Must-have board game deals for January 2025

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Pagan: Fate of Roanoke and Monkey Palace board game boxes on either side of a 'GamesRadar+ best deal' badge, all against a green background with floating crosses

(Image credit: Future)

1. Quick links
2.
US deals
3. UK deals
4. How we find deals
5.
FAQ

Tabletop gaming isn't the cheapest hobby, so board game deals are essential if you want to expand your collection without breaking the bank. To save you time as well as money, the GamesRadar+ team and I have rounded up the most tempting discounts of the month here.

With a new year in full swing, this month's offers are taking a moment to get going - like many of us, I assume they're a little worse for wear from all the Holiday celebrations. However, there are some decent offers if you know where to look. Family-friendly Ticket to Ride (arguably one of the best board games overall) has dropped to $25 at Walmart rather than the usual $49.99, and it's not been cheaper since 2022. Meanwhile, UK fans can grab one of last year's more anticipated games (Undaunted 2200: Callisto) for £39.53 at Zatu instead of £65. Even the popular HEAT game has dipped to £44.95 at Zatu, a reduction of £18.

That's just the tip of the iceberg. Alongside these price-cuts, our experts and I have also included some tips further down the page to help you take advantage of any savings. What makes a good board game deal, and what should you look out for? Our team's been doing this for over six years, so we've got you covered with all the intel you could possibly need.

Recent updates

January 13: We have checked and updated this page's quick links in today's edit, as well as adding new deals for both the US and UK sections.

Quick links

UK

US board game deals

Monkey Palace | $39.99$23.99 at AmazonSave $16 - Buy it if:✅ Don't buy it if:❌ Price check:💲

Monkey Palace | $39.99 $23.99 at Amazon
Save $16 - This new Lego board game has been rapidly dropping in price over the last week, and it's now just a few cents away from a record low price.

Buy it if:
You're looking for a family game
✅ You're buying for a Lego fan

Don't buy it if:
You aren't a Lego fan

Price check:
💲
Walmart | $25.92
💲 Miniature Market | OOS

Catan | $54.99$25 at WalmartSave $30 - Buy it if:✅ Don't buy it if:❌ Price check:💲

Catan | $54.99 $25 at Walmart
Save $30 - This beloved favorite hasn't been cheaper since 2023, and is now just a couple of dollars away from a record low price. While it's worth bearing in mind that a new edition is on the way in Spring 2025, the gameplay will be identical to this version.

Buy it if:
You want a family game
✅ You're new to strategic board games

Don't buy it if:
You prefer deeper strategy games

Price check:
💲
Amazon | OOS
💲 Target | $43.99

Pagan: Fate of Roanoke | $44.95$39.90 at AmazonSave $5 - Buy it if:✅ Don't buy it if:❌ Price check:💲

Pagan: Fate of Roanoke | $44.95 $39.90 at Amazon
Save $5 - From what I can tell, this is a record low price for this atmospheric game. Despite being a small saving on the whole, it's never been cheaper than this.

Buy it if:
You want a 2-player game
✅ You like asymmetric games

Don't buy it if:
You want more players

Price check:
💲
Walmart | $49.92
💲 Target | Unavailable

Ticket to Ride | $49.99$25 at WalmartSave $25 - Buy it if:✅ Don't buy it if:❌ Price check:💲

Ticket to Ride | $49.99 $25 at Walmart
Save $25 - This classic family game often enjoys big reductions before Christmas, so seeing it drop to half price in January is unusual. It's not been this cheap in around two years, either, so even though that is $5 off a record low, it's notable.

Buy it if:
You want something for all the family
✅ You don't like overly competitive games

Don't buy it if:
The theme doesn't interest you

Price check:
💲
Amazon | $25
💲 Target | $43.99

Betrayal Deck of Lost Souls | $19.99$9.28 at AmazonSave $10 - Buy it if:✅ Don't buy it if:❌ Price check:💲

Betrayal Deck of Lost Souls | $19.99 $9.28 at Amazon
Save $10 - Thanks to a 52% reduction, this Betrayal at House on the Hill spinoff has hit its lowest ever price. If you want something a bit quicker that still packs the spooky vibes, you can't do much better.

Buy it if:
You want a quick, creepy game
✅ You love full Betrayal

Don't buy it if:
You're not a fan of the original

Price check:
💲
Walmart | $14.01
💲 Target | $19.99

UK board game deals

Heat: Pedal to the Metal | £62.49£44.95 at ZatuSave £18 - Buy it if:✅ Don't buy it if:❌ Price check:💲

Heat: Pedal to the Metal | £62.49 £44.95 at Zatu
Save £18 - This is just a couple quid off the popular game's lowest ever price, so it's a bargain to kick off this month's board game deals.

Buy it if:
You wanna see what the fuss is about
✅ You like high-speed games

Don't buy it if:
You're not bothered by the theme

Price check:
💲
Amazon | £53.61
💲 Magic Madhouse | £46.80

Undaunted 2200: Callisto | £65£39.53 at ZatuSave £25 - Buy it if:✅ Don't buy it if:❌ Price check:💲

Undaunted 2200: Callisto | £65 £39.53 at Zatu
Save £25 - By my count, this highly-anticipated wargame hasn't ever been cheaper. Considering how it tops out at around £42 everywhere else, that's not bad going at all.

Buy it if:
You enjoy deep strategy games
✅ You love Undaunted and sci-fi

Don't buy it if:
You prefer historical settings

Price check:
💲
Wayland Games | £51.99
💲 Amazon | £40.28

SETI | £67.49£57.49 at Travelling ManSave £10 - Buy it if:✅ Don't buy it if:❌ Price check:💲

SETI | £67.49 £57.49 at Travelling Man
Save £10 - Want to save a little on one of the more popular new board games to hit in the last few months? This isn't a record low price, but it is the cheapest you'll find SETI for right now.

Buy it if:
You're fascinated by space
✅ You like strategy games

Don't buy it if:
You'd rather get a party game

Price check:
💲
Zatu | Backorder
💲 Magic Madhouse | £58.40

Ticket to Ride Legacy: Legends of the West | £99.99£69.99 at ZatuSave £30 - Buy it if:✅ Don't buy it if:❌ Price check:💲

Ticket to Ride Legacy: Legends of the West | £99.99 £69.99 at Zatu
Save £30 - Sound the alarm, because I think this is another record low price. Seeing as this chunky game was already quite expensive, that's a pretty big headline.

Buy it if:
You want a long-term game
✅ You love Ticket to Ride but want more

Don't buy it if:
OG Ticket to Ride bores you

Price check:
💲
Amazon | £91.10
💲 Wayland Games | £79.99

How we find board game deals

Clue Conspiracy, The Captain is Dead: Dangerous Planet, and Articulate! stacked on a wooden table

(Image credit: Benjamin Abbott)

There are a lot of offers out there, so how can you be sure we're bringing you the very best discounts? Well, I'm glad you asked. The way in which we find board game deals is important to the GamesRadar+ team and I, and it's a similar methodology to how we test board games.

Here's a breakdown of how it all works:

🛒 We personally browse trusted retailers
Even though manufacturers and retailers will occasionally tip us off where a sale is concerned, the team and I usually find savings by browsing multiple, reliable stores on a daily basis. We're looking for offers we'd actually be interested in buying, because we figure they'll then be of interest to you too.

💲 We always use price-matching software
To make sure a deal is actually good or not, we run it through price comparison software such as CamelCamelCamel. That tells us everything from the item's average price, its lowest cost, and when it usually gets a saving.

🏪 We compare with rival retailers
Rather than calling it a day when we find a good board game deal, we'll always check in with competitors to see if you can get the same product for less elsewhere. You'll find comparisons in every deal block under the 'price check' section.

Board game deals FAQ

A collection of board game boxes standing upright against a dark background

(Image credit: Benjamin Abbott)

How do I know if it's a good board game deal?

Board games are often discounted, and it isn't an average day in the office without something like Catan or Pandemic enjoying a reduction. However, that doesn't mean all board game deals are created equal. Most of the time, these 'savings' are actually pretty standard.

That makes it worth checking price history sites such as CamelCamelCamel to ensure you're getting maximum value for money. These will let you know a product's price history, its cheapest point, and what the average cost is. That helps give you a more rounded picture on whether a price cut is actually worthwhile.

That's certainly how the team and I identify good board game deals from week to week, and we'll also include this information in our write-ups.

Where will I find good board game deals?

If you're on the prowl for the most tempting board game deals, I'd always recommend starting with Amazon. While this may seem like a copout, the retail giant is consistently excellent where discounts (and variety) are concerned.

That doesn't mean you should ignore everything else, though. Small, independent stores like Miniature Market in the US or Magic Madhouse in the UK have a habit of sneaking solid prices through the door... especially where hobby games are concerned.

Here are the retailers I'd keep an eye on:

USA
- Amazon:
Best for variety
- Miniature Market: Brilliant for hobby or wargames
- Walmart: Good savings on family games
- Target: Stocks hobby and classic games

UK
- Amazon:
Most reliable for variety
- Magic Madhouse: Best for hobby games
- Zatu: Great across the board
- Very: Save on a wide range of games
- Wayland Games: Great for wargames
- John Lewis:
Classic family board games

Should you wait until Black Friday or Prime Day?

Although sales events like Black Friday and Prime Day are some of the best opportunities to save on board game deals, you don't need to hold off until they roll around. That's because you can snag some truly excellent offers (with a few lowest-ever prices) from week to week if you know where to look. While the biggest hobby games such as Twilight Imperium are unlikely to hit record lows until tentpole sales including the annual Black Friday board game deals or Prime Day board game deals, plenty of other great games get aggressive discounts all year round.

The key is making sure you're actually getting a good discount... hence why I'll always recommend running a product through free price comparison software like CamelCamelCamel. They'll tell you a product's average sale value, its biggest discount to date, and whether this particular offer is worth your time.


Want to find out what you should keep an eye on? Don't miss our guides to the best cooperative board games, good board games for 2 players, or the best card games.

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Benjamin Abbott
Tabletop & Merch Editor

As the site's Tabletop & Merch Editor, you'll find my grubby paws on everything from board game reviews to the latest Lego news. I've been writing about games in one form or another since 2012, and can normally be found cackling over some evil plan I've cooked up for my group's next Dungeons & Dragons campaign.

With contributions from