12 Best Point to Point Movement Board Games Ranked
Embarking on a wondrous journey to discover gems in the board gaming kingdom, we unfailingly cherish the thrill of plotting courses and carving paths to victory. The 12 best Point to Point Movement board games we’ve gathered for you each showcase thrilling routes, critical decisions, and the delight of outmaneuvering opponents across varied landscapes. We’ve combed through our archives, reliving the highs and lows, the outright laugh-induced moments, and strategy-induced silences that brought us together round the table. Our picks are praised for their exemplary mechanics, engaging gameplay, stunning diversity, and how they bring alive that animated anticipation each time we move from one point to another.
Games on this list:
12 Ticket to Ride
Ticket to Ride is a quintessential gateway game that splendidly exemplifies point to point movement mechanics. Everyone in our group found it delightfully simple to understand yet engrossing. You collect and play train cards to claim railway routes on a map, connecting cities as specified by your destination tickets. This engaging activity not only creates a strategic puzzle to solve but also involves blocking opponents and advanced planning.
11 Thebes
Thebes is a thrilling game for archeology enthusiasts, melding point to point movement with a push-your-luck element. We especially treasured how gameplay involves traveling to different European cities to gain knowledge. Later, it allows you to explore archeology sites to uncover treasures. It’s the anticipation of what comes out of the bag when digging for artifacts that had us on the edge of our seats, making every game uniquely suspenseful.
10 Power Grid
In Power Grid, we navigated the treacherous waters of supplying power plants, acquiring resources, and connecting cities to our power grid. This game caught our fancy for its economic strategy and the tension in optimizing point to point connections, competing for city links against each other. It’s certainly one for more seasoned players who enjoy forward thinking and critical management of their expanding network.
9 TransAmerica
TransAmerica is incredibly easy to learn, making it a hit among our less experienced friends yet having enough depth to keep the veterans hooked. It’s a game of building railroad tracks across America, connecting cities in the quickest and most efficient manner. Strategic foresight becomes crucial as your friends’ railways can both aid and wreck your plans, making the interaction a key part of the fun.
8 Pandemic
Pandemic challenged us collectively as we raced around the globe treating diseases and developing cures. The shared moments of tension, relief, and occasionally defeat, created a memorable narrative that’s different every game. Its cooperative nature forces you to think critically about every move from one city to the next, ensuring the game’s longevity on our game nights.
7 Elfenland
Elfenland offered us a magical touch to the concept of point to point movement, with its enchanting theme and interesting travel quests. As teenage elves, we ventured on a journey using various modes of transportation, vying for the title of most well-traveled elf. The game promotes planning but also adaptability due to the changing nature of the travel routes each turn.
6 Thurn and Taxis
Thurn and Taxis simulated the meticulously strategic development of postal routes during the glory days of mail delivery in the old Bavaria, Thurn and Taxis. Our group enjoyed building routes most coherent, and the push to continually expand or risk losing the existing line. This balance struck the perfect blend of tension with the satisfaction of making a plan come together.
5 Tsuro
Tsuro is a tile-laying game which presents a myriad of paths, rapidly evolving as the board fills up. Our moments of triumph and turmoil bore unforgettable laughter and smack-talk, as we guided our respective markers on the board, ever-mindful not to be led astray towards the edge. Its simplicity hides a deep strategic value, as survival rests on foresight, decision-making, and a bit of fortune.
4 Tikal
Tikal carried us off to the jungles in search of ancient temples and treasure. We were caught up in the excitements and intricacies of charting point to point paths through the dense forest, while managing resources and outsmarting opponents. The action point system elevated the control we felt over this journey, serving both explorers eager for an adventure and tacticians craving strategic depth.
3 Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard pitted us detective players against one elusive Mr. X in a clever hide and seek pursuit across London, using transportation such as taxis, buses, and subways. The point to point movement is the crux, creating heart-pounding suspense and the pure joy upon closing the net around Mr. X. It’s a masterclass in cooperative chase with one acting counter-cooperatively, which is as compelling as it gets.
2 Tsuro of the Seas
Tsuro of the Seas expanded on the original Tsuro’s concept, incorporating a nautical theme and the thrill of navigating treacherous sea paths while dodging beasts known as Daikaiju. It kept our group engaged and on our toes, for along with plotting maneuvers against our friends, we had to weather the dangers that roamed the vast ocean. It represents an addictive challenge that augments the point to point movement with elements of risk.
1 Railways of the World
Railways of the World enthralled us as the pinnacle of train themed point to point movement games, brought to life through vibrant history and vast choices. We were vastly impressed by the depth of gameplay. From laying tracks to shipping goods effectively, every decision felt immensely personal and impactful. And thus, it claims its place on the epitome of our list, counted as the best for unrivaled breadth and engaging mechanics.
