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Dorfromantik: every game in the family

From the award-winning board game to the new South Seas: which Dorfromantik games exist, how they differ and which one to start with.

Short answer: Start with Dorfromantik: The Board Game, the 2023 Spiel des Jahres: lay tiles together, 1 to 6 players. If you mostly play two people against each other, pick The Duel. Sakura and the new The South Seas are stand-alone follow-ups with their own campaign, and Light Luggage is the small travel version.

Dorfromantik started as a video game. In 2022 Pegasus Spiele turned it into a board game, designed by Michael Palm and Lukas Zach. By now there is a whole family. This guide lists every part and tells you which ones you need.

The board game: where it started

In Dorfromantik: The Board Game you lay hexagonal tiles with forests, fields, villages, rivers and railways together. You fulfil tasks and score points as a team. It is a campaign game: after each game you note your score, which unlocks boxes with new tiles and rules. The publisher gives 1 to 6 players, ages 8 and up, 30 to 60 minutes a game. It won the Spiel des Jahres in 2023.

The game exists in several languages, such as an English edition, a Dutch and a German one. The language matters mostly for the rules and tasks.

Two players against each other: The Duel and Head to Head

  • The Duel (2023) is the version for two players competing. You each build your own landscape with the same tiles and compare who scores best. There is no campaign. In German it is called Das Duell.
  • Head to Head (German: Kopf an Kopf) is a new, quicker version for two, ages 8 and up, with mountains and lakes that score points. Pegasus releases it in autumn 2026.

If you often play with two, also read our guide to two-player games.

Stand-alone follow-ups: Sakura and The South Seas

  • Sakura (2024) is set in Japan, with cherry blossom you earn by placing well. It is a stand-alone follow-up: you do not need the first game. It is co-operative too, with its own campaign, and according to reviewers a little more demanding than the original.
  • The South Seas (German: Südsee) moves the game to a tropical island, with boats at sea and a new campaign with five boxes to open. It is also a stand-alone game. Pegasus gives 1 to 6 players, ages 10 and up; the English edition comes out in October 2026.

Small and for travelling: Light Luggage

Light Luggage (German: Leichtes Gepäck) is a compact version in a much smaller box, with smaller tiles. The railway is gone and the campaign is simpler, so it is quick to explain. It is for 1 to 4 players. There is also an edition with the Limes mini expansion.

Mini expansions

For the first game there are small expansions with a few extra cards or tiles, such as Die große Mühle (2023, with a mill figure) and Limes, made around the Roman frontier that is a World Heritage site. Some come with a special edition of the game, such as Dorfromantik with the Mühle and Wetterau mini expansions.

The Dorfromantik family

How to choose

You want…Pick
The original, played togetherThe Board Game
Two players against each otherThe Duel or Head to Head
More challenge, its own campaignSakura
The newest partThe South Seas
Something small for travellingLight Luggage

Frequently asked questions

Which Dorfromantik game should I start with?

With Dorfromantik: The Board Game, the 2023 Spiel des Jahres. If you mainly want two players against each other, pick The Duel.

Do I need the first game for Sakura or The South Seas?

No. Sakura and The South Seas are stand-alone games with their own campaign. You can start with either.

Is Dorfromantik co-operative or competitive?

The Board Game, Sakura, The South Seas and Light Luggage are played together. The Duel and Head to Head are for two players competing.

When does Dorfromantik: The South Seas come out?

Pegasus releases it in autumn 2026; according to the publisher the English edition comes out in October 2026. The game’s page shows when shops sell it.

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