The best games where the starting player is determined randomly 2025

Looking for a really good game where the starting player is determined randomly? Then we have just the thing for you: The list with the best "Starting order: random" games 2025.

What are "Starting order: random" games?

Representatives of play pieces or players are randomized, and one is drawn at a time. That player or play piece takes its turn, then a new random draw is made.

By the way, "turn order: random" means "turn order: random".

Examples of games where the starting player is randomized:

A good example of a turn order: random game is The Pillars of the Earth.

List of Games with different Turn Order Mechanisms

There are many more, creative Turn Order Mechanisms than the Random based one. You can find a list at the bottom of this page.

List of best games with random start order 2025

This list was last updated on March 19, 2025. We compared 85 board games for this list and selected the top 11. There's also a print version for this list.
  1. 1775: Rebellion

    All details for the board game 1775: Rebellion and similar games

    1775: Rebellion is an award-winning board game that immerses players in the tumultuous times of the American Revolution, part of the Birth of America series. It offers a blend of strategic planning, historical warfare, and alliance management, appealing to both history enthusiasts and strategy gamers alike.

    Nominated for 4 awards and won 2.

    More details for 1775: Rebellion
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 60 - 120 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  2. Spheres of Influence: Struggle for Global Supremacy

    All details for the board game Spheres of Influence: Struggle for Global Supremacy and similar games

    Players control one of eight powerful factions on a modern world map, competing for influence spheres, capitals, and oil reserves. Each round consists of a mobilization phase and a turn phase, where factions take turns executing actions based on a drawn card. The game encourages quick rounds filled with tension, as players react to ongoing attacks and strategic maneuvers.

    More details for Spheres of Influence: Struggle for Global Supremacy
    • 2 - 8 Players
    • 90 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  3. The Pillars of the Earth

    All details for the board game The Pillars of the Earth and similar games

    The Pillars of the Earth, inspired by Ken Follett's bestselling novel, is a strategy board game set in the early 13th century, centered around the construction of a grand cathedral in England. This game, part of the Kosmos line of literature-based games, challenges players to contribute to the cathedral's construction while vying for victory points.

    Nominated for 17 awards and won 6.

    More details for The Pillars of the Earth
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 90 - 120 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  4. Battle Masters

    All details for the board game Battle Masters and similar games

    The Claymore Saga is a fantasy miniature battle game that features numerous plastic miniatures, a deck of combat cards, and dice. Players command powerful armies in an epic conflict between good and evil, maneuvering their 25 army units across a vast battle mat. Each round, a battle card determines movement and attacks, leading to thrilling confrontations and strategic challenges.

    More details for Battle Masters
    • 2 Players
    • 60 Minutes
    • 9+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  5. Cosmic Frog

    All details for the board game Cosmic Frog and similar games

    Players control massive, immortal frog-like creatures that gather terrain from the remnants of a shattered world called Aeth. They collect land to fill their vast gullets and then return to an interdimensional vault to store it, all while competing to prove themselves as the greatest gatherers by maximizing their treasures' value. Throughout the game, players can choose to harvest at their own pace or engage with others to steal land directly, but they must adapt their strategies to the chaotic nature of the ethereal realm and unexpected disruptions.

    Nominated for 4 awards.

    More details for Cosmic Frog
    • 2 - 6 Players
    • 45 - 90 Minutes
    • 13+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  6. Dreadfleet

    All details for the board game Dreadfleet and similar games

    For the past two decades, the undead Reaver of Count Noctilus have haunted the world's seas. Captain Jaego Roth of the Heldenhammer vows to hunt down Noctilus and his crew, with the most notorious pirate lords joining him in battle on massive warships equipped with powerful weaponry. Players command two fleets, making quick decisions as they engage in fierce naval combat, facing the horrors of the undead while navigating the treacherous waters of Warhammer.

    More details for Dreadfleet
    • 2 - 10 Players
    • 60 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  7. Warrior Knights

    All details for the board game Warrior Knights and similar games

    Warrior Knights thrusts players into the tumultuous period following a king's death, with the kingdom teetering on the brink of chaos. As a Baron, you aim to rally support, capture cities for Influence, and maneuver through political, mercenary, and religious channels to solidify your claim to the throne. The game is a complex blend of strategy, diplomacy, and careful planning, with victory points representing your growing influence and potential to become the new king.

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Warrior Knights
    • 2 - 6 Players
    • 120 - 240 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Hard to learn

    Video reviews for Warrior Knights

    • YouTube Review for the game "Warrior Knights" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  8. Cataclysm: A Second World War

    All details for the board game Cataclysm: A Second World War and similar games

    The 1930s is a time of recovery from the Great War and the subsequent Great Depression. A second world war could erupt at any moment. Players lead nations and must devise diplomatic strategies and build military strength to either prevent or engage in conflict.

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Cataclysm: A Second World War
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 90 - 600 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Hard to learn
  9. Judge Dredd Miniatures Game: Rulebook

    All details for the board game Judge Dredd Miniatures Game: Rulebook and similar games

    Players take control of a small team of Judges or criminals, battling for justice or survival in the chaotic streets of Mega-City One. The game includes all the necessary rules, weapon guidelines, and character profiles to create your own patrols and criminal gangs. It also features rules for building combat, vehicle use, and the evolution of your faction through connected games.

    More details for Judge Dredd Miniatures Game: Rulebook
    • 2 - 8 Players
    • 60 - 240 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  10. Bios: Megafauna (Second Edition)

    All details for the board game Bios: Megafauna (Second Edition) and similar games

    Players begin at the dawn of the Phanerozoic era, managing herbivores and carnivores from various groups like plants, mollusks, or insects. They fight for dominance on continental plates during the Cambrian period, potentially leading to language-based consciousness. The second edition links to its predecessor, allowing influences from Bios:Genesis to affect the starting conditions of a Bios:Megafauna game, with a sequel, Bios:Origins, planned to cover Quaternary events.

    More details for Bios: Megafauna (Second Edition)
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 90 - 180 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Very hard to learn
  11. Bios: Genesis

    All details for the board game Bios: Genesis and similar games

    One to four players begin shortly after the formation of the Earth, representing organic compounds through up to three Biont tokens. Players aim for a dual origin of life: first as autocatalytic life, which reproduces its components, and second as Darwinian life, using a template to replicate in an RNA world. The game can be played cooperatively, competitively, or solo.

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Bios: Genesis
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 60 - 120 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Hard to learn

    Video reviews for Bios: Genesis

    • YouTube Review for the game "Bios: Genesis" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English

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