Target and Amazon have dropped the price of the very popular and highly rated Splendor board game to only $18.39 That's actually cheaper than the best price we saw during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Order it from Target and choose in-store pickup if you want to receive this item before Christmas.
Splendor Board Game for $18.39
Splendor is a 2014 release that's still considered one of the best board games for all experience levels. There's plenty of strategy here, but at the same time, the rules aren't daunting and the average playtime is a very reasonable 30 minutes. This fast game is easy enough for kids to learn but satisfying for players of all ages, making it a good board game for families.
Economic engine games, where you build an increasingly powerful economy to buy stuff to build it even more, are a popular gaming sub-genre. They don't come much simpler than this gem about... gem dealing. On your turn you take tokens to pay for gems, and each gem gives you a permanent boost to your token bank. It's a race to engineer the most efficient economy and grab the best gems. The trouble is, everyone wants the best gems too. So every turn you pump your engine, you risk losing prime resources to other players. Throw in a variety of finicky patrons to please for bonus points and you've got an engine that generates as much tension as it does tactics.
At its current price point, there aren't many quality board games that can compete, even more so if you're intending this to be a gift and you want it to arrive by December 25.