Good 3 Player Games
Dave VanderArk
United States
Coopersville
Michigan
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In a discussion not too long ago via Geek list comments, someone said there were not very many good three player games. This is a complaint that I hear quite often in online discussion groups as well. It may be true, but I'm not so sure. I think it may just be one of things that keeps getting repeated without anyone stopping to think about what they are saying.
One quality of a "poor" 3 player game is a situation where two players get involved attacking each other, allowing the third player to run away with the victory. I have seen that happen in games like Goldland and Drunter & Druber. I could also forsee that happening in Africa, and to a lesser degree in Through the Desert, or La Citta.
The opposite quality that is found in a "good" 3 player game is the interaction with all others at the table. That's one thing I considered when deciding which games belong on this list.
Good three player games have been the focus of a few Geek lists already. Nothing recently, however, so it's time to put my list together to grab some of the newer titles (but I include quite a few older ones too).
Two of the best lists dealing with 3 player games:
Josh Miller started things out with one of the first-ever Geek lists
<A TARGET=BLANK HREF=http://69.13.44.2/geeklist.php3?action=view&listid=26> http://69.13.44.2/geeklist.php3?action=view&listid...istid=2...;/A>
David Karasick’s list of 3 player card games
<A TARGET=BLANK HREF=http://69.13.44.2/geeklist.php3?action=view&listid=760> http://69.13.44.2/geeklist.php3?action=view&listid...stid=76...;/A>
I don't agree that everything listed on these lists is best with 3 players, but they are excellent lists, and should be reviewed if you are looking for 3 player games. There are some games that I listed that are on these lists, but that's because they are such good 3 player games.
Feel free to make additions, but I reserve the right to delete any games added that I don't think are best with 3 players.
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Dave VanderArk
United States
Coopersville
Michigan
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Cosmic Eidex is designed for 3 players, so it's obviously going to be best with 3. It is an incredibly good game. Two victory points are awarded each hand, based on how many points each player takes (or avoids) in cards in a trick-taking game. The rules of the trick-taking game are a bit odd, and take some getting used to. Add to the difficulty of the unusual mechanics the fact that each player has a unique rule-breaking ability, and the brain burning factor is multiplied. If it weren't so hard to remember how to play, this would be my top-played 3 player game of all time. Because it's such a brain burner, it's hard to get it to the table often enough.
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Dave VanderArk
United States
Coopersville
Michigan
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Another brain bending trick taking game where the highest card does not always take the trick. Easier to learn and play than Cosmic Eidex. Newly repbulished, the box says it works for 2-4 players, but it's best with 3.
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Dave VanderArk
United States
Coopersville
Michigan
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Schnappchen Jagd is a challenging game of memory and strategy is wrapped around a trick taking game with challenging rules. The result is one of the best 3 player games around. It also works for 4 players, but is best with 3.
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Dave VanderArk
United States
Coopersville
Michigan
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Sticheln has been mentioned on Geek lists saying it's good with 3, 4, 7, and even 8! My opinion is that it's better with 3, because you've got more opportunity to screw everyone at the table. I like it with other numbers too, but I think it's best with 3.
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Dave VanderArk
United States
Coopersville
Michigan
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An excellent game for 4, Wyatt Earp also works very well with just 3. Co-designed by Mike Fitzgerald, who also created the Mystery Rummy games, this game takes the basic idea of a Rummy game and builds a game of strategy that sometimes feels like it's telling a story.
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Dave VanderArk
United States
Coopersville
Michigan
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Another card game, this one is based on Gin Rummy, where you hold your cards in your hand instead of melding them to the table. What makes the game work is the mechanism of the tavern cards, and the strategy you need to employ as you manipulate them. A superb game, I like it with 2, 3, or 4, but I think it's best with 3.
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Dave VanderArk
United States
Coopersville
Michigan
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Actually, this one is great with 3, 4, or 5, and the new edition will work for 6. I feel it deserves to be on this list because it's such a good game, even though it isn't clearly "best" with 3 players.
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Dave VanderArk
United States
Coopersville
Michigan
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High Society was republished last fall by Uberplay. It was also republished by Amigo, in a completely different edition called Einfach Tierisch. The picture I've included with this listing is from the Amigo release.
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Dave VanderArk
United States
Coopersville
Michigan
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Fewer players improves this game, IMO. It's best with 2 or 3.
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Dave VanderArk
United States
Coopersville
Michigan
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Another game that's best with 2 or 3. I love route planning and connection games, and this is probably the best of that genre.
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11.
Board Game: M
[Average Rating:6.47 Overall Rank:1394]
Dave VanderArk
United States
Coopersville
Michigan
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I'm surprised I like this game. I usually don't like abstract games all that much, prefering even the thinnest of themes to add a bit of spice to the proceedings. This game has no theme, it's a pure abstract. Yet I like it quite a bit. It plays with 2-6, and I think it works well with 2-4. There's too much time between turns with 5 or 6, so you lose some ability to plan your fate. (This is the same reason Cartagena and Expedition are better with fewer players).
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Dave VanderArk
United States
Coopersville
Michigan
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One of Alex Randolph's last published designs, this one is a beauty. You are trying to achieve control of properties by building majorities of cubes, but ties nullify each other and the third place player can win with creative placements. As a three player game, all four colors are still in play. This means that if you gain control over some of the dummy player's color cubes you can place them where they will best disrupt other players. This can lead to a tense game, with some real difficult money management decisions. Possibly better with 4, but very good with 3.
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Dave VanderArk
United States
Coopersville
Michigan
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The 2004 Alea reprint of Basari, this is a game of trying to outthink your opponents while you amass the most money collecting gems. One of the features of Edel, Stein, & Reich is the ability to play with up to 5 players. Even so, I think it's best with either 4 or 3, and it deserves mention on this list.
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Dave VanderArk
United States
Coopersville
Michigan
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A fairly random game of trying to meet demand, represented by customer cards dealt out onto the table. What makes it really click are the customers you fight over with your right and left hand neighbors. The game is best with 3 because in a 3 player game you're interacting with everyone else at the table.
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One of the games I hear about most often in the 3-player category.
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S W E E T !
United States
West Lafayette
Indiana
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I've only played this game with 3 and it is really good. The first player divides the action cards into three piles, the other players choose a pile, and leave one for the divider. It gets pretty tense. You can just feel how much better that method is than the 4 player version (two dividers, two choosers per turn).
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17.
Board Game: Skat
[Average Rating:7.31 Overall Rank:739]
Eric Mowrer
United States
Gresham
Oregon
Ami. Geek.
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Another game that is 'designed' for three players. I have designed in quotes because it's one of those non-proprietary games that just kind of evolved that way. It's one of the better trick taking games for 3 players that can be played with a regular 52 card poker deck.
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Paul Boos
Spain
Falls Church
Virginia
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This is a great 3-player game! In fact with 3 - combat between players seems to be more calculated than with 4 or 5, where it just seems to happen regardless.
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19.
Board Game: Samurai
[Average Rating:7.49 Overall Rank:76]
Eric Landes
United States
Hillsboro
Oregon
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This game scales well from 2-4. An often overlooked Knizia masterpiece.
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Ben Newell
United States
Pasadena
California
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Many people get put off by Runebound for one picky reason or another, but I think the most common complaint is down-time between turns. With three players, this isn't much of an issue, and the nature of the game makes it work VERY well with that number. I love this game.
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Jason Little
United States
Eden Prairie
Minnesota
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this game is an excellent three player game. it works for 2 or 4, but also is very well balanced and compelling for three. at just about an hour, the gameplay is fast-paced and strategic. the game mechanics are novel and easy to grasp, making it a great game to introduce to new gamers. there is some luck, but it doesn't overly disrupt the strategy of the game. i always enjoy playing this game.
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♪ Isaäc Bickërstaff ♫
United States
Greer
South Carolina
Entropy Seminar:
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Some people think this is an OK game, others think it's the best available (thank you very much), but I think all agree that the game plays best with three. I can't recall off the top of my head, but I think that the box even advertises this as being best with three.
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23.
Board Game: Attila
[Average Rating:6.58 Overall Rank:901]
Stephen Michael Hickey
New Zealand
Auckland
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Attila is regualrly cited as a great 3 player game that doesn't work well with any other number.
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Simon Hunt
United States
Roseville
California
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Take Stock scales well from 2-6. It plays very nicely with 3 players. Interaction occurs through manipulating the common stock market - there is no direct influence one player can have on another.
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Stephen Roney
United States
Ladera Ranch
California
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Good luck finding it, but this is an enjoyable three player abstract strategy game. I will admit that I have probably only played it a dozen times in thirty years, but I so rarely have three players available that are appropriate. I played it over Christmas with my 24 year old son and his friend and was reminded again.
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Norwich
Norfolk
It is a trick taking game played with a stripped deck (32 cards). The game revolves around making making bids around things that you will acheive in the game. For example: win the last trick with the trump 7, winning every trick, loosing every trick etc. It is a little difficult to learn at first but a chart of all the possible bids really helps.
A full set of rules can be found in the Peguin Encyclopedia of Card Games by David Parlett. (ISBN 0 14 028032 4)
Kamloops
British Columbia
Basari, Hansa, Emerald, Clans, Big City, Carcassonne (any of them, but I think Hunters & Gatherers is best), Lord of the Rings, Medina, Ticket to Ride, Traumfabrik, Warriors.
I, like Dave, often here people say there are not a lot of good 3 players games. I, like Dave, don't understand that complaint!
Clemson
South Carolina
We went to the game room and pulled out a handful of games that we haven't played in awhile but would like to play. There was Reibach & Co, which is playable with 3 but isn't all that great. We also took out Timbuktu, which we enjoy a lot, but with 3 you have to start with unbalanced sets of commodities. We also grabbed Black Vienna, which I think would work fine, but would probably lead to someone having a really good set of alibi cards and deducing the culprits long before the other two gather enough info to win. And then there was the fourth game we pulled out--the one we played--and it worked very well with 3...
Premier (ShowManager). I was skeptical because you actually play two positions with the same pool of money. But it worked very well. It might even be a better game with 3 than with any other number. Great.
Unspecified
Washington
Dist of Columbia