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
Remember Arc Raiders? It was first revealed during The Game Awards 2021 and instantly started creating a lot of buzz… and then it just sort of disappeared. But today, out of absolutely nowhere, it has risen back up to the surface to show a pretty cool trailer that has once again got people talking. At Gamescom Opening Night Live, the trailer revealed that the game is still kicking and screaming somewhere in development hell, and it’s coming to PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC next year. In theory. I’ve written extensively about the game in the past, and everything I loved about it back then still looks cool now – and it’s even had a bit of a graphics upgrade.To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings Arc Raiders will be the first game from Embark Studios &ndash…
Read moreStar Overdrive – a Sci-fi hoverboard game – has just been announced during the Nintendo Direct. It’s set to launch in 2025 for the Nintendo Switch as a timed-exclusive.The game is a pretty rad looking third person game with a nice unique art style to it. You can customise your hoverboard and soar across the world at pretty fast speeds, all adding to what seems to be a pretty slick package. You can watch the trailer for Star Overdrive yourself below.Star Overdrive – Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase 8.27.2024 Look how sick this is!Watch on YouTubeThere’s no word quite yet on what other platform it’ll be coming to once the timed exclusivity is over, or even who the developers behind the game are! But, for now, it’s a game we can look forward to next year – here’s hoping we get some mor…
Read moreEveryone stay calm, this is a story about the economic realities of video games and how that affects companies and consumers.Baldur’s Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin 2 are both video games, and Larian’s publishing director says they were priced “below their value”, because the studio had “faith” it’d get back what it put in and cared about the costs us regular joes already face.To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings There is a bit of context surrounding this assertion ending up in a Tweet, and it’s as follows. Spurred by Star Wars Outlaws’ pricing, Michael Douse, the publishing director in question, said in another Tweet earlier this week that he believes: “Almost all games should cost more at a base level beca…
Read moreEarlier this week, things were looking pretty bleak for folks hoping to play soulslike Enotria: The Last Song on Xbox when it releases on September 19, as its devs announced that the version of the game for that plaform had been delayed indefinitely. Now, however, Phil Spencer and co have reached out, and Xbox Enotria will be a thing “ASAP”.If you’re out of the loop, developer Jyamma Games revealed earlier this week that it’d had to abandon plans to bring the game Xbox as well as PC and PS5 at release, citing a “lack of communication” from Microsoft regarding the Xbox submission process as the cause.To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings Now, the studio has tweeted that things are back on track. “We would like to officially thank Phil Spencer and his tea…
Read moreHelldivers 2’s upcoming patch will be bringing with it some pretty beefy buffs to the RS-422 railgun, with Arrowhead having slid the weapon’s damage numbers upwards in its efforts to deliver the kind of fun that the game’s community has been asking for.The studio is offering little snippets of the notes for Patch 01.001.007 at the moment, building on what it shared in last week’s blog post and building up to the update dropping on September 17.To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings Following up on revealing its plans in terms of buffing flamethrowers yesterday, Arrowhead’s latest revceal concerns the railgun, which was a very popular weapon, especially early on in the game’s lifespan when it was being used to take down armoured foes before being hit with…
Read moreFinal Fantasy 16 producer Naoki Yoshida has asked fans to not create any “offensive or inappropriate” mods for the game prior to its PC release later today. That means you, yes you reading this right now, have been asked not to create anything vulgar or naughty. It doesn’t matter how handsome Clive is!This plea stems from a PC Gamer interview, in which Yoshida refused to name any specifics as to avoid goading cheeky modders into creating exactly what he and Square Enix wouldn’t want to see. However, it doesn’t take a mind reader to know the kind of stuff he’s talking about. No cocks, fellas. It’ll probably make Yoshida very sad to see a naked Clive pop up on his Twitter feed.To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings This may seem like an odd thing to specif…
Read moreThe final results for the winner of the Pokemon TCG Illustration Contest 2024 are in, and I’m in love with the winning piece.Earlier this year, The Pokemon Company held a competition for fans of the series to submit some art that if it won, would be made into an official Pokemon Trading Card Game card (oh the winner gets $5000 too, which is nice). The results of the competition have finally been announced, and the winner is an artist by the name of Kazuki Minami, who drew maybe the best Pikachu card I’ve ever seen. You can see it at the end of a video that shows a bunch of the other submissions, or just look at the top of this page, but for those of you that don’t want to do either of those things, it’s a lovingly rendered piece showing Pikachu yawning and scratching its head with its foot…
Read moreRoboCop might have struggled to get another big-screen installment off the ground for years, but the IP is far from dead. Last year, RoboCop: Rogue City wowed us with a pretty freakin’ solid AA experience, and now Amazon plans to make good use of the IP after acquiring MGM’s entire library.Via Variety, we’ve learned that Amazon is rapidly moving forward with a RoboCop TV series to be helmed by Peter Ocko, who has written for shows like Dinosaurs, Black Sails, and The Office over the years.To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings On top of Ocko – who’s locked to serve as writer, executive producer, and showrunner – James Wan, the prolific horror and action blockbuster director now eyeing a Creature from the Black Lagoon reboot, is set to executive produce u…
Read moreYou. You there! Be afraid. Be very AFRAID.Xbox has just announced another batch of Game Pass arrivals – the titles which’ll be hitting the service during the first bit of October – and included is a game so utterly cursed that it can be used to create your own sitcom fanfiction.To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings Yep, MLB The Show 24, a game I used eariler this year to stage what scientists have since come to refer to in hushed tones as ‘The UberCostanza experiment’ will be available on Game Pass Standard (console) from October 2. You’ve been warned. Forget about using it to re-create the ninth inning magic Francisco Lindor unleashed for the New York Mets the other day. You’ll be suckered into creating a team of Seinfeld chracter clones who somehow e…
Read moreIt’s been a little over one day now since the launch of Vessel of Hatred, the first paid expansion to Diablo 4. The launch was several hours late, thanks to the discovery of some last-minute bugs, but it now appears there’s more to complain about here than we initially realised.One problem, in particular, has been driving a lot of players up the wall. No matter how they bought the expansion, the game sometimes decides they do not own it, and either kicks them out of the session, or doesn’t allow them to start.To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings This is a fairly typical license validation issue, and in this case, it was limited to consoles. Still, it’s a problem PlayStation and Xbox players really didn’t need to deal with.…
Read more