Carcassonne review

Carcassonne is the best choice for families with younger children because GameNerdz lists it for ages 7 and up, the lowest age on this list, and a game takes 30 to 45 minutes. Each turn you draw a tile, add it to the shared map and may place one of your followers on a road, city, cloister or field to score it later. The map grows differently every game. The current box includes the mini expansions The River and The Abbot, with 72 land tiles, 12 river tiles, 40 followers and 5 abbots in five colors, so up to five people can play. It lists at $39.99 and was $31.99 at GameNerdz when we checked. Field scoring confuses many first-time players, and a lucky tile draw can swing a close game, but the core turn is simple enough for a seven-year-old.

Who it is for

Families with younger kids, from age 7

Price

$39.99 list price; $31.99 at GameNerdz when checked.

1 Supplementary Sheet $31.99 $39.99
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 12, 2026.

Key features

• 2 to 5 players, ages 7 and up, 30 to 45 minutes per game
• 72 land tiles placed one at a time to build a shared map
• Includes The River and The Abbot mini expansions with 12 river tiles
• 40 followers and 5 abbots in 5 colors
• Designed by Klaus-Jürgen Wrede, published by Hans im Glück

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Lowest minimum age on this list at 7
• Strength: Seats up to 5 players
• Strength: Two mini expansions included in the box
• Weakness: Farmer scoring in the fields is the hardest rule for new players
• Weakness: Luck of the tile draw can decide close games
• Weakness: Five players maximum

Key facts

• Publisher: Hans im Glück (Z-Man Games in the US)
• Designer: Klaus-Jürgen Wrede
• Players: 2 to 5
• Play time: 30 to 45 minutes
• Age: 7+
• Price: $39.99 list, $31.99 at GameNerdz

Where it ranks

Carcassonne is No. 4 in our Best Board Games verdict.