Tikal / Similar games

18 games like Tikal

The best games like Tikal are Scythe, Clash of Cultures and Keyflower — the closest of 18 ranked alternatives, scored by shared mechanics and category. Scythe shares territory building, area majority / influence, grid movement with Tikal.

Every alternative below links to its own Tikal-style fact page, drawn from MeeplePick’s exploration / territory building shelf.

Ranked by shared category (3 pts) and mechanics (2 pts), bonus within 0.7 of Tikal’s 2.8 weight, then BoardGameGeek’s Bayesian rating — one entry per series, 18 shown.

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1. 1. Scythe (2016)
   1–5 players · 90–115 min · ★ 8.2 · Medium
   Shares with Tikal: Territory Building, Area Majority / Influence, Grid Movement, Hexagon Grid · 3 of Tikal’s 6 mechanics (50%)
   vs Tikal: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · scales to 5 · ~13 min longer · +0.6 heavier
   View Scythe on Amazon →
2. 2. Clash of Cultures (2012)
   2–4 players · 180–240 min · ★ 7.6 · Medium-heavy
   Shares with Tikal: Exploration, Territory Building, Action Points, Area Majority / Influence, Grid Movement, Hexagon Grid · 4 of Tikal’s 6 mechanics (67%)
   vs Tikal: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~120 min longer · +0.8 heavier
   View Clash of Cultures on Amazon →
3. 3. Keyflower (2012)
   2–6 players · 90–120 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium
   Shares with Tikal: Territory Building, Auction/Bidding, Hexagon Grid · 2 of Tikal’s 6 mechanics (33%)
   vs Tikal: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 6 · ~15 min longer · +0.5 heavier
   View Keyflower on Amazon →
4. 4. Mexica (2002)
   2–4 players · 90 min · ★ 7.2 · Medium
   Shares with Tikal: Territory Building, Action Points, Area Majority / Influence, Grid Movement · 3 of Tikal’s 6 mechanics (50%)
   vs Tikal: overlaps at 2–4 players · about the same length · same complexity
5. 5. This War of Mine The Board Game (2017)
   1–6 players · 45–120 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium
   Shares with Tikal: Exploration, Action Points, Grid Movement · 2 of Tikal’s 6 mechanics (33%)
   vs Tikal: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · scales to 6 · about the same length · +0.5 heavier
6. 6. Xia Legends of a Drift System (2014)
   3–5 players · 60–180 min · ★ 7.9 · Medium
   Shares with Tikal: Exploration, Action Points, Grid Movement · 2 of Tikal’s 6 mechanics (33%)
   vs Tikal: overlaps at 3–4 players · scales to 5 · ~30 min longer · +0.4 heavier
7. 7. Descent Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) (2012)
   1–5 players · 120 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium
   Shares with Tikal: Exploration, Action Points, Grid Movement · 2 of Tikal’s 6 mechanics (33%)
   vs Tikal: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · scales to 5 · ~30 min longer · +0.4 heavier
8. 8. Hyperborea (2014)
   2–6 players · 50–150 min · ★ 7.2 · Medium
   Shares with Tikal: Exploration, Area Majority / Influence, Grid Movement, Hexagon Grid · 3 of Tikal’s 6 mechanics (50%)
   vs Tikal: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 6 · ~10 min longer · +0.4 heavier
9. 9. Terraforming Mars (2016)
   1–5 players · 120 min · ★ 8.4 · Medium
   Shares with Tikal: Territory Building, Hexagon Grid · 1 of Tikal’s 6 mechanics (17%)
   vs Tikal: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · scales to 5 · ~30 min longer · +0.5 heavier
10. 10. Explorers of the North Sea (2016)
    1–4 players · 45–60 min · ★ 7.3 · Medium-light
    Shares with Tikal: Exploration, Action Points, Area Majority / Influence, Grid Movement · 3 of Tikal’s 6 mechanics (50%)
    vs Tikal: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~37 min shorter · 0.6 lighter
11. 11. Nemo's War (Second Edition) (2017)
    1–4 players · 60–120 min · ★ 8.0 · Medium
    Shares with Tikal: Exploration, Action Points, Area Majority / Influence · 2 of Tikal’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Tikal: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · about the same length · +0.4 heavier
12. 12. Shogun (2006)
    3–5 players · 90–120 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium
    Shares with Tikal: Territory Building, Area Majority / Influence, Auction/Bidding · 2 of Tikal’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Tikal: overlaps at 3–4 players · scales to 5 · ~15 min longer · +0.6 heavier
13. 13. Kings & Things* (1986)
    2–4 players · 120 min · ★ 6.5 · Medium
    Shares with Tikal: Exploration, Territory Building, Area Majority / Influence, Hexagon Grid · 2 of Tikal’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Tikal: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~30 min longer · same complexity
14. 14. Burgle Bros. (2015)
    1–4 players · 45–90 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium-light
    Shares with Tikal: Exploration, Action Points, Grid Movement · 2 of Tikal’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Tikal: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~22 min shorter · 0.5 lighter
15. 15. The Castles of Burgundy (2011)
    2–4 players · 30–90 min · ★ 8.1 · Medium
    Shares with Tikal: Territory Building, Hexagon Grid · 1 of Tikal’s 6 mechanics (17%)
    vs Tikal: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~30 min shorter · +0.2 heavier
16. 16. Runebound (Third Edition) (2015)
    2–4 players · 120–180 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium
    Shares with Tikal: Exploration, Action Points, Hexagon Grid · 2 of Tikal’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Tikal: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~60 min longer · same complexity
17. 17. Ginkgopolis (2012)
    1–5 players · 45 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium
    Shares with Tikal: Territory Building, Area Majority / Influence, Layering · 2 of Tikal’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Tikal: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · scales to 5 · ~45 min shorter · same complexity
18. 18. Twilight Imperium Fourth Edition (2017)
    3–6 players · 240–480 min · ★ 8.7 · Heavy
    Shares with Tikal: Exploration, Area Majority / Influence, Grid Movement · 2 of Tikal’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Tikal: overlaps at 3–4 players · scales to 6 · ~270 min longer · +1.4 heavier

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