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
   Shares with Race for the Galaxy: Card Game, Civilization, Economic, Science Fiction, Hand Management, Set Collection, Simultaneous Action Selection · 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
   View It's a Wonderful World on Amazon →
2. 2. 7 Wonders (2010)
   2–7 players · 30 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium-light
   Shares with Race for the Galaxy: Card Game, Civilization, Economic, Hand Management, Set Collection, Simultaneous Action Selection · 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
   View 7 Wonders on Amazon →
3. 3. Terraforming Mars (2016)
   1–5 players · 120 min · ★ 8.4 · Medium
   Shares with Race for the Galaxy: Economic, Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Hand Management, Set Collection · 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
   View Terraforming Mars on Amazon →
4. 4. Eminent Domain (2011)
   2–4 players · 45 min · ★ 7.0 · Medium
   Shares with Race for the Galaxy: Card Game, Civilization, Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Follow, Hand Management, Variable Phase Order · 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
   Shares with Race for the Galaxy: Card Game, Economic, Follow, Hand Management, Set Collection, Variable Phase Order · 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 · 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
   Shares with Race for the Galaxy: Card Game, Economic, Science Fiction, Hand Management, Variable Phase Order · 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
   Shares with Race for the Galaxy: Card Game, Civilization, Science Fiction, Hand Management · 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 · 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
    Shares with Race for the Galaxy: Card Game, Science Fiction, Hand Management, Variable Phase Order · 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 · 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
    Shares with Race for the Galaxy: Card Game, Civilization, Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Hand Management · 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 · 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 · 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
    Shares with Race for the Galaxy: Civilization, Economic, Hand Management, Set Collection · 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 · 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
    Shares with Race for the Galaxy: Civilization, Economic, Science Fiction, Follow · 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 · 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.