10 Games Like Risk You Should Check Out

Risk, along with Monopoly, Stratego, and Chess, have played a crucial role in defining modern tabletop and virtual gaming in the strategy genre. Unlike some of the heavy, intimidating, and highly complex simulation wargames, the game of Risk packages territory control and conquest mechanics in an easy-to-learn system that makes it a perfect gateway game into the genre.

Here are the ten best games like Risk if you’re looking for more world-conquering action.

 

Games Like Risk

10. Small World

Developer: Days of Wonder
Publisher: Days of Wonder, Asmodee Digital
Platform(s): PC, macOS, iOS, Android

The first game to make our list is essentially a faster-paced fantasy cousin of Risk. Small World, just like its ancestor, started out as a board game but has also made the jump to digital platforms for greater ease of access and the ability to play on the go.

A common theme of most board games and their digital version is that they maintain an eye-catching and gripping aesthetic that helps immerse you in the game’s world. Risk is more of an abstract strategy game where the setting doesn’t do much to add to the gameplay experience and Small World easily remedies that with its vibrant color that combines great art direction with an easily readable map.

Being a lighter form of wargame, Small World does suffer from repetitive gameplay, but luckily the developers included a unique faction and characteristics system to help address that and make each playthrough all the fresher. For that same sense of competition with an added flair of fantasy races vying for dominance, Small World is a great companion piece to Risk.

 

9. A Game of Thrones: The Board Game – Digital Edition

Developer: Dire Wolf
Publisher: Asmodee Digital
Platform(s): PC, macOS

If you’re clamoring for something with more depth with the added draw of a recognizable license and brand, Game of Thrones has you covered with a thematic and deep take on George R.R. Martin’s seminal fantasy world. This digitized board game finds its origins in Diplomacy, the more socially-oriented counterpart to Risk, while also developing key mechanics further for a far more enriched experience.

Aside from the obvious draw of recapturing the blood-soaked politicking of the world of Westeros, this digital board game does a great job of illustrating the importance of logistics in managing your armies, be it supply to raise new troops or positioning navies to support amphibious operations. In addition, the game sports a neat hidden orders system where players secretly place their orders on the map, adding that extra level of tension to every decision.

It’s of course the social dimension of the game where you’ll find the greatest levels of enjoyment and extreme levels of frustration, as you are almost forced to backstab and adopt a cutthroat approach to dominate the continent of Westeros. If you thought Risk created and ruined friendships, then you definitely need to try out Game of Thrones to truly know what Medieval strategic decision-making was all about.

 

8. Axis & Allies 1942: Online

Developer: Beamdog
Publisher: Beamdog
Platform(s): PC, macOS, Linux, Android

World War Two has always been a setting that captivated the minds of players across the globe, as they try themselves out as the leading powers in this momentous conflict. It only makes sense for a Risk-like game to bring to life the strategic landscape of WWII to life and Axis & Allies 1942: Online does just that.

In Risk, unit production, industry, and logistics are all abstracted in favor of faster-paced area control and conquest, but Axis & Allies focuses more on the economics and unit production dimension of the war. Even though all the factions operate in a similar manner, their strategic disposition, starting position, and force compositions make each game a unique challenge as you have to deal with each situation from an unexpected angle.

Axis & Allies does lack some of that same dramatic tension as Game of Thrones, as diplomacy doesn’t make much of an appearance, but it more than makes up for it with the depth of the strategic decisions you’ll be making. If you’re looking for more history in your game of Risk, Axis & Allies easily has you covered.

 

7. Antihero

Developer: Tim Conkling
Publisher: Versus Evil
Platform(s): PC, macOS, iOS, Android

Unlike our previous three entries, which are digital versions of classic board games, Antihero stands out as a purpose-built digital board game without a physical counterpart. This gives it some advantages, such as a less clunky UI and better integration of controls and information feedback.

Antihero is a bit of an unorthodox area control and economics game set in the dark seedy underbelly of Victorian England amidst gang wars and bids for power in the criminal world, focusing less on direct confrontation and more on the influence and development of various shady businesses. The incredible art direction and character design makes every match all the more memorable and quite replayable.

The game does lack some of that same scale as Game of Thrones or Axis & Allies, so it can feel too small with not quite as much strategic decision-making potential as some of its brethren. Nevertheless, Antihero is a fun and striking portrayal of the criminal underworld with a great sense of style and solid area control mechanics.

 

6. Europa Universalis 4

Developer: Paradox Development Studio
Publisher: Paradox Interactive
Platform(s): PC, macOS, Linux

Europa Universalis 4 is our first entry that didn’t start out as a board game and is instead part of a long series of grand strategy games brought by Paradox Interactive. The advantages of developing strategy games specifically for a virtual platform allows for the inclusion of many more interconnected systems, adding depth to the gameplay that otherwise would be a challenge for a tabletop or digital adaptation of a board game.

The fourth installment in the Europa Universalis series, of all the Paradox grand strategy games, is arguably the most like Risk due to emphasis on conquest and expansion, as the game explores the Early Modern centralization of power and growth of empires. The digital platform of Europa Universalis 4 combines economic facets of Axis & Allies, as well as the diplomatic aspects of Game of Thrones culminating in a well-rounded game that authentically illustrates the complexities of managing an empire during that time period.

Unfortunately, the game can occasionally get bogged down in dry number-crunching, which can take away from the otherwise consistent flow of campaigning across the globe. The sheer time scale and geographic flexibility on offer is absolutely staggering and is a worthy expansion of a game like Risk.

 

5. Root

Developer: Dire Wolf
Publisher: Dire Wolf
Platform(s): PC, macOS, iOS, Android

Another digital adaptation of a board game to make our list, Root is one of the most unique strategy games. Just like Risk, Root is very much an area control game with elements of conquest and industry, but it’s so much more than that, which elevates it above its competition.

Aside from the incredible woodland critters setting and amazing art direction, Root’s highlight feature is its faction design. Essentially, every faction you play is like playing a completely different game in itself leading to excellent replayability and great variety. Also, unlike many complex wargames, Root has a quick pace with barely any down time that’ll invest you in the flow of the game.

The flipside of this unique approach is that Root can be a bit difficult to get into, as each faction is so distinct from each other, it’ll be like relearning the game every time you open it up, which may be intimidating and challenging for some players. If you thought Risk’s abstract strategy gets stale after a few games, definitely give Root a try for a fresh experience every game.

 

4. Total War: Shogun 2

Developer: Creative Assembly
Publisher: Sega
Platform(s): PC, macOS, Linux

The next non-board game to make the list, Total War: Shogun 2 – the best of the Total War series, is a strategy experience almost solely focused on conquest and territorial domination, which totally fits with Risk’s theme. Shogun 2 has the added benefit of sporting a great setting in the form of the Warring States period of Japan (Sengoku Jidai), perfectly lending itself to constant conflict and skirmishes over vital plots of land.

What truly sets Shogun apart from all other games on this list are the breathtaking real-time tactical battles. In Risk, combat is decided by simple dice rolls with success relying heavily on luck, whereas in the Total War series, you take direct command of your forces, so the tactical engagements and your own decisions play a vital role in your overall strategy. It also helps that the unit roster is wide and diverse, leading to a wide range of options at your disposal.

The game does lag a bit in the AI department in that it rarely measures up to the intelligence and abilities of a human player, which may lead to moments of frustration and jank. On the whole though, Total War: Shogun 2 is an amazing game of heroic battles and challenging strategic decisions.

 

3. Scythe: Digital Edition

Developer: The Knights of Unity
Publisher: The Knights of Unity
Platform(s): PC, iOS, Android

If you feel like Risk is lacking in economics and faction management, then look no further than Scythe. Scythe, just like Risk, is an area control game, but chooses to focus far more on resource management with combat acting more as a secondary system.

First thing of note to mention is Scythe’s absolutely captivating one-of-a-kind artwork that gives the world of this game a life-like quality that few can match. Speaking of the world – another selling point of the game, Scythe is set in the same universe as Iron Harvest where alternate versions of major nations from World War One vie for control over powerful technology that could tilt the balance of power.

Scythe has a lot of moving parts to it, including mech abilities, worker placement, and action management that could all make it overwhelming to get your head around all the nuances. Once you get past the initial learning curve though, Scythe is one of the most flavorful and intuitive strategy games out there.

 

2. Civilization 6

Developer: Firaxis Games, Aspyr Media
Publisher: 2K Games
Platform(s): PC, macOS, Linux, iOS, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Android

The final non-board game to make our list, Civilization 6 essentially combines all the aspects of every previous game we’ve mentioned: combat, area control, and economics. However, due to Civilization’s scale it adds so much more, such as technology, social policies, and a detailed settlement system that gives granular control over your cities’ production.

The historical setting of Civilization does a lot of the heavy lifting, as you can choose to play the culture that most interests you, opening up the possibility of creating your own epic tale of growth, development, and expansion. While the built-in diplomacy system is a bit lackluster due to questionable AI behavior, in multiplayer games Civilization’s interplayer dynamics can easily rival if not exceed that of even Game of Thrones and other games like it.

Civilization’s issues really come down to balancing, as some civilizations are significantly better than others, which could lead to some unfair situations in a competitive setting. When all’s said and done, Civilization is the premier grand strategy game that takes Risk and blows it up to epic proportions.

 

1. Twilight Struggle

Developer: Playdek
Publisher: Playdek
Platform(s): PC, macOS, iOS, Android

Topping off our list is the best Cold War strategy game that also happens to be a digital adaptation of an exceptional board game. Twilight Struggle is squarely an area control game, but it flips the idea of conquest on its head, where instead of direct military conquest, you’re trying to spread your faction’s influence across the board to earn victory points and force the opponent into making the bad decisions.

The historical setting, beautifully represented in the artwork and card mechanics, is a big draw, as the subject matter is ever more relevant to modern day life. From a gameplay perspective, Twilight Struggle is one of those strategy games that pretty much attains the Holy Grail of immaculate balance where both the USA and USSR have a roughly equal chance of winning at this world-spanning conflict.

The only real negative with the game is, since it’s so reliant on knowing the cards and because there are so many cards, it’s quite an effort in itself to remember their effects, which can make learning the game quite the challenge. However, learning Twilight Struggle and appreciating how it authentically portrays historical movements and the battle of two empires is one of the most satisfying strategy experiences to date.

READ MORE: 10 Best Early Access Strategy Games You Can Play Right Now