With the summer vacations coming up quickly, taking advantage of Prime Day board game deals could be a very smart move. The WIRED Reviews team has a gaggle of kids of all ages between us, and most of us are still big kids at heart, so we’ve tried a lot of board games and toys over the years.
Many of the best family board games are on sale for Prime Day, and I have handpicked a selection of WIRED-tested and approved board games right here. You should also check out our roundup of the Absolute Best Prime Day Deals, or dip into our Amazon Prime Day live blog for real-time updates.
Photograph: Simon HillSave to wishlistSave to wishlistAsmodee
Heat: Pedal to the Metal
$75 $61 (19% off)Amazon
$75 $68 (9% off)Walmart
Burn rubber and leave your opponents in the dust, but don’t blow your engine in this exciting tabletop racing game. Momentum is crucial, with tactical decisions to make as you try to build a deck that will give you a chance of winning. A lovely slipstreaming mechanic helps keep things competitive.
Photograph: Simon HillSave to wishlistSave to wishlistRavensburger
Labyrinth
$25 $17 (32% off)Amazon
$37Walmart
One of the best family board games for young kids, Labyrinth is easy to grasp. The game board is a maze, and you must collect treasures dictated by the cards you are dealt. Designed by a German psychologist, the fun comes from changing the maze by pushing a tile onto the board, which displaces another each turn. You can carve a route for yourself, but also think about how to block your opponents; the best moves do both.
Photograph: Simon HillSave to wishlistSave to wishlistAsmodee
Pandemic
$50 $44 (12% off)Amazon
$45Walmart
Games can get competitive and sour into arguments, but Pandemic is a cooperative board game. Every player gets a role with unique special abilities, and you work together to wipe out four deadly diseases before they end humanity. Clear communication and coherent strategy are required, and it’s vital to leverage each player’s special abilities to win. Games can be completed within an hour, and there are expansions for folks who enjoy the base game.
Photograph: Simon HillSave to wishlistSave to wishlistBig Potato
Herd Mentality
$25 $17 (32% off)Amazon
$20Target
A great game for larger groups, Herd Mentality is all about writing down the same answer as everyone else. If you agree with the majority of players on the best pizza topping, Disney movie, or the smallest animal that could carry your weight, you win a cow token. Eight tokens win you the game, but if you are the odd one out, you get the pink cow of doom. It’s funny and easy to play with any group.
Photograph: Simon HillSave to wishlistSave to wishlistAsmodee
Azul
$34 $24 (29% off)Amazon
$34Walmart
$34Target
In Azul, you must make mosaics by matching tiles with different patterns and colors to get the maximum possible score. Azul is easy to grasp but supports many different tactical approaches and has surprising depth. The tiles and other components are high quality, and filling your board is deeply satisfying. Play moves quickly, and you can complete a game in less than an hour, but you will want to play again. This is a decent discount, and one of the best Amazon Prime Day board game deals.
Photograph: Simon HillSave to wishlistSave to wishlistAsmodee
Exploding Kittens
$20 $10 (50% off)Amazon
$20Target
This cat-themed card game is easy to pick up and perfect for a quick play. The aim is to avoid exploding kitten cards by wielding a comical cast of cats with special powers. You need timing and strategy to get the best of your opponents. If this fun card game is a hit with your fam, there are countless expansion packs worth trying.
Photograph: Simon HillSave to wishlistSave to wishlistKlaus Teuber
Catan
$55 $30 (45% off)Amazon
$60Walmart
This moreish strategy game challenges you to gather and trade resources to build and settle a randomly generated board of hexagonal tiles. Dominating the map and gaining enough points for a victory requires careful planning and some luck with dice rolls.
Photograph: Simon HillSave to wishlistSave to wishlistFunko Games
Big Boss
$35 $25 (29% off)Amazon
I love the 1920s Art Deco style of this business-world battle, where you found and expand companies, accumulate shares, and oversee mergers and acquisitions. It’s a nice mix of luck and skill that’s more fun than it sounds.
Photograph: Simon HillSave to wishlistSave to wishlistHachette Games
Sky Team
$33 $25 (24% off)Amazon
$33Target
$33 $28 (15% off)Walmart
A rare two-player cooperative game, Sky Team challenges you to land planes at various airports, but you must strategize before each round, because there’s no talking once you take off. Secret dice rolls and turnabout gameplay require careful cooperation to clear air traffic out of the way, keep the plane level, get the flaps and landing gear ready, and touch down safely.
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