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
UPDATE (21/08/24, 12:55 PM BST): Arrowhead has just issued another patch for Helldivers 2, this time aiming to rectify just one issue: “a common crash that occurs when killing the Impaler inside a Stronghold”. “This patch is an emergency hot fix addressing the Impaler crash. We deemed it worth bringing this one crash fix in now in an attempt to minimize the crashes during the weekend. Thank you for your understanding,” the studio wrote.Good news, people who’ve been unhappy about the state of Helldivers 2 since the deployment of the Escalation of Freedom update, there’s a fresh patch out and it very much looks to be the first step on Arrowhead’s road to addressing all of the complaints.If you’re out of the loop, the studio’s previously outlined a 60-day plan of…
Read moreHelldivers 2 developer Arrowhead’s CCO Johan Pilestedt has popped up on Discord again, this time to tease the effects that the studio believes the next balancing update it has in the works will have. In short, it sounds like a big change is being targeted, with the aim of brining the game a lot closer to the kind of experience many vocal players have suggested they’d prefer.While there’ve been plenty of Major Orders to be getting on with while you wait for info, Arrowhead’s generally kept its cards pretty close to its chest in terms of specfics regarding updates that’ll be coming as part of the ongoing 60-day plan it outlined last month. That said, studio CCO Johan Pilestedt has been getting back to answering player questions in the game’s official Discord, with his latest foray into the s…
Read moreNeed even more fighting games in your collection? Capcom Fighting Collection 2 should help out with that.Capcom announced a brand new Fighting Collection during today’s Nintendo Direct, adding in some more, underrated fighting game classics to your ever-growing collection. There’ll be eight games in total in the collection, and includes: Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 Pro, Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001, Capcom Fighting Evolution, Street Fighter Alpha 3 UPPER, Project Justice, Power Stone, Power Stone 2, and Plasma Sword: Nightmare of Bilstein. These ones are definitely more for the hardcore fighting game fans, but still, Capcom’s commitment to keeping its back catalogue alive is still worth commending.Capcom Fighting Collection 2 – Announcement Trailer – …
Read moreThe Black Ops 6 beta, which kicked off over the weekend, has been a little polarising. Call of Duty players are split on the new changes to movement and time to kill. And though many are having fun with the new body shield/hostage mechanic, there’s been a lot of complaints about game feel in the beta’s first couple of days.One thing that everyone agrees on, however, is just how incredibly slow weapon levelling in the beta has been. It’s so slow, in fact, it feels like a bug.To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings You’re not imagining things; it really does take multiple games to unlock even a basic set of attachments for your chosen weapon. The good news is that the weapon XP earn rate in the Black Ops 6 beta is, indeed, not the on…
Read moreDragon Ball Daima finally has a release date, and it sounds like fans of the series are in for a good October.It’s generally always a pretty good time to be a Dragon Ball fan, but October 11 in particular is going to be a very good day to be one. It was already known that Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero, the return of the fan favourite Budokai series, was set to launch that day, but as reported by Mantan Web, Dragon Ball Daima, the newest anime based on the classic franchise, is coming October 11 too. It’ll be airing on Fuji Television at 11:40pm JST, which obviously isn’t much help for the international audience, but it’s still good to know that it’ll be airing in just over a month’s time.To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings Yuichi Nakajima, head of progr…
Read moreThe creative director of Star Wars Outlaws has seen your complaints about some of the early stealth missions, and promises some changes are coming.Probably one of the most universally hated mechanics in games is stealth. Don’t get me wrong, a good stealth game like Metal Gear Solid or Dishonored makes playing sneakily fun, but when it’s in games where stealth isn’t the entire point, it can sometimes end up being a bit frustrating, particularly when there are moments that you can instantly fail. Star Wars Outlaws is the most recent game to fall victim to this, but luckily it sounds like some improvements are coming in a patch some time in the near future.To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings The game’s creative director Julian Gerighty was recently asked…
Read moreAstro Bot has been delighting many a player with all of its cameos and references, and it seems like a few more could be on the way.For better or worse, Astro Bot is essentially a massive love letter to PlayStation games past, though it does feature plenty of characters that aren’t exclusive to the platform (though frequently have a strong connection to). There are a ton of cameos featured in the game, from classics like Crash Bandicoot and Spyro, to the more recent Sony tentpoles like God of War. And as spotted by VGC, the game’s credits, there’s a list of thanks to various developers like Konami and Sega, as well as more, because of their respective appearances in Astro Bot. Except oddly, there are also a few mentions of titles that don’t make any kind of appearance in the game in cameo …
Read moreWelp, not everything from the ’80s can make a comeback, as Apple’s Time Bandits series has already been cancelled.A couple of months ago, the first season of Time Bandits started airing on Apple TV+, but I doubt most of you knew that because clearly it didn’t do well enough to be renewed for a second season. As reported by Deadline, the iPhone maker’s streaming service has decided to not go ahead with a second season about a month after the last episode was released. If this comes as a surprise to you, I’m not really sure why, as on Metacritic the show sits at 66/100 on the critics side of things, with only 4.6/10 on the user score. That’s not a great start for a first season of television, especially in an era where shows need to be massive hits to have any chance of getting renewed.To se…
Read moreTo the surprise of absolutely no one, Hollywood appears to have taken the wrong lesson from Barbie’s success (it only worked because there was an interesting creative vision behind it), and now we’re facing an even deeper sea of slop built around brands. Up next: Cola Wars, from acclaimed producer Steven Spielberg and with comedy master Judd Apatow in the director’s chair.To be fair, Deadline’s report states this will be a movie based on the true story behind the Coca-Cola and Pepsi conflict, but who the hell cares anyway?To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings Spielberg will produce the project, which had been in development for a while at Sony, through his Amblin Entertainment banner. It was bought “as a pitch” for $1 million-plus earlier this year by t…
Read moreThe somewhat-awaited launch of Final Fantasy 16 on PC is here, nearly 15 months after the game’s initial release on PS5. The PC version arrived on Tuesday, available for purchase on Steam and the Epic Games Store.So far, the reception has been… fairly lukewarm, even compared to the already small blip its predecessor, Final Fantasy 15, achieved at its launch – at least looking at it through the Steam prism.To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings In its first few hours of release, Final Fantasy 16 peaked at 16,947 concurrent players on Steam (via SteamDB), which is a fairly low turnout for such a high profile game. That figure started out even lower than that, and grew over the course of several hours, before it plateaued. It may well grow toda…
Read more