The best games where you have to build a territory 🌏 2026
Looking for a game where you have to build a territory 🌏? Then we have just the thing: the list of the best territory building games games 2026.
What are territory building games?
Territory building games require players to build and/or accumulate control over a specific territory. Territory control and territory containment mechanisms are often used in these games. Territories are not necessarily delineated at the beginning of the game, but instead become enclosed by larger territories as the game progresses.
Examples of games with territory building elements
One of the best examples of games where you have to build a territory is Carcassonne. But also abstract games like Blokus where you have to mark out your territory with Tetris-like bricks (so called polyominoes) belong to the territory building games.
List of the best games 2026 where you have to build a territory 🌏
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The Castles of Burgundy: Special Edition
All details & ratingThe Castles of Burgundy: Special Edition revitalizes Stefan Feld's classic strategy game for 1-4 players, where participants embody aristocrats managing their princedoms. This special edition, a collaboration between Ravensburger and Awaken Realms, elevates the game with a full art redesign, premium materials, and enhanced components, offering a luxurious playing experience as players build their settlements, castles, and engage in trade.
1–4 70–120 min 12+ Medium complexity -
Kingdomino
All details & ratingEmbark on a noble quest to expand your kingdom in Kingdomino. As a lord, your mission is to explore vast lands filled with wheat fields, serene lakes, and towering mountains. Competing with fellow lords, you must identify the choicest plots to claim as your own.
2–4 15–25 min 8+ Immediately playable+ 4 € above the best price14 € at Amazon*Video reviews 1 -
Dorfromantik: The Board Game
All details & ratingDorfromantik: The Board Game transitions the charming and strategic essence of the beloved video game into a tactile family board game experience. Designed by Michael Palm and Lukas Zach, this game invites up to six players to collaboratively construct a picturesque landscape using hexagonal tiles. Players aim to satisfy community demands while strategically extending rivers and tracks, and optimizing points through clever area enclosure with flags.
1–6 30–60 min 8+ Easy to learn1 € below the next retailer25 € at Amazon* -
Cartographers
All details & ratingCartographers: A Roll Player Tale transports players to a realm where they take on the roles of mapmakers, tasked by Queen Gimnax to chart the northern territories for the Kingdom of Nalos. This game combines elements of strategy and creativity, challenging players to create the most efficient and aesthetically pleasing maps.
1–100 30–45 min 10+ Easy to learn+ 4 € above the best price20 € at Amazon* -
Dragomino
All details & ratingThe big moment has arrived. You have been appointed as a "Dragon Trainer" with the chance to encounter dragons on a mysterious island. Compete with other trainers to discover the most baby dragons while searching for dragon eggs.
2–4 15 min 5+ Immediately playable+ 3 € above the best price21 € at Amazon* -
Planet Unknown
All details & ratingPlanet Unknown is a competitive and strategic game for 1-6 players set in a future where Earth's resources are depleted. Players are tasked with developing the most efficient and habitable planet among a series of newfound worlds. Using polyomino-shaped tiles, each representing vital infrastructure, players work to efficiently cover their planets and build an effective support system for life.
1–6 60–80 min 10+ Easy to learn -
Dorfromantik: Sakura
All details & ratingPlayers are transported to the idyllic landscapes of Japan in this standalone successor to the award-winning board game. With the introduction of cherry blossoms as a new element and over 40 achievements to unlock, there's plenty of exciting challenges to face. Numerous surprises await as players explore the world of Dorfromantik - Sakura.
1–6 30–90 min 10+ Easy to learn -
The Castles of Burgundy
All details & ratingThe Castles of Burgundy is set in the medieval Burgundy region of France, where players assume the roles of aristocrats seeking to expand their princedoms. The game revolves around building settlements, constructing castles, engaging in river trade, mining for silver, and utilizing travelers' knowledge.
2–4 30–90 min 12+ Medium complexityVideo reviews 1 -
Takenoko
All details & ratingTakenoko is a charming board game set in the Japanese Imperial court, revolving around the care of a giant panda gifted by the Chinese Emperor. Players, as court members, are tasked with managing a bamboo garden for the panda.
2–4 45 min 8+ Easy to learn+ 7 € above the best price40 € at Amazon*Video reviews 1 -
Carcassonne: Winter Edition
All details & ratingCarcassonne: Winter Edition wraps the classic tile-placement game in a picturesque blanket of snow, offering a seasonal twist on the beloved mechanics of Carcassonne. This edition captures the essence of winter with beautifully illustrated tiles that transform the familiar French countryside into a serene snowy landscape. Players continue to strategically place tiles and deploy their meeples as knights, farmers, and highwaymen, endeavoring to dominate this frosty version of the medieval terrain.
2–5 40 min 8+ Easy to learn+ 29 € above the best price44 € at Amazon* -
Terraforming Mars
All details & ratingTerraforming Mars is a strategic board game set in the 2400s, where players, representing giant corporations, embark on the colossal task of terraforming Mars. Sponsored by the World Government on Earth, each corporation competes to contribute most effectively to raising the planet's temperature, oxygen level, and ocean coverage to make Mars habitable. While players work together in the terraforming process, they also compete for victory points awarded for their contributions to terraforming, advancing human infrastructure throughout the solar system, and other notable achievements.
1–5 120 min 12+ Medium complexityVideo reviews 1 -
Kingdomino Origins
All details & ratingTravel back to the prehistoric era of Kingdomino. Players will experience familiar gameplay with new components that introduce additional actions and scoring opportunities. Regions in your territory earn points when they contain fire, which can be gained either through terrain or by adding dominoes with volcanoes. The game features three play modes that incorporate fire, wood resources, and cave people tiles, allowing for varied strategies and rewards.
2–4 20–40 min 8+ Easy to learn -
Cacao
All details & ratingCacao is a tile-placement game set in the vibrant and lush world of cacao cultivation. Players take on the roles of tribe chiefs, leading their people to prosperity by strategically harvesting and trading cacao.
2–4 45 min 8+ Easy to learnVideo reviews 1 -
Agropolis
All details & ratingFrom clucking chickens to rumbling tractors, the sounds of a busy farm are everywhere. Your planning team is tasked with transforming this small farm into a thriving livestock community.
1–4 15–20 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 -
World Wonders
All details & ratingPlayers 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.
1–5 50–70 min 12+ Easy to learn -
Blokus
All details & ratingBlokus is an abstract strategy game known for its simple rules and deep strategic gameplay. It features colorful Tetris-shaped pieces that players aim to place on the board.
2–4 30 min 7+ Easy to learn5 € below the next retailer25 € at Amazon* -
Bunny Kingdom
All details & ratingBunny Kingdom is a charming and strategic board game where players lead clans of rabbits to establish their dominance over a vast kingdom. The game combines elements of drafting, resource management, and area control to create a dynamic and engaging experience.
2–4 40–60 min 12+ Easy to learn15 € below the next retailer47 € at Amazon*Video reviews 3 - + 8 € above the best price23 € at Amazon*
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Happy City
All details & ratingBecome the mayor of your own mini-metropolis! Buy buildings to attract residents, increase their happiness, and earn income while balancing growth and citizen satisfaction for your final score. The game offers two modes: a family version and an expert version that features more interaction and strategy.
2–5 20–30 min 10+ Immediately playable -
Land vs Sea
All details & ratingPlayers take on the roles of land or sea, using double-sided hex tiles that represent land and water shapes. Each player places tiles alternately to create a shared map, aiming to complete land or sea areas for points. The game concludes when the last tile is played, and the player or team with the highest score wins. Additional scoring options can be unlocked for added complexity, allowing for strategic play in varying player modes.
2–4 40 min 14+ Easy to learn -
Paris: La Cité de la Lumière
All details & ratingParis: La Cité de la Lumière is a two-player board game designed by José Antonio Abascal, beautifully illustrated by Oriol Hernández. Set in the enchanting city of Paris during the 1889 "Exposition Universelle," the game captures the era when electricity began illuminating the city, leading to its nickname "La Cité de la Lumière" or the City of Light.
2 30 min 8+ Easy to learn -
Blokus Duo
All details & ratingBlokus Duo, also known as Travel Blokus, is a two-player version of the popular abstract strategy game Blokus. It offers a compact and travel-friendly design, perfect for on-the-go gaming sessions.
2 10–20 min 5+ Easy to learn
Frequently asked questions
Which game ranks first on this list?
The Castles of Burgundy: Special Edition 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 5 years. Each game carries its own age rating.
How long does a game take?
A typical game takes about 30 to 45 minutes. Each game's playing time is listed individually.
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