Shakespeare / Similar games

18 games like Shakespeare

The best games like Shakespeare are El Grande, Coimbra and Keyflower — the closest of 18 ranked alternatives, scored by shared mechanics and category. El Grande shares renaissance, auction/bidding, card drafting with Shakespeare.

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

Ranked by shared category (3 pts) and mechanics (2 pts), bonus within 0.7 of Shakespeare’s 3.0 weight, then BoardGameGeek’s Bayesian rating — one entry per series, 18 shown.

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1. 1. El Grande (1995)
   2–5 players · 60–120 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium
   Shares with Shakespeare: Renaissance, Auction/Bidding, Card Drafting · 2 of Shakespeare’s 4 mechanics (50%)
   vs Shakespeare: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 5 · ~35 min longer · same complexity
   View El Grande on Amazon →
2. 2. Coimbra (2018)
   2–4 players · 60–90 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium
   Shares with Shakespeare: Renaissance, Auction/Bidding, Card Drafting · 2 of Shakespeare’s 4 mechanics (50%)
   vs Shakespeare: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~20 min longer · +0.3 heavier
   View Coimbra on Amazon →
3. 3. Keyflower (2012)
   2–6 players · 90–120 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium
   Shares with Shakespeare: Renaissance, Auction/Bidding · 1 of Shakespeare’s 4 mechanics (25%)
   vs Shakespeare: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 6 · ~50 min longer · +0.3 heavier
   View Keyflower on Amazon →
4. 4. Endeavor Age of Sail (2018)
   2–5 players · 60–90 min · ★ 8.0 · Medium
   Shares with Shakespeare: Renaissance, Card Drafting · 1 of Shakespeare’s 4 mechanics (25%)
   vs Shakespeare: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 5 · ~20 min longer · 0.2 lighter
5. 5. Lorenzo il Magnifico (2016)
   2–4 players · 60–120 min · ★ 7.9 · Medium
   Shares with Shakespeare: Renaissance, Card Drafting · 1 of Shakespeare’s 4 mechanics (25%)
   vs Shakespeare: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~35 min longer · +0.3 heavier
6. 6. Rialto (2013)
   2–5 players · 45 min · ★ 6.9 · Medium
   Shares with Shakespeare: Renaissance, Auction/Bidding, Card Drafting · 2 of Shakespeare’s 4 mechanics (50%)
   vs Shakespeare: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 5 · ~10 min shorter · 0.4 lighter
7. 7. Goa A New Expedition (2004)
   2–4 players · 90 min · ★ 7.6 · Medium
   Shares with Shakespeare: Renaissance, Auction/Bidding · 1 of Shakespeare’s 4 mechanics (25%)
   vs Shakespeare: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~35 min longer · +0.4 heavier
8. 8. The Princes of Florence (2000)
   2–5 players · 75–100 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium
   Shares with Shakespeare: Renaissance, Auction/Bidding · 1 of Shakespeare’s 4 mechanics (25%)
   vs Shakespeare: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 5 · ~33 min longer · +0.3 heavier
9. 9. Notre Dame (2007)
   2–5 players · 45–75 min · ★ 7.3 · Medium
   Shares with Shakespeare: Renaissance, Card Drafting · 1 of Shakespeare’s 4 mechanics (25%)
   vs Shakespeare: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 5 · about the same length · 0.2 lighter
10. 10. Amerigo (2013)
    2–4 players · 90 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium
    Shares with Shakespeare: Renaissance, Action Points · 1 of Shakespeare’s 4 mechanics (25%)
    vs Shakespeare: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~35 min longer · same complexity
11. 11. Tulip Bubble (2017)
    3–5 players · 50–70 min · ★ 7.2 · Medium
    Shares with Shakespeare: Renaissance, Auction/Bidding, Card Drafting · 2 of Shakespeare’s 4 mechanics (50%)
    vs Shakespeare: overlaps at 3–4 players · scales to 5 · about the same length · 0.5 lighter
12. 12. The Traders of Genoa (2001)
    2–5 players · 60–120 min · ★ 7.1 · Medium
    Shares with Shakespeare: Renaissance, Auction/Bidding · 1 of Shakespeare’s 4 mechanics (25%)
    vs Shakespeare: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 5 · ~35 min longer · same complexity
13. 13. Princes of the Renaissance (2003)
    3–6 players · 180 min · ★ 7.3 · Medium-heavy
    Shares with Shakespeare: Renaissance, Auction/Bidding · 1 of Shakespeare’s 4 mechanics (25%)
    vs Shakespeare: overlaps at 3–4 players · scales to 6 · ~125 min longer · +0.5 heavier
14. 14. Pax Renaissance (2016)
    2–4 players · 60–120 min · ★ 8.0 · Heavy
    Shares with Shakespeare: Renaissance, Action Points, Card Drafting · 2 of Shakespeare’s 4 mechanics (50%)
    vs Shakespeare: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~35 min longer · +1.4 heavier
15. 15. Wallenstein (Second Edition) (2012)
    3–5 players · 90–120 min · ★ 7.6 · Medium
    Shares with Shakespeare: Renaissance, Action Points · 1 of Shakespeare’s 4 mechanics (25%)
    vs Shakespeare: overlaps at 3–4 players · scales to 5 · ~50 min longer · +0.2 heavier
16. 16. Mercante (2012)
    3–5 players · 60 min · ★ 6.6 · Medium
    Shares with Shakespeare: Renaissance, Auction/Bidding, Card Drafting · 2 of Shakespeare’s 4 mechanics (50%)
    vs Shakespeare: overlaps at 3–4 players · scales to 5 · about the same length · same complexity
17. 17. The Doge Ship (2012)
    2–5 players · 90 min · ★ 6.1 · Medium
    Shares with Shakespeare: Renaissance, Action Points, Auction/Bidding · 2 of Shakespeare’s 4 mechanics (50%)
    vs Shakespeare: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 5 · ~35 min longer · 0.4 lighter
18. 18. Leonardo da Vinci (2006)
    2–5 players · 90 min · ★ 6.8 · Medium
    Shares with Shakespeare: Renaissance, Auction/Bidding · 1 of Shakespeare’s 4 mechanics (25%)
    vs Shakespeare: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 5 · ~35 min longer · +0.2 heavier

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