If you and your family or friends enjoy playing board games and are especially fans of the board game Small World, then you might be interested to know what similar games are available.
Playing the same game over and over again can eventually become boring, so we have created a list of the five most popular board games, like Small World, so that you and your friends and family can get excited about board games again.
1. Risk
Risk has become one of the most popular board games of all time and allows for anywhere between two and six players.
The wildly popular game was created back in 1957 by the French filmmaker Albert Lamorisse.
Risk is played on a board that is a representation of a political map of the world; however, it is divided into 42 territories that are grouped into six continents, as including every country in the world would have been a little excessive!
The game entails players taking turns controlling armies made up of playing pieces that are used to gain territory from other players, while dice rolls are used to determine what the results will be.
The ultimate objective of the war game is to occupy all of the territories on the board in order to eliminate the other players.
The game allows players to create and disband alliances as they please, which serves to make the game more interesting.
It can take a very long time to determine a winner in Risk, as games can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days.
European versions of the game have shortened the play time by giving every player a “secret mission” that they need to complete in order to win, so if you don’t like the idea of a particularly long board game session, then you should consider picking up one of the European versions of the game.
While Risk may seem complex, it features simple rules that make it possible for people of all ages to enjoy, so if you and your friends and family want to roll dice on a new board, then you should check it out.
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2. Evo
Evo is another game that’s very similar to Small World in many positive ways.
Evo is a German-style board game that was designed by Philippe Keyaerts and has a variety of accolades to its name, as it was awarded Game of the year in 2002 by Games Magazine and was nominated for the Origins Award for Best Graphic Presentation of a Board Game in 2000.
It, unfortunately, went out of production back in 2007 but would hit shelves again in 2011 when a second edition of the game was created.
The main board features two reversible sections that include different-sized halves of a prehistoric island, which is fitting considering the game is centered around dinosaurs.
The prehistoric island board consists of different terrain types, including “Warm,” “Cool,” “Hot,” and “Cold.”
A separate board is used to help players keep track of the round number and current climate conditions, and another board is used to keep track of scoring and bidding.
Each player is also given their own board in order for them to keep track of their dinosaur’s mutations.
When a bidding phase occurs, players will be able to use their score as money in order to bid on new mutations for their dinosaurs.
Players start each game with three Event cards, which go along with a stack of tokens that feature multiple mutations.
Evo features a lot of strategic gameplay, which is why it will take at least two hours to finish.
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3. Struggle of Empires
Struggle of Empires is another turn-based strategy game that is similar to Small World in a few particular ways.
Struggle of Empires differs from a few games on this list due to the fact that it does not feature a fantastical setting.
Instead, Struggle of Empires is set in the 18th century when many of the largest European powers waged war on one another in order to become the most dominant empire in the region and throughout the rest of the world.
The game focuses on three major Wars, which last either five or six rounds, depending on the number of players.
The game can also be played by between 3 and 7 players.
Each of these three wars starts when two Grand Alliances of the Major Powers are created, which represents two decades in-game.
One aspect that makes these alliances particularly interesting is the fact that once you are in an alliance, you are not allowed to attack any of the other players within your alliance.
Alliances can change before the start of every war, so players will need to be careful about who they decide to partner or group with each round.
Victory is achieved by the player or players that score the most victory points.
Victory points are awarded at the end of each war, and the number of points awarded depends on the number of each Major Power’s Control markers in each of the 11 regions in the game.
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4. 1775: Rebellion
In 1775: Rebellion, players play as either the American Continental Army and Patriots or the British Army and Loyalists.
Like many of the other games on this list, 1775: Rebellion is a game about gaining control of territories, colonies, and provinces.
Each of the four factions gets its own deck of cards, which they must use to get their units into the correct position.
Once the units are in position, a custom die is rolled to determine the victor of each battle.
Each of the four factions is also able to seek help from three other non-playable factions, including the German Hessians, the French Army, or Native Americans.
Once a faction has taken over an entire territory, it will earn a flag.
When the game finally ends, the team with the most flags wins.
The ending of the game is also symbolized by the Treaty of Paris in keeping with the theme.
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5. Bullfrogs
Bullfrogs is the flagship title from Thunderworks games, designed by Keith Matejka.
Bullfrogs is likely also the most family-friendly card game on this list, but it still offers strategic gameplay that people of all ages can enjoy.
Bullfrogs puts an interesting twist on the area control formula by introducing frogs into the mix, as players must fight to gain control of as many lily pads as possible instead of colonies or territories.
The game is quite a bit shorter than many of the other games listed above, as one game of Bullfrogs will only last between 20 and 40 minutes.
There can also only be between 2-4 players, so larger families and groups of friends will need to look elsewhere if they all wish to be included.
Troops in Bullfrogs are represented by both frogs and bullfrogs, with players having an unlimited number of frogs but a limited number of bullfrogs.
Each player is given 2 bullfrogs and 14 frogs, with bullfrogs not being able to respawn.
The battles of the game take place on the lily pads, but the interesting thing about this is the fact that lily pads can sink if they have too many frogs on them, so players will need to keep this in mind while both attacking and defending.
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About Small World
Small World has been around since 2009, but those who play games like this will know that the game is actually a reworking of a game called Vinci that was created back in 1999 by the same developer, Philippe Keyaerts.
The game begins with each player choosing one of several available fantastical races, and this is developed further, as players will also need to choose from a variety of special abilities that will further describe the race.
An example would be “Flying Elves.”
Small World, like the other games on this list, requires players to conquer as much territory as possible by eliminating the troops of other players.
At the end of each turn, players score points based on how many territories they occupy at the end of that turn.
FAQS
Is Small World like Risk?
Yes, Small World and Risk share quite a few similarities; however, while Risk incorporates real-world geography and factions into the game, Small World is entrenched in fantasy.
What type of game is Small World?
Small World is considered to be a strategy board game.
Is Small World easy to learn?
Small World is surprisingly easy to learn, as it features simple rules that make the playing experience very easy to pick up but slightly more difficult to master.
Final Thoughts
While Small World is an excellent game, playing the same game all the time can be tedious.
Thankfully there are many other great games on the market that are very similar to it but will serve you with something new to explore!