Head to head
Junta or Twilight Struggle
To help you decide
Why you'd pick each one
Junta
- Less well known, if you want something off the beaten track.
- Easier to teach and to get to the table: 2.9 vs 3.6 in weight.
- Fills a long session, if you have the whole evening.
- Handles up to 7 players.
- Brings trading and voting, which the other one doesn't have.
Twilight Struggle
- Better rated on BoardGameGeek: 8.2 vs 6.7.
- Far more played: 52,430 ratings against 6,031.
- Meatier, if you want something to chew on.
- Plays in 150 minutes against 240.
- Brings variable set-up and campaign / battle card driven, which the other one doesn't have.
- Works with younger players: 13+ against 16+.
The numbers, side by side
| Data point | Junta | Twilight Struggle |
|---|---|---|
| BGG rating | 6.7 | 8.2 Better rated |
| Ratings | 6,031 | 52,430 |
| Players | 2–7 | 2 |
| Playing time | 240 min | 120–180 min |
| Complexity | 2.9 / 5 | 3.6 / 5 |
| Age | 16+ | 13+ |
| Year | 1979 | 2005 |
Only the rating gets a winner mark. A shorter or lighter game isn't a better one: it depends on what you're after.
Ratings and catalogue data are attributed to BoardGameGeek.