How to Get Cheap Board Games

The board game industry is by far more popular today than ever before and the number of games hitting the market every year is astonishing. If you are an avid board game player, you know there is no shortage of options for you today. With board games coming out that span a wide variety of subjects, you are likely able to find something that will appeal to anyone you know. A lot of the new board games hitting the market are being made from higher quality components than you might remember from your childhood board games. Thicker, stronger cardboard for the game boards. High quality resins and 3-d printed models for playing tokens. High quality plastic cards are also being used in many new titles, as opposed to paper ones. All these higher quality components make for a more expensive game. Not everyone is able to drop $50 on a game they might play a few times before it starts to collect dust on the back of a shelf. If you are hoping to get into this relatively expensive hobby on the cheap, you are in luck; because there are plenty of purchasing options that can lower your cost of the games. To get board games cheaply you will have to look in unique places such as eBay, Facebook Marketplace, yard sales, and thrift stores. Of course the downside with buying used games is they might not have been well taken care of or some pieces/cards might be missing. Board games are a unique form of entertainment in the fact that the game doesn’t really change. Although many games are enjoyable to play more than one time (and some hundreds of times), others aren’t nearly as fun or challenging the second, third, or 100th time through. For this reason, the second hand market of board games is very easy to access. Whether it be a yard sale, thrift store, auction site, or used game retailer, there are a lot of places you can go to avoid the high cost of new board games. In addition to the second-hand purchase option, there are other ways to get quality games at below retail prices. Games often go on sale at major retailers at various times throughout the year. These sales can often cut the cost for you down by 50%. Watch for sales around the holidays, as this is when some of the best sales will often happen. Another way to get games under normal purchase price is by backing them on a crowd-funding site. Not only will this get you the game a little under MSRP, you are likely to come away with some exclusives that won’t be included if the game ever hits a retail shelf. The main downside to this is the time it takes from paying for the game till you actually receive it. Simple games might only take a few months, but more complex games that are still in early development could take a few years to arrive. To see board game titles that are currently available at a discounted price you can click here. What Is The Most Popular Board Game In The US? The variety of board games is staggering at times. The sheer volume of titles available today would make you think that you can’t go wrong with the purchase of any board game you might find. There are some games that have stood the test of time, and others that are just coming into main-stream play. Board games have been around for centuries, and have been enjoyed by people across the globe. Some games are universally enjoyable, while others have more of a niche market appeal. When considering what the most popular board game is in the US, there really are only a few true stand-outs to consider. The two most popular board games of all time in the USA are Chess and Monopoly. Both of these games have sold hundreds of millions of copies over the years. Chess is one of the most popular board games of all time in pretty much any corner of the world you might visit. Likely one of the oldest games in existence it is still played today in every form from extremely casual players, to enthusiasts, and even professional players. When many people think of board games, Chess doesn’t always come to mind. In that case, you don’t really need to look further than the classic board game Monopoly. With millions of copies sold, and coming up on its 100th anniversary, Monopoly continues to be played by scores of people every year. Between these two games, you would be very hard pressed to find someone that hasn’t enjoyed a game in their life. Other games are really climbing in popularity today. New games are hitting the market all the time, and it will be very interesting when we see the next game that reaches the popularity level of Monopoly or Chess. Where Can I Get Free Board Games? Board games seem to continue to become more and more expensive. Although some games have price points under $20 brand new, some of the more popular games today can cost over $100. This wide variety of price points makes finding a game to play a little difficult (and expensive) at times. If you like playing board games, but have limited funds, there are options outside of buying a new game. While most of these still involve spending money, there are some that keep you from putting out any money to enjoy your hobby. A couple of great ways to play board games for free is to look at you public library or check online. Most people will be able to find some free board games with one or both of these methods. Many libraries today do offer you the opportunity to check out board games. While the selection might be limited, this option allows you to play games that you might not be able afford otherwise. Another option is to play games online. There are a few different virtual table-top companies that have games you can play with free accounts. Most of these sites also have a paid version that opens up a larger portfolio of games you can play; however, a free account could easily give you access to hundreds of games that would cost thousands if you were to buy them all from the store. Using these options can really let you enjoy the board game hobby even in the tightest financial times. They allow you to minimize the cost it takes to enjoy your hobby. Conclusion Board games seemingly continue to go up in costs. A lot of the new board games are being produced with much higher quality components, and the number of games being released means the market is very full of quality games. With each game you want to play, there is a cost to obtaining them. Whether you want to limit the expense, or cut it completely, there are options for you. The second hand market can really save you a lot of money, and if your library has a good collection of games, you can play those for free. The companies that provide online play can also be a game changer in how you play board games going forward.