The best games from Matthias Cramer 🇩🇪👨 2026
Looking for a really good game from game designer Matthias Cramer 👨? Then we have just the thing: the list with the best Matthias Cramer games 2026.
Who is Matthias Cramer anyway?
Matthias Cramer has been designing dice, card & board games since 2010. The freelance game designer born near Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany🇩🇪 in 1970, is married and currently lives in Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany 🇩🇪. He works full-time as an IT project manager at Brenntag Group (a trading company for chemical products).
Cramer's first game "Glen More" he developed in 2010 at the age of 40 – so he's been designing games for over 16 years of games. Famous Cramer games besides Glen More include Lancaster, Rokoko & Watergate.
Boardgames intensified since his studies
Cramer was drawn into a circle of board gamers more or less by accident during his student days. This was before Settlers of Catan, so most of the available games with some complexity were published by Avalon Hill.
First prototypes during his studies, then a longer break
At this time he also created his first prototype, a clone of 1830 set in today's economy, but where players make cars from raw materials. This prototype consisted of a huge number of cards and completely filled the floor of his living room. Later he turned his attention to Euro games and stopped developing games for a few years.
First published game then in 2010
In the late 2000s, he started developing games again when he found the old box with the car manufacturing game. He started to turn this into a Euro game. Other projects followed very quickly, like Lancaster, Highlands (which is now Glen More) and Helvetia.
How good are "Matthias Cramer" games?
There are 6 games by Matthias Cramer in our Top1000 games list, making Cramer the #37 best game designer out of a total of 708 designers in our database.
More information about Cramer
More information about Cramer can be found on:
- Cramer's BGG profile
- Cramer's Twitter feed
- Cramer's LinkedIn profile
- german Wikipedia entry for Cramer
List of best games by Matthias Cramer 2026
In this list we have listed the best board games that Matthias Cramer either designed himself – or was involved in designing.
Unfortunately, not all of Matthias Cramer's games are currently available. In the following list you can find all dice, board & card games by Matthias Cramer that you can buy 2026:
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Watergate
All details & ratingWatergate thrusts players into the historical tug-of-war between the Nixon Administration and a determined journalist from the Washington Post. This game recreates the infamous political scandal, requiring strategic card play and keen decision-making.
2 30–60 min 12+ Easy to learnVideo reviews 1 -
Rococo: Deluxe Edition
All details & ratingRococo: Deluxe Edition transports you to the glamorous Rococo era, where you're tasked with dressing the elite for Louis XV's grand balls. Your goal is to gain prestige and fame through your exceptional tailoring business. Players strategically employ staff to craft exquisite garments, manage resources, and contribute to the ball's decorations, aiming to dazzle at the season's final event.
1–5 60–120 min 14+ Medium complexity -
Glen More II: Chronicles
All details & ratingGlen More II: Chronicles is a sequel to the original Glen More game, offering a richly expanded gameplay experience. It transports players into the roles of leaders of Scottish clans from the early medieval ages to the 19th century.
2–4 90–120 min 12+ Medium complexity+ 13 € above the best price70 € at Amazon* -
Glen More
All details & ratingGlen More transports you to 17th century Scotland, where you lead a clan aiming to expand its land and wealth. This strategic game revolves around making timely decisions to develop your clan's resources, such as establishing pastures, growing grain for whisky production, trading goods, or enhancing special areas like lochs and castles.
2–5 60 min 13+ Medium complexity -
Plums
All details & ratingThe 17th and 18th centuries were the ages of science, highlighted by the remarkable figures of Leonard Euler and Maria Sibylla Merian. Euler was a renowned mathematician known for his work on the number Pi, while Merian was a scientist, researcher, and artist famed for her detailed representations of nature. In this card game, players use fruit cards to claim points based on their strength, completing contracts for additional scoring opportunities.
3–5 30–40 min 8+ Easy to learn -
Castle Rampage
All details & ratingYour enemy's fortress has always been a thorn in your side, fueling a long-standing feud. It's time to settle things once and for all by destroying their stronghold while defending your own.
2 15 min 8+ Immediately playable -
Lancaster
All details & ratingIn the year 1413, England is under the rule of the ambitious King Henry V of Lancaster. His grand vision includes the unification of England and the conquest of the coveted French crown. In the midst of this pivotal period, noble families vie for influence and power. Lancaster, a strategic board game from the designer of Glen More, invites players to step into the shoes of these aristocratic families. Who among them will prove to be the most loyal supporter of the young king and rise as the most influential Lord of their time?
2–5 60 min 10+ Medium complexity -
Fight for Olympus
All details & ratingTwo players battle for control of Olympus by pitting demigods, titans, and soldiers against each other. Each player has six slots on their side of the board for military confrontations, control tokens, and resources. Players play as many cards as they want during their turn, paying their costs, and can either deal damage to opposing cards or directly to the opponent to swing the strength pendulum in their favor. Victory can be achieved by either reaching a strength sum of 7 or filling all six slots with cards at the start of a turn.
2 30 min 12+ Easy to learn -
Kraftwagen
All details & ratingIn 1888, Bertha Benz made the first long-distance drive in an automobile, running out of fuel in Wiesloch. She stopped at a local pharmacy to obtain chemicals for refueling, establishing the world's first gas station. Players advance automotive development and production by acting as start-up companies, exploring new technologies and building improved chassis and engines while balancing buyer demands at competitive prices. The V6 edition introduces new tiles featuring the next available technology, the V6 engine.
2–4 75 min 10+ Medium complexity -
Dynasties: Heirate & Herrsche
All details & ratingEurope is coming together during the Renaissance, and people realize that even the most powerful dynasties can achieve more together. Members of these dynasties marry, trade, and share with one another, but only one will ultimately claim the largest portion of the rewards. Players must navigate various compromises, respond to others' actions, and factor in luck, as not every marriage guarantees the expected financial gain.
3–5 60–90 min 12+ Medium complexity -
Helvetia
All details & ratingThe cover and name may suggest a quiz game, but it's something different. Players manage small, bustling mountain villages in the Swiss Alps, working, building, and trading. Life isn't just about work; personal connections form as villagers seek partners and families grow, adding excitement to daily village life as they strive to build homes, enrich culture, and sell essential goods on the market.
2–4 90 min 12+ Medium complexity
Frequently asked questions
Which game ranks first on this list?
Watergate 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 8 years. Each game carries its own age rating.
How long does a game take?
A typical game takes about 60 minutes. Each game's playing time is listed individually.
Didn't find the game you were looking for?
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