The best games by Alan R. Moon 🇬🇧👨 2026
Looking for a really good game from game designer Alan R. Moon 👨? Then we have just the thing: the list with the best Alan R. Moon games 2026.
Who is Alan R. Moon anyway?
Alan R. Moon has been designing dice, card & board games since 1981. The game designer hails from Southampton, England🏴, Great Britain🇬🇧, was born in 1951 and currently lives in New York, USA🇺🇸. He is also known as Alan Moon.
Initially only marginally successful
Moon's first game was Black Spy (later re-released as Black Spy), inspired by the classic card game Hearts. He developed Black Spy in 1981 at the age of 30 - so he's been designing games for over 45 years.
Attention from Germany
His first game to get at least some attention was Airlines), published by the German company ABACUSSPIELE in 1990. Alan R. Moon then worked as a game designer for The Avalon Hill Game Co, Parker Brothers and Ravensburger and F.X. Schmid USA respectively.
In 1990 he founded his own publishing company, White Wind, and ran it with little success until 1997.Meanwhile Moon publishes his games through other companies, such as Ravensburger or Days of Wonder.
Famous for German-games Style
He is generally considered one of the most important designers of German-style board games. Many of his games can be seen as board game variations of the Travelling Salesman problem.
Famous Moon games are for example Ticket to Ride, Incan Gold or Elfenland.
2 times Spiel des Jahres winner
Alan has been a full-time freelance game designer since 2000 and has created dozens of games. Moon has twice won the Game of the Year award, 1998 for Elfenland and 2004 for Ticket to Ride. Ticket to Ride has won him several dozen other awards worldwide.
How good are "Alan R. Moon" games?
There are 10 games by Alan R. Moon included in our list of the best board games, making Moon the 15th best game designer out of 708 designers in our database.
More information about Moon
More information about Moon can be found on Moon's BGG profile and the Wikipedia contribution for Moon.
If you want to know more about the person Alan R. Moon, we have created an extra page for you: The favorite games of Alan R. Moon ❤️.
List of the best games by Alan R. Moon 👨 2026
In this list we have listed the best board games that Alan R. Moon either designed himself - or where he was involved in the design.
Unfortunately, not all games by Alan R. Moon are available anymore. In the following list you can find all dice, board & card games by Alan R. Moon which can be bought 2026:
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Ticket to Ride Legacy: Legends of the West
All details & ratingPlayers embark on twelve journeys through North America as 19th-century pioneers. Starting on the East Coast, they face challenges while aiming to complete ticket objectives and develop new skills to overcome unexpected events and rivals. As the campaign progresses, players unlock new rules and content, creating a uniquely tailored experience that evolves with their choices, resulting in a game that can be enjoyed for a lifetime.
2–5 20–90 min 10+ Medium complexity+ 10 € above the best price87 € at Amazon* -
Incan Gold
All details & ratingThe board game known as Diamant or Incan Gold unfolds as an exhilarating press-your-luck experience, offering players a quick and enjoyable journey into mine shafts and jungle paths. As participants flip cards from a deck, the gems discovered are evenly distributed, creating a shared bounty. However, the decision to venture deeper comes with the risk of encountering hazards like scorpions, snakes, poison gas, explosions, and rockfalls.
3–8 20–40 min 8+ Immediately playable -
Ticket to Ride: Europe
All details & ratingTicket 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.
2–5 30–60 min 8+ Easy to learn -
Ticket to Ride: London
All details & ratingTicket 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.
2–4 10–15 min 8+ Immediately playable -
Ticket to Ride: New York
All details & ratingTicket 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.
2–4 10–15 min 8+ Immediately playableVideo reviews 1 -
Ticket to Ride: First Journey
European Edition
All details & ratingPlayers collect train cards and claim routes on a map of Europe, connecting cities shown on their tickets. Each player starts with four colored train cards and two tickets, aiming to connect the cities on the tickets with a continuous route. The first player to solve six tickets wins, or if someone places all twenty of their trains, the player with the most completed tickets is the winner.
2–4 15–30 min 6+ Immediately playable+ 3 € above the best price30 € at Amazon* -
Ticket to Ride: First Journey
U.S.-Version
All details & ratingPlayers collect train cards and claim routes on a map, aiming to connect the cities shown on their tickets. The game board features a map of the United States with cities connected by colorful paths. Players start with four colored train cards and two tickets, and they must connect the specified cities using their trains to complete the tickets and score points. The first player to complete six tickets wins, or the game ends when all train pieces are used, with the highest score determining the winner.
2–4 15–30 min 6+ Immediately playable+ 3 € above the best price30 € at Amazon* -
Ticket to Ride: Amsterdam
All details & ratingPlayers dive into the 17th-century Amsterdam, a bustling hub of global trade. Each player starts with a supply of 16 wagons and must collect transport cards, claim routes, and fulfill trade contracts to score points. The game ends when a player has two or fewer wagons left, leading to a final tally of points based on routes claimed and contracts completed.
2–4 10–15 min 8+ Immediately playable - + 4 € above the best price54 € at Amazon*
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Ticket to Ride: San Francisco
All details & ratingThe game features familiar mechanics such as collecting cards, claiming routes, and drawing tickets, set against a 1960s San Francisco backdrop for quick play sessions lasting 15 minutes. Each player starts with 20 Cable Cars, two transport cards, and one or two destination cards representing locations in the city. Players take turns drawing cards, claiming routes by discarding matching cards, or picking up souvenir tokens by building routes to popular sites. The game ends when a player has two or fewer Cable Cars left, after which players tally points for claimed routes, completed destination cards, and collected souvenirs. The player with the highest score wins.
2–4 10–15 min 8+ Easy to learn2 € below the next retailer29 € at Amazon* -
10 Days in Europe
All details & ratingExplore Europe in this exciting travel game where finding the right path is key to success. Players strategically exchange cards to create a continuous route through land, water, or air. The first to meet the travel requirements with all ten game pieces wins.
2–4 20–30 min 10+ Immediately playableVideo reviews 1 -
Ticket To Ride: Berlin
All details & ratingWelcome to the city of culture, art, and music! Explore Unter den Linden and dive into the vibrant capital of Europe. Players compete to visit the city's most famous locations and complete their destination cards. The victorious player utilizes Berlin's trams and ventures underground to incorporate a subway system into their routes.
2–4 10–15 min 8+ Easy to learn+ 2 € above the best price21 € at Amazon* -
10 Days in Africa
All details & ratingYou have 10 days in Africa to travel by plane, car, and on foot. Chart your course from start to finish using destination and transport tiles. The first traveler to successfully make all the connections for a ten-day journey wins the game.
2–4 20–30 min 10+ Immediately playable -
10 Days in Asia
All details & ratingPlayers embark on a journey across Asia using trains, planes, ships, or on foot. They chart their path from start to finish with destination and transport tiles, aiming to outmaneuver their fellow travelers. The winner is the first to successfully connect segments for a ten-day journey.
2–4 25 min 10+ Immediately playable -
10 Days in the USA
All details & ratingYou have 10 days in the USA. Travel by jet, car, and on foot across the country while planning your trip from start to finish using destination and transport tiles. With a bit of luck and clever planning, you can outsmart your fellow travelers.
2–4 30 min 10+ Immediately playableVideo reviews 1 -
10 Days in the Americas
All details & ratingBring your sunglasses, snowshoes, and insect repellent—it's time to travel to new destinations across America! Players use destination and transport tiles to chart a course through North, Central, and South America as well as the Caribbean, using airplanes, cruise ships, or by foot. With a bit of luck and strategic planning, you can outmaneuver fellow travelers and be the first to form connections for a complete ten-day journey!
2–4 20–30 min 10+ Immediately playable -
King's Breakfast
All details & ratingPlayers are invited to a breakfast in the king's castle, where they take portions of various dishes from the table. The king will serve all his guests first before taking his own share. Players must avoid being greedier than the king, as the aim is to eat the most of the king's favorite foods without exceeding his portions.
3–5 15 min 7+ Immediately playable -
Airlines Europe
All details & ratingBefore the likes of Ticket to Ride, Santa Fe Rails, and Union Pacific, there was Airlines - one of the earliest creations from renowned designer Alan R. Moon and publisher ABACUSSPIELE. Now, more than two decades later, Moon and ABACUSSPIELE bring you a reimagined experience with Airlines Europe, a game born from Moon's desire to expand upon the original while introducing exciting new choices.
2–5 75 min 10+ Easy to learn -
Ticket to Ride: Ghost Train
All details & ratingPlayers collect parade car cards and claim routes on the board to connect locations like the mad scientist's lab, the gingerbread house, and a lonely barn. The game features a city map with colored paths linking specific sites. Players can either draw two parade car cards or discard cards to claim a route by placing their ghost trains; they must play matching cards based on the route's color and length to complete their connections.
2–4 15–30 min 6+ Easy to learn -
Gloria Picktoria
All details & ratingPlayers try to collect majorities in as many of the ten different glamorous resource chicken holdings as possible by playing the most or the second-most cards of each type. There are three scoring rounds triggered by the appearance of specific cards from the draw pile. The game has previously been released under different names in Germany and the USA.
2–5 45 min 10+ Immediately playable -
Black Spy
All details & ratingPlayers recruit the best spies while avoiding black spies that will turn against them in this trick-taking game. The gameplay involves playing cards that correspond to the lead card's color or rank, with points awarded only for black cards. The game ends when a player reaches 200 points, and the player with the lowest score wins.
3–6 45 min 14+ Immediately playable -
Immer oben auf!
All details & ratingA children's game involves stacking dice that feature images of animals.
3–5 20 min 5+ Immediately playable -
Elfenland
All details & ratingElfenland is a redesigned version of the original Elfenroads game, set in a mythical elven world. Players, as young elves, embark on a journey across the land to visit as many of the twenty Elfencities as possible. The game is uniquely characterized by its variety of whimsical transportation methods and strategic movement across a network of interconnected cities.
2–6 60 min 10+ Easy to learn+ 5 € above the best price20 € at Amazon* -
Union Pacific
All details & ratingUnion Pacific is a strategic train-themed stock market game where players navigate the balance between expanding railway companies and acquiring stock shares. The game revolves around increasing the value of different companies by extending their rail lines and strategically managing your stock portfolio for maximum dividends.
2–6 90 min 12+ Medium complexity -
10 Tage durch Deutschland
All details & ratingPlayers embark on a ten-day journey through Germany, aiming to complete their trip first to win the game. Each player has a rack with ten pieces representing different sections of Germany and trains, which come in five colors. On their turn, players can draw a piece and either discard it or replace one from their rack while creating a valid path connecting regions and trains.
2–4 30 min 8+ Immediately playable -
San Marco
All details & ratingSan Marco invites you to the charming districts of Venice, where you'll use strategy and influence to outmaneuver your opponents. Ideal for players who enjoy a blend of strategy and luck, this game stands out with its unique card distribution mechanic, especially in a four-player setting. Players draw cards, form them into groups, and then choose from these groups to take actions. These actions include placing and removing aristocrats, building and relocating bridges, and scoring regions. The game is played over three Passages, each comprising multiple turns, making it a dynamic and engaging experience.
3–4 75 min 10+ Medium complexity -
Isla Dorada
All details & ratingIn the mid-1930s, a group of treasure hunters crashes their zeppelin on a mysterious island rumored to have treasures left by ancient powerful civilizations. Players assume the role of brave explorers using old maps to search for treasures, while navigating the dangers of Isla Dorada by traveling in groups and recruiting local animals and exotic items. They collect various types of cards to strategize and bid for expedition goals, all while avoiding curses and blocking their opponents' efforts.
3–6 60 min 10+ Easy to learn -
Elfenland
2015 Edition
All details & ratingYoung elves must pass a special test to be accepted as adults in Elfenland. They receive a map and aim to visit as many famous cities as possible using limited transport options like dragons and unicorns. The player who visits the most cities wins.
2–6 45–90 min 13+ Easy to learn -
Ticket to Ride: The Card Game
All details & ratingTicket to Ride: The Card Game brings the excitement of the original board game into a compact card game format, complete with its own unique twists. Players collect train cards to fulfill destination tickets, which are routes between two cities. However, the twist of "train robbing" adds a layer of strategy, as players can lose cards to their opponents. The game includes 96 train car cards, 46 destination tickets, and 6 big city prize cards, making for a rich variety of play strategies.
2–4 30 min 8+ Easy to learn
Frequently asked questions
Which game ranks first on this list?
Ticket to Ride Legacy: Legends of the West currently tops our list. The ranking is derived from player community ratings and is recalculated continuously.
How many players do the games on this list support?
Most games on this list support 2 to 4 players. The exact player count is listed with each game.
What age are these games suitable for?
Publisher age recommendations on this list start at 5 years. Each game carries its own age rating.
How long does a game take?
A typical game takes about 20 to 30 minutes. Each game's playing time is listed individually.
Didn't find the game you were looking for?
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