Space Empires 4X / Similar games

18 games like Space Empires 4X

The best games like Space Empires 4X are Exodus Proxima Centauri, Eclipse Second Dawn for the Galaxy and Twilight Imperium Third Edition — the closest of 18 ranked alternatives, scored by shared mechanics and category. Exodus Proxima Centauri shares civilization, science fiction, space exploration with Space Empires 4X.

Every alternative below links to its own Space Empires 4X-style fact page, drawn from MeeplePick’s bluffing / civilization shelf.

Ranked by shared category (3 pts) and mechanics (2 pts), bonus within 0.7 of Space Empires 4X’s 3.4 weight, then BoardGameGeek’s Bayesian rating — one entry per series, 18 shown.

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1. 1. Exodus Proxima Centauri (2012)
   2–6 players · 180 min · ★ 7.2 · Medium-heavy
   Shares with Space Empires 4X: Civilization, Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Wargame, Auction/Bidding, Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid · 3 of Space Empires 4X’s 6 mechanics (50%)
   vs Space Empires 4X: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 6 · about the same length · +0.3 heavier
   View Exodus Proxima Centauri on Amazon →
2. 2. Eclipse Second Dawn for the Galaxy (2020)
   2–6 players · 60–200 min · ★ 8.8 · Medium-heavy
   Shares with Space Empires 4X: Civilization, Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Wargame, Dice Rolling · 1 of Space Empires 4X’s 6 mechanics (17%)
   vs Space Empires 4X: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 6 · ~50 min shorter · +0.2 heavier
   View Eclipse Second Dawn for the Galaxy on Amazon →
3. 3. Twilight Imperium Third Edition (2005)
   3–6 players · 180–240 min · ★ 7.8 · Heavy
   Shares with Space Empires 4X: Civilization, Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Wargame, Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, Hexagon Grid · 3 of Space Empires 4X’s 6 mechanics (50%)
   vs Space Empires 4X: overlaps at 3–4 players · scales to 6 · ~30 min longer · +0.9 heavier
   View Twilight Imperium Third Edition on Amazon →
4. 4. Terraforming Mars (2016)
   1–5 players · 120 min · ★ 8.4 · Medium
   Shares with Space Empires 4X: Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Hexagon Grid, Income · 2 of Space Empires 4X’s 6 mechanics (33%)
   vs Space Empires 4X: overlaps at 1–4 players · scales to 5 · ~60 min shorter · same complexity
5. 5. Stellar Conquest (1975)
   2–4 players · 240 min · ★ 6.4 · Medium
   Shares with Space Empires 4X: Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Wargame, Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, Hexagon Grid, Movement Points · 4 of Space Empires 4X’s 6 mechanics (67%)
   vs Space Empires 4X: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~60 min longer · 0.2 lighter
6. 6. Galactic Emperor (2008)
   3–6 players · 90 min · ★ 6.6 · Medium
   Shares with Space Empires 4X: Civilization, Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Wargame, Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid · 2 of Space Empires 4X’s 6 mechanics (33%)
   vs Space Empires 4X: overlaps at 3–4 players · scales to 6 · ~90 min shorter · 0.5 lighter
7. 7. Star Wars Imperial Assault (2014)
   1–5 players · 60–120 min · ★ 8.0 · Medium
   Shares with Space Empires 4X: Science Fiction, Wargame, Dice Rolling, Grid Movement · 2 of Space Empires 4X’s 6 mechanics (33%)
   vs Space Empires 4X: overlaps at 1–4 players · scales to 5 · ~90 min shorter · same complexity
8. 8. Forbidden Stars (2015)
   2–4 players · 120–180 min · ★ 8.0 · Medium-heavy
   Shares with Space Empires 4X: Bluffing, Science Fiction, Wargame, Dice Rolling · 1 of Space Empires 4X’s 6 mechanics (17%)
   vs Space Empires 4X: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~30 min shorter · +0.5 heavier
9. 9. Battlestar Galactica The Board Game (2008)
   3–6 players · 120–180 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium
   Shares with Space Empires 4X: Bluffing, Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Dice Rolling · 1 of Space Empires 4X’s 6 mechanics (17%)
   vs Space Empires 4X: overlaps at 3–4 players · scales to 6 · ~30 min shorter · same complexity
10. 10. Roll for the Galaxy (2014)
    2–5 players · 45 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium
    Shares with Space Empires 4X: Civilization, Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Dice Rolling · 1 of Space Empires 4X’s 6 mechanics (17%)
    vs Space Empires 4X: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 5 · ~135 min shorter · 0.6 lighter
11. 11. Xia Legends of a Drift System (2014)
    3–5 players · 60–180 min · ★ 7.9 · Medium
    Shares with Space Empires 4X: Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Dice Rolling, Grid Movement · 2 of Space Empires 4X’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Space Empires 4X: overlaps at 3–4 players · scales to 5 · ~60 min shorter · 0.2 lighter
12. 12. BattleTech (1985)
    2–0 players · 0 min · ★ 7.1 · Medium
    Shares with Space Empires 4X: Science Fiction, Wargame, Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, Movement Points · 3 of Space Empires 4X’s 6 mechanics (50%)
    vs Space Empires 4X: ~180 min shorter · same complexity
13. 13. Starship Troopers (1976)
    1–2 players · 120 min · ★ 6.5 · Medium
    Shares with Space Empires 4X: Science Fiction, Wargame, Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, Hexagon Grid, Movement Points · 4 of Space Empires 4X’s 6 mechanics (67%)
    vs Space Empires 4X: overlaps at 1–2 players · ~60 min shorter · 0.2 lighter
14. 14. Earth Reborn (2010)
    2–4 players · 180 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium-heavy
    Shares with Space Empires 4X: Bluffing, Science Fiction, Dice Rolling, Grid Movement · 2 of Space Empires 4X’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Space Empires 4X: overlaps at 2–4 players · about the same length · +0.5 heavier
15. 15. Star Trek Fleet Captains (2011)
    2–4 players · 90–120 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium
    Shares with Space Empires 4X: Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid · 2 of Space Empires 4X’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Space Empires 4X: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~75 min shorter · 0.3 lighter
16. 16. Underwater Cities (2018)
    1–4 players · 80–150 min · ★ 8.1 · Medium-heavy
    Shares with Space Empires 4X: Civilization, Science Fiction, Income · 1 of Space Empires 4X’s 6 mechanics (17%)
    vs Space Empires 4X: overlaps at 1–4 players · ~65 min shorter · +0.2 heavier
17. 17. Gaia Project (2017)
    1–4 players · 60–150 min · ★ 8.5 · Heavy
    Shares with Space Empires 4X: Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Hexagon Grid, Income · 2 of Space Empires 4X’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Space Empires 4X: overlaps at 1–4 players · ~75 min shorter · +1 heavier
18. 18. Scythe (2016)
    1–5 players · 90–115 min · ★ 8.2 · Medium
    Shares with Space Empires 4X: Science Fiction, Grid Movement, Hexagon Grid · 2 of Space Empires 4X’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Space Empires 4X: overlaps at 1–4 players · scales to 5 · ~77 min shorter · same complexity

Looking for the original? See the full Space Empires 4X fact page — players, play time, age and complexity.