The hallmarks of this type of board game are simple. You usually begin with very little to work with, whether it’s coins or bushels of wheat or workers. You must then begin working toward victory by gathering resources. The more resources you have at your disposal, the more cards or tiles you can play. These cards and tiles will then either make it easier to gather more, or make everything you have in play more efficient. By the end of the game, you\u2019ll have a well-oiled machine that lets you take incredibly powerful turns.<\/p><\/iframe>
13. It\u2019s a Wonderful World<\/span><\/mark><\/a><\/strong><\/h2> ![\"board](\"https:\/\/jbsgame.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/its-a-wonderful-world-game.jpg?resize=640%2C360\")
Image via Lucky Duck Games<\/figcaption><\/figure> The futuristic, dystopian card game It\u2019s a Wonderful World<\/a><\/em> is a modern classic of the engine-building genre. The game takes place over the course of four rounds and includes a drafting system that allows you to sabotage your opponent\u2019s systems. Well-timed card placement and resource generation are the keys to a successful strategy. However, you\u2019ll also need to think carefully about which cards you need to discard rather than build. It typically takes less than an hour to finish a game, and there\u2019s a solo mode.<\/p> 12. Gizmos<\/span><\/mark><\/a><\/strong><\/h2> ![\"science](\"https:\/\/jbsgame.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/gizmos-board-game.jpg?resize=640%2C430\")
Image via CMON<\/figcaption><\/figure> In Gizmos<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>each player works to design a machine that they hope will win them the top prize at the next Great Science Fair. When it\u2019s your turn, you\u2019ll have to file designs, build contraptions, or pick up resources from the game\u2019s marble dispenser. With a good arrangement of cards in play, you can quickly pick up steam. It\u2019s easy to learn and looks deceptively simple, but mastering the game will be challenging for most players. On some occasions, your starting hand can make it tricky to win, and for that reason, it\u2019s just a bit further back on this list.<\/p> 11. Fantastic Factories<\/span><\/mark><\/a><\/strong><\/h2> ![\"fantastic](\"https:\/\/jbsgame.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/fantastic-factories.jpg?resize=640%2C426\")
Image via Friendly Skeleton<\/figcaption><\/figure> Fantastic Factories<\/a><\/em> is perfect for players looking for a new engine building board game that\u2019s a bit less of a slow burn than the other entries on this list. The theme is straightforward and direct, and the card combos are satisfying and easy to trigger. It\u2019s a bit friendlier than your average tabletop title since player interaction is limited, and this can be either a blessing or a curse depending on your preferences. It\u2019s easy to learn and works great for players of all ages.<\/p> 10. 7 Wonders<\/span><\/mark><\/a><\/strong><\/h2> ![\"7](\"https:\/\/jbsgame.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/7-wonders-base-game.jpg?resize=640%2C306\")
Image via Repos Productions<\/figcaption><\/figure> Develop an ancient civilization from the ground up in 7 Wonders<\/em><\/a>, and then build a monument to your greatness to claim victory points. The game takes place over three phases. The first is all about mining, logging, and quarrying stone. In the next round, you and the players to your immediate left and right can use these resources to start assembling armies and attacking enemies. By the final round you might have made a few scientific innovations, or perhaps built a pantheon or palace that people in the future will consider a great wonder.<\/p> 9. Splendor<\/span><\/mark><\/a><\/strong><\/h2> ![\"easy](\"https:\/\/jbsgame.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/splendor-board-game.jpg?resize=640%2C347\")
Image via Space Cowboys<\/figcaption><\/figure> If you\u2019re looking for an easier to understand engine builder that\u2019s accessible for all players, Splendor<\/a> <\/em>is a great pick. You\u2019ll have a set of gems to work with in the first round, which you can use to pick up cards. These cards essentially function as more money for you to stack with your initial gems. The purchasing options are randomized, and most of the more expensive cards will give you victory points. The first player to 15 points takes the crown. Though it\u2019s on the simpler side, there\u2019s plenty of strategic gameplay.<\/p> 8. Scythe<\/span><\/mark><\/a><\/strong><\/h2> ![\"scythe](\"https:\/\/jbsgame.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/scythe-board-game-base.jpg?resize=640%2C347\")
Image via Stonemaier Games<\/figcaption><\/figure> The first World War rages on into the 1920s in Scythe<\/a>, <\/em>an exceptional alternate history board game of mechs, worker movement, and production. Each turn you\u2019ll need to think carefully about what you\u2019re going to do both now and in the next several rounds. If you produce oil, you can upgrade the efficiency of your play mat. If you choose to make food instead, you can purchase bolsters that react to your opponents’ actions. With more workers and more resource generation comes increased power and popularity costs. You can also make metal or wood to build mechs and structures. Mastery of this board game takes time, and that\u2019s because there\u2019s so much more here than just engine building.<\/p> 7. Dominion<\/span><\/mark><\/a><\/strong><\/h2> ![\"dominion](\"https:\/\/jbsgame.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/dominion-engine-building-game.jpg?resize=640%2C427\")
Image via Rio Grande Games<\/figcaption><\/figure> The classic deck-building card game Dominion<\/a> <\/em>is all about adding fuel to your deck\u2019s engine to ensure that you have efficient draw and coin generation. While it might seem tempting to only pick up victory points for the end of the game, these cards typically slow down your deck. Instead, you\u2019ll need to build a setup with actions and treasures to ensure that you can do something meaningful every turn, whether it\u2019s putting down a string of markets and villages or cursing your opponents. There\u2019s also a ton of great Dominion expansions<\/a> that utilize novel mechanics and give you more ways to win.<\/p> 6. Underwater Cities<\/span><\/mark><\/a><\/strong><\/h2> ![\"engine](\"https:\/\/jbsgame.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/underwater-cities.jpg?resize=640%2C347\")
Image via Delicious Games<\/figcaption><\/figure> Underwater Cities<\/a> <\/em>is a building and development-themed board game in which each player aims to effectively transform the sea floor with new civilizations. Science and research are of course essential to success, though you\u2019ll also need to think carefully about where you\u2019re going to put your domes and tunnels. Color-matching card placement will help ensure you get the most out of every turn, but this is often difficult depending on what you have in your hand. Like all the best engine building board games, it\u2019s both complex and satisfying.<\/p> 5. Wingspan<\/span><\/mark><\/a><\/strong><\/h2> ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/jbsgame.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/wingspan-game.jpg?resize=640%2C427\")
Image via Stonemaier Games<\/figcaption><\/figure> The bird-themed board game Wingspan<\/a> <\/em>is a medium-weight engine and tableau builder that just about everyone will enjoy on game night. Each round, you can either play a bird to your mat, lay eggs, gather food, or draw. As you continue to put more cards down, these actions will become significantly more productive, and lead to some sizeable turns. There are ton of different effects to mix and match, because no two birds are alike. With the goal board and the variety of bonus cards available, no two games are quite the same either.<\/p> 4. Race for the Galaxy<\/span><\/mark><\/a><\/strong><\/h2> ![\"space](\"https:\/\/jbsgame.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/race-for-the-galaxy-board-game.jpg?resize=640%2C792\")
image via Rio Grande Games<\/figcaption><\/figure> When you win a game of Race for the Galaxy<\/a><\/em>, <\/em>you\u2019ll feel like you\u2019ve conquered the entire universe. That\u2019s because in each game you\u2019re working to bend an immense network of planets and solar systems to your will with new technologies and social changes. There are seven different phases that can happen in a given round, but each player can only choose one of them. As a result, the possible actions you can take will remain relatively unpredictable. It\u2019s a system that keeps things exciting right up to the very end.<\/p> 3. Res Arcana<\/span><\/mark><\/a><\/strong><\/h2> ![\"res](\"https:\/\/jbsgame.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/res-arcana.jpg?resize=640%2C640\")
Image via Sand Castle Games<\/figcaption><\/figure> In Res Arcana<\/a>, <\/em>the engine you build will quite literally be magical. That\u2019s of course because you and your fellow players are competing mages who have to manage a mix of essences to make artifacts and claim monuments. You\u2019ll know everything about the items you have to work with up front at the start of the game, though the order in which you get to use these tools varies. The first player to ten points wins, and with the right engine, you might be able to pick up all these points in a single round.<\/p> 2. Agricola<\/span><\/mark><\/a><\/strong><\/h2> ![\"farming](\"https:\/\/jbsgame.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/agricola-board-game.jpg?resize=640%2C994\")
Image via Lookout Games<\/figcaption><\/figure> Agricola<\/a> <\/em>is the ultimate farming board game, and perfectly balances worker placement with engine development. Your farmstead has little to offer at the start of the game, but by adding rooms, working in the field, raising livestock, and having children, everything will begin to run more smoothly. You\u2019ll have both occupation and minor improvement cards in your hand to aid you, but you can also choose to use the major improvements available on the table instead. The scoring system also gives you plenty of different routes to victory and rewards setups with more variance in production.<\/p> 1. Terraforming Mars<\/span><\/mark><\/a><\/strong><\/h2> ![\"best](\"https:\/\/jbsgame.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/terraforming-mars-base-game.jpg?resize=640%2C640\")
Image via Fryx Games<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The futuristic, dystopian card game It\u2019s a Wonderful World<\/a><\/em> is a modern classic of the engine-building genre. The game takes place over the course of four rounds and includes a drafting system that allows you to sabotage your opponent\u2019s systems. Well-timed card placement and resource generation are the keys to a successful strategy. However, you\u2019ll also need to think carefully about which cards you need to discard rather than build. It typically takes less than an hour to finish a game, and there\u2019s a solo mode.<\/p> In Gizmos<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>each player works to design a machine that they hope will win them the top prize at the next Great Science Fair. When it\u2019s your turn, you\u2019ll have to file designs, build contraptions, or pick up resources from the game\u2019s marble dispenser. With a good arrangement of cards in play, you can quickly pick up steam. It\u2019s easy to learn and looks deceptively simple, but mastering the game will be challenging for most players. On some occasions, your starting hand can make it tricky to win, and for that reason, it\u2019s just a bit further back on this list.<\/p> Fantastic Factories<\/a><\/em> is perfect for players looking for a new engine building board game that\u2019s a bit less of a slow burn than the other entries on this list. The theme is straightforward and direct, and the card combos are satisfying and easy to trigger. It\u2019s a bit friendlier than your average tabletop title since player interaction is limited, and this can be either a blessing or a curse depending on your preferences. It\u2019s easy to learn and works great for players of all ages.<\/p> Develop an ancient civilization from the ground up in 7 Wonders<\/em><\/a>, and then build a monument to your greatness to claim victory points. The game takes place over three phases. The first is all about mining, logging, and quarrying stone. In the next round, you and the players to your immediate left and right can use these resources to start assembling armies and attacking enemies. By the final round you might have made a few scientific innovations, or perhaps built a pantheon or palace that people in the future will consider a great wonder.<\/p> If you\u2019re looking for an easier to understand engine builder that\u2019s accessible for all players, Splendor<\/a> <\/em>is a great pick. You\u2019ll have a set of gems to work with in the first round, which you can use to pick up cards. These cards essentially function as more money for you to stack with your initial gems. The purchasing options are randomized, and most of the more expensive cards will give you victory points. The first player to 15 points takes the crown. Though it\u2019s on the simpler side, there\u2019s plenty of strategic gameplay.<\/p> The first World War rages on into the 1920s in Scythe<\/a>, <\/em>an exceptional alternate history board game of mechs, worker movement, and production. Each turn you\u2019ll need to think carefully about what you\u2019re going to do both now and in the next several rounds. If you produce oil, you can upgrade the efficiency of your play mat. If you choose to make food instead, you can purchase bolsters that react to your opponents’ actions. With more workers and more resource generation comes increased power and popularity costs. You can also make metal or wood to build mechs and structures. Mastery of this board game takes time, and that\u2019s because there\u2019s so much more here than just engine building.<\/p> The classic deck-building card game Dominion<\/a> <\/em>is all about adding fuel to your deck\u2019s engine to ensure that you have efficient draw and coin generation. While it might seem tempting to only pick up victory points for the end of the game, these cards typically slow down your deck. Instead, you\u2019ll need to build a setup with actions and treasures to ensure that you can do something meaningful every turn, whether it\u2019s putting down a string of markets and villages or cursing your opponents. There\u2019s also a ton of great Dominion expansions<\/a> that utilize novel mechanics and give you more ways to win.<\/p> Underwater Cities<\/a> <\/em>is a building and development-themed board game in which each player aims to effectively transform the sea floor with new civilizations. Science and research are of course essential to success, though you\u2019ll also need to think carefully about where you\u2019re going to put your domes and tunnels. Color-matching card placement will help ensure you get the most out of every turn, but this is often difficult depending on what you have in your hand. Like all the best engine building board games, it\u2019s both complex and satisfying.<\/p> The bird-themed board game Wingspan<\/a> <\/em>is a medium-weight engine and tableau builder that just about everyone will enjoy on game night. Each round, you can either play a bird to your mat, lay eggs, gather food, or draw. As you continue to put more cards down, these actions will become significantly more productive, and lead to some sizeable turns. There are ton of different effects to mix and match, because no two birds are alike. With the goal board and the variety of bonus cards available, no two games are quite the same either.<\/p> When you win a game of Race for the Galaxy<\/a><\/em>, <\/em>you\u2019ll feel like you\u2019ve conquered the entire universe. That\u2019s because in each game you\u2019re working to bend an immense network of planets and solar systems to your will with new technologies and social changes. There are seven different phases that can happen in a given round, but each player can only choose one of them. As a result, the possible actions you can take will remain relatively unpredictable. It\u2019s a system that keeps things exciting right up to the very end.<\/p> In Res Arcana<\/a>, <\/em>the engine you build will quite literally be magical. That\u2019s of course because you and your fellow players are competing mages who have to manage a mix of essences to make artifacts and claim monuments. You\u2019ll know everything about the items you have to work with up front at the start of the game, though the order in which you get to use these tools varies. The first player to ten points wins, and with the right engine, you might be able to pick up all these points in a single round.<\/p> Agricola<\/a> <\/em>is the ultimate farming board game, and perfectly balances worker placement with engine development. Your farmstead has little to offer at the start of the game, but by adding rooms, working in the field, raising livestock, and having children, everything will begin to run more smoothly. You\u2019ll have both occupation and minor improvement cards in your hand to aid you, but you can also choose to use the major improvements available on the table instead. The scoring system also gives you plenty of different routes to victory and rewards setups with more variance in production.<\/p> 12. Gizmos<\/span><\/mark><\/a><\/strong><\/h2>
11. Fantastic Factories<\/span><\/mark><\/a><\/strong><\/h2>
10. 7 Wonders<\/span><\/mark><\/a><\/strong><\/h2>
9. Splendor<\/span><\/mark><\/a><\/strong><\/h2>
8. Scythe<\/span><\/mark><\/a><\/strong><\/h2>
7. Dominion<\/span><\/mark><\/a><\/strong><\/h2>
6. Underwater Cities<\/span><\/mark><\/a><\/strong><\/h2>
5. Wingspan<\/span><\/mark><\/a><\/strong><\/h2>
4. Race for the Galaxy<\/span><\/mark><\/a><\/strong><\/h2>
3. Res Arcana<\/span><\/mark><\/a><\/strong><\/h2>
2. Agricola<\/span><\/mark><\/a><\/strong><\/h2>
1. Terraforming Mars<\/span><\/mark><\/a><\/strong><\/h2>