Board gaming can sometimes be a dauntingly expensive hobby, especially when you consider all the expansions, deluxe editions, and miniatures that you can buy. However, you don’t need to spend a fortune to assemble an awesome collection of tabletop titles. Every one of the cheap board games that we’re highlighting in this list has unique mechanics and interesting themes that create considerable replay value and guarantee game night fun.
1. Trails
Discover scenic vistas and explore U.S. National Parks in Trails, a standalone board game based on Keymaster Game’s popular tabletop title Parks. As you move through the wilderness, you’ll get points for spotting birds and collecting natural resources like acorns and rocks. Turn these supplies in for badges and take a few photos before night falls to pick up the most victory points. The artwork here is particularly gorgeous and invites the players to visit the game’s most iconic locations in person.
2. The Resistance: Avalon
In Avalon, each player begins with a secret role that determines their allegiance. They must then deduce which of the other people around the table are actually on their team. If you’re on the side of Arthur and his knights, you’ll need to successfully complete quests. Accidentally inviting the baddies to come with you might spell doom. If you’re allied with Morgana instead, you’ll need to stealthily sabotage these quests by convincing everyone of your good intentions and then playing fail cards. As far as social deduction games go, it doesn’t get much better than Avalon. This title works exceptionally well for large groups.
3. The Crew: Mission Deep Sea
If you’re looking for a fun cooperative game with plenty of depth that won’t break the bank, then you’ll love The Crew: Mission Deep Sea. It’s a trick-taking card game for two to five players that puts your team on a quest to discover a lost continent. The objective cards upset the basic formula of only playing high number cards to win sets and ensure that no two games are quite the same. There’s also a scaling difficulty system, which guarantees that players who love a good challenge will have a great time.
4. Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game
The classic conflict between the Rebel Alliance and the Galactic Empire takes center stage in Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game. Two players face off in a duel-like format. The aim is to cripple each other’s bases and prevent the opponent from purchasing too many powerful cards for their deck. Iconic characters from the original trilogy, such as Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker, play a key role in the game because of their force-wielding abilities. However, claiming victory requires a more diverse mix of units. As a result, you’ll need to put a few rebel troopers, smugglers, and tie fighters into play if you want to win.
5. The Fox in the Forest
The Fox in the Forest is an enjoyable trick-taking card game for two players with a few interesting twists. The various peoples and mystical beings on the deck all have interesting powers that players can work with. This allows for a healthy dose of strategy but also ensures that the gameplay remains surprising and unpredictable. Also, if you take too many tricks at once, you’ll have to pay the penalty for being greedy. The theme is simple yet engaging, and the illustrations on the cards are elegant and aesthetically pleasing.
6. 7 Wonders: Duel
There are few engine-building board games that are more accessible and easy to learn than 7 Wonders: Duel. Each player leads an ancient civilization through the ages, developing its economic capabilities, military might, and scientific prowess along the way. To do this, they’ll need to draw and play projects from the randomized, pyramid-like card pool that they share with the other players. A game of 7 Wonders: Duel usually only takes about half an hour, and there are a ton of different ways you can score points within that time, which ensures that there’s plenty of replay value.
7. One Night Ultimate Werewolf
For a dramatic game of social deduction and hilarious accusatory conversation, try One Night Ultimate Werewolf. Each player takes on a different secret role in the village and will sometimes get to take action during the brief night phase. When the town awakens, it’s up to the players to figure out who amongst them is an evil werewolf. At the end of the day, the players vote on who they should execute. If werewolves all avoid capture, then they win. If just one of them is caught, the villagers win instead. There’s also an app that assists with running the night phase, which prevents someone from having to sit out and manage the game from the sidelines.
8. Skull
The simple yet exciting party game Skull will put your bluffing skills to the test and keep you on the edge of your seat. Players take turns placing their tiles facedown until someone decides to bid on the amount of tiles they can turn over without hitting one that’s secretly a skull. The other players can then choose to bid a higher number or let things play out. If the highest-bidding player manages to avoid the other players’ skulls, they win points for every tile they turn over. If they are unsuccessful, they’re required to give up one of their tiles instead, which makes bluffing even more difficult for them.
9. Decrypto
If you enjoy games that require you to guess what your teammates and opponents are thinking, then you’ll love Decrypto. When you set up the game, you’ll place four of the random word cards in your team’s windowed stand so that each word is next to a different number. Then, choose a teammate to secretly read a series of numbers. That player will then attempt to communicate this code to their teammates with word-based clues related to the randomized cards. If you’re paying close attention, you might be able to score points by intercepting the enemy’s numerical sequences as well.
10. Bang! The Dice Game
In Bang! The Dice Game, outlaws and fugitives roam the Wild West, and the sheriff and his deputies have to try and keep them in check. The game’s classic spaghetti western theme never fails to entertain, and its gameplay mechanics are definitely exciting as well. At the start, you’ll receive both a character card and a role. Each character has a unique power, and each role has a different objective, which means there are a ton of interesting combinations. If you’re an outlaw, your goal is to shoot the sheriff. Representing the law instead? You’ll need to eliminate all the baddies with the aid of your deputy. If you’re the renegade, you can only claim victory if you’re the last one standing.
11. Here to Slay
Recruit fierce heroes, wield magic, and take down mythical monsters in Here to Slay, a thrilling dice-rolling game in which the seemingly endless card combos allow just about anything to happen. The characters you play will let you fight dragons and other strange creatures, provided you have the power icons that match the enemy’s requirements. Your heroes and any modifier cards also make it possible for you to sabotage your friends, which is arguably a big part of why this game is so fun. The artwork and the expansions are, of course, also fantastic.
12. Happy Little Dinosaurs
Happy Little Dinosaurs is an undeniably adorable card game that’s all about avoiding perilous hazards until you’re the last dino alive. These calamities can be as obvious as falling meteors, but they’re often more comedic. Getting caught cosplaying, accidentally running into a shark with legs, or taking a spa day in what turns out to be hot tar could spell doom. To avoid these perils, you might have to break out your meteor cannon or purchase a disaster insurance policy.
