Games Like Guards of Atlantis II to Watch

Guards of Atlantis II set a high bar for team based tactical combat on the tabletop. It is the game I hand to friends who want a genuine MOBA feel with real coordination. So when people ask me for games like Guards of Atlantis II, I take the question seriously. Lately my answer includes a newcomer in preview: Trials of MAYA. I have not played the finished game, since this is a prototype campaign, but the coverage has me convinced it deserves a spot in the conversation.

What is Trials of MAYA?

Trials of MAYA is an expandable card-driven arena combat game. It combines three genres: MOBAs, classic 90s tactics games, and TCGs without booster packs. It plays 1 to 4 players in 60 to 180 minutes for ages 14 and up. Siege runs as 2v2, The Battle for Dhaara, and 1v1, Skirmish for Vyati. It launches on Gamefound September 8, 2026.

How it stands among games like Guards of Atlantis II

Guards of Atlantis II is excellent, and I am not knocking it. The point is that tabletop MOBA games can approach the genre from different angles. A skirmish fan, Chris of Liege of Games shared detailed first impressions and put Trials of MAYA in exactly this company: “Is it different enough than those games I mentioned at the beginning, the Battle for Biternia, the Guards of Atlantis, the Godtear? Yes, it is. It’s giving you that different dynamic. It’s not making death a finality, and it’s allowing you the customization.” For team based tactical combat, respawning matters. When a fallen champion returns, your team keeps fighting for objectives instead of playing a member down.

The card engine that sets the pace

The heart of it is the card system and the Energy Gambit, where one committed card sets your initiative now and your energy later. Polyhedron Collider praised the fresh card activation, saying, “I thought the activation mechanism with the cards was quite clever and felt different, felt fresh to me.” Chris agreed from the skirmish side, calling the action system “incredibly intriguing.”

Coordination on the map

Team play is where fans of tabletop MOBA games will feel at home. The Game Boy Geek broke down the 2v2 team play, explaining how initiative shapes everything: “in a game with tactical card driven combat, initiative is very important.” He also walked through minion aggro, where damaging a minion turns it hostile at end of turn, a positioning wrinkle that rewards careful teamwork. He praised the “beautifully sculpted miniatures” too, which never hurts on a MOBA table. Trials of MAYA runs Siege 1v1 and Siege 2v2 (Battle for Dhaara) for the team-focused crowd, plus a Headhunters free-for-all for two to four players and solo and co-op scenarios. Games take 60 to 180 minutes, and the teach is around 15 minutes.

Worth adding to the shortlist

Chris also flagged the production polish, noting it is “probably one of the better prototype rule books I’ve read in a while.” That kind of care shows the designers have done their homework before the campaign even ends. If you keep a running list of games like Guards of Atlantis II, add Trials of MAYA to it. Decks come together through deck construction from a fixed pool, you can try the game on Tabletop Simulator before backing, and the Gamefound campaign is live right now. I will be watching the team modes closely as more play reports come in.

Rulebooks and public metadata are on BoardGameGeek, the full breakdown is on the official page, and the campaign is live on Gamefound now.