Race for the Galaxy / Similar games

18 games like Race for the Galaxy

The best games like Race for the Galaxy are It's a Wonderful World, 7 Wonders and Terraforming Mars — the closest of 18 ranked alternatives, scored by shared mechanics and category. It's a Wonderful World shares card game, civilization, economic with Race for the Galaxy.

Every alternative below links to its own Race for the Galaxy-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 Race for the Galaxy’s 3.0 weight, then BoardGameGeek’s Bayesian rating — one entry per series, 18 shown.

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1. 

   1. It's a Wonderful World (2019)

   1–5 players · 30–60 min · ★ 7.9 · Medium-light · See It's a Wonderful World alternatives →

   Shares with Race for the Galaxy: Card Game, Civilization, Economic, Science Fiction, Hand Management, Set Collection, Simultaneous Action Selection · 7 shared tags · 3 of Race for the Galaxy’s 6 mechanics (50%)

   vs Race for the Galaxy: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · scales to 5 · about the same length · 0.7 lighter

   Check price for It's a Wonderful World →
2. 

   2. 7 Wonders (2010)

   2–7 players · 30 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium-light · See 7 Wonders alternatives →

   Shares with Race for the Galaxy: Card Game, Civilization, Economic, Hand Management, Set Collection, Simultaneous Action Selection · 6 shared tags · 3 of Race for the Galaxy’s 6 mechanics (50%)

   vs Race for the Galaxy: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 7 · ~15 min shorter · 0.7 lighter

   Check price for 7 Wonders →
3. 

   3. Terraforming Mars (2016)

   1–5 players · 120 min · ★ 8.4 · Medium · See Terraforming Mars alternatives →

   Shares with Race for the Galaxy: Economic, Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Hand Management, Set Collection · 5 shared tags · 2 of Race for the Galaxy’s 6 mechanics (33%)

   vs Race for the Galaxy: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · scales to 5 · ~75 min longer · +0.3 heavier

   Check price for Terraforming Mars →
4. 

   4. Eminent Domain (2011)

   2–4 players · 45 min · ★ 7.0 · Medium · See Eminent Domain alternatives →

   Shares with Race for the Galaxy: Card Game, Civilization, Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Follow, Hand Management, Variable Phase Order · 7 shared tags · 3 of Race for the Galaxy’s 6 mechanics (50%)

   vs Race for the Galaxy: overlaps at 2–4 players · about the same length · 0.5 lighter
5. 

   5. Glory to Rome (2005)

   2–5 players · 60 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium · See Glory to Rome alternatives →

   Shares with Race for the Galaxy: Card Game, Economic, Follow, Hand Management, Set Collection, Variable Phase Order · 6 shared tags · 4 of Race for the Galaxy’s 6 mechanics (67%)

   vs Race for the Galaxy: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 5 · ~15 min longer · same complexity
6. 

   6. Empires of the Void II (2018)

   2–5 players · 90–180 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium

   Shares with Race for the Galaxy: Civilization, Economic, Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Follow, Hand Management · 6 shared tags · 2 of Race for the Galaxy’s 6 mechanics (33%)

   vs Race for the Galaxy: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 5 · ~90 min longer · +0.5 heavier
7. 

   7. 51st State Master Set (2016)

   1–4 players · 60–90 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium · See 51st State Master Set alternatives →

   Shares with Race for the Galaxy: Card Game, Economic, Science Fiction, Hand Management, Variable Phase Order · 5 shared tags · 2 of Race for the Galaxy’s 6 mechanics (33%)

   vs Race for the Galaxy: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~30 min longer · same complexity
8. 

   8. Underwater Cities (2018)

   1–4 players · 80–150 min · ★ 8.1 · Medium-heavy · See Underwater Cities alternatives →

   Shares with Race for the Galaxy: Card Game, Civilization, Science Fiction, Hand Management · 4 shared tags · 1 of Race for the Galaxy’s 6 mechanics (17%)

   vs Race for the Galaxy: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~70 min longer · +0.6 heavier
9. 

   9. Alien Artifacts (2017)

   2–5 players · 60 min · ★ 6.7 · Medium

   Shares with Race for the Galaxy: Card Game, Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Hand Management, Set Collection, Variable Phase Order · 6 shared tags · 3 of Race for the Galaxy’s 6 mechanics (50%)

   vs Race for the Galaxy: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 5 · ~15 min longer · same complexity
10. 

    10. Aeon's End War Eternal (2017)

    1–4 players · 60 min · ★ 8.4 · Medium · See Aeon's End War Eternal alternatives →

    Shares with Race for the Galaxy: Card Game, Science Fiction, Hand Management, Variable Phase Order · 4 shared tags · 2 of Race for the Galaxy’s 6 mechanics (33%)

    vs Race for the Galaxy: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~15 min longer · same complexity
11. 

    11. Hegemonic (2013)

    2–6 players · 180 min · ★ 6.8 · Medium-heavy

    Shares with Race for the Galaxy: Civilization, Economic, Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Hand Management, Simultaneous Action Selection · 6 shared tags · 2 of Race for the Galaxy’s 6 mechanics (33%)

    vs Race for the Galaxy: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 6 · ~135 min longer · +0.7 heavier
12. 

    12. Core Worlds (2011)

    2–5 players · 60–120 min · ★ 7.2 · Medium · See Core Worlds alternatives →

    Shares with Race for the Galaxy: Card Game, Civilization, Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Hand Management · 5 shared tags · 1 of Race for the Galaxy’s 6 mechanics (17%)

    vs Race for the Galaxy: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 5 · ~45 min longer · same complexity
13. 

    13. Ad Astra (2009)

    3–5 players · 60 min · ★ 6.9 · Medium

    Shares with Race for the Galaxy: Civilization, Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Simultaneous Action Selection, Variable Phase Order · 5 shared tags · 2 of Race for the Galaxy’s 6 mechanics (33%)

    vs Race for the Galaxy: overlaps at 3–4 players · scales to 5 · ~15 min longer · 0.3 lighter
14. 

    14. Impulse (2013)

    2–6 players · 30–60 min · ★ 6.8 · Medium

    Shares with Race for the Galaxy: Card Game, Economic, Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Hand Management · 5 shared tags · 1 of Race for the Galaxy’s 6 mechanics (17%)

    vs Race for the Galaxy: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 6 · about the same length · same complexity
15. 

    15. Civilization (1980)

    2–7 players · 360 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium-heavy · See Civilization alternatives →

    Shares with Race for the Galaxy: Civilization, Economic, Hand Management, Set Collection · 4 shared tags · 2 of Race for the Galaxy’s 6 mechanics (33%)

    vs Race for the Galaxy: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 7 · ~315 min longer · +0.7 heavier
16. 

    16. Master of Orion The Board Game (2016)

    2–4 players · 40–60 min · ★ 7.0 · Medium-light

    Shares with Race for the Galaxy: Card Game, Economic, Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Hand Management · 5 shared tags · 1 of Race for the Galaxy’s 6 mechanics (17%)

    vs Race for the Galaxy: overlaps at 2–4 players · about the same length · 0.6 lighter
17. 

    17. Twilight Imperium Fourth Edition (2017)

    3–6 players · 240–480 min · ★ 8.7 · Heavy · See Twilight Imperium Fourth Edition alternatives →

    Shares with Race for the Galaxy: Civilization, Economic, Science Fiction, Follow · 4 shared tags · 1 of Race for the Galaxy’s 6 mechanics (17%)

    vs Race for the Galaxy: overlaps at 3–4 players · scales to 6 · ~315 min longer · +1.2 heavier
18. 

    18. 7 Wonders (Second Edition) (2020)

    3–7 players · 30 min · ★ 8.2 · Medium-light

    Shares with Race for the Galaxy: Card Game, Civilization, Economic, Hand Management, Set Collection, Simultaneous Action Selection · 6 shared tags · 3 of Race for the Galaxy’s 6 mechanics (50%)

    vs Race for the Galaxy: overlaps at 3–4 players · scales to 7 · ~15 min shorter · 0.8 lighter

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