Best Medieval Board Games Middle Ages-Themed Games (2024)

Have you ever imagined what life was like in the medieval world?

An era where castles, kings, and Christianity ruled supreme, it is a fascinating period that is full of heroes, heretics, and gripping history. It is the link between antiquity and modernity. It is both knowable and unimaginable. We can read about it but we cannot truly fathom what a different time it was.

Well, now is your chance to leave the modern world behind, and enter the world of Marco Polo, castle building, and knights on horseback. Read on as we discuss the best Medieval board games out there.

???? Our Top Picks for Best Medieval Board Games

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03/10/2024 10:37 am GMT

A Feast for Odin

The Vikings are synonymous with raiding and pillaging. Their seafaring know-how allowed them to spread all the way to the New World before Columbus was a twinkle in history’s eye. But there was a lot more to Viking civilization than plundering and looting. They also established many settlements in harsh, unforgiving conditions.

A Feast for Odin is a heavy Euro game where you take control of a band of Vikings and aim to establish a prosperous, flourishing village.

Sure, there’s some good old-fashioned pillaging involved. But the game involves so much more. It’s a worker placement game where you also need to trade, harvest, and hunt your way to glory.

What we Liked

The mechanics are relatively easy to learn and once you’ve mastered the basics, A Feast For Odin offers a wonderfully engaging take on Viking civilization.

What Could be Better

It is a game that requires a lot of strategy and is not for the fainthearted.

Paladins of the West Kingdom

The year is 900 AD. West Francia needs defending. Enemies circle on every side, like crows waiting to feast on a carcass. Saracens, Vikings, and Byzantines all pose a threat. There are also internal challenges, as factions compete for power. And yet all is not lost. The King has sent his finest warriors, or Paladins to aid Francia.

In Paladins of the West Kingdom, you take on the role of the king’s Paladins. Throughout the game, you aim to bolster the kingdom of Francia whilst also maneuvering yourself into a dominant position.

You will build strong fortifications, defend against outsiders and convert heathens to Christianity. You will increase your power and faith as you defend the kingdom. The winner is the player with the most victory points after 7 rounds.

What we Liked

Once you’ve mastered the basic mechanics, this is a really fun worker placement game with some unique elements.

What Could be Better

Like most worker placement games, there’s not a lot of player interaction throughout the game.

The Castles of Burgundy

It’s 15th century France and, following the Hundred Year’s War, aristocrats are developing and growing their estates. From small princedoms, grand estates on a vast scale will emerge.

In The Castles of Burgundy, you take on the role of a Burgundian aristocrat in the High Middle Ages and aim to achieve the grandest estate of all the lords.

You can score victory points in a number of ways so there are multiple paths to victory. You will gain victory points by selling your wares, farming livestock, and conducting scientific research. You will also expand your estate by developing settlements and cities.

What we Liked

The game is easy to learn and achieves a nice balance between strategic gameplay and simple mechanics.

What Could be Better

The Castles of Burgundy is a classic Euro game. As such, combat does not feature at all.

Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon

Welcome to Avalon, a desolate land torn asunder by the Wyrdness. Conflict is rife and starvation is everywhere. The situation seems hopeless. But from the depths of despair, a final alliance of warriors and adventurers have banded together to combat the evil that stalks the land.

In Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon you will take the role of one of these heroes and make a last stand against the forces of darkness before it is too late.

Tainted Grail is an epic character-driven campaign, taking place over 15 different chapters. There are tons of sidequests and many story branches, which makes each game unique.

What we Liked

For those looking for an immersive game that will be played over many sessions, this game could be perfect.

What Could be Better

Tainted Grail tells a story on a similar scale as Gloomhaven, so it won’t appeal to everyone.

Orléans

The competition in medieval cities was fierce, as different interests and ideologies vied for dominance. Merchants, monks, and knights were all key players in the political intrigues of the time.

The medieval city of Orléans was no different and offered many possibilities to earn vast amounts of wealth and power.

Orléans is an engine-building strategy game where you aim to gain the most wealth and power. To do this you need to recruit followers who will underpin your economic and political aspirations.

Scholars, farmers, merchants, monks, and knights must be enticed to your team. With the right medieval alliance, you can trade construct and research your way to victory.

What we Liked

Orléans is a highly strategic game that offers a lot of paths to victory. This makes it very replayable.

What Could be Better

Gameplay can be very slow if people suffer from analysis paralysis.

The Voyages of Marco Polo

Marco Polo’s journey to the Far East is one of history’s most celebrated and fascinating journeys. Setting off in 1271, he traveled along the Silk Road from Venice to Beijing, eventually returning home and publishing a book about his travels.

During this time he discovered many new people and places, met Kublai Khan, and changed our understanding of the world forever.

If you’ve ever wanted to embark on an epic journey of discovery then The Voyages of Marco Polo could be the game for you. You will travel from Venice to Beijing along the Silk Road, just like Marco Polo did. You will take the role of a famous character from history.

There are multiple routes to Beijing so you must choose the best one. To win you will need to establish trading posts, complete contracts, and intrepidly travel into the great unknown.

What we Liked

The Voyages of Marco Polo offers a lot of variability between games, so every game is unique. This adds to the replayability factor.

What Could be Better

Sometimes your fate can depend on dice rolls. This random element can be frustrating.

El Grande

It’s 15th-century Spain and a weakening king offers plentiful opportunities for powerful lords, or Grandes, to gain control. In order to do this, Grandes need to recruit Caballeros, or knights, to their court. These knights will fight for dominance over the different regions of Spain.

Welcome to El Grande, the essential area control board game. In many ways, it defines the genre and has been a classic for a long time. You will take the role of a Grande and take control of a court of Caballeros.

Over 9 rounds, you and your opponents will position your Caballeros across a map of Spain, vying for dominance and area control.

What we Liked

El Grande is an easy game to learn so the mechanics can be understood quickly. But it is a hard game to master, so it is great for beginners and pros alike.

What Could be Better

There is a lot to keep track of so some players can end up feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of possibilities available.

Alhambra

Between the 1200s and 1400s, the Moorish rulers of Al-Andalus built one of the architectural wonders of the world. Located in Granada, the Alhambra is a UNESCO world heritage site and an incredibly popular tourist destination.

In Alhambra, you will help to build the epic fortress complex. The most skilled tradesmen and artisans have been recruited from across the medieval world and are eager to show off their skills. Recruit these workers by paying for tiles with the correct currency, and then place the tiles in the most elegant fashion on the board.

Beginning with just a fountain, you will aim to construct the most beautiful and impressive structures. In each round, victory points are awarded for the best-placed tiles, with additional points awarded for the longest wall.

What we Liked

Alhambra is easy to play and easy to teach but also includes a lot of depth to keep you coming back for more.

What Could be Better

There is a lot of randomness in Alhambra, so it can feel like your decisions aren’t that meaningful.

Caylus

The year is 1289 and King Philip needs to strengthen the borders of the kingdom of France. What better way to do this than construct a castle in the humble village of Caylus?

Attracted by the project, stonemasons and craftsmen from across the kingdom make their way to the small village that is destined for greatness.

Caylus is a worker placement game where you will take on the role of a master builder. Earn the king’s favor by building the castle and expanding the city of Caylus.

As the game develops, the city will flourish and the castle will grow. Place your workers wisely and you will produce resources, construct buildings and earn prestige points.

What we Liked

Caylus is a complex game and will take about two hours to play. It’s also a gratifying game that requires a lot of strategic thinking and tactical worker placement. Fans of Euro games should definitely give this one a go.

What Could be Better

Refer to the above. If you’re not a fan of Euro games, maybe give this one a miss.

Troyes

In the Champagne region of France, the city of Troyes is expanding. Powerful families vie for power in the developing city.

Welcome to Troyes, a Euro game where you will play as one of the noble families of the city. Over 400 years, you aim to become the dominant force in the city.

In Troyes, you manage and control a segment of the population of the city. You can direct them to do many different actions, depending on your particular strategy.

You can construct the cathedral, add workers to buildings or combat different events. At the end of the fourth round, the player with the most victory points wins.

What we Liked

The theme is excellent and, once you’ve mastered the mechanics, there is a lot of scope for strategizing.

What Could be Better

The learning curve is quite steep and might put some players off if they aren’t willing to commit to a few games.

Honorable Mention: Sheriff of Nottingham (2nd Edition)

Sheriff of Nottingham is an excellent social deduction game and deserves an honorable mention.

Here we travel to the busy medieval market town of Nottingham. Goods and produce are being bought and sold in this lively, bustling market. The Sheriff has been tasked by Prince John to inspect merchants’ wares and make sure that no contraband is changing hands.

Sheriff of Nottingham is a social deduction game where you either play as a merchant or the Sheriff himself.

As the Sheriff, you can inspect the merchant’s products to find contraband, or take a bribe and turn a blind eye. As the merchant, you aim to make the most product by selling contraband and avoiding the wrath of the sheriff.

Wrap-Up

We hope you enjoyed our list of the best medieval board games! Have you tried any of the games on this list? Did we miss any of your favorites? Drop a comment below and let us know what you think! We’d love to hear from you.

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