The best games where the starting player is determined by auction 2024

Step into the charming, rustic world of Viticulture Essential Edition, where players assume the roles of individuals in picturesque, pre-modern Tuscany. Inherit meager vineyards, a handful of plots, an aged crushpad, a quaint cellar, and three diligent workers. With dreams of making their wineries renowned successes, players embark on an unforgettable journey.

Sekigahara: The Unification of Japan is a strategic war game for two players, allowing them to relive the pivotal battle of Sekigahara in 1600, which unified Japan under the Tokugawa shogunate for over 250 years. Players take on the roles of either Ishida Mitsunari, defending the rightful heir, or Tokugawa Ieyasu, the most powerful daimyo, as they gather armies from their allies, all the while questioning their loyalty. With no use of dice, the game emphasizes strategy and loyalty through card mechanics, where cards are essential for motivating armies to fight. Loyalty is a fluctuating resource, represented by hand size, and battles involve deploying hidden units based on loyalty, with the potential for defections. The game aims to provide a historically accurate experience within a concise and intuitive set of rules, focusing on strategic deployment and the significance of loyalty without relying on luck to determine outcomes.

Five Tribes: The Djinns of Naqala is a strategy board game set in the mystical land of Naqala. Designed by Bruno Cathala, it puts a unique spin on the traditional German-style worker placement games.

El Grande is a classic strategy board game set in medieval Spain, where players, as powerful lords or "Grandes," vie for control over various regions in a declining kingdom. The game is known for its blend of tactical depth and strategic planning.

Railways of the World, initially released as Railroad Tycoon, is a grand-scale board game where players build and manage their own railroad empire. This 2009 edition revitalizes the original with several improvements and expanded features.

Keyflower is a strategic board game designed for 2-6 players that spans over four rounds, each representing a different season: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The game combines elements of auction, tile placement, and resource management set in a medieval world. Players start with a "home" tile and a team of workers, using them to bid for new tiles, gather resources, and build their village.

Boomtown combines the thrill of gold rush era mining with strategic gameplay elements, including auctions, dice-rolling, and tactical use of action cards. Players start as hopeful gold diggers and aim to rise to the status of wealthy tycoons by smartly acquiring mining concessions, becoming influential in local politics, and capitalizing on the economic opportunities of the era.

Journey back to North America around 10,000 BCE in Endless Winter: Paleoamericans, a game designed by Stan Kordonskiy, developed by Jonny Pac, and illustrated by The Mico. In this immersive experience, you guide your tribe's evolution across generations, from nomadic hunter-gatherers to thriving tribal societies. With each passing era, your tribes will migrate, establish traditions, hunt massive prehistoric creatures, and construct magnificent megalithic structures.

Scoville sets players in the spicy role of pepper farmers in the pepper-loving town of Scoville. The game revolves around planting, crossbreeding, and harvesting peppers to create the hottest new breeds. It’s a fun blend of strategy and resource management as you strive to meet the fiery demands of the town.

Age of Steam transports players back to the pioneering days of U.S. railroad expansion, offering a strategic gaming experience centered around building and operating a railroad empire.

The Great Zimbabwe is a strategic board game that takes players back to ancient Africa, where they aim to build a thriving civilization around the iconic Great Zimbabwe. Inspired by the rich history and culture of southern Africa, the game challenges players to construct monumental edifices to honor their chosen deity. Each of the twelve gods in the game offers unique blessings but demands varying efforts to achieve victory. Players must develop an efficient logistics network across the region, producing and acquiring ritual goods to elevate their monuments and gain the favor of their god. The game blends historical inspiration with Splotter's signature approach to creating engaging, replayable experiences, offering a mix of strategic planning, resource management, and tactical positioning.

Carolus Magnus is a strategic board game where players vie for control over a medieval landscape using mercenaries represented by wooden blocks. The game's board consists of hexagonal clusters arranged in a circle, creating a dynamic battlefield where control shifts with each move. Players deploy their mercenaries to gain dominance over different types of lands and to consolidate their power by constructing towers, which serve both as markers of control and as the primary means to achieve victory.

A Game of Thrones: The Board Game (Second Edition) is a strategy board game that immerses players in the world of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. It's a game of diplomacy, warfare, and intrigue, capturing the essence of the epic fantasy saga.

In Crystal Palace, players are transported back to the vibrant atmosphere of London in 1851, at the dawn of the first World Fair. Here, nations compete not with military might but with the power of innovation and influence, showcasing spectacular inventions and securing the support of notable figures from the era. This dice-placement game stands out by allowing players to set the values of their dice at the start of each round, presenting a strategic dilemma between aiming high for better outcomes and managing the cost of ambition.