As a mainstay in popular culture, Greek mythology has pervaded almost every single entertainment medium. From various novels, video games, and films, the record shows that Greek mythology is here to stay and will no doubt influence many future classics.
The Board Gaming community has also seen its fair share of tabletop experiences infused with a hearty dose of Greek gods and mythology. From straight-up ‘dudes on a map’ war arenas featuring classic monsters to cute, abstract strategy games, there’s something for everyone. Although some hobbyists may feel that this theme is overused, players won’t be able to deny the impact, influence, and fun that these board games have to offer.
7 Mythic Battles: Pantheon
Mythic Battles: Pantheon is a popular all-out death arena for 2-4 players. The game pits god against god as each deity scrambles to assemble their warbands and acquire their lost power in a post-apocalyptic ancient Greece. The premise is that Hera’s jealousy of Zeus’ infidelity led to her unleashing all sorts of doom upon Greece. Her actions lead to the destruction of Greece, breaking the dimensions between the physical world and the afterlife, and turning all surviving gods into fragments of their original strength.
Featuring area control, cards, dice, and epic miniatures, players will command their god and hosts to duke it out on what’s left of the world. The game showcases classical monsters, returning heroes, and stoic mortals from mythology and allows players to assemble their unique ‘A Team’. Players looking for the ultimate Greek god showdown need to try out this game as the game has released several expansions featuring more gods and content. The franchise has also released Mythic Battles: Ragnarok which focuses on Norse mythology.
6 Elysium
Similar to Mythic Battles: Pantheon,Elysium has players assume the role of an upstart demigod striving to craft their epic tale. The game focuses on set collection (acquiring various card combinations) and players will have to gather cards representing various heroes, items, powers, and gods.
Combined effectively, these cards will reward the player with gold, glory, and most importantly, victory points. The player with the most points will then get to enter Elysium itself. The game features a vast number of strategic approaches and options, making it ideal for players that like to make unique and powerful combinations.
5 7 Wonders Duel
A distilled-down version of the classic game, 7 Wonders,7 Wonders Duel is a competitive 2-player game in which each player must draft cards to build wonders and achieve victory. Players must acquire resources to construct their wonders as the game (as suggested in the title) can only have a total of 7 wonders built, leaving a player short of a wonder.
The game offers a variety of strategies and 3 different victory conditions- either through military, scientific, or by racking up the most points from those wonders. Overall, 7 Wonders Duel is a fantastic 2-player experience and is even better with its expansion: 7 Wonders Duel: Pantheon. This expansion introduces the power of the gods that can help players and hinder their rivals. Moreover, the game is perfect for couples looking for alternative ways to sort out their differences.
4 Lords Of Hellas
Lords of Hellas combines the power of the Greek Gods with advanced technology. In this epic game, players will take on the role of mighty asymmetric heroes who must control various territories, erect or control monuments to the gods, and hunt terrifying monsters.
Throughout the game, players will gather their armies, discover unique artifacts, and gain favors from gods such as Zeus, Athena, and Hermes. Devoid of a points system, players are free to adventure throughout the board and deny rivals of their respective prizes. Players looking for a different fantasy experience will no doubt enjoy this sci-fi and pseudo-historical tabletop experience.
3 Santorini
A unique asymmetrical strategy game about building and combining various godly powers, Santorini is a staple favorite amongst board gaming collectors and newcomers to the hobby. Featuring straightforward rules, the game asks its players to move one space in any direction with their worker pawns on the board and then build. The first player who places their pawn on a 3rd-story building wins.
Sounds easy. However, when players combine the 40 different asymmetrical god powers, the game becomes an interesting and brilliant strategic arena. Featuring team-based (2v2) and straight-up competitive modes (1v1 or 1v1v1 for 2-player and 3-player games respectively), Santorini is a hidden gem for gamers wanting something quick and strategically satisfying.
2 Concordia
Concordia is set in a peaceful Roman world where players compete against one another as merchants trying to establish their power bases and trade throughout a peaceful Roman empire. Since Roman gods are technically Greek gods, the game makes the cut. Concordia features a meaty economic euro experience as players build up their trade empires by purchasing cards from the marketplace to improve their turn actions.
All players start with the same cards but can acquire new ones at the marketplace. Whilst the gods don’t make an appearance on the board, their presence and influence in the game sure shine through as they apply to the end-game scoring. The game currently ranks within the top 20 best board games of all time according to Board Game Geek.
1 Cyclades
Set in the island chain of the same name, Cyclades is a war game featuring cool miniatures, area control, city building, dice rolling, and bidding. To be crowned victor requires each player to pay their respects to each of the 5 gods present in the game- Zeus, Athena, Apollo, Poseidon, and Ares. Each god will grant different boons to the player that valued it the most that turn. The catch is that only one player can win the good favor of each god in a turn and each player is also limited to the favor of a single god per turn.
Featuring various creatures and armies spread throughout the game board. Players will trade blows against one another in a bid to become the most powerful champion in the Cyclades.