I've collected board games for decades, and Prime Day just discounted my favorites

This thoroughly silly party game is a new obsession of mine and my family's. Your job is simple: gather up a full bench of little plastic pigeons. Unfortunately, doing that (and keeping the ones you already have) will be tough - everyone uses cards each turn that allow you to remove someone else's pigeons, swap benches, collect a bunch of tokens at once, and more. It's loads of fun.

Monopoly Deal is an incredibly popular, slimmed-down version of the classic to take on the go (my parents in-law are always bringing it with them on vacation), and this version adds a bit of silliness with oversized cards. This offer is a record low price for the game.

This ridiculous game is one I'll often recommend to anyone wanting a good warm-up or something they can take away with them on vacation; it's fast-paced, very replayable, and a lot of silly fun. At a few cents away from a record low price, I don't think you can go far wrong.

Want a straightforward game that still has a bit of depth? I present Here to Slay. It's all about building up a kick-ass party of adventurers and killing monsters, all while sabotaging the efforts of your rivals. It has some really satisfying take-that action, and I had a blast when I played with my friends.

Does Candy Land need any introduction? This classic is one of those games that deserves a place on every family's shelf, and you can introduce your kids to it (not to mention board gaming in general) with this new edition.

I keep seeing this Lego-based party game pop up on my recommendations, and seeing as a whopping 86% of its Amazon reviews are a full five stars, I'd say it's worth considering. This one's a bit like charades, but with Lego bricks.

As mentioned in our Twisted Cryptids review, this is a wonderfully weird monster game that causes chaos with brilliant take-that action. It's a bit more luck-based than other entries on this list, but it's a hoot nonetheless.

If you ask me, this modern classic where you're building your own island civilization is probably one of the best games around - its mechanics revolutionized the industry, kickstarted an entire genre, and changed how things were done completely. It holds up decades later thanks to its numerous ways to win, and as mentioned in our Catan review, it's a milestone that still stands in 2026.

I'd argue that Ticket to Ride is one of the best family board games on shelves right now; despite being easy to learn, it has a surprising level of depth that means you aren't just playing on autopilot. Your job is to complete train routes across North America for points, but because there are finite lines that others may snap up first, you'll have to play smart to make sure you aren't left behind. Like I say in my Ticket to Ride review, it's thoughtful, easy-going, and thoroughly chilled out.

It's not the biggest discount and I'm pretty sure we've seen better price cuts than the one seen in today's Prime Day board game deals, but I'd still highly recommend grabbing this anyway. Our Codenames review calls it "the ultimate pick-up-and-play party game," and I totally agree. It's a fast-paced word-association game that becomes very funny when things inevitably go wrong.

Want an easy-going board game for kids? Labyrinth (which has you navigating an ever-shifting maze in search of treasure) has topped the charts for years, and for good reason. It's the sort of game that's easily repeatable but has enough depth to keep you all coming back for more.

I've talked at length about how I think Herd Mentality is an absolutely essential party board game for families, particularly if they don't even like board games. It's really easy to get into and nobody will feel put on the spot, because the whole point is to write an answer to a question that you think everyone else will put - the whole point is not to stand out. A perfect ice-breaker!

We didn't expect to fall so head over heels for this game in our Lego Monkey Palace review, but it really caught us by surprise. You've got to build the titular palace taller and taller in a very satisfying challenge, and even if the rules could have been better explained, it's a genuinely great time.

This really isn't a traditional board game, but I think that's to its benefit. A chilled out co-op experience that has you building your own community over the course of 12 sessions, you'll hunt for resources while making tricky decisions when narrative events crop up. As the name would suggest, you're also placing permanent stickers to create a village that is entirely your own. Imagine tabletop Stardew Valley and you're basically there! I've adored playing this with my wife, so can heartily recommended it as a two-player option.

Prefer slightly more abstract games? This wonderfully poetic game is all about choosing the most appropriate picture for a key word, and you'll then vote on which one you think is best. It's simple yet incredibly replayable, and will suit both adults and children.

I really rate Big Potato Games, and their party games are always top-notch. The Chameleon is one of my favorites, because it gives everyone a secret topic... apart from one player. Because you've got to come up with a word to describe your topic and justify why you chose it, the Chameleon has to really think on their feet to remain undetected. It's a fantastic challenge.

I genuinely think that Carcassonne should be in every collection; it's a laid back but oddly satisfying tile-placement game that's a bit like a puzzle. It's very quick as well, so is ideal if you're short on time. Want to know more? Check out our Carcassonne review.

It's not a record low price, but honestly, I'll take that 30% discount on what is undoubtedly one of our favorite puzzle board games. Its simple but always-evolving gameplay (which has you creating beautiful mosaics for points) will keep you hooked, to the point that we gave it a full four-and-a-half stars in our Azul review.

I keep hearing very good things about this utterly gorgeous strategy game where you create a dreamlike world, and it's currently sitting at a record low price. Harmonies has been on my wishlist for a long time, so it feels like 2026's Prime Day board game deals are giving me my chance to dive in.

This is hands-down one of my favorite new games from the past couple of years. As noted in our Sky Team review, the two-player experience "packs a lot of strategy and fun into a small box" as you try to land a plane together... all without speaking. You need to rely on each others' intuition and base your next move on what your partner has just done, making it one of the best 2-player board games by a long way.

Want one of the ultimate co-op board games? We gave this an overwhelmingly positive write-up in our Spirit Island review thanks to engrossing, genre-defying team gameplay that flips the script by having you protecting your island home rather than settling it. It's more complicated than the family fare listed above, but is still a must-have if you're happy to try something more complex.

Do you like the idea of wargames but feel put off by how complex they are? This Star Wars-themed epic is a great place to start. As we pointed out in our Star Wars: Battle of Hoth review, it's "an excellent introduction to a whole galaxy of gaming" thanks to straightforward but tactically rich gameplay across a variety of missions.

If you like your strategy wrapped up in a whole load cute woodland whimsy, this is a fantastic choice. Besides being regarded with a lot of fondness in the tabletop community, it's just a delight to play thanks to clever, best-in-class worker-placement systems. We called it the perfect cozy board game in our Everdell review.

Villainous may be one of my favorite board games of all time, period. Thanks to fiercely intelligent design that has you all working toward an independent goal while foiling the work of your foes, it's a real challenge and is so much more satisfying than you'd expect. There's a reason I gave it such a high score in my Disney Villainous review...

Want an enthralling strategy game that is still easy for families to get into? I present 7 Wonders, which currently has a fairly decent saving as part of 2026's Prime Day board game deals. While that isn't a record low price, it's still a lot better than the average cost (which trends closer to $50 overall).

Love 7 Wonders, but want something more manageable... and Lord of the Rings flavored? This two-player spin-off takes those top-tier mechanics and plonks them in Middle-earth, to great effect. Our own US Managing Editor, Rollin Bishop, speaks highly of this one.

This is one of the most popular and enduring board games around, and there's a good reason for that; it's an engrossing, puzzle-like experience that's always different each and every time you play. It's even been popular enough to spawn spin-offs (like the phenomenal Splendor Duel), which says a lot.

This is an utterly enchanting card game, but you don't need to take my word for it; just take a look at any number of community forum or social media posts signing its praises. It stands out by virtue of being a team trick-taking game, and while it starts simple, it provides some real challenges you'll need all your wits to overcome.

This is often held up as one of the best Star Wars board games around, and I can see why. It lets you recreate the Galactic Civil War for yourself, with in-depth tactical gameplay that sees players moving vast armies or heroes between planets in a bid to control the universe.

I adored the original King of Tokyo (as you may be able to tell from my very positive King of Tokyo review), so I've been eager to try this team-based follow up for ages. This year's Prime Day board game deals have given me my chance with a record low price for King of Monster Island.