The Best Alternative Games Like LIFE

Remember playing the Game of LIFE when you were a kid and dreaming of all the things that pathway would unfold for you as you grew up? You’d find that amazing someone, have an awesome career, and have a bunch of kiddos and… all those other things.

The Game of LIFE was originally created in 1860 and re-released in its current form in 1960.

Well, in today’s world, the Game of LIFE is still a great choice for game night, but there are loads of other games like LIFE out there that can take game night in a different kind of direction – and be just as much (or even more) fun. We’ve found the best list of games that lead players through life timeline activities in a wide range of peripheral veins for a broader perspective and loads of silly fun.

Most Playable 10 Games Like LIFE

The Pursuit of Happiness

Age: 12+ (Community 10+) Players: 1-4 Time: 60-90 minutes

Why just live LIFE and exist when you can get in on The Pursuit of Happiness? In this fun time game from Stronghold Games, you’ll find the pathway to adulthood far more enjoyable than it is in real life – but you might also glean some hope for your real life, too.

In The Pursuit of Happiness, players take a character from their birth all the way to the end of their lives. They must take steps towards happiness and as they do so (and maybe as you do!) they realize that the pursuit is where the joy really lies. The game uses worker placement as the mechanic, with your characters taking on projects, buying objects (like homes and cars), raising families, and pursuing relationships. The possibilities of goodness and happiness are never-ending in the game, with interesting gameplay mechanics and engaging elements that make the journey towards happiness truly captivating. When you do, everyone’s a winner.

CV

Age: 10+ Players: 2-4 Time: 60 minutes

While CV is a game like LIFE, it uses a gameplay mechanic system a bit like Yahtzee – and has become a favorite of many board game enthusiasts for its blending qualities of these games. The game accommodates 2 to 4 players, ages 10 and up, and lasts about 60 minutes. The simple game with fantastic artwork takes players through the possibilities of those “what ifs” had things gone slightly differently along the way.

In CV, players craft their resume (CV = curriculum vitae or resume) through dice and cards, while taking their characters through life from birth to the end. Players can play out their dreams in the game, making choices they never did in real life (or hope they will when they’re older). Every choice made shifts the possibilities for characters: dream jobs come, new relationships grow, skills increase… You can be whoever you want to be!

To play, roll the dice and re-roll, like in Yahtzee, and collect sets of symbols that allow you to then collect cards. Each round, the cards give benefits to characters and lead them toward that dream life we all crave. Players must strategically spend their efforts to collect the right cards and achieve their goals. At the end of the game, whoever scores the most points through those unique cards wins the game.

Funny Friends

Age: 16+ Players: 2-6 Time: 60 minutes

Every player in Funny Friends starts out the game as a teenage character. As the game continues, players must choose which cards to take to shape their lives. Characters might wind up repeating classes, joining Bible study groups, having their first intimate encounter during a drunken night, or so many other things – all based on realistic coming-of-age moments. At the start of each event in a character’s life, the character “changes” and “grows” (or declines) thanks to these choices. Like, if a character decides to start smoking, addiction comes.

Or if a character decides to pursue and stick to a law school education, they may gain wealth and fancy cars. And, just as in real life, excess costs the characters things, positive choices can bring good things. Whatever impacts the characters’ lives impacts the interactions in the game and ultimately the gameplay. It’s a unique twist on the Game of LIFE with outcomes driven by choice-based hand management rather than the spin of a wheel. Players manage their characters’ lives and choices, making strategic decisions that shape their journey.

Chez Geek

Age: 13+ (Community 16+) Players: 2-5 Time: 60 minutes

A fast-paced, light-hearted take on the Game of LIFE, Chez Geek parodies life in Geek culture and cohabitation (roommates). In the game, players become roommates aiming to just survive life, with or without each other. The setup is fairly simple: Players are each dealt a Job card that tells them their income, free time, and special abilities – as well as their Slack goal. Players also receive 5 Life cards. In front of each player on the table, their “Room” exists – and this is where cards are played during the game. Everyone starts out with a Slack total of zero.

Then, players take turns:

• Drawing Life cards until they have 6 in hand (though some Job cards require 5 or 7 instead)

• Making “variable” rolls to deal with variable free time or income as stated on their Job cards.

• Performing actions based on the free time allotted by their Job cards.

Basically, each player goes through these motions to enjoy their “life” in the game and ultimately gain those Slack points. This might be through getting rid of people in their lives who drain their energy, cuddling up with a cat or dog, watching TV, or other actions that give them time to relax and laze about. And at the end of each turn, if a player has more than 5 cards in hand, they have to discard down to 5 or fewer. The ultimate goal is to make it to the Slack goal or higher to win.

Careers

Age: 8+ Players: 2-6 Time: 60 minutes

In the game of Careers, players set their own victory conditions, choosing between Fame, Happiness, Money, or a combination of all three – just like so many people do in real life. The game provides this limitation, though: The total number of points earned in the categories must total 60. You might earn 60 points in happiness and nothing in the others, or you could earn 25 in Happiness, 40 in Money, and 35 in Fame. Players must fight their way through the game to fulfill their goals by taking on different occupations and experiences. But, just like in real life, there are some prerequisites to get certain jobs or follow certain paths. Like, to make it big in Hollywood, you’ve got to have some creative talent.

Whoever winds up following their path and reaching their preset goal fastest wins the game, making Careers a great game for its overall enjoyment and strategic depth.

Fog of Love

Age: 17+ (Community 16+) Players: 2 Time: 60-120 minutes

Designed for two players in their late teens or older, Fog of Love takes players through not just life but the act of falling in love. Your job: create vivid characters who meet, fall in love, and face the challenges of life together to make the relationship work.

It’s a bit like playing out a rom-com with awkward situations, romantic moments, stupid choices, and those interferences that make falling in love so darn hard. And as you play, you’ve got to make compromises (like in real life!), enjoy laughter in those bizarre moments nobody saw coming, and work at getting to that happily ever after. And in the mix, character goals might be at odds, so there’s got to be some change, some compromise, and some perseverance to get you through. But there’s no guarantee you’ll survive love. In fact, the happily ever journey is full of surprises along the way and might just land you in Heartbreak Hotel instead. The game also has the potential for dark, intense, and challenging relationship scenarios. But whatever happens, you’ll have a blast playing this unique game like LIFE.

Inner Compass

Age: 14+ Players: 2-4 Time: 60 minutes

Another game similar to LIFE but with a more realistic direction, Inner Compass is all about taking a character through life with guided choices instead of the spin of a wheel. The game accommodates 2 to 4 players, who each choose one of four characters to play. Each character is searching for the meaning of life, much like we do in the real world. They must face all the emotions of life, make the right choices, and create memories they’ll want to look back on. All these things lead the characters to discover their Inner Compass, their true direction, and values. You have the choice to guide them through healthy emotional exploration, appropriate productivity, or lazy and poor choices. But be warned: the most enlightened character at the end of the game wins.

CVlizations

Age: 10+ Players: 2-5 Time: 45-60 minutes

From the same creators of CV, this game like LIFE takes a bit of a turn on the progressive play of lifetime games. CVlizations gives players the role of a tribal leader tasked with “writing” the CV (resume) for the tribe – that is, the past and future of the tribe. Players will choose which buildings, innovations, tools, and ideologies to develop, as well as which orders to give the others in the tribe to follow – all with the purpose of helping the tribe pursue happiness, health, and the good life.

Gameplay in CVlizations is built on action selection or choice-based turns, making it suitable for children due to its straightforward rules and appealing themes. During each turn, players choose two order cards to give. The strength of the actions depends on how many other players also choose the same action while developing ideas and managing resources appropriately. Ultimately, whoever guides their tribe best and earns the most happiness points wins the game.

Karnaxis

Age: 12+ Players: 1-6 Time: 60 minutes

Enter the world of Karnaxis for a different take on what it means to grow up and find your path in life. The game places players as high school graduates ready to enter the world of the modern economy. Each player chooses unique talents and traits for their characters, life ambitions – or their Karnaxis. Players then use 2 actions during each of the 12 years played out in the game. These actions make room for competing for jobs and businesses, getting a college education, stock trading, experiencing random events, and, of course, trying to fulfill that unique Karnaxis your player most desires.

The ambitions of characters may vary widely, allowing players to explore different ideas in the world, whether it’s to become the world’s greatest doctor, take over a business empire, or find the laziest way to experience life while still raking in the cash. As each player fulfills tasks that help them achieve their Karnaxis, they receive “bonus” cash. And, ultimately, whichever player earns the most cash throughout the game wins.

#mylife

Age: 10+ Players: 2-6 Time: 30 minutes

Taking players from birth to old age, #mylife rushes through life in just 30 minutes through ten rounds of card-playing fun. At the onset of the game, players receive a birth card which sets them at age 0. Then, players draw a hand of six cards from the “first half of life” deck which will begin their in-game character development tracks. Every player chooses one card simultaneously from their hands and plays – if they have a card in the appropriate age range for the “era” of life their character is in.

That is, if they’re in the first phase, the card must place them between 1 and 10 years of age, the second between 11 and 20, and so on. Icons on the cards may also appear on cards as the game plays out – and these icons will match previous “experiences” your characters have experienced. These allow you to play through the round faster. When the round ends, players pass their remaining cards to the player on the left. The end of the round occurs when players lay down five cards. At this point, players pass their cards and then draw a new set of six cards from the “second half of life” deck and play another 5 rounds. Whichever player first achieves a certain combination of “goals” claims their life goal and wins – unless someone “younger” in-game beats them.

Also Read: Top 10 Popular Card Games

Conclusion

For loads of fun with the family, try this collection of games like LIFE. Each offers its own pathway to “maturity” and allows players to experience – even if only fictional – new directions in life, love, and happiness. Most games play out in under an hour and are appropriate for kids as young as 10 or 12, and all provide players with many choices mixed with a bit of luck, just like real life does.

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