares with Nations: Card Game, Civilization, Economic, Card Drafting · 1 of Nations’s 4 mechanics (25%)
   vs Nations: both play at 2 · ~90 min shorter · 1.3 lighter
7. 7. The New Era (2011)
   2–5 players · 60 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium
   Shares with Nations: Card Game, Economic, Card Drafting, Variable Player Powers · 2 of Nations’s 4 mechanics (50%)
   vs Nations: overlaps at 2–5 players · ~60 min shorter · same complexity
8. 8. 7 Wonders (Second Edition) (2020)
   3–7 players · 30 min · ★ 8.2 · Medium-light
   Shares with Nations: Card Game, Civilization, Economic, Card Drafting, Variable Player Powers · 2 of Nations’s 4 mechanics (50%)
   vs Nations: overlaps at 3–5 players · scales to 7 · ~90 min shorter · 1.4 lighter
9. 9. Aeon's End War Eternal (2017)
   1–4 players · 60 min · ★ 8.4 · Medium
   Shares with Nations: Card Game, Card Drafting, Variable Player Powers · 2 of Nations’s 4 mechanics (50%)
   vs Nations: overlaps at 1–4 players · ~60 min shorter · 0.6 lighter
10. 10. 7 Wonders (2010)
    2–7 players · 30 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium-light
    Shares with Nations: Card Game, Civilization, Economic, Variable Player Powers · 1 of Nations’s 4 mechanics (25%)
    vs Nations: overlaps at 2–5 players · scales to 7 · ~90 min shorter · 1.2 lighter
11. 11. The Great Zimbabwe (2012)
    2–5 players · 90–150 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium-heavy
    Shares with Nations: Civilization, Economic, Card Drafting · 1 of Nations’s 4 mechanics (25%)
    vs Nations: overlaps at 2–5 players · about the same length · +0.2 heavier
12. 12. It's a Wonderful World (2019)
    1–5 players · 30–60 min · ★ 7.9 · Medium-light
    Shares with Nations: Card Game, Civilization, Economic, Card Drafting · 1 of Nations’s 4 mechanics (25%)
    vs Nations: overlaps at 1–5 players · ~75 min shorter · 1.2 lighter
13. 13. Mare Nostrum Empires (2016)
    3–5 players · 90–120 min · ★ 7.6 · Medium
    Shares with Nations: Civilization, Economic, Variable Player Powers · 1 of Nations’s 4 mechanics (25%)
    vs Nations: overlaps at 3–5 players · ~15 min shorter · 0.5 lighter
14. 14. Imperial Settlers (2014)
    1–4 players · 45–90 min · ★ 7.4 · Medium
    Shares with Nations: Card Game, Civilization, Card Drafting, Variable Player Powers · 2 of Nations’s 4 mechanics (50%)
    vs Nations: overlaps at 1–4 players · ~52 min shorter · 0.8 lighter
15. 15. Santa Maria (2017)
    1–4 players · 45–90 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium
    Shares with Nations: Civilization, Card Drafting, Variable Player Powers · 2 of Nations’s 4 mechanics (50%)
    vs Nations: overlaps at 1–4 players · ~52 min shorter · 0.5 lighter
16. 16. Core Worlds (2011)
    2–5 players · 60–120 min · ★ 7.2 · Medium
    Shares with Nations: Card Game, Civilization, Card Drafting · 1 of Nations’s 4 mechanics (25%)
    vs Nations: overlaps at 2–5 players · ~30 min shorter · 0.6 lighter
17. 17. Three Kingdoms Redux (2014)
    3 players · 135–165 min · ★ 7.9 · Medium-heavy
    Shares with Nations: Civilization, Economic, Card Drafting · 1 of Nations’s 4 mechanics (25%)
    vs Nations: both play at 3 · ~30 min longer · +0.5 heavier
18. 18. A Game of Thrones The Card Game (Second Edition) (2015)
    2–4 players · 60–120 min · ★ 7.6 · Medium-heavy
    Shares with Nations: Card Game, Card Drafting, Variable Player Powers · 2 of Nations’s 4 mechanics (50%)
    vs Nations: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~30 min shorter · same complexity

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