Amazon sales can yield some screaming deals, but you’ll often have to scrounge through a mountain of duds to find the true gems. Whether you’re looking for something for your next family game night, or looking to dip a toe into some more complex tabletop strategy games, if you haven’t picked up these iconic board games yet, now’s your best chance.
1
Catan
This competitive strategy game for three or four players is a classic for a reason. As settlers in a new land, you’ll collect resources to construct essential infrastructure like roads and dwellings, and you’ll need to negotiate and trade with other players in order to build a flourishing community. With a modular game board, no two sessions are the same. Expect a playthrough to last 60 to 90 minutes.
Buy at Amazon ($43.99)
2
Sorry
In this simple board game that’s launched countless sibling screaming matches, you’re tasked with getting all four of your tokens around the board and safely home. The only problem? Your opponents (or a bit of bad luck) can send those tokens back to the start at any time. It’s incredibly satisfying to undo someone’s progress just before they’re about to finish their lap around the board. Sorr-eee!
Buy at Amazon ($18.25)
3
Connect 4
Another family game night classic, this easy, breezy strategy game is a vertical riff on tic-tac-toe and checkers. The premise is the title: you’ve got to connect four discs vertically, horizontally, or diagonally before your opponent manages to do the same.
Buy at Amazon ($9.99)
4
7 Wonders
If you’ve ever wanted to play God, but don’t have a whole lot of time on your hands, this is the game for you. In this card-drafting strategy game for three to seven players, you’ll lead an ancient city through three ages, developing commerce, science, military, and architecture to make your dominion the peak of civilization. It’s easy to pick up and there’s little downtime, so each session takes roughly half an hour.
Buy at Amazon ($47.99)
5
Clue
If you’re looking for an approachable board game that’s suitable for most ages, look no further than this Hasbro classic. Test your sleuthing abilities by figuring out the who, where, and how of a murder in a glamorous mansion. This retro version of the game revives the design from the 1986 edition for all you elder millennials out there.
Buy at Amazon ($20.99)
