The best games from Alexander Pfister 🇦🇹👨 2026
Looking for a really good game from game designer Alexander Pfister 👨? Then we have just the thing: the list with the best Alexander Pfister games 2026.
Who is Alexander Pfister anyway?
Alexander Pfister has been designing dice, card & board games since 2008. The game designer hails from Bludenz, Vorarlberg, Österreich🇦🇹, was born in 1971 and currently lives in Wien, Österreich🇦🇹.
Pfister's first game "Freibeuter der Karibik" he developed in 2008 at the age of 37 – so he has been designing games for over 18 years. Famous Pfister games are for example Great Western Trail, Isle of Skye & Port Royal.
Game development since childhood
Pfister spent his childhood in Vorarlberg, Austria and developed his own games as a child. After studying economics, he worked as a freelancer in the financial sector. He then came into contact with various game publishers through the Viennese game agency White Castle. His first publication "Freibeuter der Karibik" was released in 2008 by Public Solution.
How good are "Alexander Pfister" games?
There are 8 games by Alexander Pfister in our Top1000 games list, making Pfister the #22 best game designer out of a total of 708 designers in our database.
More information about Pfister
More information about Pfister can be found on:
- Pfister's BGG profile
- Pfister's Twitter feed
- Alexander Pfister's Facebook page
- Pfister's Instagram Account
- german Wikipedia entry for Pfister
List of best games by Alexander Pfister 2026
In this list we have listed the best board games that Alexander Pfister either designed himself – or was involved in designing.
Unfortunately, not all of Alexander Pfister's games are currently available. In the following list you can find all dice, board & card games by Alexander Pfister that you can buy 2026:
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Port Royal: Big Box
All details & ratingPort Royal: Big Box includes the base game and its two expansions, offering new graphics and artwork. It also features Gambler promo cards and the standalone game. This edition will be released in Germany in January 2022.
1–5 20–50 min 8+ Easy to learn -
Isle of Skye: From Chieftain to King
All details & ratingIsle of Skye: From Chieftain to King is a strategic tile-laying board game set in the stunning landscape of Isle of Skye. In this game, 2 to 5 players take on the roles of chieftains from different clans, each aspiring to expand their territories and build their kingdoms to gain the most points.
2–5 30–50 min 8+ Easy to learn -
Pirates of Maracaibo
All details & ratingPirates of Maracaibo is a standalone game in the Maracaibo franchise that recasts the original’s beloved concepts in a more accessible rule set. Over three rounds you sail the Caribbean searching for the most valuable treasures, hiring crew, commandeering rival ships, and stashing your loot — aiming to retire as the richest pirate in history.
1–4 40–100 min 12+ Medium complexity -
Broom Service
All details & ratingBroom Service is a captivating and strategic card-based game where players aim to score the most victory points by adeptly delivering potions throughout a magical realm. This game is a reimagined version of the award-winning Witch's Brew, offering a fresh theme and new gameplay elements, while retaining the core mechanics that made the original game popular.
2–5 30–75 min 10+ Easy to learn -
Oh My Goods!
All details & ratingOh My Goods!, initially known as Royal Goods, immerses players in the role of European artisans during the Middle Ages, focusing on the production and trade of various goods.
2–4 30 min 10+ Easy to learn -
Great Western Trail
Second Edition
All details & ratingGreat Western Trail: Second Edition is an enhanced version of the critically acclaimed strategy game set in 19th century America. Players take on the role of ranchers, herding cattle from Texas to Kansas City, navigating a series of strategic decisions along the Great Western Trail.
1–4 75–150 min 12+ For connoisseurs9 % cheaper than at other retailers48 € at Amazon* -
Great Western Trail
All details & ratingGreat Western Trail is a strategic board game set in 19th-century America, where players take on the roles of ranchers herding cattle from Texas to Kansas City.
2–4 75–150 min 12+ For connoisseursVideo reviews 3 -
Würfel-WG
All details & ratingRoll dice to acquire new roommates, who bring additional dice and assist with score-rolling activities. The dice results benefit not just the active player but everyone! The winner is the first to keep the hammock for one round, which is achieved by scoring 16 points.
2–4 10+ Immediately playable -
Tybor the Builder
All details & ratingPlayers receive a sheet with five multifunction cards, each depicting a professional who has come to Longsdale. After selecting a card, players choose how to use it: as a worker, builder, or city citizen, each providing different strengths and abilities. After a set number of rounds, players tally their points from buildings, and the one with the highest score wins.
2–4 30 min 8+ Easy to learn -
Monster Expedition
All details & ratingPlayers embark on an expedition as the youngest members of the Royal Monstrological Society, hunting legendary monsters spotted in the clouds, the deep sea, and the haunted forest. They improve their camps, catch new monsters, and utilize the abilities of previously captured creatures through optimal dice combinations. At the start, each player receives a set of three supply camps, and a wilderness display is created from ten cards, leading to thrilling monster hunting experiences.
1–4 30 min 12+ Easy to learn -
Broom Service: The Card Game
All details & ratingBesendienst: The card game focuses on the remarkable mechanism used in the board game Broom Service and its predecessor, Hexengebräu. This game is the second in the Alea series of very small boxes and includes an expansion for the Besendienst game from the Alea large box series.
3–6 15–30 min 8+ Immediately playable+ 2 € above the best price9 € at Amazon* -
Gier
All details & ratingPlayers steal cards from each other to build their own collection. Once they start taking goods from others, it becomes hard to stop; however, those who are too greedy may end up empty-handed. Each player begins with a thief card and seven number cards drawn face-down. Players take turns building their collections by revealing the cards they collect. During their turn, a player can either keep a drawn card or attempt to draw again from the same opponent, risking their chance if they draw matching cards. Special actions on some cards can affect opponents, such as viewing their hand or playing cards from the deck into a collection. The first player to collect six cards of the same value wins.
2–5 15 min 8+ Immediately playable -
Great Western Trail: New Zealand
All details & ratingPlayers assume the role of sheep farmers in 19th century New Zealand. They focus on diversifying sheep breeds and enhancing wool quality to ensure the prosperity of their family business. As the new century brings challenges, acquiring improved sheep breeds becomes essential for sustaining their livelihood.
1–4 75–150 min 12+ For connoisseurs -
Meins!
All details & ratingMembers of the "Society of Hunters and Gatherers" compete each year to find the most extraordinary exhibits. Players aim to acquire valuable items to expand their private collections. During their turn, players draw three "Acquisition" cards to secure exhibits that are worth victory points at the end of the game. The round ends when a player takes their third exhibit, and all players must discard some of their acquisition resources. After three rounds, players count their points and may collect bonus cards, with the player holding the highest total winning.
2–4 30 min 8+ Immediately playable -
Maracaibo
All details & ratingMaracaibo is a strategy game for 1-4 players, crafted by the renowned game designer Alexander Pfister. Set in the vibrant backdrop of the Caribbean during the 17th century, it promises a rich blend of strategic depth and thematic immersion. Over four rounds, taking approximately 40 minutes per player, you'll navigate the complexities of influence and power among three different nations.
1–4 30–120 min 12+ For connoisseurs -
Great Western Trail: Argentina
All details & ratingPlayers own a vast ranch in Argentina during the late 19th century, navigating the Pampas to deliver cattle to the main train station in Buenos Aires. The game features elements like card management and a rondel mechanism, with new worker types and paths that present strategic choices. Players can unlock shortcuts, manage resources like grain, and tackle the unique solo challenge of beating Pedro's score.
1–4 75–150 min 12+ For connoisseurs -
CloudAge
All details & ratingPlayers explore a dark and dystopian world in a strategy game for 1 to 4 participants. After a devastating environmental catastrophe caused by the secretive "Cloud" society, they travel with airships across a parched landscape in search of a better life. The game features an innovative resource gathering mechanism and blends engine building, deck building, and resource management, along with a campaign system that introduces new elements as players progress through the story.
1–4 60–100 min 10+ Medium complexity -
Mombasa
All details & ratingMombasa is a deep and strategic Euro-style board game set in 18th century Africa, revolving around economic expansion and investment in trading companies. Players work to spread their influence across the continent by investing in companies based in key African cities and engaging in various trade activities.
2–4 75–150 min 12+ For connoisseurs - + 1 € above the best price26 € at Amazon*
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Expedition to Newdale
All details & ratingPlayers embark on a journey through the Kingdom of Longsdale in a campaign that can engage 1 to 4 participants aged 12 and up. The game involves various chapters, each lasting about 90 minutes, where players manage resources and workers to advance their strategies. With five phases in each round, careful planning and a bit of luck are essential to achieve success before the final scoring in the seventh round.
1–4 90 min 12+ Medium complexity+ 21 € above the best price46 € at Amazon* - 6 € below the next retailer15 € at Amazon*
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Blackout: Hong Kong
All details & ratingBlackout: Hong Kong is a strategy board game set against the backdrop of an unexpected and widespread blackout in Hong Kong. Designed by Alexander Pfister, this game challenges players to navigate the chaos and disorder that ensues from the sudden loss of electrical power, competing to restore order and establish their influence in the city's post-blackout era.
1–4 75–150 min 14+ Medium complexityVideo reviews 1 -
Skymines
All details & ratingFifty years ago, humanity began mining the Moon and asteroids, a task previously managed by the world government. Due to recent unrest, adventurous companies and private investors are now stepping in to revive this mining network.
1–4 75–150 min 12+ For connoisseurs+ 6 € above the best price50 € at Amazon* -
Boonlake
All details & ratingBoonlake is a complex and engaging board game where players lead a group of pioneers in establishing a new community on the shores of the long-forgotten Boonlake. The game challenges players to explore uncharted landscapes, construct buildings, raise livestock, produce resources, and develop infrastructure. A key aspect of the game is the pursuit of efficiency and automation in these processes, as players strive to improve not only their own lives but also the collective well-being of their community.
1–4 80–160 min 14+ For connoisseurs -
The Mines of Zavandor
All details & ratingPlayers take on the role of dwarves in the fantasy setting of Zavandor, focusing on mining and gem collection. Four different gems serve as currency, with income determined by drawing cards from various mines, each with unique distributions. Players can improve their mines and score by participating in simultaneous auctions, while upgrading objects is essential to maximize their benefits.
2–4 45–90 min 10+ Medium complexity+ 10 € above the best price24 € at Amazon*
Frequently asked questions
Which game ranks first on this list?
Port Royal: Big Box 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 1 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 8 years. Each game carries its own age rating.
How long does a game take?
A typical game takes about 40 to 90 minutes. Each game's playing time is listed individually.
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