Best games where you can gain control of areas 2026

A dark rumor arises from Mordor, and the time has come for the Fellowship to unite once more. Players can choose to defend the free peoples as the Fellowship of the Ring or pursue Frodo and Sam as Sauron, deploying their hordes at enemy city gates. The fate of Middle-earth rests in your hands as you navigate the three chapters of the game, strengthening your skills and gathering resources to achieve one of the victory conditions.

Las Vegas is a lively, dice-based game that combines luck, strategy, and the joy of thwarting your opponents. Developed by Stefan Brück at alea, it's designed to be an easy and interactive game, full of schadenfreude moments.

Dorfromantik: The Board Game transitions the charming and strategic essence of the beloved video game into a tactile family board game experience. Designed by Michael Palm and Lukas Zach, this game invites up to six players to collaboratively construct a picturesque landscape using hexagonal tiles. Players aim to satisfy community demands while strategically extending rivers and tracks, and optimizing points through clever area enclosure with flags.

Carcassonne Big Box 6 is a comprehensive edition of the beloved tile-laying game Carcassonne, combining the base game with its two major expansions and several mini-expansions into one grand package. Players build the landscape of a medieval fortress city one tile at a time, placing their followers on roads, cities, cloisters, and fields to gather points. This edition not only includes the core game that has captivated millions worldwide but also enriches the experience with expansions that introduce new tiles, mechanics, and strategies.

Hanamikoji is a strategic card game set in the historical context of Geisha culture in Japan. The game immerses players in the role of patrons who are competing to gain the favor of seven renowned Geishas by collecting items related to their art and performances.

Carcassonne: 20th Anniversary Edition celebrates two decades since the beloved tile-placement game Carcassonne won the prestigious Spiel des Jahres award. This special edition not only commemorates the game's lasting appeal but also enhances the classic experience with new and exclusive content. Players continue to draw and place tiles depicting the picturesque landscapes of southern France, aiming to strategically deploy their meeples—be it as knights, robbers, monks, or farmers—to score points by completing cities, roads, cloisters, and fields.

Las Vegas Royale blends the original Las Vegas dice game with elements from its 2014 expansion. Players use colored dice to place bets on six casino mats, aiming to win money based on their rolls. Additional expansion stones add complexity and special abilities, enhancing the strategy as players compete for the best financial outcomes.

Air, Land, & Sea is a strategic two-player game where you take on the role of a Supreme Commander, deploying military forces across three theaters of war: Air, Land, and Sea. The game is a delicate balance of power and cunning, requiring players to outmaneuver their opponent to control the majority of the theaters or compel them to withdraw.

Survive: Escape from Atlantis! is a thrilling and competitive board game where players aim to evacuate their pieces from a sinking island. The game is known for its intense gameplay and strategic decisions.

Carcassonne is a renowned tile-placement game set in the picturesque landscape of Southern France. This game is beloved for its simplicity, depth, and the beautiful mosaic players create on the table.

Mandala is an intriguing two-player game that combines strategy and contemplation. Players compete to collect valuable cards by building mandalas, but the true value of these cards only becomes clear as the game progresses. It's a delicate balance of strategy and adaptation, set against the backdrop of a symbolic ritual.

War Chest is a distinctive bag-building war game that requires players to skillfully manage their army both on and off the battlefield.

Startups is a competitive card game where players take on the roles of savvy investors looking to make their fortune by investing in the most promising companies. With a mix of strategy, luck, and keen observation, players must outmaneuver their opponents to become the wealthiest shareholder and dominate the market.

Experience the classic game of Carcassonne along with 11 expansions, making it the ultimate starter set for both fans and newcomers. The new storage insert helps sort and find components easily, while the game pieces remain compatible with other versions. Combine expansions creatively with over 180 tiles for endless gameplay, including intriguing additions like the Abbot, Rivers, and Gold Mines that enhance strategy and engagement.

Players lead a Drow house in a territory control game that incorporates deck-building elements set in the Underdark beneath the Sword Coast. Each player's house is represented by a deck of cards, where each card signifies a servant belonging to one of five aspects of Drow society, each associated with different strategies. As players recruit new servants and expand their influence, they earn points by controlling locations, promoting servants to an inner circle, and eliminating opposing troops, aiming to finish with the highest score.

Hansa Teutonica: Big Box is an expansive edition of the acclaimed strategy game "Hansa Teutonica," renowned for its deep strategic gameplay and interactive mechanics. This edition not only includes the base game but also all its expansions, offering an enriched experience of the historical Hanseatic League trading theme.

Ethnos is a fantasy-themed board game where players harness the powers of various mythical tribes to gain control of the land. The game is a blend of strategy and area control mechanics, set in a vibrant mythical world.

Tyrants of the Underdark is a strategic board game that combines elements of territory control with deck-building. Set in the iconic Dungeons & Dragons setting of the Underdark, players lead Drow houses vying for power and influence beneath the Sword Coast. The game stands out for its integration of card-driven gameplay with spatial control on the board.

Caper: Europe thrusts players into the heart of a high-stakes game of thievery and strategy, set against the backdrop of Europe's most iconic locations. As rival criminal masterminds, players draft a crew of skilled thieves, dispatch them across the continent, and equip them with various gear to pull off daring heists. The challenge lies in outsmarting your opponent by efficiently managing your resources, controlling key locations, and securing valuable stolen goods. With only six rounds to enact your master plan, the pressure is on to be the most cunning and successful mastermind.

Memoir '44 is a historical board game that recreates some of the most iconic battles of World War II, allowing players to engage in strategic warfare with a focus on simplicity and historical accuracy.

Kluster is a dexterity game for 1 to 4 players that is quick, portable, and incredibly fun. Players evenly share magnetic stones and must place one within a cord-marked area. The first player to get rid of all their magnets wins, but be careful—if stones clash during a player's turn, they must collect them!

Many years after his confrontation with Van Helsing, Dracula has returned to Whitby, England. The citizens seek help from vampire hunter Professor Van Helsing to stop Dracula before he transforms all of them into vampires.

Carcassonne: Winter Edition wraps the classic tile-placement game in a picturesque blanket of snow, offering a seasonal twist on the beloved mechanics of Carcassonne. This edition captures the essence of winter with beautifully illustrated tiles that transform the familiar French countryside into a serene snowy landscape. Players continue to strategically place tiles and deploy their meeples as knights, farmers, and highwaymen, endeavoring to dominate this frosty version of the medieval terrain.

In the midst of Ragnarök, the cataclysmic end of the world, seize your opportunity for glory in Blood Rage. Each player commands a Viking clan, complete with fearless warriors, a formidable leader, and a mighty ship. As the world crumbles, it's the Vikings' last chance to seek Valhalla, to be forever remembered at Odin's side. In this epic battle, there are myriad paths to honor, from plundering the land and crushing opponents to fulfilling quests, enhancing your clan's strength, or embracing a glorious demise.

Travel to the year 2075, where cats have taken over the world and are now aiming for space! The best feline specialists compete for cosmic supremacy, undeterred by their lack of opposable thumbs. Players take on the role of fearless captains of a cosmic expedition to conquer the cosmos, navigating through chaos and unleashing their cat-like instincts. Prepare for an extraordinary adventure beyond this world!