The best games where you can take loans 🏦 2026

Players take on the role of great rulers from the past to build their own ancient city. Each round, players invest gold to construct tiles that enhance their city’s economy. There are five building types that yield resources, helping the city grow, while monuments and wonder tiles provide victory points but require all your gold. Once a player reaches the maximum population, they are declared the winner of the game.

In Architects of the West Kingdom, set against the backdrop of the late Carolingian Empire around 850 AD, players step into the roles of royal architects. Tasked with constructing important buildings and advancing the construction of the Archbishop's cathedral, this game uniquely combines resource management, worker placement, and moral choices into a rich strategic tableau. Players vie for the King's favor and maintain their noble status in a world where virtue and vice coexist.

Manila is an engaging and speculative board game for 3-5 players, centered around the bustling world of maritime trade. Players take on the role of investors, speculating on and betting against a variety of goods shipments – jade, ginseng, silk, and nutmeg – as they make their precarious journey along sea routes to Manila. The game is a blend of strategy, risk, and luck, with the fate of each shipment ultimately being decided by dice rolls.

The Royal Monstrological Society includes the most renowned experts in monster studies. Each year, only one new member is allowed to join, and applicants must compete to capture the most extraordinary monsters they can find. Players collect cards to capture and display exotic monsters, hire talented assistants, and pursue secret goals, earning points through monster exhibitions, achieving objectives, and collecting crowns over four seasons. The player with the most profitable and spectacular carnival at the end wins!

London (Second Edition) is a refined version of a classic board game that caters to players who enjoy strategic planning and city-building. Set in the aftermath of the Great Fire of London, players are tasked with the ambitious goal of reconstructing the city. This game challenges players to balance the complexities of urban development, financial management, and social responsibility.

Players participate in an auction game where colorful dice are auctioned based on a random roll. Winning bidders place the dice on the board, and once a section has seven dice, it is locked and cannot receive more. Players can borrow a limited amount of money each round, but they must repay loans with interest at the end of the game, where they tally their property values to determine the winner.

From the Hanging Gardens of Babylon to the Pyramids of Egypt and the Greek Parthenon, builders face a range of challenges. Players must don their foreman attire and make key decisions about hiring workers, managing resources, and purchasing tools or slaves. Completing buildings earns points based on various traits, while strategic use of workers and additional actions can lead to becoming the greatest builder of all time.

Unfair is a strategic and competitive board game where players compete to build the most impressive theme park. The game involves a mix of creativity, strategy, and a bit of mischief as you navigate through the competitive world of theme park management.

Le Havre is a strategic board game that simulates harbor management, focusing on resource distribution, building construction, and economic development.

At the Gates of Loyang is a trading and farming game set in ancient China, where players focus on producing and selling goods, while utilizing the help of various assistants to boost their income and efficiency.

Players navigate their boats in areas determined by the cards they draw, aiming to be part of a capture team with nearby boats. Sometimes, a player takes on the role of the "Flying Dutchman," able to reach more locations but vanishing once a capture happens. Additionally, players can position themselves as the main trader during a conquest, allowing them to pay surrounding boats while ultimately earning more money by the end of the game.

Prêt-à-Porter immerses players in the cutthroat world of fashion, blending economic strategy with the glitz of fashion shows. In this game, players manage their own clothing companies, striving for dominance in high-stakes fashion events. It's known for being one of the most intense and competitive games, where money is a powerful tool. Players work to expand their companies by opening new branches, hiring staff like Designers, Models, and Accountants, and signing contracts to boost profits and capabilities.

In Crystal Palace, players are transported back to the vibrant atmosphere of London in 1851, at the dawn of the first World Fair. Here, nations compete not with military might but with the power of innovation and influence, showcasing spectacular inventions and securing the support of notable figures from the era. This dice-placement game stands out by allowing players to set the values of their dice at the start of each round, presenting a strategic dilemma between aiming high for better outcomes and managing the cost of ambition.

Cashflow 101 is a serious game designed by investor and author Robert Kiyosaki to help players learn fundamental financial strategies and accounting principles. It features two tracks: the "Rat Race," where players progress by rolling one die, and the "Fast Track," which requires rolling two dice. Players manage their finances through player sheets, selecting starting careers and tracking changes as they engage in various transactions.