If you’ve spent any time in the world of tabletop board games, you’ve likely encountered the term “Euro Games.” Phrases like, “Terraforming Mars is a fantastic Euro game,” or “I generally prefer heavier Euro games,” are common among board game enthusiasts. But what exactly defines a Euro game? How do they differ from other types of board games, especially those in the American style?
The distinction between a Euro game and an American-style board game is not always clear-cut. You won’t find the label “Euro” on any game packaging, and game stores don’t typically have designated sections for Euro games. Even Board Game Geek, the extensive online database for board games, doesn’t have a specific “Euro” category.
Identifying a game as either a Euro game or an American-style game is similar to defining musical genres. Sometimes the categorization is obvious, but often there’s debate and disagreement about the precise boundaries of a genre or subgenre. Passionate discussions might erupt over the nuances between genres like ska and rocksteady, or whether a band leans towards speed metal or thrash metal – distinctions that might seem insignificant to those outside the music scene.
Game Examples
Adding to the complexity, the term “Euro” originates from “Europe,” but not all games published in Europe are Euro games. Conversely, some quintessential Euro games are designed and published in North America. Games like Ticket to Ride and Viticulture, both originating from America, are readily classified as Euro games.
Other popular Euro games:
Viticulture board game box, a popular example of a Euro game from Stonemaier Games
Viticulture, from Stonemaier Games
Euro games are often contrasted with “Ameritrash” games. Initially a derogatory term for games perceived as less strategically deep or excessively focused on combat, “Ameritrash” has been reclaimed as a badge of honor by board gamers who enjoy immersive themes and dramatic player interaction.
Some American-style games:
Clank! A Deck-Building Adventure board game box, an example of an American-style game with deck-building mechanicsClank! A Deck-Building Adventure, from Renegade Game Studios
And miniatures fighting games like:
Some games defy easy categorization altogether. Gloomhaven and Scythe are examples of games that skillfully blend elements from both Euro and American game design philosophies.
A brief history lesson
In 1995, Die Siedler von Catan, designed by Klaus Teuber, was released in Germany. Known as The Settlers of Catan in English-speaking regions (and now simply Catan), the game became a worldwide phenomenon, selling over 40 million copies.
Settlers of Catan game setup, showing resource hexes and game pieces on the board of a classic Euro gameSettlers of Catan, from Mayfair Games
Catan introduced a novel board game experience to players in the U.S., who were primarily accustomed to games from major companies like Hasbro and Milton Bradley.
These German-designed games gained increasing traction in North America, giving rise to an entire genre eventually labeled “Euro” games. They influenced game designers globally, who began developing their own Euro-style games.
Today, the term “Euro” refers to a specific game style rather than its geographical origin. Here are the defining characteristics commonly associated with a Euro game.
What is a Euro Game?
Competition, not conflict.
A key characteristic of Euro games is their emphasis on competition among players without direct player-versus-player conflict. You typically won’t be directly attacking opponents, invading their territories, or destroying their units.
In Euro games, the focus is less on playing against other people and more on playing alongside them. Players are primarily focused on achieving their individual goals and objectives. In a game like Agricola, this means building the most prosperous farm. While there is competition for actions and resources, you won’t be raiding other players’ farms to burn down their barns or steal their livestock.
American-style games often feature more aggressive interaction, with players directly attacking each other to seize territory or resources. Games like Risk or Axis & Allies, being war games, inherently involve attacking opponents.
A Backdrop of Conflict
Polish army marching in 1939, illustrating the historical backdrop of conflict that influenced Euro game design
Polish infantry marching, 1939
Following the devastation and aftermath of World War II, board game design in Germany shifted away from war-themed games. The focus moved towards games centered on building, production, and economic engine-building. Europeans who had lived through the war had little desire to recreate conflict on their dining tables. The priority was rebuilding and progress.
The war experience was different in America. American civilians did not endure direct combat on their soil, and they emerged victorious. Historically, victors often create war games. Conversely, those whose lands are scarred by conflict tend to create games about building farms, cities, and trade networks.
Ticket to Ride board game box, a well-known Euro game emphasizing route building and set collection
Ticket to Ride, from Days of Wonder
While direct conflict is minimized in Euro games, player interaction still exists. You might indirectly hinder opponents by blocking them from achieving their goals, such as claiming a crucial route in Ticket to Ride. Or an opponent might take a resource you desperately needed, disrupting your carefully planned strategy.
Fans of Euro games appreciate the focus on individual strategy and puzzle-solving with limited interference from others. Critics sometimes jokingly refer to Euros as “multiplayer solitaire” due to this lower level of direct interaction.
No player elimination
As a consequence of minimizing player conflict, Euro games typically avoid player elimination. In games like Monopoly or Risk, players can be eliminated from the game by going bankrupt or being conquered.
Even some modern games like King of Tokyo or Clank!: A Deck-Building Adventure can result in premature elimination for an unlucky player, leaving them to wait until the game concludes for the remaining players.
Istanbul, from Pegasus Spiele
Euro games are designed to be more inclusive and maintain engagement for all players throughout the game. Board gaming holds a more mainstream position in Germany compared to America, where—despite significant growth in popularity since the early 2000s—it remains a more niche hobby. Playing games together is often viewed more as a social activity than a cutthroat competition. Eliminating players would detract from this social aspect.
Furthermore, Euro games tend to have defined end conditions and avoid dragging on indefinitely until only one player remains (unlike Monopoly). They often conclude after a set number of rounds, when a player reaches a specific goal, or when a particular game condition is met.
Who’s winning?
This emphasis on sustained engagement leads to another common design principle in Euro games: the winner is not always immediately obvious during gameplay. In some games, a dominant player’s lead becomes painfully clear, forcing others to endure extended play despite having no realistic chance of winning.
Victory in Euro games frequently relies on accumulating victory points. These abstract indicators of economic success or other in-game achievements may be tracked during the game, providing some indication of player progress. However, often, final victory points are calculated in a scoring phase at the very end of the game.
Ticket to Ride destination cards, used for scoring bonus points in this popular Euro-style game
Ticket to Ride destination cards
Some games, such as Ticket to Ride, employ a hybrid approach. Players have some sense of their performance, but the final winner remains uncertain until Destination Tickets are revealed and scores are tallied at the very end.
This element of uncertainty keeps players invested until the game’s conclusion, fostering hope that they might still emerge victorious.
No dice
Euro games generally prioritize strategy over luck. Dice rolling, as a primary mechanic for determining success or failure, is less common in Euro-style games. In contrast, many American-style games use dice for movement, combat resolution, or damage allocation.
Settlers of Catan, from Mayfair Games
While Euro games can incorporate elements of randomness, it often affects all players equally. Examples include random board setups or event cards drawn during the game. In Catan, dice are rolled to determine resource production for everyone. When you decide to spend resources like “2 Grain and 3 Ore” to build a city, the action itself is deterministic; there is no chance of failure.
German-designed games tend to reward efficiency, strategic foresight, and meticulous planning. It would be frustrating to carefully develop a complex strategy only to see it undone by an unlucky dice roll.
Euros favor game mechanics over theme
In Euro games, the game’s theme often takes a secondary role to the underlying mechanics. In many cases, the connection between the theme and mechanics like worker placement or set collection can be somewhat abstract. With different artwork, a game about managing a power grid could easily be re-themed as a game about cheese production without altering the core gameplay.
American-style games, on the other hand, often place a strong emphasis on theme. Themes are frequently combat-oriented, such as conquering the world, battling aliens, or surviving zombie outbreaks. Mechanics in these games are often simpler and serve to reinforce the thematic experience.
Euro game themes tend to be more peaceful, often revolving around trade, resource management, economic development, or building an “engine” that generates increasing benefits over time.
Wooden cube game pieces in various colors, commonly used abstract components in Euro games
Wooden cube game pieces, common in Euro games
Even the components in Euro games often lean towards abstraction. They are well-known for using colored wooden cubes as game pieces. A blue cube could represent water, indigo dye, or even electricity, depending on the game. American-style games are often filled with detailed plastic miniatures that visually represent game elements like mechs or monsters.
Choices, choices, choices
Euro games are designed to offer players a wealth of meaningful choices. On each turn, players typically have a diverse range of actions to choose from, and the optimal choice is not always immediately apparent.
Istanbul board game box from Alderac Entertainment Group, showcasing a Euro game with worker placement and resource managementIstanbul, from Alderac Entertainment Group
Typically, there are multiple pathways to earn victory points, reflecting the multiple paths to victory. In a game like Istanbul, for example, the first player to collect five rubies wins. Rubies can be acquired through various means: gathering and trading resources, earning money and purchasing them, or obtaining Mosque tiles.
The most effective strategy often involves combining these approaches and adapting to the specific game conditions and the actions of other players.
Many American-style games tend to be more linear, presenting a clearer, more direct path to victory. Classic children’s games like Candy Land represent an extreme example of linear gameplay, with a single shortest path to victory and the winner being simply the fastest to reach the end.
Are Euros right for you?
Enthusiasts of Euro games appreciate them for their rewarding puzzle-solving aspects and strategic depth. The reduced direct conflict can create a more relaxed and amicable atmosphere around the table, minimizing hard feelings as players don’t feel unfairly targeted.
Agricola, from Lookout Games
Many Euro games offer players the opportunity to build and create something tangible within the game, providing satisfaction even if you don’t win. At the end of a game of Agricola, even if I haven’t won, looking at my developed farm can still be enjoyable. Perhaps another player scored more points, but my farm is still impressive and personally rewarding.
However, fans of Ameritrash games might miss the adrenaline and excitement of head-to-head conflict. It’s also true that some Euro games can have such minimal player interaction that players might as well be playing individual solitaire games side-by-side. New players may also find the strategic depth and lack of reliance on luck challenging when playing against more experienced Euro game players.
Euro games are undeniably among the most popular board games played today. A significant portion of the top 100 games on Board Game Geek fall into this category. If you enjoy strategic planning, a wide array of gameplay choices, and the satisfaction of building something, then gather your wooden cubes and explore the world of Euro games this weekend!
Written by John David Thacker
John David is a freelance writer specializing in board games and the board game industry.
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