The best games with the 4x mechanism 2024
Looking for a really good game with 4x mechanism? Then we have just the thing for you: The list with the best 4X games 2024.
What are 4X (mechanism) games?
In this list you will find games, expansions, promos, etc. that use a 4X mechanism in gameplay, not just in pictures or the theme.
4X games are a growing family of games connected by 4 categories of gameplay, all of which are crucial elements of the game:
- eXplore
Exploring the map with units, revealing the terrain of the area or something significant hidden in the area. What is uncovered will affect the game now and/or later. - eXpand
Expand the size of your territory by claiming areas on the map. Gaining or losing territory will affect the game. - eXploit
Exploit the occupied territories by improving them, gaining some/or using the territory to increase your units and/or power. These 3 things (improve, gain, and use) can happen in any order. - eXterminate
Eliminate other players with units (which can also be lost) from the game. It does not have to be very likely that a player can be eliminated from the game - only possible.
If it is impossible to eliminate a player from the game, but everything else (including combat) is like a 4X, the game is called a 3.5X.
The four Xs do not have to happen separately or one after the other.... they can be combined and happen at the same time. However, in a 4X game, all four Xs will enter.
Since all territories will eventually be claimed, attacking and/or eliminating the presence of a rival may be the only way to achieve further expansion.
List with the best games 2024, with 4x mechanism:
Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy
Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy is an enhanced version of the original Eclipse game, first released in 2011. It's a grand strategy game set in the depths of space, where players lead their own interstellar civilizations to explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate.
Nominated for 2 awards and won 2.
More details for Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy- 2 - 6 Players
- 60 - 200 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Hard to learn
👍 Good price!Check for best price now at*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
👍 Good price!Check for best price now at*Video reviews for Twilight Imperium: Fourth Edition
Rise of Tribes
More details for Rise of TribesRise of Tribes takes players back to a prehistoric era where leading a tribal faction to prosperity is the ultimate goal. Through a modular hex board representing various terrains, players strive to grow their tribe, move across lands, gather resources, and lead their people to victory. The game stands out with its dice-driven mechanism that influences the strength of each action, coupled with strategic decisions on where to place tribe members to either promote growth or avoid conflict.
- 2 - 4 Players
- 30 - 60 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
Video reviews for Rise of Tribes
Barony
More details for BaronyBarony is a strategic board game where players take on the roles of ambitious barons vying to expand their territory and influence to ultimately claim the title of king. The game begins with players randomly creating a board composed of tiles that feature different landscapes like forests, plains, fields, mountains, and lakes. Each player strategically places cities and knights, setting the stage for a contest of cunning and resource management.
- 2 - 4 Players
- 45 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Easy to learn
Video reviews for Barony
Clash of Cultures: Monumental Edition
Clash of Cultures: Monumental Edition revitalizes a beloved strategy game with an expansive collection that includes the original Clash of Cultures base game along with the Civilizations and Aztecs expansions. This comprehensive edition invites players on an epic journey through history, where each decision shapes the destiny of their civilization from humble beginnings to glorious zenith.
Nominated for 2 awards.
More details for Clash of Cultures: Monumental Edition- 2 - 4 Players
- 180 - 240 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Hard to learn
Star Trek: Ascendancy
Star Trek: Ascendancy brings the expansive universe of Star Trek to your tabletop, offering a deep strategy experience that allows you to control the iconic civilizations of the Star Trek universe: the United Federation of Planets, the Klingon Empire, and the Romulan Star Empire. Engage in exploration, expansion, and conflict as you navigate through uncharted territories, interact with new life forms, and decide whether to pursue paths of peace or domination. This game is a must-have for Star Trek fans and strategy enthusiasts alike, featuring over 200 plastic miniatures and an ever-changing galaxy map that ensures every game is a unique adventure.
Nominated for 1 award.
More details for Star Trek: Ascendancy- 3 Players
- 180 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Eclipse: New Dawn for the Galaxy
Eclipse: New Dawn for the Galaxy is a grand strategy board game set in a vast, peaceful galaxy that's on the brink of a major interstellar conflict. Players take control of one of the major spacefaring civilizations, navigating through a tense period of growing discord and shifting alliances after a long-lasting peace enforced by the Galactic Council. The game challenges players to expand their civilization's influence through exploration, technological advancement, and warfare, while carefully balancing their strategies against the actions of rival civilizations.
Nominated for 17 awards and won 7.
More details for Eclipse: New Dawn for the Galaxy- 2 - 6 Players
- 60 - 180 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Hard to learn
👍 Good price!Check for best price now at*Tiny Epic Kingdoms
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
Forbidden Stars
Forbidden Stars sets players in the midst of the galactic turmoil surrounding the newly accessible Herakon Cluster. In this strategy game, up to four players command powerful factions, including the Ultramarines, Eldar, Evil Sunz Ork clan, and Chaos Space Marines, each with unique play styles and objectives. The goal is clear: dominate the sector and outmaneuver your opponents in a universe where victory is as coveted as it is hard-fought.
Nominated for 3 awards.
More details for Forbidden Stars- 2 - 4 Players
- 120 - 180 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Hard to learn
Video reviews for Forbidden Stars
Empires: Age of Discovery
- 2 - 6 Players
- 50 - 150 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Space Empires 4X
Space Empires 4X is a grand strategy board game set in the vastness of space, where players assume the leadership of their own spacefaring empire. They will explore the galaxy, expand their territory, exploit resources, and exterminate rivals in a quest for dominance. The game emphasizes strategic planning, resource management, and tactical combat, offering a deep and engaging experience that mirrors the complexities of running an interstellar empire.
Nominated for 2 awards and won 1.
More details for Space Empires 4X- 1 - 4 Players
- 60 - 240 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Conquest of Paradise
- 1 - 4 Players
- 90 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Medium difficulty
The Golden Ages
Nominated for 3 awards.
More details for The Golden Ages- 2 - 4 Players
- 60 - 90 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Video reviews for The Golden Ages
Heroes of Land, Air & Sea
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
Civilization: A New Dawn
Sid Meier's Civilization: A New Dawn is a compelling strategy board game that allows players to immerse themselves in the roles of rulers of history's most iconic empires. The game challenges two to four players to expand their territories, advance technologies, and construct remarkable wonders. The objective is to strategically shape the world according to their vision and rise to become the preeminent global power.
Nominated for 3 awards.
More details for Civilization: A New Dawn- 2 - 4 Players
- 60 - 120 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Video reviews for Civilization: A New Dawn
Dominant Species
Dominant Species takes you back to 90,000 B.C., a time when the world faced an impending ice age. In this strategic board game, players immerse themselves in an epic struggle for dominance among various animal species. The game unfolds in the shadows of environmental changes, offering a challenging and immersive experience where adaptation is key.
Nominated for 8 awards and won 3.
More details for Dominant Species- 2 - 6 Players
- 120 - 240 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Hard to learn
March of the Ants
- 1 - 5 Players
- 60 - 90 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Clash of Cultures
Clash of Cultures is an expansive and engaging civilization-building board game created by Christian Marcussen, the designer behind Merchants and Marauders. This game invites players to lead their own civilizations from humble beginnings to dominant empires.
Nominated for 2 awards.
More details for Clash of Cultures- 2 - 4 Players
- 180 - 240 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Hard to learn
Imperial Stars II
- 1 - 2 Players
- 60 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Runewars
Runewars is an epic and immersive board game set in a rich fantasy universe. Designed for two to four players, the game involves a grand scale of conquest and conflict, where players compete to build powerful empires through strategic battles and territorial control. It is set in the same universe as Runebound, Descent: Journeys in the Dark, and Rune Age, allowing players to engage with a familiar and expansive fantasy world.
Nominated for 5 awards.
More details for Runewars- 2 - 4 Players
- 180 - 240 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Hard to learn
Galaxy Command
- 1 - 4 Players
- 10 - 45 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
Voidfall
Nominated for 10 awards and won 2.
More details for Voidfall- 1 - 4 Players
- 90 - 240 Minutes
- 15+ years old
- Very hard to learn
Dice Settlers
Dice Settlers is a strategic board game that combines elements of dice rolling, pool building, and area control to create a dynamic gameplay experience set in a new world reminiscent of the American frontier. Players will embark on an adventure where they establish their settlements, manage resources, and vie for territorial dominance, all through the actions dictated by their dice rolls.
Nominated for 1 award.
More details for Dice Settlers- 1 - 4 Players
- 45 - 60 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Video reviews for Dice Settlers
Empires of the Void II
Nominated for 1 award.
More details for Empires of the Void II- 2 - 5 Players
- 90 - 180 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Dark Ages: Holy Roman Empire
- 1 - 4 Players
- 120 - 180 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Sid Meier's Civilization: The Board Game
Sid Meier's Civilization: The Board Game is an expansive and immersive strategy game that allows players to lead historical civilizations through the ages. Inspired by the iconic video game series, this board game version, designed by Kevin Wilson, challenges players to grow their civilizations from humble beginnings to global dominance, offering multiple paths to victory.
Nominated for 7 awards and won 1.
More details for Sid Meier's Civilization: The Board Game- 2 - 4 Players
- 120 - 240 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Hard to learn
Horizons
- 2 - 5 Players
- 60 - 75 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Impulse
- 2 - 6 Players
- 30 - 60 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Master of the Galaxy
- 2 - 4 Players
- 45 - 120 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Alien Artifacts
Alien Artifacts is an engaging 4X-style card game where players lead interplanetary factions vying for supremacy through exploration, expansion, exploitation, and extermination. You'll command research vessels to explore uncharted space, construct formidable ships, innovate technologies, and colonize planets to further your faction's dominance.
Nominated for 2 awards.
More details for Alien Artifacts- 2 - 5 Players
- 60 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Video reviews for Alien Artifacts
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