The best games like Mau-Mau 2026

Looking for games like Mau-Mau? Then we have just the thing: the list of the best card games similar to Mau-Mau 2026.

What makes games similar to Mau-Mau?

Mau-Mau is a classic card shedding game featuring:

  • Simple matching rules
  • Fast-paced gameplay
  • Special action cards
  • Race to empty your hand

List of the best games like Mau-Mau 2026

In this list we have compiled the best card games that share similarities with Mau-Mau's shedding and matching mechanics.

The following list contains games that capture the essence of Mau-Mau-like gameplay:

This list was last updated on June 13, 2026. There's also a print version for this list .
  1. SCOUT

    SCOUT

    SCOUT is an innovative card game that blends elements of hand management and ladder-climbing mechanics. The unique twist in this game is the dual-indexed cards and the restriction on rearranging your hand, creating a challenging and strategic gameplay experience.

    All details & rating
    2–5 20 min 9+ Immediately playable
  2. The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-earth

    The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-earth

    A dark rumor arises from Mordor, and the time has come for the Fellowship to unite once more. Players can choose to defend the free peoples as the Fellowship of the Ring or pursue Frodo and Sam as Sauron, deploying their hordes at enemy city gates. The fate of Middle-earth rests in your hands as you navigate the three chapters of the game, strengthening your skills and gathering resources to achieve one of the victory conditions.

    All details & rating
    2 30 min 10+ Easy to learn
    + 3 € above the best price
    30 € at Amazon*
  3. Trio

    Trio

    Trio is a card game where players search for triplets. The deck consists of 36 cards, numbered from 1 to 12 three times. Players sort their hands from low to high and take turns revealing cards, aiming to collect sets of three matching cards.

    All details & rating
    3–6 15 min 6+ Immediately playable
    + 2 € above the best price
    14 € at Amazon*
  4. Love Letter

    Love Letter

    In Love Letter, you must compete with other suitors to deliver a romantic letter to Princess Annette, who has secluded herself in the palace.

    All details & rating
    2–4 20 min 10+ Immediately playable
    + 28 € above the best price
    39 € at Amazon*
  5. Sushi Go Party!

    Sushi Go Party!

    Sushi Go Party! is an expanded version of the popular card game Sushi Go!, offering more variety and accommodating more players for a larger, more dynamic game experience.

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    2–8 20 min 8+ Immediately playable
  6. Jaipur

    Jaipur

    In the bustling city of Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, you find yourself in a fierce competition as one of the two most powerful traders. However, being a prominent trader isn't enough; the ultimate goal is to earn two coveted "seals of excellence" to secure an invitation to the Maharaja's prestigious court. To outshine your direct competitor, you'll need to demonstrate superior trading skills by buying, exchanging, and selling goods at advantageous prices, all while carefully managing your valuable camel herds.

    All details & rating
    2 30 min 10+ Immediately playable
  7. The Crew: Mission Deep Sea

    The Crew: Mission Deep Sea

    The Crew: Mission Deep Sea is a cooperative trick-taking card game that embarks players on an underwater expedition to discover the lost continent of Mu. Building on the foundations of its predecessor, The Crew, this game combines the familiar mechanics of trick-taking with unique cooperative elements and a compelling thematic narrative.

    All details & rating
    2–5 20 min 10+ Easy to learn
  8. Skull

    Skull

    Skull is a pure bluffing game: players lay face-down cards of roses and skulls, then bid on how many they can flip without hitting a skull. Two successful challenges win the game — a steady poker face does the rest.

    All details & rating
    3–6 15–45 min 10+ Immediately playable
  9. For Sale

    For Sale

    For Sale is a fast-paced, engaging game about buying and selling real estate, involving strategic bidding and sales to maximize profits.

    All details & rating
    3–6 30 min 10+ Immediately playable
  10. Sea Salt & Paper

    Sea Salt & Paper

    Sea Salt & Paper is a set collection card game that combines strategic decision-making with the excitement of timing your moves just right. Similar to Rummy in gameplay, it involves collecting sets of cards to score points, while also navigating the timing of when to end the round for optimal advantage.

    All details & rating
    2–4 30–45 min 8+ Immediately playable
  11. Love Letter: Premium Edition

    Love Letter: Premium Edition

    Love Letter: Premium Edition is an enhanced version of the beloved game Love Letter, offering both physical and gameplay upgrades to the original. This edition brings a new level of sophistication and enjoyment to the game, making it suitable for larger groups and adding variety to the gameplay.

    All details & rating
    2–8 20–30 min 8+ Immediately playable
  12. The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine

    The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine

    The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine is a cooperative trick-taking game that takes players on an adventurous space journey, filled with challenges and strategic gameplay.

    All details & rating
    2–5 20 min 10+ Easy to learn
    + 2 € above the best price
    11 € at Amazon*
  13. Unmatched: Cobble & Fog

    Unmatched: Cobble & Fog

    Unmatched: Cobble & Fog is a captivating expansion to the Unmatched system, featuring a quartet of iconic characters drawn from literary lore, each with their unique playstyle and abilities. This expansion introduces the Invisible Man, Sherlock Holmes with Dr. Watson, Dracula along with the sisters, and the duo of Jekyll & Hyde, all brought to life in a highly asymmetrical miniature fighting game.

    All details & rating
    2–4 20–40 min 9+ Easy to learn
  14. Sushi Go!

    Sushi Go!

    Sushi Go! is a dynamic, fast-paced card game set in a sushi restaurant. Players aim to grab the best sushi combinations as they come around. It's all about strategy, from picking the perfect sushi rolls to collecting sashimi sets. Boost your scores with wasabi-flavored nigiri, and don't forget to load up on pudding by the end!

    All details & rating
    2–5 15 min 8+ Immediately playable
    + 3 € above the best price
    13 € at Amazon*
  15. Lost Cities

    Lost Cities

    Lost Cities is a two-player card game focused on building profitable archaeological expeditions. Part of the Kosmos two-player series, it features a deck with cards ranked 2–10 in various colors, including a new sixth color added in 2019. The game also employs "handshake" cards as multipliers for scoring.

    All details & rating
    2 30 min 10+ Immediately playable
  16. Century: Golem Edition

    Century: Golem Edition

    Century: Golem Edition is an engaging and visually appealing board game that is a re-themed version of Century: Spice Road. Set in the imaginative world of Caravania, this game combines strategic planning and resource management, appealing to players who enjoy tactical decision-making.

    All details & rating
    2–5 30–45 min 8+ Easy to learn
  17. Take 5

    Take 5

    1994 Edition

    6 nimmt!, also known as Take 5, Category 5 and other names, is a card game focused on scoring as few points as possible. It combines elements of strategy, prediction, and a bit of luck.

    All details & rating
    2–10 45 min 8+ Immediately playable
  18. Agent Avenue

    Agent Avenue

    Agent Avenue is a competitive card game about retired spies in a suburban neighborhood. Players bluff, collect sets, and use an I-split-you-choose mechanism to outmaneuver rivals and reveal their identities first.

    All details & rating
    2–4 10–20 min 8+ Immediately playable
    + 3 € above the best price
    18 € at Amazon*
  19. Rhino Hero

    Rhino Hero

    Rhino Hero is a dexterity-based card game that combines elements of building and strategy. Players take turns constructing a skyscraper with walls and roof cards, while moving a heroic rhino figurine up the building.

    All details & rating
    2–5 5–15 min 5+ Immediately playable
    + 18 € above the best price
    25 € at Amazon*
  20. Hanamikoji

    Hanamikoji

    Hanamikoji is a strategic card game set in the historical context of Geisha culture in Japan. The game immerses players in the role of patrons who are competing to gain the favor of seven renowned Geishas by collecting items related to their art and performances.

    All details & rating
    2 15 min 10+ Easy to learn
    + 1 € above the best price
    14 € at Amazon*
  21. Skull King

    Skull King

    Skull King is an exciting and competitive trick-taking game that adds unique twists to the traditional format found in games like Oh Hell!, Wizard, Euchre, and Spades.

    All details & rating
    2–8 30 min 8+ Easy to learn
  22. Spicy

    Spicy

    Spicy is a vibrant bluffing card game that captures the fiery competition among three big cats who, tired of their constant battling for supremacy, decide to engage in a spicy hot eating contest. This setup serves as a backdrop for a game filled with deceit, strategy, and quick thinking, designed for 2-6 players. The game's core mechanic revolves around players announcing their card plays without revealing them, allowing for a high degree of bluffing as cards are played face down.

    All details & rating
    2–6 15–20 min 10+ Immediately playable
    + 2 € above the best price
    15 € at Amazon*
  23. Star Wars: Jabba's Palace – A Love Letter Game

    Star Wars: Jabba's Palace – A Love Letter Game

    Jabba's lair is a place of danger and deception. Players compete with members of the Rebel Alliance and the residents of Jabba's Palace, using the abilities of iconic characters while trying to outsmart their opponents. The game retains the simple and fun mechanics of the original, introducing Agenda cards that offer new victory conditions and additional strategic depth.

    All details & rating
    2–6 20 min 10+ Immediately playable
  24. Fantasy Realms

    Fantasy Realms

    Fantasy Realms immerses players in the role of rulers striving to build the most powerful realm. This card game is all about strategic combinations and choices, with every decision shaping the strength and nature of your realm.

    All details & rating
    2–6 20 min 14+ Easy to learn
    + 6 € above the best price
    20 € at Amazon*
  25. Cockroach Poker Royal

    Cockroach Poker Royal

    Cockroach Poker Royal (Kakerlakenpoker Royal) elevates the art of bluffing to a royally entertaining level. This game, a twist on the original Kakerlakenpoker, swaps the traditional poker deck for one festooned with critters like cockroaches, rats, and stink bugs, emphasizing bluffing over traditional poker hands.

    All details & rating
    2–6 15–25 min 8+ Immediately playable
    + 3 € above the best price
    11 € at Amazon*
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Frequently asked questions

Which game ranks first on this list?

SCOUT 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 5 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 minutes. Each game's playing time is listed individually.

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