5 Board Games for Your Fourth Year in the Hobby
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Challenge Your Mind, Deepen Your Play
By year four, your shelf is full of Catan, Splendor, and Wingspan. Now it’s time to elevate your gaming with titles that demand longer planning, tighter player interaction, and deeper satisfaction. These five games will push your strategic muscles and reward repeat plays.
1. Terraforming Mars 🔴🌍
Engine-Building · Resource Management · 1–5 Players · 120 min
In this legendary game, you and your rivals are corporations turning Mars into a livable planet. Each generation (round), you play project cards, build engines, and compete for milestones. It’s the definitive medium-heavy Euro with amazing replay value.
Why 4-year gamers love it:
✔ Long-term strategy
✔ Combo-building satisfaction
✔ Endless variability
2. Great Western Trail 🐄🚂
Deck Building · Route Planning · 2–4 Players · 75–150 min
You’re a cattle rancher herding your herd across 19th-century America. But it's not just cows—you're deckbuilding, managing risks, and optimizing movement. Each turn is meaningful, and the game rewards experience.
What makes it advanced:
✔ Route optimization
✔ Tense decisions
✔ Deep replay with expansions
3. Brass: Birmingham 🏭🍺
Economic Strategy · Network Building · 2–4 Players · 90–120 min
Ranked #1 on BGG, Brass Birmingham is an economic masterpiece. You build industries, manage loans, and transport goods in the Industrial Revolution. It’s tight, interactive, and every decision matters.
Why it’s a classic for advanced players:
✔ Brutal economy
✔ Deep player interaction
✔ Beautiful, brain-burning decisions
4. Pax Pamir (2nd Edition) 🐘
Area Control · Political Intrigue · 1–5 Players · 45–120 min
Play as 19th-century Afghan leaders navigating imperial powers. Alliances shift constantly. It’s a stunning game of betrayal, loyalty, and control. The physical components and thematic immersion are top-tier.
Why this is elite tier:
✔ Unique mechanics
✔ High tension
✔ Story-rich gameplay
5. The Gallerist 🎨
Worker Placement · Market Manipulation · 1–4 Players · 90–120 min
You are an art dealer managing artists, exhibitions, and investments. The game merges economic mechanics with tight action economy. Designed by Vital Lacerda, it’s polished and demanding.
Why it's a next-level game:
✔ Strategic elegance
✔ Gorgeous production
✔ Very rewarding to master
🧠 Final Thoughts
By your fourth year, your brain craves crunch, challenge, and elegance. These five games offer strategic depth, immersive theme, and longevity—hallmarks of a seasoned board gamer’s collection.