River Dragons / Similar games

18 games like River Dragons

The best games like River Dragons are Sakura, NMBR 9 and Indigo — the closest of 18 ranked alternatives, scored by shared mechanics and category. Sakura shares abstract strategy, action queue, simultaneous action selection with River Dragons.

Every alternative below links to its own River Dragons-style fact page, drawn from MeeplePick’s abstract strategy shelf.

Ranked by shared category (3 pts) and mechanics (2 pts), bonus within 0.7 of River Dragons’s 1.7 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. Sakura (2018)
    2–6 players · 20–40 min · ★ 6.6 · Light
    Shares with River Dragons: Abstract Strategy, Action Queue, Simultaneous Action Selection · 2 of River Dragons’s 3 mechanics (67%)
    vs River Dragons: overlaps at 2–6 players · about the same length · 0.5 lighter
    View Sakura on Amazon →
  2. 2. NMBR 9 (2017)
    1–4 players · 20 min · ★ 6.9 · Light
    Shares with River Dragons: Abstract Strategy, Simultaneous Action Selection · 1 of River Dragons’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs River Dragons: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~10 min shorter · 0.5 lighter
    View NMBR 9 on Amazon →
  3. 3. Indigo (2012)
    2–4 players · 30 min · ★ 6.8 · Light
    Shares with River Dragons: Abstract Strategy, Point to Point Movement · 1 of River Dragons’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs River Dragons: overlaps at 2–4 players · about the same length · 0.2 lighter
    View Indigo on Amazon →
  4. 4. Haru Ichiban (2014)
    2 players · 20 min · ★ 6.7 · Medium-light
    Shares with River Dragons: Abstract Strategy, Simultaneous Action Selection · 1 of River Dragons’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs River Dragons: both play at 2 · ~10 min shorter · same complexity
  5. 5. Sheepland (2012)
    2–4 players · 30 min · ★ 6.6 · Medium-light
    Shares with River Dragons: Abstract Strategy, Point to Point Movement · 1 of River Dragons’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs River Dragons: overlaps at 2–4 players · about the same length · same complexity
  6. 6. Sumeria (2009)
    3–4 players · 30–60 min · ★ 6.6 · Medium-light
    Shares with River Dragons: Abstract Strategy, Point to Point Movement · 1 of River Dragons’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs River Dragons: overlaps at 3–4 players · ~15 min longer · +0.5 heavier
  7. 7. TAC (2004)
    1–4 players · 60 min · ★ 7.2 · Medium-light
    Shares with River Dragons: Abstract Strategy, Point to Point Movement · 1 of River Dragons’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs River Dragons: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~30 min longer · +0.3 heavier
  8. 8. Pick & Pack (2007)
    2 players · 20 min · ★ 6.5 · Medium-light
    Shares with River Dragons: Abstract Strategy, Action Queue · 1 of River Dragons’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs River Dragons: both play at 2 · ~10 min shorter · +0.2 heavier
  9. 9. Twin Tin Bots (2013)
    2–6 players · 50 min · ★ 6.3 · Medium-light
    Shares with River Dragons: Abstract Strategy, Action Queue · 1 of River Dragons’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs River Dragons: overlaps at 2–6 players · ~20 min longer · +0.7 heavier
  10. 10. Alexandros (2003)
    2–4 players · 45 min · ★ 6.2 · Medium-light
    Shares with River Dragons: Abstract Strategy, Point to Point Movement · 1 of River Dragons’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs River Dragons: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~15 min longer · +0.7 heavier
  11. 11. KUMO Hogosha (2015)
    2–4 players · 25–30 min · ★ 6.7 · Medium-light
    Shares with River Dragons: Abstract Strategy, Action Queue · 1 of River Dragons’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs River Dragons: overlaps at 2–4 players · about the same length · +0.4 heavier
  12. 12. Linja (2003)
    2 players · 15 min · ★ 6.6 · Medium-light
    Shares with River Dragons: Abstract Strategy, Point to Point Movement · 1 of River Dragons’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs River Dragons: both play at 2 · ~15 min shorter · same complexity
  13. 13. Hounded (2016)
    2 players · 15–25 min · ★ 6.7 · Medium-light
    Shares with River Dragons: Abstract Strategy, Point to Point Movement · 1 of River Dragons’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs River Dragons: both play at 2 · ~10 min shorter · same complexity
  14. 14. Easter Island (2006)
    2 players · 20 min · ★ 6.3 · Medium-light
    Shares with River Dragons: Abstract Strategy, Point to Point Movement · 1 of River Dragons’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs River Dragons: both play at 2 · ~10 min shorter · +0.6 heavier
  15. 15. Pizza Theory (2012)
    2–3 players · 10–15 min · ★ 6.2 · Medium-light
    Shares with River Dragons: Abstract Strategy, Simultaneous Action Selection · 1 of River Dragons’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs River Dragons: overlaps at 2–3 players · ~17 min shorter · same complexity
  16. 16. Ramparts (1993)
    2–4 players · 45 min · ★ 6.3 · Medium-light
    Shares with River Dragons: Abstract Strategy, Point to Point Movement · 1 of River Dragons’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs River Dragons: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~15 min longer · +0.6 heavier
  17. 2–4 players · 20 min · ★ 6.0 · Light
    Shares with River Dragons: Abstract Strategy, Point to Point Movement · 1 of River Dragons’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs River Dragons: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~10 min shorter · 0.2 lighter
  18. 18. Pathfinder (1974)
    2 players · 20 min · ★ 6.2 · Light
    Shares with River Dragons: Abstract Strategy, Point to Point Movement · 1 of River Dragons’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs River Dragons: both play at 2 · ~10 min shorter · 0.5 lighter
Check Sakura on Amazon →

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Frequently asked

What game is most like River Dragons?
Sakura (2018) is the closest match to River Dragons, sharing abstract strategy, action queue, simultaneous action selection. It rates 6.6/10 on BoardGameGeek.
What should I play if I like River Dragons?
Sakura, NMBR 9, Indigo are the top-ranked alternatives to River Dragons in the MeeplePick database, matched on medium-light complexity as well as mechanics. All 18 are ranked on this page with the shared mechanics shown for each.
Is Sakura harder than River Dragons?
Compared with River Dragons, Sakura is 0.5 lighter and about the same length (1.3 vs 1.7 complexity on BoardGameGeek's 1–5 scale).

Narrow it down

best 2-player board games · best 3-player board games · best 4-player board games · best 5-player board games · best 6-player board games · action queue games · point to point movement games · simultaneous action selection games

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