Wondering if there are any games like Pandemic?
We’ll give you our pics for what to play next!

Pandemic has been delighting board game players since 2007. It is a true gateway game—responsible for welcoming many new players into the world of modern board games—breaking through the hobby wall to land a top spot on the shelves of big name stores for families to find almost anywhere. 

If you like so many others have been enjoying Pandemic, you may be wondering what to play next that can bring as much fun as this game.

Luckily for you there are so many games to discover and we’d like to give you our top picks for what to play next after Pandemic!

Flash Point Fire Rescue:

This is the most 1 to 1 comparison game out there and it just so happens to be one of our family’s very favorite games as well. Here you’ll work as a team to combat a raging fire that has taken over a home as you try to find and save the people within. 

You’ll need to work together to put out flames, break down walls, and carry people to safety outside of the building before it comes crashing down on you. 

Flash Point is amazingly fun and can be enjoyed by the whole family. Our daughter has been playing it since she was 6! But don’t let that fool you, this game is tough, and much like Pandemic, you can easily scale up or down the difficulty to suit your needs.

Crusaders: Thy Will Be Done

Crusaders is a game we recently discovered this past year and were instantly smitten with it. Rather than working together, you’ll be working against each other to try to spread your Order’s influence and power on the board to win the game.

Similar to Pandemic, you’ll be moving around this map, choosing which locations will best help as you fight, erect buildings, and earn prestige for your Order. 

This is a great next step without too much added difficulty for players looking for an ever so slightly more challenging game than Pandemic without worrying about brain burn. The most notably interesting aspect of Crusaders is the use of rondel and mancala mechanisms where each player will be able to upgrade their rondel in order to give them the actions they feel will best align with their strategy 

Dead of Winter

This game combines the teamwork element of Pandemic and splashes in a bit of self interest and narrative storytelling. 

In Dead of Winter, you’ll take on the role of a small group of survivors in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. Each player will have their own group they control and each character in the group can function uniquely and has different abilities. 

In order to survive, you’ll have to find a way to work together as each game there will be common victory goals. But each player will have their own secret objectives that they must complete to earn victory for themselves. Sometimes these goals are harmless to the main group, other times they will run in direct conflict and players will have to find a way to navigate that without upsetting the whole group. 

Dead of Winter is as much an experience as it is a game. Its exceptionally thematic and will delight any players who enjoy the zombie genre. As a personal non-zombie fan myself, I enjoy the hard choices you have to make in this game and the challenge that comes from navigating the many different goals and individual interest of each player—using both deduction and bluffing skills—to find a means to an end. 

(Quick note: there are some more mature themes involved in this game. While cards containing mature content are clearly marked and easily removed, the overall theme of the game may be too much for younger audiences. Use your best judgement when playing with your family or group.)

Quirky Circuits

One of the more difficult challenges in Pandemic is finding a way to work together, especially when players have different thoughts on what steps should be taken. Some of those same challenges can be found in the adorable robot programming game Quirky Circuits!

In Quirky Circuits, you’ll be working together to program robots to perform tasks and navigate obstacles. Players will all play cards into the queue to program the robots movements. The only catch? You don’t know what cards your teammates are playing! 

We reviewed Quirky Circuits last year and found it to be an utter delight! Everyone we played it with has loved it and it provides such a fun and light hearted challenge that is sure to bring laughter to any game group! 

The Lost Expedition

Dive deep into the heart of the Amazon jungle in search for Percy Fawcett, an explorer who went missing in search for El Dorado. The only thing more challenging than finding Fawcett…will be escaping the jungle alive! 

In the Lost Expedition, you’ll need to manage your resources as you attempt to keep your group healthy and alive as you look for your escape. Players will play cards, carry out mandatory actions, and make difficult choices on which actions they wish to pursue. Every choice you make will have an impact on your group— some positive and many negative if not chosen carefully. 

This game is brutal! We have lost this game more than we have won but that challenge might be just what you’re looking for. I love how easily this game can be learned while it is truly difficult to master. The Lost Expedition is also a great choice for any player looking for a solo game as the solo version is excellent! 

The Pandemic Universe!

The popularity of pandemic has also birthed a whole host of exciting expansions and stand alone games for you to explore! Many bring fun, new elements to the game from real-time play, roll and writes, and hidden movement! There’s something for every taste! 

Check out our full review of their latest installment: Pandemic: Rapid Response where you’ll race against the clock to deliver the much needed aid supplies to disease stricken cities all across the globe in real time!

Pandemic: On the Brink is an expansion that adds new challenges to the base game, including a fifth player who functions as a bio-terrorist, infecting the world with the virus! Players must work to not only stop the spread of the virus, but locate and stop the terrorist. It’s a lot of fun and one of our favorites in the Pandemic universe!

And for the biggest fans of Pandemic, you will NOT want to miss Pandemic Legacy! Here you will play Pandemic over the course of 12-24 games with each game altering the next and changing the course of play. This is an amazing experience and a MUST TRY for any super fan of Pandemic!

Here are some options to get you started on your next adventure in the world of Pandemic:

Pandemic: On the Brink
Pandemic Legacy: Season 1
Pandemic Rapid Response
Pandemic: Iberia
Pandemic: The Cure
Pandemic: Fall of Rome

There are so many amazing games to try! So whether one on this list has excited you or a different one, just get out there and play a new game! You never know what you’re going to enjoy till you’ve given it a try! 

Just don’t forget to wash your hands so you don’t spread a pandemic at your next game night! 😉

For more in our “What Should I Play Next?” Series, check out:

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