The best games where you can connect dots together 2026

Looking for a really good game where you can connect dots? Then we have just the thing for you: the list of the best connection games 2026.

What are connections games?

Players try to make connections between different points on the board. This is related to create network/routes, but is more general.

Examples of games where you can connect points

A good example of a connections game is Ticket to Ride.

List of the best connections games 2026

This list was last updated on June 2, 2026. There's also a print version for this list .
  1. Trails of Tucana

    In Trails of Tucana, players embark on an adventure to connect the mystical island's villages and landmarks through an intricate network of trails. This flip-and-write game, designed by the creators of Avenue and Doodle City, offers a unique challenge with each playthrough thanks to randomized village setups. Players draw trails on their maps, aiming to link together sights and harbors for points, while navigating the island's diverse terrains. Strategic planning and adaptability are key, as the terrain card distribution influences potential pathways and scoring opportunities.

    Nominated for 4 awards and won 2.

    More details for Trails of Tucana
    • 👥 1 - 8 Players
    • ⏱️ 15 Minutes
    • 🧒 8+ years old
    • 🧩 Immediately playable
  2. Ticket to Ride Legacy: Legends of the West

    Players 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.

    Nominated for 6 awards.

    ⭐️ Nominated for Kennerspiel des Jahres 2024

    More details for Ticket to Ride Legacy: Legends of the West
    • 👥 2 - 5 Players
    • ⏱️ 20 - 90 Minutes
    • 🧒 10+ years old
    • 🧩 Medium difficulty
  3. Next Station: London

    Next Station: London invites players to take on the role of project managers tasked with the ambitious job of redesigning London's iconic underground network. The game challenges players to strategically optimize connections, incorporate as many of the city's landmarks as possible, and efficiently use the tunnels under the Thames, all while adhering to the city's specific requirements.

    Nominated for 9 awards and won 2.

    ⭐️ Nominated for Spiel des Jahres 2023

    More details for Next Station: London
    • 👥 1 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 25 - 30 Minutes
    • 🧒 8+ years old
    • 🧩 Immediately playable
  4. Looking for a really good games with railroads 🚂? Then we have just the thing: our list of the best games with railroads 2026.

    The best games with trains 🚂 →
  5. Ticket to Ride: Europe

    Ticket 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.

    Nominated for 5 awards and won 2.

    🔥 Deal: 6% cheaper than the best Geizhals deal, likely for a short time only!

    More details for Ticket to Ride: Europe
    • 👥 2 - 5 Players
    • ⏱️ 30 - 60 Minutes
    • 🧒 8+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn
  6. Karuba

    Karuba is a tile-laying race game that combines strategy with a touch of luck, as players navigate their explorers through a dense jungle to reach temples and collect treasures. Each player's decision-making skills are put to the test as they create paths and vie to be the first to explore the riches of Karuba.

    Nominated for 4 awards and won 1.

    ⭐️ Nominated for Spiel des Jahres 2016

    More details for Karuba
    • 👥 2 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 30 - 40 Minutes
    • 🧒 8+ years old
    • 🧩 Immediately playable
  7. Railroad Ink: Deep Blue Edition

    Railroad Ink: Deep Blue Edition is a captivating multiplayer puzzle game that combines strategy and luck to create a unique gaming experience.

    Nominated for 2 awards and won 1.

    More details for Railroad Ink: Deep Blue Edition
    • 👥 1 - 6 Players
    • ⏱️ 20 - 30 Minutes
    • 🧒 8+ years old
    • 🧩 Immediately playable
  8. Pixies

    Players move through the seasons and encounter tiny creatures that emerge from flowers or hide in tree hollows. Choose one of the revealed cards carefully, as you must consider which ones to leave for your opponents. Cards will be stacked and scored at the end of the round, along with your largest color zone and spirals.

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Pixies
    • 👥 2 - 5 Players
    • ⏱️ 30 Minutes
    • 🧒 8+ years old
    • 🧩 Immediately playable
  9. Secret Identity

    Players must guess their opponents' hidden identities while trying to make them guess theirs. At the start of each round, a key card indicates your character from eight on the table. Using double-sided "Picto" cards, you give hints about your identity while trying to deduce others. New characters appear each round, adding variety, but your supply of Picto cards is limited. After the fourth round, the player with the most points wins.

    Nominated for 4 awards and won 1.

    More details for Secret Identity
    • 👥 3 - 8 Players
    • ⏱️ 20 - 40 Minutes
    • 🧒 10+ years old
    • 🧩 Immediately playable
  10. Railroad Ink: Blazing Red Edition

    Railroad Ink: Blazing Red Edition is a dynamic and engaging multiplayer puzzle game where players aim to build the most efficient transportation network. The game revolves around connecting as many exits as possible on individual erasable boards using routes determined by dice rolls. Strategic planning is key, as players must balance the desire to expand their network with the risk of leaving routes incomplete.

    Nominated for 1 award and won 1.

    More details for Railroad Ink: Blazing Red Edition
    • 👥 1 - 6 Players
    • ⏱️ 20 - 30 Minutes
    • 🧒 8+ years old
    • 🧩 Immediately playable
  11. Watergate

    Watergate 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.

    Nominated for 9 awards and won 4.

    More details for Watergate
    • 👥 2 Players
    • ⏱️ 30 - 60 Minutes
    • 🧒 12+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Watergate

    • YouTube Review for the game "Watergate" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video
  12. Looking for a really good game where there is no chance? Then we have just the thing: A list of the 30 best combinatorial games 🧮.

    The best combinatorial games 🧮 →
  13. Unanimo

    The box contains many cards, each featuring an image and a caption. During each turn, a card is revealed, and players write down eight words associated with the word on the card. Points are awarded for each word that matches another player's, with bonus points for the number of players sharing those words.

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Unanimo
    • 👥 3 - 8 Players
    • ⏱️ 30 Minutes
    • 🧒 10+ years old
    • 🧩 Immediately playable
  14. Piña Coladice

    • 👥 2 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 10 - 20 Minutes
    • 🧒 8+ years old
    • 🧩 Immediately playable
  15. Tyrants of the Underdark

    Tyrants of the Underdark is a strategic board game that combines elements of territory control with deck-building. Set in the iconic Dungeons & Dragons setting of the Underdark, players lead Drow houses vying for power and influence beneath the Sword Coast. The game stands out for its integration of card-driven gameplay with spatial control on the board.

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Tyrants of the Underdark
    • 👥 2 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 60 Minutes
    • 🧒 14+ years old
    • 🧩 Medium difficulty
  16. TransAmerica

    TransAmerica is a straightforward and engaging railway-themed board game where players work to connect a set of cities across the United States using rail lines. The game emphasizes strategic planning and efficient use of shared networks, offering a blend of individual strategy and interactive play.

    Nominated for 6 awards and won 2.

    ⭐️ Nominated for Spiel des Jahres 2002

    More details for TransAmerica
    • 👥 2 - 6 Players
    • ⏱️ 30 Minutes
    • 🧒 13+ years old
    • 🧩 Immediately playable
  17. Railroad Ink Challenge: Lush Green Edition

    Railroad Ink Challenge: Lush Green Edition enhances the well-loved roll-and-write gameplay of the original Railroad Ink series, introducing lush new strategies and player interactions. This version of the game is designed for 1 to 4 players and emphasizes not only route-building but also competitive objectives that encourage keeping an eye on opponents' progress.

    More details for Railroad Ink Challenge: Lush Green Edition
    • 👥 1 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 15 - 30 Minutes
    • 🧒 8+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn
  18. Arboretum

    Arboretum invites 2-4 players, aged 10 and up, to embark on a strategic journey of set collection, tile-laying, and hand management, creating picturesque garden paths within a concise 25-minute playtime.

    Nominated for 5 awards and won 1.

    More details for Arboretum
    • 👥 2 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 30 Minutes
    • 🧒 8+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Arboretum

    • YouTube Review for the game "Arboretum" by BoardGameGeek
      Video
  19. Stillleben

    A job awaits in Amsterdam: you must break into the famous Bachmann Gallery and steal a mysterious painting. Assemble a team from the Amsterdam underworld, scout the gallery, hack security systems, and inspect blueprints. The game integrates real-world apps for gathering information, and players will engage in writing emails, browsing detailed websites, and making phone calls as part of the immersive experience.

    More details for Stillleben
    • 👥 1 - 6 Players
    • ⏱️ 150 - 210 Minutes
    • 🧒 14+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn
  20. Next Station: Paris

    • 👥 1 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 25 - 30 Minutes
    • 🧒 8+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn
  21. Copenhagen

    Copenhagen invites players into the architectural charm of the Danish capital, focusing on the iconic, colorful gabled houses of Nyhavn. This strategic, tile-placement game challenges players to design and construct new façades, blending them beautifully with the harbor’s historic setting.

    Nominated for 4 awards and won 1.

    More details for Copenhagen
    • 👥 2 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 20 - 40 Minutes
    • 🧒 8+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn
  22. Blue Lagoon

    Blue Lagoon is an engaging board game that combines elements of area control and set collection, set in a newly discovered archipelago. Players take on the roles of leaders guiding groups of settlers to spread across various islands, aiming to establish their presence and gather valuable resources.

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Blue Lagoon
    • 👥 2 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 30 - 45 Minutes
    • 🧒 8+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Blue Lagoon

    • YouTube Review for the game "Blue Lagoon" by BoardGameGeek
      Video
    • YouTube Review for the game "Blue Lagoon" by BoardGameGeek
      Video
  23. Through the Desert

    Through the Desert is a strategic board game where players guide caravans through the desert to claim oases and territory. Often compared to the classic game Go, it combines strategic planning with a visually appealing setup featuring colorful plastic camels.

    Nominated for 4 awards and won 1.

    More details for Through the Desert
    • 👥 2 - 5 Players
    • ⏱️ 45 Minutes
    • 🧒 10+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn
  24. Next Station: Tokyo

    Travel to the Japanese city of Tokyo and compete to redesign its subway plans for the challenges of tomorrow. In each round, reveal the next station card and draw a subway line on your map. Optimize your network to collect as many stamps as possible while staying connected to the central green loop for maximum points.

    Nominated for 1 award and won 1.

    More details for Next Station: Tokyo
    • 👥 1 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 25 - 30 Minutes
    • 🧒 8+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn
  25. Railroad Ink Challenge: Shining Yellow Edition

    Railroad Ink Challenge: Shining Yellow Edition offers everything you love about the original games, along with a new focus on player interaction through in-game objectives. Players must watch their opponents to be the first to achieve these goals for rewards. Unique dice enable unprecedented track configurations and special structures in the network trigger new effects, enhancing strategic gameplay. This quick roll-and-write game accommodates 1 to 4 players, requiring careful planning to connect exits while avoiding penalties for open connections.

    More details for Railroad Ink Challenge: Shining Yellow Edition
    • 👥 1 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 15 - 30 Minutes
    • 🧒 8+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn
  26. Ticket to Ride: Northern Lights

    • 👥 2 - 5 Players
    • ⏱️ 30 - 60 Minutes
    • 🧒 8+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn
  27. Pan Am

    Pan Am is an engaging board game that immerses players in the era of pioneering air travel, where they compete to build and expand their own airline empires. The game cleverly integrates strategy, bidding, and economic elements, allowing players to navigate through the historical landscape of the aviation industry.

    More details for Pan Am
    • 👥 2 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 60 Minutes
    • 🧒 12+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn
  28. Tiefenrausch

    Players collaborate in a deductive mystery game, solving puzzles and following clues to crack a case. They will use a card game, twelve hidden realistic documents, and the internet, making decisions that influence the game's outcome through a choose-your-own-adventure mechanic. Set in modern-day New York's mafia scene, players must identify a mole responsible for the death of the godfather's eldest son, using various strategies to extract information from suspects while engaging with real-world resources.

    More details for Tiefenrausch
    • 👥 1 - 6 Players
    • ⏱️ 150 - 210 Minutes
    • 🧒 14+ years old
    • 🧩 Immediately playable
  29. 10 Days in Europe

    Explore 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.

    Nominated for 3 awards.

    ⭐️ Nominated for Kinderspiel des Jahres 2003

    More details for 10 Days in Europe
    • 👥 2 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 20 - 30 Minutes
    • 🧒 10+ years old
    • 🧩 Immediately playable

    Video reviews for 10 Days in Europe

    • YouTube Review for the game "10 Days in Europe" by BoardGameGeek
      Video
  30. Patterns

    Players engage in an area-control game by swapping tiles from a large mandala on the table. Each player aims to mark connected areas of color as their territory. At the end, the player with the most points wins.

    More details for Patterns
    • 👥 2 Players
    • ⏱️ 20 Minutes
    • 🧒 8+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn
  31. Ticket To Ride: Berlin

    Welcome 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.

    More details for Ticket To Ride: Berlin
    • 👥 2 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 10 - 15 Minutes
    • 🧒 8+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn
  32. Dungeon Exit

    • 👥 1 - 2 Players
    • 🧒 8+ years old
    • 🧩 Immediately playable
  33. We have selected the best detective board games for you 🕵️‍♂️. The offer ranges from simple variants that can be solved in a few minutes to extra difficult ones that can take several hours. There is something for everyone is Sherlock Holmes among you.

    The best Detective board games 🕵️‍♂️ →

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