The Best Games Where Your Own Action Follows That of Another Player 2026

Games with follow action mechanics create interactive player engagement. These games allow players to piggyback on or respond to opponents' choices.

This list was last updated on June 6, 2026. There's also a print version for this list .
  1. Qwinto

    Qwinto offers a refreshing twist on the roll-and-write genre, engaging players in a simultaneous play experience where quick thinking and strategic number placement are key to victory. In this game, players race to fill out their scoresheets with ascending numbers in three colorful rows, while navigating the constraints of overlapping columns and avoiding duplicates to maximize their scores.

    More details for Qwinto
    • 👥 2 - 6 Players
    • ⏱️ 15 Minutes
    • 🧒 8+ years old
    • 🧩 Immediately playable
  2. Tiny Epic Galaxies

    In Tiny Epic Galaxies, each player commands a galactic empire, striving to expand their influence by acquiring contested planets and strengthening their cosmic armada. The game features an innovative dice-rolling combo mechanic, where the number of rolled dice corresponds to your galaxy's strength. These dice display symbols representing actions such as spaceship movement, resource acquisition, and the advancement of political or economic influence over newly discovered planets.

    Nominated for 3 awards and won 1.

    More details for Tiny Epic Galaxies
    • 👥 1 - 5 Players
    • ⏱️ 30 - 45 Minutes
    • 🧒 14+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn
  3. Tiny Towns

    Tiny Towns is a charming and strategic board game where players take on the role of mayors building their own tiny towns in a forest. The game challenges players to manage resources wisely and plan their towns carefully to maximize prosperity.

    Nominated for 9 awards and won 2.

    More details for Tiny Towns
    • 👥 1 - 6 Players
    • ⏱️ 45 - 60 Minutes
    • 🧒 14+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn
  4. Looking for a really good game with a changing turn schedule? Then we've got just the thing for you: the list of the best "changing turn order" games 2026.

    The best games with Variable Phase Order →
  5. San Juan

    San Juan is a captivating card game that is inspired by the highly acclaimed board game, Puerto Rico. It is a game of strategy and resource management, set against the backdrop of the historic city of San Juan.

    Nominated for 7 awards and won 2.

    More details for San Juan
    • 👥 2 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 45 - 60 Minutes
    • 🧒 10+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn

    Video reviews for San Juan

    • YouTube Review for the game "San Juan" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video
    • YouTube Review for the game "San Juan" by BoardGameGeek
      Video
  6. Savannah Park

    Players manage their own wildlife parks with the goal of grouping animals by species. Each begins with the same set of 33 unique animal tiles placed randomly in their park, while certain spaces remain unoccupied throughout the game. Players take turns choosing tiles to place in their parks, and the game ends when all tiles are moved, leading to a scoring round based on the size of animal herds and proximity to water holes, with various game modes to enhance replayability.

    Nominated for 2 awards.

    More details for Savannah Park
    • 👥 1 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 20 - 40 Minutes
    • 🧒 8+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn
  7. Race for the Galaxy

    Race for the Galaxy is a captivating card game that immerses players in the challenge of building galactic civilizations. In this race through the cosmos, players use game cards to represent worlds, technologies, and developments as they strive for supremacy. Let's delve into the gameplay and discover what makes Race for the Galaxy unique.

    Nominated for 12 awards and won 5.

    More details for Race for the Galaxy
    • 👥 2 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 30 - 60 Minutes
    • 🧒 12+ years old
    • 🧩 Medium difficulty
  8. Roll for the Galaxy

    Roll for the Galaxy is a dice-based strategy game for 2-5 players, where dice represent the populace tasked with building a space empire. It's a dice adaptation of the popular card game Race for the Galaxy.

    Nominated for 7 awards and won 2.

    More details for Roll for the Galaxy
    • 👥 2 - 5 Players
    • ⏱️ 45 Minutes
    • 🧒 13+ years old
    • 🧩 Medium difficulty
  9. Tiny Epic Galaxies BLAST OFF! (Expansion)

    Tiny Epic Galaxies BLAST OFF! is a streamlined successor that allows players to learn and teach the game faster than ever. Players roll Galaxy Dice and perform simple actions, leading to an epic gameplay experience. With a unique following mechanic, players maintain a constant turn sequence while creating cosmic combos and colonizing planets for new abilities and victory points. Collect the most points by the end of the game to be crowned the supreme leader of the universe!

    More details for Tiny Epic Galaxies BLAST OFF! (Expansion)
    • 👥 2 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 30 - 45 Minutes
    • 🧒 9+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn
  10. Terraforming Mars: Ares Expedition

    Terraforming Mars: Ares Expedition is an engaging engine-building game where players take on the roles of corporations with the ambitious goal of terraforming Mars. The game combines strategic resource management and project development to make the red planet habitable.

    Nominated for 5 awards.

    💰 3% cheaper on Amazon than at other retailers

    More details for Terraforming Mars: Ares Expedition
    • 👥 1 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 45 - 60 Minutes
    • 🧒 14+ years old
    • 🧩 Medium difficulty
  11. Earth

    Earth is an engrossing engine-building board game that celebrates the intricate ecosystems and diverse habitats of our planet. It invites players to dive into rich natural environments, crafting synergies that mirror Earth's extraordinary adaptability and abundance.

    Nominated for 13 awards and won 5.

    More details for Earth
    • 👥 1 - 5 Players
    • ⏱️ 45 - 90 Minutes
    • 🧒 13+ years old
    • 🧩 Medium difficulty
  12. Looking for a really good game with 4x mechanism? Then we have just the thing for you: The list with the best 4X games 2026.

    The best games with the 4x mechanism →
  13. Broom Service (Kennerspiel des Jahres 2015 winner)

    • Connoisseur Game of the YearConnoisseur Game of the Year
    • FantasyFantasy
    • Family GameFamily Game
    • Strategy GameStrategy Game
    • Set CollectionSet Collection
    • Simultaneous ActionSimultaneous Action
    +5 more

    Broom Service is a captivating and strategic card-based game where players aim to score the most victory points by adeptly delivering potions throughout a magical realm. This game is a reimagined version of the award-winning Witch's Brew, offering a fresh theme and new gameplay elements, while retaining the core mechanics that made the original game popular.

    Nominated for 3 awards and won 1.

    ⭐️ Kennerspiel des Jahres 2015

    More details for Broom Service (Kennerspiel des Jahres 2015 winner)
    • 👥 2 - 5 Players
    • ⏱️ 30 - 75 Minutes
    • 🧒 10+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn
  14. Ultra Tiny Epic Galaxies

    • Sci-FiSci-Fi
    • Area ControlArea Control
    • Solo ModeSolo Mode
    • DraftingDrafting
    • Variable PowersVariable Powers
    +2 more

    Ultra-Tiny Epic Galaxies is a complete and unabridged version housed in a box the size of a deck of cards. It accommodates 1 to 5 players, features all 40 original planets, and even includes the Satellites & Superweapons mini-expansion!

    More details for Ultra Tiny Epic Galaxies
    • 👥 1 - 5 Players
    • ⏱️ 30 - 45 Minutes
    • 🧒 14+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn
  15. Glory to Rome

    • Swiss Gamers Award+1Swiss Gamers Award
    • Economy & TradeEconomy & Trade
    • Ancient WorldAncient World
    • Strategy GameStrategy Game
    • Set CollectionSet Collection
    • Card GameCard Game
    +7 more

    Glory to Rome transports players back to 64 A.D., where they take on the role of architects and planners aiding Emperor Nero in rebuilding Rome after the great fire. This card-based game combines city building with resource management in a historically themed setting.

    Nominated for 6 awards and won 2.

    More details for Glory to Rome
    • 👥 2 - 5 Players
    • ⏱️ 60 Minutes
    • 🧒 12+ years old
    • 🧩 Medium difficulty
  16. Innovation

    • Golden Geek+1Golden Geek
    • CivilizationCivilization
    • Strategy GameStrategy Game
    • Take ThatTake That
    • Card GameCard Game
    +4 more

    Innovation is a dynamic card game that captures the essence of civilization building. Designed by Carl Chudyk, it offers players a unique experience of guiding a civilization's journey from the stone age to modern times.

    Nominated for 3 awards and won 2.

    More details for Innovation
    • 👥 2 - 5 Players
    • ⏱️ 20 - 60 Minutes
    • 🧒 12+ years old
    • 🧩 Medium difficulty
  17. Fort

    • SXSW Tabletop Game of the YearSXSW Tabletop Game of the Year
    • Deck-BuildingDeck-Building
    • Strategy GameStrategy Game
    • Card GameCard Game
    +2 more

    Fort is a playful and strategic card game for 2-4 players where you step into the shoes of a kid building their personal fort and growing their circle of friends.

    Nominated for 5 awards and won 1.

    More details for Fort
    • 👥 2 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 20 - 40 Minutes
    • 🧒 10+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn
  18. Rising Sun

    In the mystical realm of legendary feudal Japan, the forgotten Kami have arisen from the underworld, dissatisfied with the ruling Shōgun. As spring heralds the Great New Year, the sacred clans gather to embark on a quest to reclaim the lands of Nippon, restoring honor and spirituality. Honorable Shōgun, you lead one of these clans, navigating a delicate balance of diplomacy, alliances, and war in the pursuit of victory. Will you uphold the ancient promise with strength, virtue, and spirit in the board game Rising Sun?

    Nominated for 9 awards and won 3.

    More details for Rising Sun
    • 👥 3 - 5 Players
    • ⏱️ 90 - 120 Minutes
    • 🧒 14+ years old
    • 🧩 Medium difficulty
  19. Glass Road

    Glass Road celebrates the centuries-old tradition of glass-making in the Bavarian Forest, offering a unique blend of resource management and strategy in a historical setting.

    Nominated for 3 awards.

    More details for Glass Road
    • 👥 1 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 20 - 80 Minutes
    • 🧒 13+ years old
    • 🧩 Medium difficulty
  20. Villages of Valeria

    • Board Game Quest Awards Best Card GameBoard Game Quest Awards Best Card Game
    • FantasyFantasy
    • Solo ModeSolo Mode
    • Strategy GameStrategy Game
    • City BuildingCity Building
    • DraftingDrafting
    +1 more

    Villages of Valeria is a dynamic and engaging village-building card game that transports players to the enchanting world of Valeria. As aspiring leaders, players work to transform their humble villages into thriving capital cities through strategic resource management, building construction, and the recruitment of adventurers. The game stands out for its simplicity and depth, offering a rich tableau-building experience where every decision matters.

    Nominated for 2 awards and won 1.

    More details for Villages of Valeria
    • 👥 1 - 5 Players
    • ⏱️ 30 - 60 Minutes
    • 🧒 14+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn
  21. Eminent Domain

    • Golden Geek (nominated)Golden Geek (nominated)
    • Sci-FiSci-Fi
    • CivilizationCivilization
    • Deck-BuildingDeck-Building
    • Strategy GameStrategy Game
    • DraftingDrafting
    +3 more

    Eminent Domain is a civilization-building board game where players strategically develop their civilization's abilities through a deck of Role cards. The game combines elements of strategy, resource management, and technology advancement.

    Nominated for 3 awards.

    More details for Eminent Domain
    • 👥 2 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 45 Minutes
    • 🧒 10+ years old
    • 🧩 Medium difficulty
  22. Twilight Imperium: Fourth Edition

    Embark on an epic journey of galactic conquest in Twilight Imperium: Fourth Edition. As a leader of one of seventeen unique factions, you'll navigate the vastness of space, striving for dominance through military might, political maneuvering, and economic prowess. The game unfolds around Mecatol Rex, the central planet, where the throne of the galaxy awaits the faction that can skillfully navigate the challenges of a dynamic and strategically constructed universe.

    Nominated for 2 awards.

    More details for Twilight Imperium: Fourth Edition
    • 👥 3 - 6 Players
    • ⏱️ 240 - 480 Minutes
    • 🧒 14+ years old
    • 🧩 Hard to learn

    Video reviews for Twilight Imperium: Fourth Edition

    • YouTube Review for the game "Twilight Imperium: Fourth Edition" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video
  23. Dastardly Dirigibles

    • DraftingDrafting
    • Set CollectionSet Collection
    • Take ThatTake That
    +2 more

    Professor Phineas Edmund Hornswoggle, the famous airship builder, is retiring, and you are an engineer vying to inherit the Hornswoggle factory. Dastardly Dirigibles features tarot-sized cards played in a constant action format, where each time a part is added, all players must add the same part, which can replace an existing one. Construct your airship using various components in nine beautiful colors, while also employing special cards to your advantage or to thwart your opponents. The round ends when the first airship is completed, but you only score based on the most frequently used color in your airship. The player with the highest score after three rounds wins!

    More details for Dastardly Dirigibles
    • 👥 2 - 5 Players
    • ⏱️ 60 Minutes
    • 🧒 8+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn
  24. Tiny Epic Kingdoms

    • Golden GeekGolden Geek
    • FantasyFantasy
    • CivilizationCivilization
    • Area ControlArea Control
    • Worker PlacementWorker Placement
    • Bluffing & BettingBluffing & Betting
    +3 more

    In Tiny Epic Kingdoms, players are plunged into a world of fantasy and strategy where they lead their tiny kingdoms towards greatness amidst fierce competition.

    Nominated for 1 award and won 1.

    More details for Tiny Epic Kingdoms
    • 👥 2 - 5 Players
    • ⏱️ 30 - 45 Minutes
    • 🧒 13+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn
  25. Senators

    • Push Your LuckPush Your Luck
    • Ancient WorldAncient World
    • AuctionAuction
    • Strategy GameStrategy Game
    • Set CollectionSet Collection
    +3 more

    The game is set during the late Republican period of Rome, where players lead factions competing for power in the Senate. Players increase their wealth by buying resources, selling them to the state, and using the profits to recruit more senators. The game features various bidding mechanisms, including open auctions, blind bids, and innovative blind bidding for budget deficits, all while competing for control as conflict escalates.

    More details for Senators
    • 👥 3 - 5 Players
    • ⏱️ 45 - 60 Minutes
    • 🧒 12+ years old
    • 🧩 Easy to learn
  26. Memorinth

    • MemoryMemory
    • Kids' GameKids' Game
    • Modular BoardModular Board
    +2 more

    It's a beautiful spring day, perfect for a walk in the woods. As you stroll, the leaves rustle, and sunlight filters through the branches. Suddenly, you encounter a talking goose and a goblin, and your friends appear beside you in the forest.

    More details for Memorinth
    • 👥 2 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 15 - 30 Minutes
    • 🧒 6+ years old
    • 🧩 Immediately playable
  27. New Frontiers

    New Frontiers is a standalone strategy game that expands the Race for the Galaxy universe into new realms of empire building and exploration. Players vie to construct the most powerful galactic empire by strategically selecting actions that benefit all, but with a special advantage to the chooser.

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for New Frontiers
    • 👥 2 - 5 Players
    • ⏱️ 45 - 75 Minutes
    • 🧒 14+ years old
    • 🧩 Medium difficulty
  28. Carnegie

    • Golden Geek+6Golden Geek
    • Worker PlacementWorker Placement
    • Solo ModeSolo Mode
    • Route BuildingRoute Building
    • Economy & TradeEconomy & Trade
    • HeavyweightHeavyweight
    +4 more

    Carnegie is a board game that delves into the historical and industrial era of the United States, focusing on the life and career of Andrew Carnegie, a prominent figure in the steel industry and a renowned philanthropist. Players engage in strategic management of resources and development to build prestigious companies.

    Nominated for 14 awards and won 7.

    💰 10% cheaper on Amazon than at other retailers

    More details for Carnegie
    • 👥 1 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 90 - 120 Minutes
    • 🧒 12+ years old
    • 🧩 Hard to learn
  29. Reavers of Midgard

    • Worker PlacementWorker Placement
    • Strategy GameStrategy Game
    • DraftingDrafting
    • Set CollectionSet Collection
    +1 more

    Reavers of Midgard is a captivating board game that expands upon the vibrant universe first introduced in Champions of Midgard. This standalone sequel elevates the Viking-themed adventure with a blend of worker placement, set collection, dice combat, and engine-building mechanics, offering players a rich and strategic gameplay experience as they vie for glory beyond the defenses of their port town.

    More details for Reavers of Midgard
    • 👥 2 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 60 - 120 Minutes
    • 🧒 14+ years old
    • 🧩 Medium difficulty
  30. Skylands

    • FantasyFantasy
    • Tile-LayingTile-Laying
    • ExplorationExploration
    • Strategy GameStrategy Game
    +1 more

    The Skylands people live high above the earth on mystical, floating islands. Players build a part of the Skylands kingdom by exploring new territories of wood, stone, and especially crystal.

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

    Video reviews for Skylands

    • YouTube Review for the game "Skylands" by BoardGameGeek
      Video
  31. Heroes of Land, Air & Sea

    • FantasyFantasy
    • MilitaryMilitary
    • Area ControlArea Control
    • Worker PlacementWorker Placement
    • Solo ModeSolo Mode
    • CombatCombat
    +2 more

    Heroes of Land, Air & Sea immerses players in a grand 4X-style conflict set in a fantasy world of classic races like orcs, humans, dwarves, and elves. Each player starts with a humble township aiming to explore, expand, exploit, and ultimately, exterminate to forge the greatest kingdom.

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Heroes of Land, Air & Sea
    • 👥 1 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 120 - 180 Minutes
    • 🧒 14+ years old
    • 🧩 Medium difficulty
  32. Merchants of the Dark Road

    • Golden Geek (nominated)Golden Geek (nominated)
    • FantasyFantasy
    • MedievalMedieval
    • Solo ModeSolo Mode
    • Strategy GameStrategy Game
    • Set CollectionSet Collection
    +2 more

    Merchants of the Dark Road immerses you in a world where the sun sets for an extended dark season, and the perilous task of connecting cities falls upon a courageous few. As a merchant navigating these treacherous paths, your quest for wealth and renown unfolds on a board intricately designed with a rondel action system at its core. Here, strategy involves collecting items, equipping your caravan, engaging with heroes, and mastering the market—all while the allure of adventure and the promise of fame beckon.

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Merchants of the Dark Road
    • 👥 1 - 4 Players
    • ⏱️ 60 - 120 Minutes
    • 🧒 12+ years old
    • 🧩 Medium difficulty
  33. Looking for a good game that involves fighting over actions? Then we have just the thing: our top list of the best action drafting games 2026.

    The best action drafting board, card & dice games →

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