Image Composition: Ross Miller and Will Joel/PolygonAmazon’s October Prime Day has officially come and gone — that’s the bad news. The good news is, a majority of our favorite board games are still on sale, albeit at a lower discount. If you had your eye on a certain worker placement strategy game or a spooky card game, there’s still a chance for some big savings.The discounts fall squarely in the realm of what we like to call “modern classics” like 7 Wonders and Azul — excellent board games from major publishers that came out in the last 10-15 years. We’ve also found more than few great horror-themed games on sale like Mysterium (an Overboard favorite), Unfathomable, and Arkham Horror The Card Game, all perfect for the spooky season.Polygon’s Prime Day PicksThe best modern classic board game deals of Prime DayThe best strategy board game deals of Prime DayThe best Star Wars games of Prime DayThe best card game deals of Prime DayThe best party game deals of Prime DayThe best two-player game deals of Prime DayThe best modern classic board game deals of Prime Day7 Wonders$38$6037% off$38Back in 2019, Polygon asked four leading board game designers for their picks for the most influential board games of the decade. What did Rob Daviau, Elizabeth Hargrave, and Jamey Stegmaier’s lists all have in common? 7 Wonders, a game they all credited for opening up their eyes as tabletop game designers. The base game accommodates up to seven players, and with its signature brand of simultaneous play everyone can feel engaged the whole way through.Read More$38 at AmazonSpirit Island$40$7043% off$40Everything you’ve heard about Spirit Island is true. We consider it at once one of the best cooperative games and one of the best solo games, so there’s no bad time to play. Take on the role of spirits fighting against colonizers. If you’re looking to upgrade your Spirit Island experience, the Jagged Earth expansion is on sale, too.Read More$48 at Amazon (Base Game)$40 at Amazon (Jagged Earth)Arkham Horror, once among the most daunting cooperative adventure board games around, is much improved and streamlined in this 3rd edition version for $69.99 (was $79.99).Azul, the charming tile-laying game and one of our 22 best modern board games, is just $23.99 (was $39.99).Catan, the favored game of the 2015 Green Bay Packers and the 2024 Buffalo Bills, is just $32.99 (was $59.99).King of Tokyo asks 2-6 players the ultimate question — who is the best monster, and why is it Space Penguin? It’s just $28.30 for Prime Day (was $44.99).Love Letter, a diminutive card game that you can fit in a single pants pocket, is just $13.46 (normally $14.99).Mansions of Madness 2nd edition, a miniatures-heavy game that uses a nifty little mobile app to drive the narrative action at the table, is 20% off — down to $87.99 from $109.99.Mysterium$30$5545% off$30Mysterium, a favorite of the Overboard crew, will have you set up for a seance in no time. Up to 7 players can become psychics and interpret cryptic clues to solve crimes. Perfect for the spooky holiday!Read More$30 at AmazonMatt Leacock’s Pandemic, on sale for $26.99 (normally $39.99), should already be on your shelf by now as it’s an exceptional gateway game to introduce new players to the hobby. If it isn’t, now’s a great time to fix that problem.While Pandemic Legacy Season 1 is no longer on sale, you can still jump into Pandemic Legacy Season 2 without concern, which you’ll find on Amazon for just $53.99 (normally $79.99).Already finished Pandemic Legacy Seasons 1 and 2? Then you should check out the prequel, Pandemic Legacy Season 0, on sale for $69.60 (was $79.99).Unfathomable$64$8020% off$64Unfathomable is a reskin of Corey Konieczka’s Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game, a legendary best-selling hidden role game. But while the cultural relevance of the Cylons has seemingly vanished into the vacuum of space, this Cthulhu-inspired version of the game remains just as playable as the original.Read More$64 at AmazonWhitehall Mystery$30$313% off$30Whitehall Mystery is an overlooked gem of a hidden movement game, where one player secretly plots their course on a hidden map and everyone else tries to hunt them down. The theming here is key, however, as it puts players on the hunt for a mysterious murderer in Victorian London. It’s a fast-moving experience that rewards repeating the game after switching up roles at the table.Read More$30 at AmazonThe best strategy board game deals of Prime DayAssassin's Creed: Brotherhood of Venice$70$8013% off$70Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood of Venice is a 26-chapter (!) campaign for up to four Assassins to do what they do best — or you can play solo and have all the glory for yourself. It’s also a great entry point for painting miniatures.Read More$70 at AmazonBloodborne: The Board Game is exactly what it says on the box — an adaptation of FromSoftware’s highly-beloved (and yet to be remastered) adventure — and is on sale for $82.31 (was $109.99). Looking for more? The Hunter’s Dream expansion is $39.99 (was $45.86) while the Chalice Dungeon expansion is $62.90 (was $79.99).Blood Rage, from the prolific Eric Lang, is another one of Polygon’s 22 best modern board games. The rarely discounted title is just $64.93 (was $89.99). Descent: Legends of the Dark is an ambitious update to the classic dungeon crawler. You can find the app-driven Gloomhaven-like for $132.46 (was $174.95).The original Disney Villainous is an award-winning, family-friendly strategy board game that has “the teach” built right in. Snag it for $29.99 (normally $39.99).Dive utilizes some novel transparent ocean cards and an adorable pitch: “catch a ride on a sea turtle or dolphin.” Who can say no to that? It’s on sale for $24.98 (was $34.99).Agricola$53$6518% off$53Uwe Rosenberg’s masterpiece Agricola is one of those board games that you need to play at least once to really understand how much it has influenced a generation of players and designers. First released in 2007, this newly revised edition is a mountain of meeples that brings order and a surprising amount of complexity to subsistence farming.Read More$53 at AmazonThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – The Adventure Game is a mechanically robust game from Modiphius Entertainment, an experience well worth the $92.35 (normally $139.99).Far Cry: Escape from Rook Islands is a cooperative game for up to four players (there’s also a solo mode) that takes you back to Far Cry 3 and … is that Vaas? Oh heck yes! There’s also an optional friendly fire mode if you want to make it more chaotic. Far Cry is on sale for $37.99 (was $63.95).Deluxe Fire Tower, a “competitive firefighting game” that has some clever fire tokens and gorgeous watercolor illustrations by Kevin Ruelle, is on sale for $39.99 (was $39.99).The Initiative, from Corey Konieczka’s new Unexpected Games, has game elements hidden inside the box for you to find as its story unfolds. Grab it for $47.96 (was $59.95).More than 25,000 people contributed nearly $6 million to CMON for Marvel United: X-Men. Now you can have it all to yourself for just $30.99 (was $34.99).Fallout: The Board Game$60$7014% off$60First released way back in 2017, Fallout The Board Game is a surprisingly solid offering from Fantasy Flight Games that tells a number of compelling little stories from the Fallout universe using an elaborate deck of numbered cards.Read More$60 at AmazonPotion Explosion uses marbles in lieu of actual dangerous concoctions — thankfully, given how often the eponymous chaos happens — and is currently discounted to $37.99 (was $49.99).Rallyman: DIRT gives you dice and lets you drift with up to five friends. Courses are made with hex tiles, and if I’m being very honest, we’re suckers for games that use hexagons. Truly the bestagons. Anyway! It’s on sale for $36.09 (was $45.31).Twilight Imperium is the gold standard for 4x space operas, and has served as inspiration for countless computer games and board games alike. Lock down an entire weekend with four of your closest friends for $131.99 (was $164.99).Not interested in a three-to-five-hour struggle? Try Twilight Inscription instead, a faster roll-and-write version of the original strategy game. This is the first time we’ve seen it discounted for Prime Day, coming in at a measly $51.99 (normally $64.99)Zombicide’s 2nd edition refreshes the raucous action game, first released in 2012. Grab the latest version for just $83.95 (originally $109.99).The best Star Wars games of Prime DayStar Wars Villainous: Scum and Villainy$25$3017% off$25Star Wars Villainous: Scum and Villainy isn’t just the only Star Wars board game up for grabs this October Prime Day — it’s also among the newest games on this list. Released last summer, the standalone expansion stars Boba Fett, Cad Bane, and the Seventh Sister. It’s also compatible with all other version of Star Wars Villainous.Read More$25 at AmazonStar Wars Legion is a great entry point into miniature strategy games. This core set has everything you need to wage epic familial battles between Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, and their respective armies — and right now it’s on sale for $95.99 (was $119.99).Star Wars Outer Rim is about becoming the most (in)famous leader in the underworld of a galaxy far, far, away. We love the novel “outer rim” board and a clever solo mode (though it is best played with up to four players). It is discounted down to $59.99 (was $74.99) for Prime Day.The best card game deals of Prime DayArkham Horror The Card Game Revised Core Set$48$6020% off$48A two-player take on a classic, Arkham Horror: The Card Game’s Lovecraftian themes are sure to delight any horror fan with cultists, ancient monsters, madness, and more. Choose a character and work together to build decks to rival the forces plaguing the city of Arkham. The unpredictability of the encounter deck helps keep playthroughs fresh and outcomes uncertain.Read More$48 at AmazonLet’s Go! to Japan tasks you and up to four friends to plan the most fulfilling dream vacation in Tokyo and Kyoto, with over 100 illustrated cards that might inspire some actual travel. (It’s worth it, trust us!) Let’s Go! to Japan is on sale for $43.08 (was $49.99).Embark on epic quests in Middle-Earth, The Lord of the Rings: Card Game’s revised core set has everything you need to immediately embark on a four-player adventure — no boosters required. This new version boasts increased contents and quality-of-life improvements and beautiful artwork on every card. You can pick it up for $44.94 (was $59.99).The Mind is an easy-to-pick up, family-friendly game about working together without communicating — no speaking, no pantomiming, nothing — and is available for $8.97 (was $14.95).The best party game deals of Prime DayJust One$12$2552% off$12Just One, the hit word-guessing game, is a snappy little gem that can easily kick off a night of longer games with a bang. Or kick back with a few beverages and play it all night, your call.Read More$12 at AmazonConcept$36$4520% off$36A favorite of Polygon’s Overboard team, Concept is a hilarious party game based on the classic Charades, but with the charming physicality of a physical game board to track your guesses.Read More$36 at AmazonThe best two-player game deals of Prime DayCatan: Starfarers Duel$28$3520% off$28Catan: Starfarers Duel is the unlikely reboot of an obscure 2001 game called Starship Catan. This two-player variant has solid reviews, but the 75-minute playtime seems like it might be a bit of a tough sell for all but the most dedicated players.Read More$28 at AmazonPatchwork$30$3514% off$30Another Uwe Rosenberg classic, Patchwork is a tile-laying game inspired by quilting that plays quickly and teaches well.Read More$30 at AmazonSplendor Duel$28$307% off$28Finally, Splendor Duel turns the beloved gem-buying game Splendor into a taught little two-player experience knife fight of a strategy game.Read More$28 at AmazonLooking for more deals? Check out all of Polygon’s favorite October Prime Day 2024 deals right here, and subscribe to our newsletter below to get great deals delivered to your inbox every week.
Related Posts
There’s a new trailer for Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, and that prick of a penguin is up to no good once again.Wallace and Gromit is very much a series where you go on Wikipedia and realise, “ah, this is one of those British things where they make like four episodes that are run on repeat for decades afterwards,” and by four, I almost literally mean four, as there’s been four short films over the years, and only one feature film, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. But, after almost 20 years, Wallace and Gromit are back in a new feature film, Vengeance Most Fowl, which just got a new teaser trailer from the BBC and Netflix today. This particular outing sees the return of an old rival of the titular duo, Feathers McGraw, who has seemingly framed everybody’s favourite inventor in a s…
Read moreThis has been a decent Gamescom so far for Diablo 4. We got our first look at AI companions, the Mercenaries, as part of Opening Night Live, and anyone in attendance in Cologne can try the new Vessel of Hatred feature alongside the Spiritborn class.Blizzard wanted to include those of us staying at home, too, so the developer announced a new Mother’s Blessing event that runs alongside Gamescom week. It was supposed to start yesterday with the show’s kick-off, but that sadly didn’t happen.To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings Mother’s Blessing, if you’re unfamiliar, is Diablo 4’s version of the double XP events you’re used in many other games. You don’t quite earn double the amount of XP, but it’s a ma…
Read moreYakuza Kiwami, the remaster of the first game in the series, is set to arrive on Nintendo Switch this October, allowing you to experience the opening tale of Kazuma Kiryu’s story – depending on whether you fancy playing prequel Yakuza 0 beforehand – on the handheld.As revealed during today’s Nintendo Direct, a Switch port of RGG Studio’s game about big Kaz battling his bro Akira Nishkiyama and first getting to grips with the idea that Goro Majima’s going to haunt him for the rest of his days by popping up all over the shop and asking for a scrap is on the way.To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings It’s set to release on October 24, 2024, giving you a couple of months to prepare yourself for a trip to Kamurocho with both it and the TV adaptation Like a Dr…
Read moreDeadlock is doing ridiculously well despite not being officially out yet, and now a much earlier look at the game has been shared online.Well done Valve, your gambit paid off – despite pretending for the longest time that Deadlock wasn’t real, while allowing people to invite literally any of their friends to play it, the game is doing incredibly well. Word of mouth has clearly helped it travel far, as over the weekend the game hit a concurrent player count peak of 164,855 players on Steam, according to SteamDB, a wildly impressive figure that puts it in the top 100 most played games on Steam. One can only imagine how well it will do once it’s actually out and everyone can play it without needing an invite.To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings Before the…
Read moreLongtime RuneScape fans might have made private servers anyway, but Jagex is finally letting everyone make official community servers.The thing about MMOs, is that no matter what kind it is, eventually some players are going to want to make their own servers. Maybe they just want to make grinding a bit easier, or make certain loot easier to achieve, or maybe they just hate other people, or even like other people so much they want to fully engage in roleplaying with them. The point is, players like options, particularly in something like an MMO which is kind of a life commitment type deal – pick one, and that’s your lot. With RuneScape being over 20 years old, the original version anyway, there have of course been plenty of private servers over its existence, but Jagex has just announced Pr…
Read moreRemember Tony Hawk, skateboarder and star of a bunch of video games that served as foundational experiences for you and your mates – assuming you grew up with dreams of competing at the X Games and having Rage Against The Machine play at your medal winning afterparty? Well, he’s just teased plans to commemorate the original Pro Skater’s 25th birthday, apparently with help from Activision.Speaking on Mythical Kitchen, a YouTube cooking show that’s exactly where you’d expect to find video game news (thanks VGC), Hawk was asked what’s next for the Pro Skater franchise with that anniversary coming up on September 29 and revealed that him and Activision are on talking terms again.To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings “I wish I could tell you more, but I can …
Read morePuella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Walpurgisnacht Rising (say that three times fast) has a new, but completely unintelligible trailer.Last year, after many years of keeping fans waiting, the first trailer for the next Madoka Magica movie, Walpurgisnacht Rising, finally arrived, and while it looked great, it was definitely just a whole bunch of completely contextless shots that don’t really tell you what the film is about. Beautiful shots, mind you, but it’s clear you’ll have to actually watch the film to understand it. Things have been a bit quiet since then, other than the fact it was delayed from winter 2024 to winter 2025, which is quite a big jump, but what’s a few more months on top of the already years-long wait? Lucky for you, though, a new trailer dropped this week which… d…
Read moreIn a slightly unusual move, Netflix has picked up the streaming rights for the viral web series The Amazing Digital Circus.You might not have seen it, but with as popular as The Amazing Digital Circus has gotten, you’ve almost definitely at least heard about it, if you haven’t already seen the countless cosplays of its lead clown girl Pomni. The first episode, which launched a year ago next month, has accumulated almost 350 million views, with its second episode releasing back in May racking up over 121 million views. And now, alongside the release of the third episode, comes a bit of an odd announcement: Netflix has picked up the streaming rights for the series.To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings Now, understandably, your first concern will be whethe…
Read moreWarning: Major Spoilers for Cyberpunk 2077’s Phantom Liberty expansion lie ahead.If you’ve played through Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty – I’d can defintely reccomend it if you haven’t – and chosen to side with the Idris Elba-portrayed Solomon Reed, there’s one mission in particular that’s probably ended up burned into your brain. It sees you have to run from a giant robat that can pretty much kill you on sight, and as it turns out, one of its major inspirations was Frodo Baggins having just the worst day ever.Yes, that Frodo Baggins, the dude from The Lord of the Rings. Your cybernatically-enhanced super-mercernary, with their guns, katana, and/or mantis blades, was basically playing the part of a pint-sized, but courageous fellow from The Shire. You know what, I see it.To see this conte…
Read moreIn the view of Bethesda design director Emil Pagliarulo, Starfield, in a lot of ways, is one of best things that the studio’s ever made, even if he acknowledges that it “might not be everyone’s cup of tea”.Yep, with the much-hyped Shattered DLC having now been unleashed, giving everyone the chance travel to Va’ruun’kai for a proper taste of arguably the game’s most interesting – at least in theory – factions – Pagliarulo’s spoken to GamesRadar about Bethesda’s big space baby, and how he views where it’s at as an IP, as well as a part of what the studio’s accomplished.To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings After getting in an obligatory joke about making the game having taught him that The Elder Scrolls 6 is a thing that people would quite like, the devel…
Read more