Board games, especially the latest ones, do not come cheap. This is true, especially if you’re looking for the more detailed ones like Gloomhaven, then you’re likely waiting for great board game deals to get them at a more affordable price.
Most of these board games also have expansions that offer new ways to play them. Buying multiple expansions of a couple of these games will definitely set you back.
Whether you’re looking for a brand new board game for some new experiences or getting one to complete your collection, the holiday sale season is the best time to buy them.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday board game deals should give you the price cuts that will finally allow you to buy the ones you’re dying to get your hands on.
Best Board Game Deals this Black Friday and Cyber Monday
One of the best places to go is Reddit board game deals. They have everything you need to know.
But, reading each thread can take some time, so we compiled the hottest board games on there and created this list.
1. Betrayal at House on the Hill
The Betrayal at House on the Hill is the ultimate horror-themed board game you can get. It’s a co-op game for up to 6 players, with each one picking a character before you join the mansion.
Betrayal is a game that’s just plain wicked with its twists and turns. There are 50 possible scenarios, which gives this game a lot of variety every time you play around.
Apart from the different scenarios, you can encounter on Betrayal, one of you is going to become the traitor, which has its own set of objectives.
If you become the traitor, you will read these in secret and try to outsmart the rest of the players in the mansion.
Winning in Betrayal means teamwork and coordination and finding out who the traitor is, making it one of the best cooperative board games you can get your hands on.
This can seem a bit complicated, but the rules are simple and clear to get your head around them. It’s a board game that’s thrilling and unpredictable that will let you come back for more rounds.
Betrayal at House on the Hill
Players: 3 to 6
Ages: 12+
Difficulty: Medium
Setup: 2 minutes
Gametime: 60 minutes
2. Catan
If you’re looking for a board game that’s easy to play and great for introducing new people to the hobby, Catan is your best bet. The rules are relatively simple, and new players should get the hang of it after a turn or two.
Catan is considered the forefather of Euro-style board games. To win in Catan, you need to be the first to score 10 victory points by building towns and cities on a board game with randomized hexagonal tiles.
Players start with the role of early island settlers with a few resources. As the game progresses with a dice roll at every turn, you slowly gain access to more resources and points. Players can trade with one another to supplement their income.
Victory points are mainly gained by building towns and cities. You can also earn points by obtaining achievements like building the “longest road.”
Catan is a fun beginner-friendly game that’s perfect for those new to the hobby and even non-gamers.
If you have friends that want to play, you can wait for board game deals to get it at a discounted price. It’s a popular board game, and retailers should have this on sale during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Catan
Players: 3 to 6
Ages: 12+
Difficulty: Easy
Setup: 2 minutes
Gametime: 60 minutes
3. Codenames
If you’re looking for a board game deal this sale season that’s easy and doesn’t last long per game, Codenames can be your first choice. It’s a social deduction and word game that demands strong teamwork and reasoning skills.
The entire premise of the game is simple. You have 25 cards laid out on a 5×5 grid, and each of those cards has a random word. Players are split into two teams, with one on each side assigned as the spymaster.
The spymaster will give clues to their team about the location of the agents. Only the spymaster has the map that shows the position of all the agents in the field.
Each turn, the spymaster has to give a clue that suggests the cards that their team needs to find. The clue needs only to be a word and a number.
At this point, the team can now start guessing what words the spymaster is referring to.
Codenames is a fun game that makes use of wordplay and teamwork to win. It’s an exciting game, especially when the teams start nailing their clues and have sharp deduction skills.
Codenames
Players: 2 to 6
Ages: 14+
Difficulty: Easy
Setup: 5 minutes
Gametime: 20 minutes
4. Cosmic Encounter
If you’re looking for a board game deal with a science-fiction theme, Cosmic Encounter is an excellent pick. It’s a game that’s flexible enough to give you a lot of avenues to win.
The main goal is to establish 5 colonies outside your home system, but achieving it can take different routes, such as forming alliances with others or going to war.
This is just the basic premise of the game, and there are a lot more nuances to consider, like alien powers.
There are 50 of them, but you can be a Masochist, Pacifist, Zombie, and more, which gives you different ways to deal with encounters and ultimately win the game.
Cosmic Encounter is a board game to look out for if you’re waiting for amazing deals. The game is also on its Eighth Edition, with expansions available for more fun ways to play it.
Cosmic Encounter
Players: 2 to 5
Ages: 14+
Difficulty: Medium
Setup: 5 minutes
Gametime: 60 minutes
5. Pandemic
Pandemic is a tension-filled board game that’s a race against time to save civilization from diseases. The premise is simple, find the cure before it’s too late. The challenge is that finding it requires you to gather the right cards.
The game offers a sense of urgency and a dilemma since the infections can jump onto neighboring cities fairly quickly.
Now, your choice is between finding the cure or keeping infection rates down, and this is where your strategy comes into play.
Teamwork is also an essential skill as different characters have unique skills that can turn the tide. Pandemic is all about communication and putting those skills to good use at the right time.
There are also numerous expansions to enjoy so you can ensure brand new scenarios every time you play. If you’re a board game enthusiast, it’s certainly a must-have.
Pandemic is a Reddit board game deals favorite and the best time to get it is on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, with Amazon board game deals offering some of the best prices.
Pandemic
Players: 2 to 4
Ages: 8+
Difficulty: Hard
Setup: 5 minutes
Gametime: 60 minutes
6. King of Tokyo
King of Tokyo is a fun board game widely considered one of the best introductions to board games. It’s a dice game that requires 2 to 6 players, with each one assuming the role of a monster invading Tokyo.
In the center of the table is a board that represents Tokyo. There can only be one monster in the city at a time.
If you happen to be in the city at the start of your turn, you earn victory points. Other monsters can attack you to force you out of the city.
Once you reach 20 victory points, you win the game. You can also win if you’re the last monster left standing.
Overall, King of Tokyo is an easy game to learn. Gamers and non-gamers should wrap their heads around the game quickly. It’s going to offer lots of tense and engaging moments for everyone.
It’s also a fairly affordable board game to get your hands on, and getting the expansions should spice things up more.
If you’re interested in waiting for excellent Reddit board game deals, you should wait for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, as the game and expansions should have their prices significantly slashed.
King of Tokyo
Players: 2 to 6
Ages: 8+
Difficulty: Easy
Setup: 5 minutes
Gametime: 45 minutes
7. Wingspan
Even though you’re not a bird fanatic, Wingspan should allow you to appreciate them. Your goal with this board game is to build a nature reserve for birds.
Armed with a supply of food, bird cards, and eggs, your job is to make all of these work with as little leftover as possible.
Wingspan is a game of resource management and engine building that’s a little bit more involved than your average board game.
It’s not exactly the best board games for kids material, but someone over 10 should quickly get the hang of it.
You’ll need 1 to 5 players to play this game, and it should take you around 1 to 2 hours to finish a game.
You’re given 3 habitats for your nature reserve, and you should attract as many birds as possible. In your turn, you can play a bird card or use the habitat to gain resources. Wetlands get you more birds, forests have food, while grasslands give you eggs.
Playing birds in a habitat will give you more resources, but playing them will cost you food and eggs.
Wingspan may seem like a simple and serene game, but once you start playing those birds, you’re faced with a tough strategic choice with every turn.
This is a Reddit board game deals favorite, and it shows the quality of the game and the fun you can get out of it.
Wingspan
Players: 1 to 5
Ages: 10+
Difficulty: Medium
Setup: 5 minutes
Gametime: 60 minutes
8. Gloomhaven
If you’re looking to play one of the best board games ever, Gloomhaven is the one to look out for. A word of warning, though, can take a long time to finish. Some games can even take over a year.
However, don’t allow this to put you off from the game as it’s absolutely a masterpiece.
Gloomhaven is more in sync with tabletop RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons than board games.
This is one of the appeals of Gloomhaven, though, since you’ll be able to embark on a journey, but it is perfect for those who don’t have the commitment to play with their D&D group every Saturday consistently.
The game starts with picking a scenario from about 60 missions that unlock as you play. You also choose your adventurer with their own specialties like Mindthief, Spellweaver, and Cragheart.
You can even customize your characters with items, enchantments, and other perks.
Gloomhaven is a huge board game, and it’s also on the more expensive side since it comes with miniatures that you can use to play with.
If you’re looking for long hours of gameplay, this is one of the most talked-about Reddit board game deals that you should not miss out on.
Gloomhaven
Players: 1 to 4
Ages: 14+
Difficulty: Medium
Setup: 10 minutes
Gametime: 90 minutes per scenario
Where Will I Find the Best Board Game Deals?
There are a lot of retailers that offer amazing deals on board games. One of the best places is checking out Amazon board game deals, as this is where you’ll find most of these games.
They consistently have the lowest prices throughout Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Walmart is also an excellent place to check for board game Black Friday deals. They will also have their deals up until Cyber Monday, so you can still get those big discounts on big-box games.
Here are some of the places where you’ll be able to find Black Friday and Cyber Monday board game deals:
Reddit: This subreddit is all about Reddit board game deals. You won’t be able to buy from here, but they’ll point you in the right direction.
Amazon: Undoubtedly the best place to look for the best Cyber Monday and Black Friday board game deals.
Walmart: You should be able to find excellent board game deals here at Walmart.
Target: There are great board game deals here if you know where to look.
Conclusion
Whether you’re looking for big-box games like Gloomhaven or favorites like Catan, the best time to get them is during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
There are also board games like King of Tokyo and Cosmic Encounter, which come with lots of expansions, and the deals should allow you to get them in one go without spending too much.
Most board game makers also offer their biggest discounts on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. If you’re keen on getting that brand new board game to play with your friends, it’s unlikely you’re going to get a better offer.