Nippon / Similar games

18 games like Nippon

The best games like Nippon are Vinhos Deluxe Edition, Kanban EV and Kanban Driver's Edition — the closest of 18 ranked alternatives, scored by shared mechanics and category. Vinhos Deluxe Edition shares economic, industry / manufacturing, area majority / influence with Nippon.

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

Ranked by shared category (3 pts) and mechanics (2 pts), bonus within 0.7 of Nippon’s 3.8 weight, then BoardGameGeek’s Bayesian rating — one entry per series, 18 shown.

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1. 1. Vinhos Deluxe Edition (2016)
   1–4 players · 60–135 min · ★ 8.2 · Medium-heavy
   Shares with Nippon: Economic, Industry / Manufacturing, Area Majority / Influence, Variable Phase Order · 2 of Nippon’s 2 mechanics (100%)
   vs Nippon: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · about the same length · +0.2 heavier
   View Vinhos Deluxe Edition on Amazon →
2. 2. Kanban EV (2020)
   1–4 players · 60–180 min · ★ 8.8 · Heavy
   Shares with Nippon: Economic, Industry / Manufacturing, Variable Phase Order · 1 of Nippon’s 2 mechanics (50%)
   vs Nippon: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~30 min longer · +0.5 heavier
   View Kanban EV on Amazon →
3. 3. Kanban Driver's Edition (2014)
   2–4 players · 90–120 min · ★ 7.8 · Heavy
   Shares with Nippon: Economic, Industry / Manufacturing, Variable Phase Order · 1 of Nippon’s 2 mechanics (50%)
   vs Nippon: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~15 min longer · +0.6 heavier
   View Kanban Driver's Edition on Amazon →
4. 4. Indonesia (2005)
   2–5 players · 180–240 min · ★ 7.9 · Medium-heavy
   Shares with Nippon: Economic, Industry / Manufacturing, Area Majority / Influence · 1 of Nippon’s 2 mechanics (50%)
   vs Nippon: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 5 · ~120 min longer · +0.2 heavier
5. 5. Twilight Imperium Fourth Edition (2017)
   3–6 players · 240–480 min · ★ 8.7 · Heavy
   Shares with Nippon: Economic, Area Majority / Influence · 1 of Nippon’s 2 mechanics (50%)
   vs Nippon: overlaps at 3–4 players · scales to 6 · ~270 min longer · +0.4 heavier
6. 6. Vinhos (2010)
   2–4 players · 60–135 min · ★ 7.5 · Heavy
   Shares with Nippon: Economic, Industry / Manufacturing, Area Majority / Influence · 1 of Nippon’s 2 mechanics (50%)
   vs Nippon: overlaps at 2–4 players · about the same length · +0.4 heavier
7. 7. Scythe (2016)
   1–5 players · 90–115 min · ★ 8.2 · Medium
   Shares with Nippon: Economic, Area Majority / Influence · 1 of Nippon’s 2 mechanics (50%)
   vs Nippon: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · scales to 5 · ~13 min longer · 0.4 lighter
8. 8. Pax Pamir Second Edition (2019)
   1–5 players · 45–120 min · ★ 8.4 · Medium-heavy
   Shares with Nippon: Economic, Area Majority / Influence · 1 of Nippon’s 2 mechanics (50%)
   vs Nippon: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · scales to 5 · about the same length · same complexity
9. 9. Wildcatters (2013)
   2–4 players · 120 min · ★ 7.6 · Medium-heavy
   Shares with Nippon: Economic, Industry / Manufacturing, Area Majority / Influence · 1 of Nippon’s 2 mechanics (50%)
   vs Nippon: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~30 min longer · same complexity
10. 10. Polis Fight for the Hegemony (2012)
    2 players · 90–120 min · ★ 7.6 · Medium-heavy
    Shares with Nippon: Economic, Area Majority / Influence, Variable Phase Order · 2 of Nippon’s 2 mechanics (100%)
    vs Nippon: both play at 2 · ~15 min longer · same complexity
11. 11. Forge War (2015)
    1–4 players · 60–180 min · ★ 7.3 · Medium-heavy
    Shares with Nippon: Economic, Industry / Manufacturing, Variable Phase Order · 1 of Nippon’s 2 mechanics (50%)
    vs Nippon: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~30 min longer · same complexity
12. 12. Lisboa (2017)
    1–4 players · 60–120 min · ★ 8.2 · Heavy
    Shares with Nippon: Economic, Industry / Manufacturing, Area Majority / Influence · 1 of Nippon’s 2 mechanics (50%)
    vs Nippon: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · about the same length · +0.8 heavier
13. 13. Mombasa (2015)
    2–4 players · 75–150 min · ★ 7.9 · Medium-heavy
    Shares with Nippon: Economic, Area Majority / Influence · 1 of Nippon’s 2 mechanics (50%)
    vs Nippon: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~23 min longer · same complexity
14. 14. Lignum (Second Edition) (2017)
    2–4 players · 90–120 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium-heavy
    Shares with Nippon: Economic, Industry / Manufacturing, Area Majority / Influence · 1 of Nippon’s 2 mechanics (50%)
    vs Nippon: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~15 min longer · +0.3 heavier
15. 15. Troyes (2010)
    1–4 players · 90 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium
    Shares with Nippon: Economic, Area Majority / Influence · 1 of Nippon’s 2 mechanics (50%)
    vs Nippon: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · about the same length · 0.3 lighter
16. 16. Brass Birmingham (2018)
    2–4 players · 60–120 min · ★ 8.7 · Medium-heavy
    Shares with Nippon: Economic, Industry / Manufacturing · 0 of Nippon’s 2 mechanics (0%)
    vs Nippon: overlaps at 2–4 players · about the same length · same complexity
17. 17. Terraforming Mars (2016)
    1–5 players · 120 min · ★ 8.4 · Medium
    Shares with Nippon: Economic, Industry / Manufacturing · 0 of Nippon’s 2 mechanics (0%)
    vs Nippon: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · scales to 5 · ~30 min longer · 0.6 lighter
18. 18. The Manhattan Project 2 Minutes to Midnight (2018)
    2–5 players · 90–150 min · ★ 7.4 · Medium-heavy
    Shares with Nippon: Economic, Industry / Manufacturing, Area Majority / Influence · 1 of Nippon’s 2 mechanics (50%)
    vs Nippon: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 5 · ~30 min longer · 0.2 lighter

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