12 Best Board Games Under $40 in 2025
Bored of Monopoly? Discover the best board games under $40 for endless fun without breaking the bank. Game night awaits!
Looking for fun without breaking the bank? Us too! We’ve put together a list of the best board games under $40 that promise a great time without a big price tag. When choosing these gems, we focused on games that offer quick setups, easy-to-learn rules, and high replay value. Whether you’re a seasoned player or just getting started, these picks will keep you and your friends entertained for hours. Get ready to discover new favorites that won’t empty your wallet!
On this list:
12 Sushi Go!
Our favorite thing about Sushi Go! is how it makes you feel like a sushi chef with a tight budget. It’s fast, fun, and easy to learn. You get to pass cards around, making you feel like you are in a real sushi bar. It’s a great entry-level game for those just starting on their board game journey. Plus, there’s something strangely satisfying about collecting tempura and sashimi cards, competing for card combos.
11 Ticket to Ride: New York
This version of Ticket to Ride is like going to New York on vacation without leaving your living room. With a smaller map and quicker playtime, it packs all the fun of Ticket to Ride into a bite-sized game. It’s perfect for a quick gaming session when you don’t have a whole afternoon to spare. The thrilling race to complete your routes keeps everyone on their toes!
10 Love Letter
Love Letter is a game of risk and deduction, much like trying to find the last piece of pizza at a party. It’s a simple yet addictive card game with lots of strategic depth. You need to accomplish one mission: deliver your letter to the princess. But, it’s all about outsmarting your opponents. We love the quick rounds, making it a fantastic filler game between more significant board game sessions.
9 Codenames
Playing Codenames is like being a spy in an action movie, except you don’t need to dodge bullets. Using your wit and word association skills, you give clues to help your team guess the right words. We enjoy how it encourages creative thinking and teamwork. Though, it’s hilarious when your clues lead your team down a completely wrong path!
8 Splendor
Splendor feels like you’ve inherited a fortune and are spending it on dazzling gems. It’s all about collecting precious stones to buy even more expensive cards and earn points. The satisfaction comes from creating combos and getting those victory points. Since it’s easy to teach, it quickly became one of our go-to games for game nights.
7 Carcassonne
Carcassonne is like city planning without the headache. You get to build cities, roads, and fields using cleverly placed tiles. There’s a beautiful simplicity to the tile-laying mechanics, and it’s always a joy to see the landscape grow. Plus, the strategic element of placing your followers adds a nice layer of competition.
6 Kingdomino
Kingdomino is like playing dominoes in a fairytale kingdom. You draft tiles to build your kingdom, making it a colorful and competitive tile-laying game. It’s perfect if you’re looking for something quick and strategic but without the stress. We love how it combines simple mechanics with deep strategic options.
5 The Mind
The Mind is almost like practicing telepathy with your friends! The concept is simple: play cards in order without talking. The challenge of reading everyone’s mind and getting in sync is oddly satisfying. It’s one of those games where you celebrate small victories together and laugh at epic fails.
4 Patchwork
If you’ve ever dreamed of being a quilt master, Patchwork is your game. It’s a puzzle game that has you creating beautiful quilts by collecting patches. The timing and spatial puzzle elements add a great challenge, and it’s perfect for two players. We love the calm and steady pace.
3 Azul
Azul is artistry in board game form. You’re a tile-laying artist crafting a beautiful mosaic. The simplicity of matching patterns and colors mixed with strategy makes it beautifully addictive. It’s relaxing yet competitive, and you can’t help but admire your work once the game’s over.
2 Blokus
Blokus is a game of strategic tile placement and territory control. It’s like Tetris on a board, where you need to strategically place your pieces while blocking others. The beauty is in its simplicity, yet it offers deep strategies. We love how it forces you to adapt and think ahead.
1 7 Wonders Duel
7 Wonders Duel is the best because it’s like experiencing an epic duel of civilizations in tiny cards. Every choice feels monumental as you develop your civilization, build wonders, and stock resources. It’s perfectly balanced with a lot of strategy and replayability. The nail-biting tension as you try to outsmart your opponent is what makes it our top pick for the best board games under $40.
