Finding deals on the best tech has always been my calling, but I’ve developed a serious appreciation for board games over time. While video games are a visual spectacle brought to our screens by ever-evolving technology, to me, nothing beats the tactility of good old cardboard, acrylic, and metal (you know, deluxe edition-type stuff). We don’t normally cover board games, but these deals were too good to pass up, so while I do some shopping of my own, I thought I’d share. And on that topic: you should check out my Black Friday deals coverage, which includes some of the best tech from top brands.
Splendor
$21.99
at Amazon
$39.99
Save $18.00
SEE -6 MORE
Board games are so much more than the standards like Sorry or Monopoly. Like video games, there’s a vast sea of genres and play mechanics that will appeal to a variety of players, like triggering card effect combos, chucking dice, building a tableau, climbing giant monsters to attack their weak points, and gathering and delivering resources. It’s easy to connect these mechanics to their video game counterparts, and when you think of it from that perspective, it’s even easier to decide where to start your board gaming journey.
Whether you have a regular group of friends, are testing out the scene at your FLGS (Friendly Local Game Store), live to crush an opponent, or even prefer solo play, there’s a board game for that, too. They also make great gifts, which is fantastic news as we enter the gift-giving season, with plenty of titles on sale right now.
Best for Beginners
Splendor
$21.99
at Amazon
$39.99
Save $18.00
Splendor is a classic title that many board gamers will recognize. You play as merchants of the Renaissance, trying to win prestige points by buying gems, building developments, and thwarting the schemes of your opponents. On your turn, you collect gems (represented by poker chips) and reserve or build cards by paying the cost on the bottom left of the card, which can then be treated as gems for additional purchases in later turns.
Accumulate wealth with careful decisions and small purchases, then make more expensive purchases to score prestige points. The first to 15 is the winner! Easy to learn, but difficult to master, Splendor is a great entry point into the hobby. You can save 45% thanks to this Black Friday deal.
If you’re like me and typically only play two-player, Splendor Duel is designed exclusively for a head-to-head experience, and it’s also on sale.
Best Cooperative Play
Stardew Valley: The Board Game
$54.02
at Amazon
$67.97
Save $13.95
For those who have sunk hundreds of hours into the Stardew Valley video game and enjoyed losing yourself in a peaceful world of simulated pastoral bliss, let me temper your expectations: the board game equivalent will challenge you. Stardew Valley: The Board Game sees you attempting to fulfill a variety of community center objectives within a single calendar year, denoted by a dwindling deck of cards. Each turn, you and up to three friends will plan your day, whether that’s fishing, watering and harvesting crops, mining, or making friends, while keeping objectives in mind.
Even JojaMart Corporation makes an appearance, throwing an occasional wrench in your works with events that make it more difficult to complete tasks without forking over your hard-earned coins.
For fans of the video game, Stardew Valley: The Board Game is an absolute treat, pulling art directly from the beloved farming sim and delivering a tactical cooperative experience that will vary across plays thanks to a variety of goals. Will the valley flourish thanks to your efforts, or will JojaMart move in and make a mess of things? Find out for 21% off the retail price.
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Best Flip and Write
Cartographers: A Roll Player Tale
$19.98
at Amazon
$29.95
Save $9.97
The beauty of the roll and write (or, in this case, flip and write) genre is the simplicity. There are no rule books to thumb through, except to learn the nuances of placement and scoring, because the base gameplay is the same: flip a card over, draw what you see on the included sheet. That’s it. Cartographers is set in the universe of Roll Player, a dice drafting game from the same publisher, and supports up to 100 players—at least for your first game, because that’s how many sheets come in the box. You can play in smaller groups or large ones, or even solo, just as long as you have enough sheets and writing implements to go around.
You start with a blank sheet and fill it out based on the cards you draw, meaning no two games will result in the same map. Due to the nature of scoring, which only counts certain aspects of your mapmaking at the end of specific rounds, you constantly have to weigh the pros and cons of scoring now or building up and scoring big later. Save 33% on a small box game that travels well and is a great entryway into more complex titles.
Recommended by Our Editors
Best Party Game
Joking Hazard by Cyanide & Happiness
$20.00
at Amazon
$25.00
Save $5.00
“But, wait,” you say. “This isn’t a board game.” Technically, no, but hear me out: Joking Hazard is like Cards Against Humanity (CAH) in hilarious and oftentimes inappropriate comic form. It’s a game for terrible[-y funny] people. Bonus points if you’re a fan of the Cyanide & Happiness webcomic. Each turn, the judge sets up a two-panel comic from cards in their hand, and the other players must finish the strip with one of their own cards.
Much like CAH, getting points comes down to knowing the judge’s sense of humor and playing your card accordingly. Before you whip this out at your next family gathering, just be aware that this is a game for adults and anything is on the table, even topics that some may genuinely find offensive. Perfect as a drinking game or just to flex those creative muscles with like-minded friends, add Joking Hazard to your library today for just $20.
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About Our Expert
Jade Chung-Lee
Merchandising Associate
Experience
When she isn’t perusing online stores for deals, Jade enjoys playing video games (mostly JRPGs and roguelikes), sorting board game components neatly into containers, and building Gundam models. Her love of electronics has persisted through her youth and has resulted in a collection of gaming peripherals including keyboards and controllers, scale figures, and art work. Jade lives in blissful harmony with her wife, cat, and two chinchillas—as well as a host of houseplants.
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