The Duke / Similar games

18 games like The Duke

The best games like The Duke are War Chest, Samurai and Torres — the closest of 18 ranked alternatives, scored by shared mechanics and category. War Chest shares abstract strategy, medieval, grid movement with The Duke.

Every alternative below links to its own The Duke-style fact page, drawn from MeeplePick’s abstract strategy / medieval shelf.

Ranked by shared category (3 pts) and mechanics (2 pts), bonus within 0.7 of The Duke’s 2.5 weight, then BoardGameGeek’s Bayesian rating — one entry per series, 18 shown.

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1. 1. War Chest (2018)
   2–4 players · 30 min · ★ 8.0 · Medium-light
   Shares with The Duke: Abstract Strategy, Medieval, Grid Movement · 1 of The Duke’s 3 mechanics (33%)
   vs The Duke: both play at 2 · scales to 4 · about the same length · 0.2 lighter
   View War Chest on Amazon →
2. 2. Samurai (1998)
   2–4 players · 30–60 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium-light
   Shares with The Duke: Abstract Strategy, Medieval, Tile Placement · 1 of The Duke’s 3 mechanics (33%)
   vs The Duke: both play at 2 · scales to 4 · ~15 min longer · same complexity
   View Samurai on Amazon →
3. 3. Torres (1999)
   2–4 players · 60 min · ★ 7.1 · Medium
   Shares with The Duke: Abstract Strategy, Medieval, Grid Movement · 1 of The Duke’s 3 mechanics (33%)
   vs The Duke: both play at 2 · scales to 4 · ~30 min longer · +0.4 heavier
   View Torres on Amazon →
4. 4. The Castles of Burgundy (2011)
   2–4 players · 30–90 min · ★ 8.1 · Medium
   Shares with The Duke: Medieval, Tile Placement · 1 of The Duke’s 3 mechanics (33%)
   vs The Duke: both play at 2 · scales to 4 · ~30 min longer · +0.5 heavier
5. 5. Mexica (2002)
   2–4 players · 90 min · ★ 7.2 · Medium
   Shares with The Duke: Abstract Strategy, Grid Movement, Tile Placement · 2 of The Duke’s 3 mechanics (67%)
   vs The Duke: both play at 2 · scales to 4 · ~60 min longer · +0.2 heavier
6. 6. The Rose King (1992)
   2–4 players · 30 min · ★ 6.8 · Medium-light
   Shares with The Duke: Abstract Strategy, Medieval, Tile Placement · 1 of The Duke’s 3 mechanics (33%)
   vs The Duke: both play at 2 · scales to 4 · about the same length · 0.5 lighter
7. 7. Kingdoms (1994)
   2–4 players · 45 min · ★ 6.6 · Medium-light
   Shares with The Duke: Abstract Strategy, Medieval, Tile Placement · 1 of The Duke’s 3 mechanics (33%)
   vs The Duke: both play at 2 · scales to 4 · ~15 min longer · 0.7 lighter
8. 8. Carcassonne The Expansion (2002)
   2–6 players · 60 min · ★ 7.6 · Medium-light
   Shares with The Duke: Medieval, Tile Placement · 1 of The Duke’s 3 mechanics (33%)
   vs The Duke: both play at 2 · scales to 6 · ~30 min longer · 0.6 lighter
9. 9. YINSH (2003)
   2 players · 30–60 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium
   Shares with The Duke: Abstract Strategy, Grid Movement · 1 of The Duke’s 3 mechanics (33%)
   vs The Duke: both play at 2 · ~15 min longer · +0.2 heavier
10. 10. Beowulf The Movie Board Game (2007)
    2–4 players · 30–60 min · ★ 6.4 · Medium-light
    Shares with The Duke: Abstract Strategy, Medieval, Tile Placement · 1 of The Duke’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs The Duke: both play at 2 · scales to 4 · ~15 min longer · 0.4 lighter
11. 11. Hive (2000)
    2 players · 20 min · ★ 7.3 · Medium-light
    Shares with The Duke: Abstract Strategy, Grid Movement · 1 of The Duke’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs The Duke: both play at 2 · ~10 min shorter · 0.2 lighter
12. 12. Glass Road (2013)
    1–4 players · 20–80 min · ★ 7.4 · Medium
    Shares with The Duke: Medieval, Tile Placement · 1 of The Duke’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs The Duke: both play at 2 · plays solo · scales to 4 · ~20 min longer · +0.5 heavier
13. 13. Azul Stained glass of Sintra \/ Les vitraux de Sintra (2018)
    2–4 players · 30–45 min · ★ 7.4 · Medium-light
    Shares with The Duke: Abstract Strategy, Tile Placement · 1 of The Duke’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs The Duke: both play at 2 · scales to 4 · about the same length · 0.5 lighter
14. 14. Element (2017)
    2–4 players · 30–60 min · ★ 7.3 · Medium-light
    Shares with The Duke: Abstract Strategy, Grid Movement, Tile Placement · 2 of The Duke’s 3 mechanics (67%)
    vs The Duke: both play at 2 · scales to 4 · ~15 min longer · 0.2 lighter
15. 15. BattleLore (2006)
    2 players · 60 min · ★ 7.4 · Medium
    Shares with The Duke: Medieval, Grid Movement · 1 of The Duke’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs The Duke: both play at 2 · ~30 min longer · +0.3 heavier
16. 16. Destinies (2021)
    1–3 players · 90–150 min · ★ 8.4 · Medium-light
    Shares with The Duke: Medieval, Tile Placement · 1 of The Duke’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs The Duke: both play at 2 · plays solo · scales to 3 · ~90 min longer · 0.5 lighter
17. 17. TZAAR (2007)
    2 players · 30–60 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium
    Shares with The Duke: Abstract Strategy, Grid Movement · 1 of The Duke’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs The Duke: both play at 2 · ~15 min longer · same complexity
18. 18. Robber Knights (2005)
    2–4 players · 45 min · ★ 6.2 · Medium-light
    Shares with The Duke: Abstract Strategy, Medieval, Tile Placement · 1 of The Duke’s 3 mechanics (33%)
    vs The Duke: both play at 2 · scales to 4 · ~15 min longer · 0.5 lighter

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