1. Best deals
2. Editors' choice
3. How we find deals
4. FAQ
It's sweater season, and that means I can think of nothing better than curling up with something new to play thanks to December's board game deals. This time of year is great for tabletop discounts, so it's only gonna get better from here.
Benjamin has been tracking board game deals since 2018, and has written professionally for over a decade. The games he's playing right now are Old King's Crown and Reiner Knizia's Hobbit roll-and-write.
This week's best deals
December 5, 2025: New board game deals drop every week, so our team singles out the best ones here to save you time as well as money. This time we're focusing on a couple of modern classics, Catan and Ticket to Ride.
Editors' choice
Want recommendations from our tabletop experts? No problem. These are the games we recommend in our buying guides.
Catan kickstarted a revolution for board games when it first launched, and there's a reason it's still so wildly popular today. Besides being a fantastic 'gateway' game into the hobby, it's just downright compelling. A must-have.
Read more: Catan review
Sometimes we need a break from that competitive scramble for the finish line, and that's where team games come in. Of all the cooperative experiences out there, Pandemic is our favorite thanks to its immensely satisfying battle against the odds.
Read more: Pandemic review
It's hard to find a game that has a better community rating than this, and for fans of strategy, it's an essential purchase. There's a steep learning curve, but oh boy will your perseverance be rewarded - it's a fascinating balancing act.
Read more: Brass: Birmingham review
If you ask us, there's no board game RPG system better than Gloomhaven - and Jaws of the Lion is the perfect entry-point to the franchise. Its more affordable and streamlined, but loses none of the brilliance.
Read more: Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion
I think this Pandemic spin-off may have been the most anticipated game of 2025, and after going hands-on with it, there's no doubt it lives up to the hype. It's an outstanding blend of teamwork and strategy.
Read more: Fate of the Fellowship review
Whenever I'm recommending board games for families, I gravitate toward Ticket to Ride. This is a more relaxed experience that can feel more like a personal puzzle to solve than something competitive, so it should be arguments to a minimum.
Read more: Ticket to Ride review
Plenty of games can be played with just two people, but the best ones are made specifically for that purpose - and if you ask us, this might be our favorite of the bunch. It challenges you to land a plane as a team, and it's utterly engrossing.
Read more: Sky Team review
If you're hunting down a party board game, there's only one choice in my mind - and it's this one. Codenames is a deceptively clever word game that is endlessly replayable, easy to explain, and a lot of fun.
Read more: Codenames review
Although there are scarier games, I still think Betrayal is the best fit for most people. It tips you and your friends into randomized horror cliches before forcing you to battle or outwit your way to freedom. It's brilliantly done.
Read more: Betrayal at House on the Hill review
Throw Monopoly and Risk to the curb; in terms of brilliant, classic board games, none compares to this sprawling sci-fi epic. Even though it's notoriously long, sessions of Twilight Imperium are gripping and memorable.
Read more: Twilight Imperium review
Kids' board games are a dime a dozen, but this one stands out for all the right reasons. Along with having the best elevator pitch (weird kaiju are battling each other for the honor of squishing Tokyo), it's quick to play and easy to get your head around.
Read more: King of Tokyo review
There are better-known trivia games, but so far as I'm concerned, none of them can hold up to Articulate. Countless people can join in, you don't need to know lots to do well because of charades-style gameplay, and its topics won't go out of date.
Read more: Articulate review
How we find board game deals
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:
Board game deals FAQ
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/wargames
- Walmart: Good savings on family games
- Target: Stocks hobby/classic games
UK
- Amazon: Best for variety
- Magic Madhouse: Best for hobby games
- Zatu: Great across the board
- Very: Save on a 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 2-player board games or the best card games.
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