7 epic Black Friday board game deals at Amazon right now

Not every board games has this, but Splendor brings tactility to the table with chunky, poker-style chips that represent gems. The game is an engine-builder where you collect gems to pay for cards that let you buy more cards or gems. It's a satisfying loop, and you can play with the chips while you wait for your turn. If you prefer a different theme, there is a Marvel version, a 2-player version and a hard to find Pokemon variant.

The deal isn't astounding but it gets you a fun game for only $20. Welcome to... is a roll and write where you fill in spaces on a sheet as you're trying to build a neighborhood with parks, pools, and subdivisions. The rules are fairly easy to understand and a game doesn't take very long. If you've never played a roll and write game this is a great introduction. Plus, if you like it there are a ton of expansions that add new rules or different ways to play.

MLEM has a very silly name and it's a fairly silly game by one of the most prolific designers in the industry, Reiner Knizia. This game is a push your luck style where your catstronaut sees how far they can travel without crashing their space ship. Despite the theme there is fun to be had here and some strategy in figuring out when to land on a planet or moon.

HEAT: Pedal to the Metal is one of my favorite games released in the last couple of years and after a year or so of unavailability it's finally easy to get. At first glance, it can feel overwhelming but the rules are fairly friendly and easy to parse. You play cards from your hand to determine how your car moves on the track. You can play single races or string the different tracks together in a season of racing, plus there's a solo mode for those that want to game alone.

If you enjoy the main game, the Heavy Rain expansion is also on sale and adds some fun mechanics around rain slicks.

Is this a toy more than a board game? Yes, most definitely. Will be I crouched down on the floor shooting discs at my son's base this holiday season? Also yes!

You may recognize this game because it's a modern update on the 1983 classic Crossbows & Catapults from Restoration Classics who do a great job of modernizing nostalgic games.

Sometimes games just need to be fun and this one checks the boxes.

At this point, the original Ticket to Ride is a modern classic with more expansions and versions than maybe even Monopoly (no one can actually beat Monopoly in that department).

This new version is legacy game, meaning that as you play over a series of games you make physical changes to the game including unlocking new cards, naming things or even sometimes destroying components all to make a bespoke version of Ticket to Ride.

This is one of the better legacy games and I recommend it if you want to try a legacy game and enjoy Ticket to Ride.

Nemesis is Alien the board game in all but name only. This is one of the heaviest games on this list with a big set up and a lot of rules. Trust me, when you get this game set up and grok the rules you will have a great time. You'll be playing as a crew member woken up from hypersleep avoiding aliens and figuring out how to escape, or betray your comrades (if you want). It's thematic, and each session is its own story.