The best games with pattern building 2024
You love symmetry, colors & shapes - and board games? Then we have just the thing: a list of the 30 best games where you have to build patterns - in English it is called "Pattern Building".
What are pattern building games?
In pattern-building games, players place game components in specific patterns. The goal is to achieve fixed or variable task/results. For example: placing chips on 2, 4, 6, 8 on a board gives the player an action card to use later in the game.
Top example of games where you form patterns: Azul
A very good example of pattern-forming games is the Spiel des Jahres 2018 winner Azul: here, each time it's your turn, you first select a set usually consisting of four different colored tiles and then place them in a specific pattern on your board. The more contiguous and uniform the pattern, the more points you get.
Pattern making games usually very nice
Due to the special game mechanics of the patterns to be formed, the results are usually very aesthetic. If you are in the mood for even more beautiful games, we have created another list (in which, by the way, Azul came first): The most beautiful board games of all time.
List of the best games 2024 where you have to make patterns
Cascadia
Cascadia is a tile-laying and token-drafting board game that features the rich habitats and diverse wildlife of the Pacific Northwest. It combines strategic tile placement with wildlife conservation themes.
Nominated for 26 awards and won 15.
⭐️ Spiel des Jahres 2022
More details for Cascadia- 1 - 4 Players
- 30 - 45 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
Azul
Azul invites you to step into the captivating world of Portuguese artistry and craftsmanship. This board game draws inspiration from the introduction of azulejos, originally white and blue ceramic tiles, by the Moors. The tiles found a new home in Portugal when King Manuel I, during a visit to the Alhambra palace in Southern Spain, was enchanted by the exquisite Moorish decorative tiles adorning its interior. Filled with awe and inspiration, the king promptly ordered the embellishment of his own palace in Portugal with similar decorative tiles. As a skilled tile-laying artist, you are tasked with the prestigious mission of adorning the walls of the Royal Palace of Evora.
Nominated for 30 awards and won 19.
⭐️ Spiel des Jahres 2018
More details for Azul- 2 - 4 Players
- 30 - 45 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Easy to learn
🔥 Great price!Check for best price now at*Video reviews for Azul
Harmonies
Nominated for 1 award.
More details for Harmonies- 1 - 4 Players
- 30 - 45 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
Ohanami
More details for OhanamiOhanami is a serene and strategic card drafting game that seamlessly blends simplicity with deep strategic choices. Over three rounds, players cultivate their gardens by selecting cards and building sequences in a quest for the most points.
- 2 - 4 Players
- 20 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Carcassonne Big Box 6
More details for Carcassonne Big Box 6Carcassonne 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.
- 2 - 6 Players
- 35 Minutes
- 7+ years old
- Easy to learn
Video reviews for Carcassonne Big Box 6
Project L
Project L is a dynamic and visually appealing board game that combines tile-matching with engine-building elements. It's designed to challenge players with its strategic depth, encapsulated within an elegant and simple design. The game features unique triple-layer 3D puzzles and attractive acrylic pieces, making it not only a test of intellect but also a delight to play.
Nominated for 4 awards and won 1.
More details for Project L- 1 - 4 Players
- 20 - 40 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Easy to learn
Grove: 9 card solitaire game
- 1 Players
- 5 - 10 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Orchard: 9 card solitaire game
Orchard: A 9 card solitaire game is an engaging and compact solitaire tile-laying game that has captured the hearts of players with its simplicity, strategic depth, and quick playtime. Garnering acclaim by winning the 2018 9-Card Nanogame Print and Play Design Contest, Orchard challenges players to skillfully manage a limited set of resources — in this case, nine double-sided cards — to create a flourishing orchard.
Nominated for 1 award and won 1.
More details for Orchard: 9 card solitaire game- 1 Players
- 5 - 10 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Welcome To...
Welcome To... is a unique, dice-less roll-and-write game where players take on the role of 1950s American architects, aiming to design and construct the most prosperous suburban neighborhood.
Nominated for 12 awards and won 2.
🔥 Deal: 8% cheaper than the best Geizhals deal, likely for a short time only!
More details for Welcome To...- 1 - 100 Players
- 25 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
🔥 Great price!Check for best price now at*Video reviews for Welcome To...
The Castles of Burgundy
More details for The Castles of BurgundyThe Castles of Burgundy is a strategy board game set in the Burgundy region of High Medieval France, where players assume the roles of aristocrats controlling small princedoms. The game combines tile placement and dice rolling mechanics to offer a rich and strategic experience.
- 1 - 4 Players
- 70 - 120 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Medium difficulty
👍 Good price!Check for best price now at*My City
My City is a groundbreaking competitive legacy game where players develop their own city across multiple epochs. This game uniquely blends city-building with the evolving challenges and narratives of a legacy format.
Nominated for 11 awards and won 4.
⭐️ Nominated for Spiel des Jahres 2020
More details for My City- 2 - 4 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
Video reviews for My City
Sagrada
Sagrada is a visually striking board game where players draft dice to create beautiful stained glass windows, combining strategy and aesthetics.
Nominated for 12 awards.
More details for Sagrada- 1 - 4 Players
- 30 - 45 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Easy to learn
🔥 Great price!Check for best price now at*Carcassonne
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.
Nominated for 8 awards and won 5.
⭐️ Spiel des Jahres 2001
More details for Carcassonne- 2 - 5 Players
- 30 - 45 Minutes
- 7+ years old
- Easy to learn
Video reviews for Carcassonne
Akropolis
Akropolis is a strategic board game set in ancient Greece, where players take on the roles of skilled architects competing to build the most prestigious city. The game focuses on urban planning, resource management, and tactical tile placement.
Nominated for 19 awards and won 10.
More details for Akropolis- 1 - 4 Players
- 20 - 30 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Easy to learn
Azul: Summer Pavilion
Azul: Summer Pavilion takes players back to Portugal to embark on an artistic challenge of crafting a summer pavilion, a task assigned by King Manuel I. As master artisans, players must use their skills to construct the pavilion using the finest materials while efficiently managing their resources.
Nominated for 7 awards and won 3.
More details for Azul: Summer Pavilion- 2 - 4 Players
- 30 - 45 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Easy to learn
Video reviews for Azul: Summer Pavilion
Planet Unknown
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.
Nominated for 9 awards and won 3.
⭐️ Nominated for Kennerspiel des Jahres 2023
More details for Planet Unknown- 1 - 6 Players
- 60 - 80 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
👍 Good price!Check for best price now at*Azul: Master Chocolatier
- 2 - 4 Players
- 30 - 45 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Easy to learn
Super Mega Lucky Box
Nominated for 7 awards.
More details for Super Mega Lucky Box- 1 - 6 Players
- 20 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Dragomino
- 2 - 4 Players
- 15 Minutes
- 5+ years old
- Immediately playable
👍 Good price!Check for best price now at*The Castles of Burgundy
The Castles of Burgundy is set in the medieval Burgundy region of France, where players assume the roles of aristocrats seeking to expand their princedoms. The game revolves around building settlements, constructing castles, engaging in river trade, mining for silver, and utilizing travelers' knowledge.
Nominated for 8 awards and won 2.
More details for The Castles of Burgundy- 2 - 4 Players
- 30 - 90 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Video reviews for The Castles of Burgundy
NMBR 9
NMBR 9 presents a unique puzzle game where numbers take on significance only when they rise above the ground level. The game encompasses twenty cards numbered 0-9, each appearing twice, and eighty tiles numbered 0-9, each composed of squares arranged in different configurations. Players embark on a captivating journey where they draw cards, select number tiles, and strategically build their own tile arrangement. The goal is to maximize points by constructing multi-level structures and showcasing their numerical prowess.
Nominated for 4 awards.
More details for NMBR 9- 1 - 4 Players
- 20 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Video reviews for NMBR 9
Welcome to the Moon
Welcome to the Moon is an innovative flip-and-write game that evolves the gameplay of its predecessors, Welcome To... and Welcome To New Las Vegas. It takes players on a space colonization adventure, combining familiar mechanisms with new twists and a campaign mode that spans eight unique adventure sheets.
🔥 Deal: 8% cheaper than the best Geizhals deal, likely for a short time only!
More details for Welcome to the Moon- 1 - 6 Players
- 25 - 30 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
🔥 Great price!Check for best price now at*The Isle of Cats
Embark on a delightful rescue mission in The Isle of Cats, a captivating competitive board game designed for 1-4 players (expandable to 6 with expansions). This medium-weight game combines card-drafting, polyomino cat-placement, and resource management, offering an engaging and strategic gameplay experience.
Nominated for 6 awards.
More details for The Isle of Cats- 1 - 4 Players
- 60 - 90 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Easy to learn
Video reviews for The Isle of Cats
Meeple Circus
Meeple Circus is a vibrant and engaging dexterity board game where players become circus directors, aiming to create the most spectacular show and wow the audience. It's a game where physical skill meets strategic planning, and each action is a performance in itself.
Nominated for 1 award.
More details for Meeple Circus- 2 - 5 Players
- 45 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Botanik
Nominated for 2 awards.
More details for Botanik- 2 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Easy to learn
Calico
Calico is a delightful, tile-laying board game that combines the art of quilt-making with the charm of cats. It's designed to offer a relaxing yet engaging puzzling experience for players.
Nominated for 11 awards and won 3.
More details for Calico- 1 - 4 Players
- 30 - 45 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
🔥 Great price!Check for best price now at*boop.
Nominated for 4 awards and won 2.
More details for boop.- 2 Players
- 20 - 30 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Immediately playable
Qwinto
More details for QwintoQwinto offers a refreshing twist on the roll-and-write genre, engaging players in a simultaneous play experience where quick thinking and strategic number placement are key to victory. In this game, players race to fill out their scoresheets with ascending numbers in three colorful rows, while navigating the constraints of overlapping columns and avoiding duplicates to maximize their scores.
- 2 - 6 Players
- 15 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Cube Quest
Nominated for 1 award and won 1.
More details for Cube Quest- 2 Players
- 15 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Takenoko
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.
Nominated for 17 awards and won 7.
More details for Takenoko- 2 - 4 Players
- 45 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Easy to learn
Video reviews for Takenoko
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