Above and Below / Similar games

18 games like Above and Below

The best games like Above and Below are Tales of the Arabian Nights, Descent Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) and Glen More II Chronicles — the closest of 18 ranked alternatives, scored by shared mechanics and category. Tales of the Arabian Nights shares adventure, exploration, fantasy with Above and Below.

Every alternative below links to its own Above and Below-style fact page, drawn from MeeplePick’s adventure / city building shelf.

Ranked by shared category (3 pts) and mechanics (2 pts), bonus within 0.7 of Above and Below’s 2.5 weight, then BoardGameGeek’s Bayesian rating — one entry per series, 18 shown.

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1. 1. Tales of the Arabian Nights (2009)
   1–6 players · 120 min · ★ 7.2 · Medium-light · games like Tales of the Arabian Nights →
   Shares with Above and Below: Adventure, Exploration, Fantasy, Dice Rolling, Narrative Choice / Paragraph, Storytelling · 3 of Above and Below’s 6 mechanics (50%)
   vs Above and Below: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · scales to 6 · ~30 min longer · 0.4 lighter
   View Tales of the Arabian Nights on Amazon →
2. 2. Descent Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) (2012)
   1–5 players · 120 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium · games like Descent Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) →
   Shares with Above and Below: Adventure, Exploration, Fantasy, Action Points, Dice Rolling · 2 of Above and Below’s 6 mechanics (33%)
   vs Above and Below: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · scales to 5 · ~30 min longer · +0.7 heavier
   View Descent Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) on Amazon →
3. 3. Glen More II Chronicles (2019)
   2–4 players · 90–120 min · ★ 8.0 · Medium · games like Glen More II Chronicles →
   Shares with Above and Below: City Building, Economic, Farming, Dice Rolling, Set Collection · 2 of Above and Below’s 6 mechanics (33%)
   vs Above and Below: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~15 min longer · +0.5 heavier
   View Glen More II Chronicles on Amazon →
4. 4. Forgotten Waters (2020)
   3–7 players · 120–240 min · ★ 8.2 · Medium-light
   Shares with Above and Below: Adventure, Exploration, Fantasy, Dice Rolling, Narrative Choice / Paragraph · 2 of Above and Below’s 6 mechanics (33%)
   vs Above and Below: overlaps at 3–4 players · scales to 7 · ~90 min longer · 0.4 lighter
5. 5. Near and Far (2017)
   2–4 players · 90–120 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium · games like Near and Far →
   Shares with Above and Below: Adventure, Exploration, Dice Rolling, Narrative Choice / Paragraph, Set Collection · 3 of Above and Below’s 6 mechanics (50%)
   vs Above and Below: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~15 min longer · +0.3 heavier
6. 6. Mice and Mystics (2012)
   1–4 players · 60–90 min · ★ 7.3 · Medium · games like Mice and Mystics →
   Shares with Above and Below: Adventure, Exploration, Fantasy, Dice Rolling, Storytelling · 2 of Above and Below’s 6 mechanics (33%)
   vs Above and Below: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~15 min shorter · +0.2 heavier
7. 7. Runebound (Third Edition) (2015)
   2–4 players · 120–180 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium · games like Runebound (Third Edition) →
   Shares with Above and Below: Adventure, Exploration, Fantasy, Action Points, Dice Rolling · 2 of Above and Below’s 6 mechanics (33%)
   vs Above and Below: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~60 min longer · same complexity
8. 8. Destinies (2021)
   1–3 players · 90–150 min · ★ 8.4 · Medium-light
   Shares with Above and Below: Adventure, Exploration, Fantasy, Dice Rolling, Storytelling · 2 of Above and Below’s 6 mechanics (33%)
   vs Above and Below: overlaps at 2–3 players · plays solo · ~30 min longer · 0.6 lighter
9. 9. Artifacts (2014)
   2–4 players · 60 min · ★ 6.8 · Medium-light · games like Artifacts →
   Shares with Above and Below: Adventure, Economic, Exploration, Action Points, Dice Rolling, Set Collection · 3 of Above and Below’s 6 mechanics (50%)
   vs Above and Below: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~30 min shorter · 0.4 lighter
10. 10. Mansions of Madness Second Edition (2016)
    1–5 players · 120–180 min · ★ 8.1 · Medium · games like Mansions of Madness Second Edition →
    Shares with Above and Below: Adventure, Exploration, Fantasy, Dice Rolling · 1 of Above and Below’s 6 mechanics (17%)
    vs Above and Below: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · scales to 5 · ~60 min longer · +0.2 heavier
11. 11. Massive Darkness (2017)
    1–6 players · 120 min · ★ 7.2 · Medium · games like Massive Darkness →
    Shares with Above and Below: Adventure, Exploration, Fantasy, Action Points, Dice Rolling · 2 of Above and Below’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Above and Below: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · scales to 6 · ~30 min longer · same complexity
12. 12. Betrayal at Baldur's Gate (2017)
    3–6 players · 60 min · ★ 7.2 · Medium
    Shares with Above and Below: Adventure, Exploration, Fantasy, Dice Rolling, Storytelling · 2 of Above and Below’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Above and Below: overlaps at 3–4 players · scales to 6 · ~30 min shorter · same complexity
13. 13. Champions of Midgard (2015)
    2–4 players · 60–90 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium · games like Champions of Midgard →
    Shares with Above and Below: Adventure, Fantasy, Dice Rolling, Set Collection · 2 of Above and Below’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Above and Below: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~15 min shorter · same complexity
14. 14. Xia Legends of a Drift System (2014)
    3–5 players · 60–180 min · ★ 7.9 · Medium · games like Xia Legends of a Drift System →
    Shares with Above and Below: Adventure, Exploration, Action Points, Dice Rolling · 2 of Above and Below’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Above and Below: overlaps at 3–4 players · scales to 5 · ~30 min longer · +0.6 heavier
15. 15. Arcadia Quest (2014)
    2–4 players · 60 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium · games like Arcadia Quest →
    Shares with Above and Below: Adventure, Exploration, Fantasy, Dice Rolling · 1 of Above and Below’s 6 mechanics (17%)
    vs Above and Below: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~30 min shorter · same complexity
16. 16. Warhammer Quest Silver Tower (2016)
    2–4 players · 60–120 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium-light
    Shares with Above and Below: Adventure, Exploration, Fantasy, Dice Rolling, Storytelling · 2 of Above and Below’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Above and Below: overlaps at 2–4 players · about the same length · 0.2 lighter
17. 17. Nemo's War (Second Edition) (2017)
    1–4 players · 60–120 min · ★ 8.0 · Medium · games like Nemo's War (Second Edition) →
    Shares with Above and Below: Adventure, Exploration, Action Points, Dice Rolling · 2 of Above and Below’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Above and Below: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · about the same length · +0.6 heavier
18. 18. Star Wars Outer Rim (2019)
    1–4 players · 120–180 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium-light · games like Star Wars Outer Rim →
    Shares with Above and Below: Adventure, Exploration, Dice Rolling, Trading · 2 of Above and Below’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Above and Below: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~60 min longer · same complexity

Looking for the original? See the full Above and Below fact page — players, play time, age and complexity.