Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Harder to teach
High replayability
Highly interactive
Scales well
Deep strategy
More strategic control
How it plays
How does it play?
Roll and place dice to gather frontier resources, build towns and railroads, and grow a distinctive Wild West territory before the endgame breaks.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Dice Rolling
Roll dice to introduce uncertainty into actions, production, movement, or resolution.
Network and Route Building
Create connected routes that improve reach, delivery, control, or scoring.
Worker Placement
Commit limited workers to action spaces before opponents occupy them.
Variable Player Powers
Each player has different abilities, restrictions, or strategic advantages.
Read the full game description
Dark Horse is a dice-driven territory-building game set in the American West. Each player leads a character such as the Banker, Cowboy, or Tracker, gaining an asymmetric ability and starting advantage. On a turn, two colored dice are rolled and committed to action spaces that gather food, wood, or ore; build towns and cities; extend rail lines; draw cards; or trigger special roles. Limited wild-die tokens soften unlucky results, but timing and network efficiency remain central. Gold, influence, settlements, and railroad connections all contribute to victory, while several possible end conditions keep rivals watching one another.
