Continue if you are looking for games like XCOM: The Board Game and are curious about what similar games to play next. Where the world’s militaries have failed to stand against the alien invaders, you must succeed. To do so, you must make strategic use of the resources available to you. You must launch Interceptors to shoot down alien UFOs, assign soldiers to key missions, research alien technology, and use that technology to defend your base — all while trying to keep the world from collapsing just long enough that you can coordinate one final mission to repel the invaders for good.
To determine this list we broke down XCOM: The Board Game to what it is. This is a real-time board game where teams need to work together to defeat the invading forces. Everyone has special abilities and play is driven by dice rolling and a little press your luck. If you are looking for something similar, you have come to the right place. We took all this into consideration and came up with this list of the 5 board games like XCOM: The Board Game.
FOR MORE: XCOM: The Board Game Page | Buy XCOM: The Board Game on Amazon
#05 | Captain Sonar
Captain Sonar makes the list of games like XCOM: The Board Game because it is another great title where you are working as a team in real-time to out maneuver your opponent. Here it is an actual team of your fellow players instead of an alien force and this is more party game than strategy but you are still working collaboratively and quickly to complete the task at hand.
You and your teammates control a state-of-the-art submarine and are trying to locate an enemy submarine in order to blow it out of the water before they can do the same to you. Every role is important, and the confrontation is merciless. Be organized and communicate because a captain is nothing without his crew: the Chief Mate, the Radio Operator, and the Engineer. For 2 – 8 players, games last 45 – 60 minutes.
FOR MORE: Captain Sonar Page | Games Like Captain Sonar | Buy Captain Sonar on Amazon
#04 | Magic Maze
Magic Maze makes the list of games like XCOM: The Board Game because this is a great real-time game where a team is trying to escape danger. This has you a bit more on the edge of your seat to do things fast but what is very similar is how much the teams have to mesh together and properly communicate in order to succeed.
Each player can control any hero in order to make that hero perform a very specific action, to which the other players do not have access: Move north, explore a new area, ride an escalator… All this requires rigorous cooperation between the players in order to succeed at moving the heroes prudently. However, you are allowed to communicate only for short periods during the game; the rest of the time, you must play without giving any visual or audio cues to each other. For 1 – 8 players, games run 15 minutes.
FOR MORE: Magic Maze Page | Games Like Magic Maze | Buy Magic Maze on Amazon
#03 | Space Cadets
Space Cadets makes the list of games like XCOM: The Board Game because it is a real-time game that has a much richer strategy due to the different phases having timers. This allows for careful planning and then being thrown into the fire to deal with a particular task in that moment. Each person is given their job and then they are off to use their particular expertise. Both games are great combinations of a strategy epic and on your feet real-time game.
Players take on the roles of Bridge Officers of a Starship. Each officer must accomplish his specific task in order for the team to successfully complete the mission. Each turn phases have timers and tasks must be completed by designated people during each phase. These are all the different jobs needed to keep the ship running. If everyone can keep it up to finish your mission, you will win. For 3 – 6 players, games last 1 – 2 hours.
FOR MORE: Buy Space Cadets on Amazon
#02 | Space Alert
Space Alert makes the list of games like XCOM: The Board Game because it is a game where you are thrown into a situation where you are getting attacked from all sides and you need to work together in real-time to get through it. The shields are down and people are gone. You need to work with your team to save the day.
Players become crew members of a small spaceship scanning dangerous sectors of the galaxy. During play, the central computer will announce the presence of various threats and act as a game timer. The threats vary from space battleships, to monsters, to asteroids to equipment malfunctions. Players have to agree who will take care of which task and coordinate their actions in real-time to defend the ship. For 1 – 5 players, games run approximately 30 minutes.
FOR MORE: Buy Space Alert on Amazon
#01 | Project: ELITE
Project: Elite takes the top spot on the list of games like XCOM: The Board Game because it is also a title where soldiers fight together against waves of terrifying aliens in real-time. What is nice is that the universe and progression are their own thing so you just want more of this type of game, you could easily own both of these.
Players are members of the ELITE squad on a mission to stop the invading forces of an alien empire. Stopping the invasion requires players to speedily roll dice as they take part in real-time, two-minute combat rounds against waves of terrifying enemies. Once the ELITE members take their turn, the aliens react. The game continues in this fast-yet-tactical series of rounds until the scenario is won or the aliens take the Earth. For 1 – 6 players, games go for about 1 hour.
