The best games where you can build routes or networks 2024

In Trails of Tucana, players embark on an adventure to connect the mystical island's villages and landmarks through an intricate network of trails. This flip-and-write game, designed by the creators of Avenue and Doodle City, offers a unique challenge with each playthrough thanks to randomized village setups. Players draw trails on their maps, aiming to link together sights and harbors for points, while navigating the island's diverse terrains. Strategic planning and adaptability are key, as the terrain card distribution influences potential pathways and scoring opportunities.

Next Station: London invites players to take on the role of project managers tasked with the ambitious job of redesigning London's iconic underground network. The game challenges players to strategically optimize connections, incorporate as many of the city's landmarks as possible, and efficiently use the tunnels under the Thames, all while adhering to the city's specific requirements.

Ticket to Ride: Europe invites you to embark on an exhilarating train adventure through the heart of Europe. From the historic streets of Edinburgh to the vibrant city of Constantinople, and from the sunny shores of Lisbon to the grandeur of Moscow, you'll traverse the great cities of turn-of-the-century Europe. Whether you're a seasoned gamer or a family looking for a fun challenge, this game, like the original Ticket to Ride, offers an elegantly simple gameplay experience that can be mastered in just five minutes.

Ticket to Ride: Nordic Countries takes players on an enchanting journey through the northern realms of Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. This edition of the popular Ticket to Ride series is specially designed for 2-3 players, offering a more intimate and strategically intense experience.

Ticket to Ride offers a delightful and accessible gaming experience that can be grasped in under 15 minutes, making it perfect for both newcomers and seasoned gamers. Designed by the renowned Alan R. Moon, this board game revolves around a railway adventure across North America.

Karuba is a tile-laying race game that combines strategy with a touch of luck, as players navigate their explorers through a dense jungle to reach temples and collect treasures. Each player's decision-making skills are put to the test as they create paths and vie to be the first to explore the riches of Karuba.

Railroad Ink: Deep Blue Edition is a captivating multiplayer puzzle game that combines strategy and luck to create a unique gaming experience.

Planet Unknown is a competitive and strategic game for 1-6 players set in a future where Earth's resources are depleted. Players are tasked with developing the most efficient and habitable planet among a series of newfound worlds. Using polyomino-shaped tiles, each representing vital infrastructure, players work to efficiently cover their planets and build an effective support system for life.

Ticket to Ride: London brings the classic gameplay of the Ticket to Ride series to the vibrant city of London in the 1970s. This edition offers a fast-paced, streamlined experience on a condensed map of London, allowing players to complete a game in just about 15 minutes.

The Guild of Merchant Explorers is a unique and engaging strategy game that blends exploration with city-building elements. Players begin with a single city on their personal map and must skillfully expand their territory by placing cubes based on terrain cards drawn from a shuffled deck. The game emphasizes strategic planning and adaptability, with players aiming to efficiently complete areas, connect cities, and maximize their score through various means.

Ticket to Ride: New York is a fast-paced, compact variation of the beloved Ticket to Ride game series. Set against the backdrop of Manhattan, this version offers a quick and streamlined playing experience, perfect for both fans of the original game and newcomers. With a focus on the bustling streets of New York City, players race to complete taxi routes and reach destinations in a condensed version of the classic gameplay.

Railroad Ink: Blazing Red Edition is a dynamic and engaging multiplayer puzzle game where players aim to build the most efficient transportation network. The game revolves around connecting as many exits as possible on individual erasable boards using routes determined by dice rolls. Strategic planning is key, as players must balance the desire to expand their network with the risk of leaving routes incomplete.

The Magic Labyrinth is an enchanting board game that tests players’ memory and skill as they navigate through a tricky maze. Designed for younger players, this game casts participants as little magician apprentices who must recover lost magical objects from within their master’s labyrinth. The catch? The walls of the maze are invisible, and players must rely on their memory and careful maneuvering to avoid them.

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.

Tsuro offers a blend of simplicity and elegance in a game that revolves around laying tiles and guiding your token along an evolving path. This game, known for its brief playtime and broad player range, challenges you to outlast others in a journey across the board, navigating an increasingly crowded space filled with potential pitfalls and unintended directions set by others.

Pandemic: Iberia is a historical variant of the popular Pandemic series, set in the Iberian Peninsula during the year 1848. This version of the game introduces unique roles and challenges as players work together to combat historical diseases like malaria, typhus, yellow fever, and cholera.

Istanbul: Big Box consolidates the captivating experience of the original Istanbul board game and its expansions into a comprehensive package, inviting players to immerse themselves in the bustling activity of a bazaar. This all-encompassing edition not only streamlines the game collection process but also enhances the gameplay experience with a variety of new options and strategies brought by the expansions Mocha & Baksheesh and Letters & Seals. The addition of the Istanbul: Caravan Leader Mini Expansion further enriches the game, albeit in a more compact form.

Takenoko is a charming board game set in the Japanese Imperial court, revolving around the care of a giant panda gifted by the Chinese Emperor. Players, as court members, are tasked with managing a bamboo garden for the panda.

Concordia Venus is a standalone reimplementation of the classic Concordia, enhancing the peaceful strategy game set in Roman times. It's designed for 2-6 players aged 13 and up, focusing on economic development without the randomness of dice or cards. Strategy and planning are key as players expand their influence across various Roman cities.

Railroad Ink Challenge: Lush Green Edition enhances the well-loved roll-and-write gameplay of the original Railroad Ink series, introducing lush new strategies and player interactions. This version of the game is designed for 1 to 4 players and emphasizes not only route-building but also competitive objectives that encourage keeping an eye on opponents' progress.

Brass: Birmingham is an economic strategy game and a sequel to the 2007 game Brass. It immerses players in the world of industrial revolution entrepreneurs in Birmingham between 1770-1870.

Ticket to Ride: Märklin is the third installment in the popular Ticket to Ride series by Days of Wonder. Set on a map of Germany, this edition brings a unique twist with Märklin Trains models represented on each card. While maintaining the core essence of the series, Märklin adds complexity and new mechanics that appeal to both veterans and newcomers to the series.

Saboteur is a card game that combines elements of strategy, bluffing, and hidden roles, set in a mining theme where players are either helping or hindering the search for gold.

Istanbul is a strategic board game set in the bustling environment of Istanbul's grand bazaar, where players compete as merchants trying to outmaneuver their rivals to collect precious rubies.

Indigo is a captivating tile-laying game that combines strategy with a touch of competition, as players maneuver to guide precious gemstones to their goals. This game, reminiscent of classics like Metro, Tsuro, and Linie 1, challenges players to construct pathways on a shared board, where the twist lies in moving gems towards objectives for points, rather than simply building the longest route.