Board games are the perfect afternoon entertainment, particularly when the weather picks up and you have no place to be. Whether you’re playing solo or with a few mates, they’re all excellent fun.
If you’re looking to get stuck into some new tabletop adventures over the next few weeks, you’re in luck! This Amazon Prime Day 2021, there’s a bunch of ripper deals on award-winning board games including hits like Wingspan and the too-close-to-home flu simulator Pandemic.
You do have to be a member to take advantage of most of these deals, but you can sign up for a free trial here if you haven’t already dipped your toes in. For everyone else, membership will run you $6.99/per month.
Here’s every board game Gizmodo Australia recommends picking up in the latest Prime Day sale.
Gloomhaven – $153.20
Every day, Gloomhaven gets a little bit cheaper and a little bit more tempting. If you’ve been on the fence about investing in this absolute monster of a game, this Amazon Prime Day might be the time to make the leap.
At $153.20, Gloomhaven is almost reasonably priced now. For the amount of adventuring, RPG-ing and character building you get, that price is absolutely justifiable. While you will need to invest a significant amount of time into learning how to play and actually getting on with your mates, it’s well worth the effort in this deeply-rewarding game.
You can also grab the smaller Jaws of the Lion spin-off for $59.23 during the Amazon Prime Day sale.
Wingspan – $80.74
This isn’t actually a Prime Day deal, but it might as well be. The phenomenal Wingspan is currently going for just over $80 on Amazon, for a saving of about $20 — and if you haven’t dived in with this game before, the price is right to start now.
Not only is it backed by incredible watercolour art, it’s also one of the most relaxing strategy games around. Play powerful bird cards, lay eggs and keep your flock fed. It’s all wholesome good fun in Wingspan.
Plus, the whole package is just so cute. Well-designed board games are a real treat.
Pandemic – $32.54
If you didn’t know, we’re currently living through a global pandemic. That being the case, you may not want to play a board game about trying to survive a fictional one… but it really is a great board game.
Pandemic is set in a world where a deadly virus has begun to take over humanity, and you are the key to stopping it.
As deadly diseases spread across the globe, it’ll be your job to find individual cures and save humanity before time runs out. Sure, there’s some wild parallels with real life right now but it’s still an excellent, very fun game for a spot of escapism.
Splendor – $48.74
Splendor is an absolute classic, and one that should absolutely be part of any good board game collection. On the surface, it’s a game about collecting gems and becoming the best merchant in town — but dive in and you’ll find a game rich with strategy.
Whether you like competition or not, Splendor can easily turn into a free-for-all brawl with mates as you vie for power in an ancient city. It’s pretty, fun and brilliant for a quick bit of afternoon fun.
There’s also a Marvel version of Splendor which is equally superb — but sadly that one’s not going as cheap.
Carcassone – $41.66
Carcasonne is a game all about building out your land, placing meeples and creating a thriving economy. It’s also about winning, and doing it in style. As you build up your kingdom during gameplay, you’ll attempt to create prosperity and protect your people by establishing sprawling cities in the countryside.
But beware — Carcassone can be very cutthroat and if you’re working with wily players or somebody with more experience, your towns will suffer.
As you complete locations and grow your followers you’ll score greater points, but it’s easy to lose if you put a foot wrong. Careful planning is key in this fast-paced city-building adventure.
Monopoly: Ultimate Banking – $34.30
There’s a reason why there’s so many different version of Monopoly, and why it continues to be popular. It’s simple, really: it’s a great game. There’s something timeless about Monopoly that makes it hard to put down, and whether you’re playing on a Mandalorian board, a Mario board or a classic board it’s always a fun time.
In this edition of Monopoly you’re controlling an electronic bank (instead of having real money) and there’s a bunch of shiny new locations to claim. If you’re somebody who’s played through the original Monopoly a few too many times to find it fun, you might want to give this version a go.
At its core it’s still Monopoly, but there’s a bunch of fun new features that jazz it up for the modern age.
You can head over to the Amazon Prime Day 2021 hub here to check out all the other deals available, and sign up for a free Prime trial here if you haven’t tried the service already.
You can also check out every major running deal via the Gizmodo Australia master post or the handy Amazon Prime Day 2021 tag.
It’s been a tough couple of months, and you all deserve a nice board game treat.