SEED GAME#357 BGG all-time

The Great Zimbabwe(2012)

★ 7.8 BGG2–5 players90 minWeight 3.69
Auction / BiddingIncomeMarket

Games like The Great Zimbabwe

Looking for games like The Great Zimbabwe? It rewards players who think several moves deep through tight, interlocking systems — built on asymmetric powers that make your side play unlike any other and carving out routes before your rivals box you in. This page rounds up 12 of the closest alternatives, scored on mechanical overlap with the original (45%), complexity match (35%), and player-count fit (20%), then weighted by BoardGameGeek community ratings so every pick is one players genuinely rate. The strongest matches come first; the further down you go, the more a game trades exact overlap for a fresh take on the same core appeal.

How ISO scores this list:Mechanic overlap 45%·Complexity proximity 35%·Player-count fit 20%·BGG quality multiplier applied

12 recommendations · scored by ISO

Indonesia(2005)

★ 7.92–5 players180 minWeight 4.0
ISO Match
71/100

Shares Auction / Bidding + 7 more

Auction / BiddingEnd Game BonusesIncome

Brass: Birmingham(2018)

★ 8.62–4 players60 minWeight 3.9
ISO Match
71/100

Shares Income + 5 more

ChainingEnd Game BonusesHand Management

Brass: Lancashire(2007)

★ 8.22–4 players60 minWeight 3.8
ISO Match
68/100

Shares Income + 5 more

ChainingEnd Game BonusesHand Management

Tramways(2016)

★ 7.31–5 players120 minWeight 3.8
ISO Match
67/100

Shares Auction / Bidding + 8 more

Auction / BiddingDeck, Bag, and Pool BuildingEnd Game Bonuses

Barrage(2019)

★ 8.11–4 players90 minWeight 4.1
ISO Match
67/100

Shares Income + 4 more

ContractsEnd Game BonusesIncome

Railways of the Lost Atlas(2024)

★ 8.22–5 playersWeight 3.7
ISO Match
67/100

Shares Auction / Bidding + 6 more

Auction / BiddingInvestmentModular Board

Power Grid(2004)

★ 7.82–6 players120 minWeight 3.3
ISO Match
66/100

Shares Auction / Bidding + 4 more

Auction / BiddingAuction: Turn Order Until PassCatch the Leader

The Old Prince 1871(2022)

★ 8.33–4 playersWeight 4.2
ISO Match
66/100

Shares Auction / Bidding + 5 more

Auction / BiddingIncomeInvestment

Keyflower(2012)

★ 7.72–6 players90 minWeight 3.3
ISO Match
65/100

Shares Auction / Bidding + 5 more

Auction / BiddingAuction: Fixed PlacementAuction: Multiple Lot

1830: Railways & Robber Barons(1986)

★ 7.92–7 players180 minWeight 4.2
ISO Match
65/100

Shares Auction / Bidding + 4 more

Auction / BiddingHexagon GridInvestment

Brass: Pittsburgh(2027)

★ 7.21–4 playersWeight 3.7
ISO Match
64/100

Shares Income + 5 more

ChainingHand ManagementIncome

Shikoku 1889(2004)

★ 8.02–6 players180 minWeight 3.8
ISO Match
64/100

Shares Auction / Bidding + 4 more

Auction / BiddingHexagon GridMarket

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