Pandemic / Similar games

18 games like Pandemic

The best games like Pandemic are Reign of Cthulhu, Healthy Heart Hospital and Raxxon — the closest of 18 ranked alternatives, scored by shared mechanics and category. Reign of Cthulhu shares action points, cooperative game, hand management with Pandemic.

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

Ranked by shared category (3 pts) and mechanics (2 pts), bonus within 0.7 of Pandemic’s 2.4 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. 1. Reign of Cthulhu (2016)
   2–4 players · 40 min · ★ 7.4 · Medium-light
   Shares with Pandemic: Action Points, Cooperative Game, Hand Management, Point to Point Movement +2 more · 6 of Pandemic’s 6 mechanics (100%)
   vs Pandemic: overlaps at 2–4 players · about the same length · 0.2 lighter
   View Reign of Cthulhu on Amazon →
2. 2. Healthy Heart Hospital (2015)
   1–5 players · 60–90 min · ★ 7.3 · Medium
   Shares with Pandemic: Medical, Action Points, Cooperative Game · 2 of Pandemic’s 6 mechanics (33%)
   vs Pandemic: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · scales to 5 · ~30 min longer · +0.4 heavier
   View Healthy Heart Hospital on Amazon →
3. 3. Raxxon (2017)
   1–4 players · 45–60 min · ★ 6.8 · Medium-light
   Shares with Pandemic: Medical, Action Points, Cooperative Game · 2 of Pandemic’s 6 mechanics (33%)
   vs Pandemic: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · about the same length · 0.5 lighter
   View Raxxon on Amazon →
4. 4. Plague Inc. The Board Game (2017)
   1–4 players · 60 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium-light
   Shares with Pandemic: Medical, Hand Management · 1 of Pandemic’s 6 mechanics (17%)
   vs Pandemic: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~15 min longer · 0.3 lighter
5. 5. Dice Hospital (2018)
   1–4 players · 45–90 min · ★ 7.2 · Medium-light
   Shares with Pandemic: Medical, Action Points · 1 of Pandemic’s 6 mechanics (17%)
   vs Pandemic: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~23 min longer · same complexity
6. 6. Herbalism (2017)
   3–4 players · 15–30 min · ★ 6.6 · Medium-light
   Shares with Pandemic: Medical, Hand Management, Trading · 2 of Pandemic’s 6 mechanics (33%)
   vs Pandemic: overlaps at 3–4 players · ~22 min shorter · 0.4 lighter
7. 7. Holding On The Troubled Life of Billy Kerr (2018)
   2–4 players · 45–60 min · ★ 6.2 · Medium-light
   Shares with Pandemic: Medical, Cooperative Game, Set Collection · 2 of Pandemic’s 6 mechanics (33%)
   vs Pandemic: overlaps at 2–4 players · about the same length · 0.2 lighter
8. 8. Viral (2017)
   2–5 players · 60–90 min · ★ 7.0 · Medium
   Shares with Pandemic: Medical, Hand Management · 1 of Pandemic’s 6 mechanics (17%)
   vs Pandemic: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 5 · ~30 min longer · same complexity
9. 9. Cytosis A Cell Biology Board Game (2017)
   2–5 players · 60–90 min · ★ 7.1 · Medium-light
   Shares with Pandemic: Medical, Set Collection · 1 of Pandemic’s 6 mechanics (17%)
   vs Pandemic: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 5 · ~30 min longer · same complexity
10. 10. Flatline (2017)
    1–5 players · 25–45 min · ★ 7.2 · Medium-light
    Shares with Pandemic: Medical, Cooperative Game · 1 of Pandemic’s 6 mechanics (17%)
    vs Pandemic: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · scales to 5 · ~10 min shorter · same complexity
11. 11. Defenders of the Realm (2010)
    1–4 players · 90 min · ★ 7.3 · Medium
    Shares with Pandemic: Action Points, Cooperative Game, Hand Management, Point to Point Movement · 4 of Pandemic’s 6 mechanics (67%)
    vs Pandemic: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~45 min longer · +0.3 heavier
12. 12. Sekigahara The Unification of Japan (2011)
    2 players · 180 min · ★ 8.0 · Medium
    Shares with Pandemic: Action Points, Hand Management, Point to Point Movement · 3 of Pandemic’s 6 mechanics (50%)
    vs Pandemic: both play at 2 · ~135 min longer · +0.4 heavier
13. 13. Horrified (2019)
    1–5 players · 60 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium-light
    Shares with Pandemic: Action Points, Cooperative Game, Point to Point Movement · 3 of Pandemic’s 6 mechanics (50%)
    vs Pandemic: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · scales to 5 · ~15 min longer · 0.4 lighter
14. 14. Dead of Winter A Crossroads Game (2014)
    2–5 players · 60–120 min · ★ 7.6 · Medium
    Shares with Pandemic: Action Points, Cooperative Game, Hand Management · 3 of Pandemic’s 6 mechanics (50%)
    vs Pandemic: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 5 · ~45 min longer · +0.6 heavier
15. 15. Rush M.D. (2020)
    1–4 players · 30–45 min · ★ 7.6 · Medium-light
    Shares with Pandemic: Medical, Cooperative Game · 1 of Pandemic’s 6 mechanics (17%)
    vs Pandemic: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · about the same length · same complexity
16. 16. Wingspan (2019)
    1–5 players · 40–70 min · ★ 8.1 · Medium-light
    Shares with Pandemic: Hand Management, Set Collection · 2 of Pandemic’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Pandemic: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · scales to 5 · ~10 min longer · same complexity
17. 17. Marvel Champions The Card Game (2019)
    1–4 players · 45–90 min · ★ 8.2 · Medium
    Shares with Pandemic: Cooperative Game, Hand Management · 2 of Pandemic’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Pandemic: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~23 min longer · +0.4 heavier
18. 18. Infarkt (2011)
    2–5 players · 45 min · ★ 6.6 · Medium-light
    Shares with Pandemic: Medical, Hand Management · 1 of Pandemic’s 6 mechanics (17%)
    vs Pandemic: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 5 · about the same length · 0.7 lighter

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