The 2020 Holiday Shopping Guide for Board Game Lovers

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‘Tis the season of being grateful and thankful…for holiday shopping guides.

This is a holiday shopper’s guide to all things Board Games. It’s so big that we’ve split it up into different sections to make it easier for you to navigate. Nothing shows up twice and all items can be found on Amazon or Etsy.

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The categories are as follows:

Are you excited? I sure am! Let’s get started.

Hobby Board Games

Tasty Humans – $25

Tasty Humans is a 30-60 minute, tile-laying, pattern-building game for 1-4 players.

You are a fantasy monster trying to sate your insatiable appetite. As you and your fellow monsters toss around the village king, you attract a steady buffet of adventurers who try – poorly – to put up a fight!

Description from publisher’s website. (And, yes, we are the publishers so we’re biased!)

Betrayal at House on the Hill – $30

Betrayal at House on the Hill quickly builds suspense and excitement as players explore a haunted mansion of their own design, encountering spirits and frightening omens that foretell their fate. With an estimated one hour playing time, Betrayal at House on the Hill is ideal for parties, family gatherings or casual fun with friends.

Description from Board Game Geek.

Carcassonne – $32

Carcassonne is a tile-placement game in which the players draw and place a tile with a piece of southern French landscape on it. The tile might feature a city, a road, a cloister, grassland or some combination thereof, and it must be placed adjacent to tiles that have already been played, in such a way that cities are connected to cities, roads to roads, etcetera.

Having placed a tile, the player can then decide to place one of their meeples on one of the areas on it: on the city as a knight, on the road as a robber, on a cloister as a monk, or on the grass as a farmer. When that area is complete, that meeple scores points for its owner.

Description from Board Game Geek.

Splendor – $38

Splendor is a game of chip-collecting and card development. Players are merchants of the Renaissance trying to buy gem mines, means of transportation, shops—all in order to acquire the most prestige points. If you’re wealthy enough, you might even receive a visit from a noble at some point, which of course will further increase your prestige.

Description from Board Game Geek.

Photosynthesis – $38

The sun shines brightly on the canopy of the forest, and the trees use this wonderful energy to grow and develop their beautiful foliage. Sow your crops wisely and the shadows of your growing trees could slow your opponents down, but don’t forget that the sun revolves around the forest. Welcome to the world of Photosynthesis, the green strategy board game!

Description from Board Game Geek.

3 Player Chess – $50

Play chess with 3 people at the same time with this three player chess game. Without compromising any of the rules, strategy, or fun of Chess, this variant board has been developed that accommodates three players.

The only changes from conventional chess are some protocol issues that must be followed to maintain order where the teams border each other, which is simple and necessary. The complexities of the third player are infinite. Your threatened piece may be allowed to maintain occupancy as your position is beneficial to the threatening player.

Description from Manufacturer.

Azul – $29

Azul is a tile-placement game in which players compete for the highest score by claiming tiles and arranging them on their board to score points.

Extra points are on offer for collecting sets of the same colour of tile, or for creating particular patterns, while there are penalties for taking tiles that you’re unable to use.

But every tile that you claim affects what your rivals can take next. You’ll have to make choices that help you without helping them too much!

2-4 Players, Ages 8+, Play Time 30-45 min

Description from Manufacturer.

Ticket to Ride – $40

Ticket to Ride is an award winning, cross-country train adventure game. Players collect train cards that enable them to claim railway routes connecting cities throughout North America. The longer the routes, the more points they earn. Additional points come to those who can fulfill their Destination Tickets by connecting two distant cities, and to the player who builds the longest continuous railway.

Description from Manufacturer.

Yellow Mountain Imports Go Game Set (Gomoku) – $23

I LOVE GOMOKU! I only knew of it as this game I played online with a guy I dated back in high school (shh, don’t tell Brandon) and we would play for hours. If you think Chess hurts your head….

Essentially, Gomoku is a game of Connect 5 along a grid. Instead of using the boxes of the grid, however, you use the points of the intersecting lines. You have to think sooo many steps ahead! And I absolutely love this game. The version linked here is the travel version, as it is cheaper, but there is a nice $35 version that I added to our registry!

Sherlock Holmes – The Thames Murders & Other Cases – $50

The gaslight streets of Victorian London. Horse-drawn broughams, hansoms, and dog-carts rattle over the cobblestone streets, pulling their passengers through the pea-soup fog. On every street corner, you pass booksellers, clubs, prisons, music halls, doctors, tea houses, and steamship companies.

Yet in the shadows and dark alleys of this great city, horrible and cunning crimes are committed daily, confounding the policemen of Scotland Yard. Still, even the most ingenious crime is only a puzzle for the world’s only consulting detective—Sherlock Holmes!

Description from Manufacturer.

7 Wonders $45 (and 7 Wonders Duel $25)

7 Wonders: Make the right decisions to lead your civilization to prosperity! Lead one of the seven greatest cities of Antiquity. Develop your civilization on a military, scientific, cultural, and economic level. Once built, will your Wonder bring you glory for millennia to come? No downtime, renewed fun in each game and perfect balance regardless of the number of players. 

7 Wonders Duel: One of the most celebrated games in the world can now be experienced in a two-player arena. 7 Wonders Duel takes the game play and excitement of the original and adapts it for one-on-one battles. Take control of your civilization and decide to invest in science, military or prestige.

Two New ways to win will keep you on your toes and watching every move your opponent makes. If you fail to build defenses your capital city may be destroyed, but ignore technology and your people may be left in the dark ages. It’s a constant tug of war.

7 Wonders Duel is an exciting New way to play the game that took the world by storm. Great for both fans of the original and those New to the hobby.

Description from Manufacturer.

Dune – $50

Imagine you can control the forces of a noble family, guild, or religious order on a barren planet which is the only source for the most valuable substance in the known universe.

Imagine you can rewrite the script for one of the most famous science fiction books of all time. Welcome to the acclaimed 40-year-old board game which allows you to recreate the incredible world of Frank Herbert’s DUNE.

Who will control DUNE? Become one of the characters and their forces from the book and . . . You decide!

Description from publisher’s site.

Parks Game – $50

In PARKS, players will take on the role of two hikers as they trek different trails across four seasons. While on the trail, these hikers will take actions and collect memories of the places your hikers visit. These memories are represented by various resource tokens like mountains, forests, and wildlife. Collecting these memories in sets will allow players to trade them in to visit a National Park at the end of each hike.

Description from publisher’s site.

Catan the Board Game – $44

If a board game has been out since 1995 and is STILL a cult classic, then there is a reason why. Catan has absolutely had a major impact on the gaming industry (in fact, Brandon has done a number of blog posts specifically on Catan) but it is also a really fun game taboot. There are tons of expansions, themed versions, and even custom boards like this gorgeous one on Etsy. While this is a bit of a pricier game, it’s a lot of fun and I think worth the money. I’ve even played the game just me and my dad and I really enjoyed the change in dynamic.

Terraforming Mars – $68 (fluctuates)

Naturally I had to include a bunch of my favorite games on this list, so that includes Terraforming Mars. I don’t even care of this is too mainstream of a game in the hobby game world to include, I like it. It is SO MUCH FUN and a game that I love to play with my husband. I am still so grateful that my brother-in-law got it for us during our first Christmas together! Later on this this post you will find loads of Terraforming Mars organizational opportunities, and even some neat art. What can I say, it’s a great game.

Dominion – $34

Below is a description from the manufacturer:

You want a Dominion!

You are a monarch, like your parents before you, a ruler of a small pleasant kingdom of rivers and evergreens. Unlike your parents, however, you have hopes… dreams! You want a bigger kingdom, more pleasant, with more rivers, and a wider variety of trees.

This is a game of building a deck of cards

The deck contains your resources, victory points, and the things you can do. It starts out a small sad collection of Estates and Coppers, but you hope that by the end of the game it will be brimming with Gold, Provinces, and the inhabitants and structures of your kingdom.

Family Card Games

Five Crowns Original – $10

Five Crowns is one of my all time favorite card games. I love it so much, in fact, that I wrote a whole blog post about it! The game was first introduced to me by my Grandma, and she completely took me for a fool when I played.

I think that the game is small enough to be tossed into a purse or suitcase, but if you want it to be even more accessible, they have come out with a Mini version for $5! I think this would make for a great stocking stuffer or round out gift for a card game enthusiast.

Uno Original – $10

There was a period of time in my life where I felt Uno was just “too kiddish”. It wasn’t until after college where a friend of mine would always keep a deck of Uno cards on her and would whip them out for impromptu game parties. Since her, I have found a renewed appreciation for the game!

I haven’t played the other versions, but I am intrigued by the other versions, including Uno Dare ($5.50), Uno Attack ($20), and Uno Flip ($10), to name a few!

Rack-O – $13

I feel pretty late to the game. Rack-O has apparently been out since 1956. Yes, you read that right. THE FIFTIES. I heard of it the first time last Christmas when my Grandma drove down from Maryland and packed this along. Looks like a great game for 2-4 players, and can even be played with kids as young as 8. Sounds like a winner to me!

“Players randomly slot ten cards on their rack. The race then begins to draw and discard until one player positions ten cards in numerical sequence. Sound simple? It is but you will need skillful play, concentration and just a little luck to win.”

Description from Manufacturer.

Sequence – $20

I love this game and have been playing it since I was a kid. We played guys against girls, so it was really my mom and dad playing against one another while my brother and I just mucked up the waters, lol! It’s a combination of Connect 5 with cards and tokens. And old game, but a good game, and highly recommend it be included in anyone’s game arsenal!

Card Game: A Beginner’s Guide to The Most Popular Card Games – $16

I LOVE card games. Really love them. But I also don’t actually know that many! This book will teach you how to play 10 different card games. I know I’m going to add it to my own personal Christmas Wish List!

Learn to Play: Bridge, Canasta, Cribbage, Euchre, Hearts, Pinochle, Runny, Solitaire, Spades, Whist.

Skip-Bo – $8

This is a fun and simple game that is great if you want to play a competitive game that also isn’t hard to pick up at all. It is essentially a glorified way of making solitaire more social.

Phase 10 – $10

I think that Phase 10 and Five Crowns are of the same family. Don’t play this game if you are having adult beverages though, because, well just don’t. The game is based off of Rummy, and players complete against one another in a race to complete 10 specific card configurations in order.

Hanabi – $9

Each player is dealt a hand of 5 cards, but the catch is that you can see everyone’s cards except your own. Working together, you must share (and remember!) vital information to play cards in the proper launch sequence. Light them all to create a dazzling display and avoid a fizzling fiasco!

Description from Manufacturer.

Family Board Games

Forbidden Island

My favorite thing about this game is the artwork. Oh it will make you swoon! The colors are so rich, the detail is impeccable. Each little tile could practically be framed and make a really interesting gallery wall piece! The game itself is fun too, ha!

Brandon and I played this while we were dating. It is similar to Catan in that he board is never the same as the tiles are shuffled and then placed down randomly in a grid. The game then steers away from Catan in that the tiles will actually sink into the ocean and are removed from the game! This is the first of 3 Forbidden games, and is the easiest of the three.

Forbidden Desert – $27

This is the second of the Forbidden Game series. I really like this in that it combines the general elements of the Forbidden Island with a Treasure Map. It is definitely harder than Island, which is another aspect to the game I appreciate. I’ve only played this with 2 people and I found it to be enjoyable. Kids would enjoy it (game recommends 10+).

Adventure Games – $20-55

These are similar to Exit: The Game, and are made by the same creators. I really want to look into these, though, because I’ve heard that they are a replayable version of the Exit games!

From the Manufacturer: “Discover the story! This thrilling adventure starts when you and your teammates wake up in a dank dungeon, with no Memory of how you got there! You and your teammates have to figure out what to do to get out: explore places, combine items, find clues, and talk to people to grasp the plot and devise a plan to escape. With each new action, the story unfolds, similar to a PC adventure game. Replayable: enough story content to play approximately three times with different stories each time

There are a lot of options, like the below, so here are some links to get you started!

The Dungeon – $20

Set of 3: The Dungeon, Monochrome Inc., The Volcanic Island – $55

Exit: The Games $14-16 each

I did a whole blog post on these games as I am obsessed with them. So obsessed, that I wasn’t embarrassed the least to include them on our wedding registry!

Besides the fact that these are like an Exit Room in your own house, I like that there is such a wide range in difficulty levels. Linked here is a starter pack for beginners, but I think there are currently around 18 different games in the series that go all the way up to Expert level. The hardest one I’ve done so far is “The Secret Lab“.

Awkward Storyteller – $25

The Awkward Storyteller is a straightforward party game for 4 to 11 players aged 16 and up. The format is certain to get participants smiling, interacting and thinking up original twists and plot lines for their story, which they make up as they go along, for the entertainment of the other players and anyone else who is listening.

Description from Manufacturer.

Cribbage – $13

Fifteen-Two, Fifteen-Four, Fifteen-6, Pair for 8, Knobs for 9!

That’s what I always hear playing in my mind whenever I think of Cribbage. That and my Grandma laughing so hard as my dad starts razzing her about miss counting something or whatnot. Those two crazy kids…whenever my grandma arrives in town, they often spend the first night staying up extremely late playing cribbage. And they always play blood. I even included these fond memories in my blog post about nostaglic board games.

Anyways, nostalgia aside, this is a fun classic card game with board game that tracks the scored points. You can even get gorgeous custom boards or even custom pegs on Etsy!

Poetry for Neanderthals – $16

Poetry for Neanderthals is a competitive word-guessing game where you can only give clues by speaking in single syllables. So, instead of saying “broccoli,” you’d say something like “green thing you eat for live long and have good health.” If you mess up and use a big word, such as “vegetable,” you get bopped on the head with a NO! Stick. It’s a game that forces you to explain complicated ideas using simple vocabulary.

Description from publisher’s website.

Monopoly: Star Wars The Mandalorian Edition Game with Figure – $50
(or THIS Lockdown Monopoly from Etsy)

Pre-Order now the newest Monopoly Star Wars edition: The Mandalorian. Currently, you can pre-order directly from the Hasbro site for $50 (not available to ship to Quebec, Canada).

From the publisher’s site: Includes gameboard, 4 Character tokens, 1 The Child token, 4 Character Ability cards, 1 The Child card, 1 Moff Gideon token, 1 Incinerator Stormtrooper token, 1 Death Trooper token, 9 Imperial Enemy cards (1 Moff Gideon, 4 Incinerator Stormtroopers, 4 Death Troopers) 16 Hideout cards, 20 Signet cards, 75 plastic Imperial Credits, 2 dice, Retro Collection Remnant Stormtrooper figure, and game guide.

If Star Wars isn’t your jam, but you want a funny Monopoly, check out this Etsy listing for a handmade Monopoly Lockdown! We can all relate a bit too much, right?

Game of Life – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – $24

Inspired by Midge Maisel’s life in the Amazon Original Series, The Game of Life: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Edition board game has players seeking fame and fortune during 1950s New York City. Maybe you’ll get married, have kids, buy a dream home, go on vacation in the Catskills, and make it as a stand-up comic.

Then again, maybe you won’t. You could get divorced, bomb at the jokes, and end up in a dumpy apartment. Choose a path and find out what life has in store for you. The player with the most money at the end of the game wins – unless someone hits it big time in comedy!

Description from Manufacturer.

Marrying Mr. Darcy – $30

One of my favorite games of all time is Marrying Mr. Darcy. Granted, my favorite book of all time is Pride & Prejudice…so I suppose one could say I’m slightly biased…

Anyhoo. This is a great game, especially with a group of people who don’t mind looking silly becuase the more you get into the game the more fun it is! You can read all about my thoughts on the game in my blog post.

There’s also an Emma Expansion kit that is $16! Isn’t that great? I’ve played this as well (because, obviously) and is is more than just switching out the cards. Similar game play but a different kind of strategy. Fun if you have played MMD!

Rummikub – $7.50

Oh Rummikub, the game that is supposed to be a “fast” tile playing game. I say “supposed to be” because if you play against my dad, you can practically make an entire sandwich during his turn. Love him dearly, but good heavens he takes forever.

This is such a fun game and one that I have watched/played since I was easily 5 or 6. I remember one time I was too young to play, but I wanted to be included, so they let me add up the scores on an old tax calculator with the print out and everything. And that calculator belong to none other than Aunt Sue, by whose rules we steadfastly follow when it comes to the wild card.

Magnetic Wall Scrabble Board with hanging bags – $63+

Does your family love to play Scrabble, but maybe your schedules don’t line up to where you can sit down and play a whole game? Check out this Etsy listing for a magnetic Scrabble board to play the game throughout the day! There are even hanging bags to hold your tiles in secret (something that other listings don’t offer).

Jumanji Board Game – $119 or $189

This is the perfect gift for someone who is obsessed with the original Jumanji movie and loves high quality work. Etsy shop WalkingLegends created an exact working replica of the board game from the movie. Well, let’s hope not too exact, because the last thing we need is a stampede of Rhinos and Elephants through our streets!

Party Games

Codenames – $15

This game is SO MUCH FUN and works great with a group of 6-8 people. We’ve played it with more than that, but it does get a bit unruly. If you want a version for 2 people, check out Codenames Duo ($20), and if you are looking for one more geared towards kids then try out their Codenames Disney ($20) or Codenames Marvel ($25)! There is a great variety of themed Codenames if you want to change things up a bit.

Spy Alley – $35

Per BoardGameGeek: “Each player assumes a secret identity (nationality) at the start of the game. The object is for each player to collect all the necessary items of their nationality and land on the winners square. (players need to get a codebook, disguise, key, and password)”

This sounds like SO MUCH FUN. Granted, I love pretty much anything having to do with spies and espionage (in the world of fiction) so this sounds like a great game to play.

Pictionary – $20

A family game list wouldn’t be complete without Pictionary. I’m showing my age a bit, but I remember playing this before dry erase markers were a real thing, so it did always feel either wasteful to use separate sheets of paper OR trying to scribble pictures into different corners of the same page. But now? I bet this game is so much more fun. And it was already starting at a pretty high place!

Taco vs. Burrito – $25

Taco vs. Burito is a deliciously unpredictable card game where players compete to create the weirdest, wildest meal.

But beware! The Health Inspector and Order Envy can ruin your meal.

Gameplay continues clockwise with players drawing and playing cards until the draw pile is gone. Once any one player is out of cards the game is instantly over and the player with the most points wins!

Description from the designer

Exploding Kittens – $10

Exploding kittens is a card game for people who are into kittens and explosions and laser beams and sometimes goats. In this highly-strategic, kitty-powered version of Russian roulette, players draw cards until someone draws an exploding kitten, at which point They explode, they are Dead, and they are out of the game – unless that player has a defuse card, which can defuse the kitten using things like laser pointers, belly rubs, and catnip sandwiches.

Description from Manufacturer.

Unstable Unicorns – $20

Unstable Unicorns is a strategic card game about everyone’s two favorite things: Destruction & Unicorns. The goal of Unstable Unicorns is to be the first person to collect seven Unicorns in your play area, also known as your Stable. Use Magic, Instant, Upgrade, and Downgrade cards to hinder your opponents’ progress and destroy their Unicorns. But beware — each player has all of these tools at their disposal as well, and you may just find your plans foiled by a well-played “Neigh!” card. Get ready to destroy your friendships…but in a good way.

Description from Manufacturer.

Bullets on Broadway: A Flexible Murder Mystery Game – $25

Become a party legend by throwing a Murder Mystery party by Broadway Murder Mysteries for your next office event, game night, backyard BBQ, birthday, or gathering! Make memories with this ready-to-print kit playable by up to 20 people! Virtual rules are included to play on Zoom or other video chat programs! The game takes approximately 1-3 hours to play and we recommend estimating 10 minutes per person.

Description from Manufacturer.

Game Accessories & Storage

Magic the Game Card Storage Box – $40

This is specifically for Magic the Game, but I feel like this would be helpful to have on hand for any kind of deck builder, playing cards, you get the idea.

Smonex Wooden Organizer Set

Smonex Wooden Boards

Etsy: CRE8Online Option
Smonex Wooden Organizer for Terraforming Mars – $70

When I started researching box organizers for this post, I thought I was going to be finding some small boxes or bins. I was NOT expecting to see such a large range of beautiful wooden organizers. I also wasn’t expecting to see how many of the organizers would specifically be for Terraforming Mars!

This is just 1 of many, but what I like about this is that it also includes the wooden player boards with ridges to help hold the cubes better than the flat cards. It is a pretty penny, but if your person loves Terraforming Mars then this will get you some bonus points.

Per the manufacturer, this collection will “fit cards with premium protector up to 80 microns/sleeved cards” and that it is “suitable for Terraforming Mars base game and All Terraforming Mars expansions (Hellas and Elysium, Venus next, Prelude, Colonies, Turmoil).”

If you want just the wooden boards, check out this amazon listing, as you can snatch up 5 boards for $40.

And if you want a more economical version, there are tons of options on Etsy, like this one, that will meet your needs!

Tabletop Gaming Dice Box by ENHANCE – $35

So, as we continue through this section, you should probably know that I have a nearing unhealthy obsession with bins and all things organization. If you saw my office you would think otherwise…but just trust me on this. I LOVE BINS.

This is 1 of many bin styles to hold your gaming dice! I’m a heathen and store mine in a ziploc…but I really really like this container. It has a zippered half, an open half (“Dice Arena”), and zips closed and has strap/clip to hang by. Isn’t that fun?

Shoe Storage with Cover – $40

OK, hear me out. This is meant for shoes, but would work perfectly for board games! It has a roll down cover, shelves to nicely organize the games. The one linked here has a roll down cover which would be nice to cover the visual stimulation.

But I could also see it being annoying if you are constantly going in and out grabbing games. So another couple options would be a Storage Lift Coffee Table or a Storage Bench. These would be big gifts, but maybe it will cover all gifts for the whole year!

Hermitshell Travel Case for Five Crowns – $11 plus shipping

I’m purposefully not going to let my Grandma see this post until after Christmas because I’m getting her this! The box the cards come in is great, but this hardshell looks like such a great way to keep the cards more protected!

Geekon Quad-Mod Game Piece & Storage – $34

Here is an interesting new way to store a boardgame – put it in it’s own packing cube! This isn’t just any packing cube, but one that is specifically designed with boardgames in mind. It stores like a square, but expands in a rectangle formation, as each fold has various zippered compartments to hold game pieces.

The description says that 1 square can hold up to 6 entire games! This would be great for games with a lot of pieces (that you don’t want to lose if there is a hole in the original game box) or would also be great for travel!

Storage Bins for Pandemic Disease Cubes – $12

We use little Ziploc baggies, but I love how these are themed to the game and would be a great way to keep he table organized while playing!

Collapsible Board Game Storage Bowls – $15

I feel like these would work great for Terraforming Mars. I use little mini bowls, but I love that these can go flat and would be great for travel too. The link is for an Amazon listing, but if you want to support small businesses, just search Etsy for “Collapsible Fabric Bowl”!

Enhance Board Game Backpack – $110

With a vaccine hopefully around the corner, going back to game night might be sooner than I feels! Go ahead and get board game travel bags now so you are ready to go the moment it is safe again to congregate. This one is slightly bigger than the next listing (also different companies). This has as interior of 21″x12.5″x12.5″, thick padded foam reinfored with polymer sheets, can support up to 60lbs of games (yikes!) and has varying compartment options for other game pieces.

Board Game Bag – $44

Here is a great padded board game carrier by Board Game Tables .com! It is 20″x12″x12 inside, has padded backpack straps, a horizontal handle, and even a luggage slip! I know some guys who use HUGE duffle bags for their games, and I feel like they could use this listing and the one before!

Wooden Baseball Dice Game – $25

Have you ever played the wooden Baseball Dice game? I haven’t, but it looks like a lot of fun and reminds me of a slightly more involved type of game you would play at Cracker Barrel. Roll the Die to see how your players perform and move the marbles around the board! Etsy listing includes board game, marbles, and a drawstring pouch.

4 Pack Premium Wooden Card Holders – $18

This is great for all ages, specifically the littlest of hands all the way to arthritic hands. Plus, these will be helpful for game nights that fall on Taco Tuesday.

Box for Metal Coins (Scythe or Plain) – $14

If you play a lot of Scythe (or a game with metal coins) then this box might be just what you need! Made out of plastic from a 3D printer, you can have a great way to store your coins without spending a lot of coins on it! (See what I did there?)

Terraforming Mars deck Inserts – $6.17

From the Creator:

I use this deckholder for Terraforming Mars – With a couple of these I can have all the cards safely stored in the gamebox. This organizer is 69mm high and approximately 94mm wide depending on how you measure it. It is a handy deck holder will keep your modifier decks well organized on the table. And they are an inexpensive substitute for a custom printed player dashboard.

These deck holders are printed with thin enough walls to keep them inexpensive but sturdy enough to hold the sleeved/non-sleeved cards.

If you need a custom color, we will be happy to work with you.

The dimensions of the box are:
65mm x 94mm x 69mm

Terraforming Mars Tracker Rovers – $4.78

These are seriously cute, and you get a set of 5 little rovers! These are 3D printed and hold the player cube that goes around the board edges. Adorable stocking stuffing/round out gift.

Terraforming Mars Full Upgrade Kit – $120

On the flip side, this isn’t what I would call a “round out gift”, but it would definitely get you some major points if your person loves Terraforming Mars! Make the gaming experience more life like with these 3D printed forests, cities, domes, venues, etc!

Pandemic Board Game 3D Tokens – $39

In a similar vein of the Terraforming Mars Upgrade Kit, this one is for Pandemic! 3D printed virus tokens and research centers give this game a little more pizzaz.

Imhotep Boats and Sleds Upgrade: $10-$33

I’m new to Imhotep, but have had a nice time playing the game. I think that these little cute boats and rafts would really enhance the whole experience! D

Wooden Azul Player Boards – $25-90

If you want to take your Azul gaming experience to the next level, enhance the game’s naturally gorgeous tiles with this Etsy listing for wooden engraved player boards.

Splendor Organizer – $34

Ok, I need this. I love Splendor (fun fact – this was one of the first games that Brandon introduced me to when we were first dating!) and I would love to have a nicer way to organize the box! Remember, I love bins and organizing.

The Etsy shop is TowerRex and if you are in need of other game organizers, check out their storefront here.

Terraforming Mars Card Holder (for played action cards) – $2 each

If you’ve read my blog post on Terraforming Mars, then you know that it is one of my favorite games of all time. Well I think that I need this little card holder doohickey. It simply holds the played action cards up in the air rather than having them take up a lot of valuable table space. And at only $2 a pop, perfectly worth it to me!

Home Décor & Other Gifts

Posters for Your Favorite Board Games

As it turns out, on Etsy, there is no shortage of wonderful board game themed posters. Here are some of our personal favorites from Etsy shop owner MeepleDesigns. Their minimalist board game posters are gorgeous, and affordable (all in the $25 range). You can check them out by clicking any of the images below – they’ll open in a new tab!

More Posters the Board Gamer in Your Life will Love

Of course, the posters aren’t just limited to specific board games. You can find posters for board gaming in general, too, and there are a lot of great choices. Just like above, you can check them out by clicking any of the images below – they’ll open in a new tab! A lot of these are also in the affordable range, some even starting around $10!

Have you checked behind the couch?
Set of 6 Meeple Adventure Art Prints – Print at Home File Download – 8×10
Board Games Patent Print Set of 6 – Board Game Poster Set
I Wouldn’t Trade You for Anything Print- 8 1/2 X 10-Color Print
Clue Movie Poster
Customized Tabletop Board Game Room Sign Poster
Abstract 20 sided Dice, Single Line Drawing
Printable Customized Hobby Game Wall Art~Custom Board Game Wall Art
Vintage Chess Art Print

More Board Gaming Accessories for Your Home

Board Game Room – door frame décor – $39

This is a laser-cut acrylic sign to hang over the top of your Board Game Room door or positioned around a window in your Board Game room. Makes a great board game room decor item! Gift it to your board gamer friend or family member!

Description from Etsy.

Top 100 Board Game Scratch off – $24

Top 100 Board Games Scratch Poster is a perfect wall decor for any board game geek.
Officially licensed by BoardGameGeek.

Track your progress by scratching off the games you have played. Get inspired on what to play next!

Description from Etsy.

Wooden Catan Clock: Natural AND Painted – $60 each

A clock featuring the design of your favourite board game – Settlers of Catan 🙂
Gift for gamer. A good present for a player for her/his birthday, Christmas, New Year or any other holiday.

Description from Etsy.

Giant Scrabble Letters to spell a word – $20

These board game letters are a fun way to decorate any room (especially a playroom). Each wood board is roughly 12 inches by 12 inches (actual dimensions will vary slightly) and is engraved with a letter of your choosing and its corresponding number value to resemble Scrabble pieces.

Description from Etsy.

Board Gaming Coasters

I have an entire section dedicated to coasters because Brandon is OBSESSED WITH COASTERS. I swear, the man’s obsession with coasters knows no bounds. When we were moving his things in, I just kept finding coasters. And I mean, I already had a fair amount of coasters. I had to sit him down with a box of all the coasters and pick out only his favorite ones. (In fairness…he had to do the same thing with me and trivets…). The below coasters are just a sampling of what you can find on Etsy, and many range from either $2 each, to $10 for a set of 4.

Tile Coasters (Game Boards)
Tile Coasters (Board Game Box Art)
Two Pips D20 Coasters
Meeple Board Game Coasters (most expensive at $17)

Other Gifts

Cribbage Ornament – $19

This beautiful wooden ornament is made from laser cut alder wood and is designed to last a lifetime.

Customize the ornament with any text you’d like.

Perfect for putting great memories on your Christmas tree or to give as a gift to a friend or loved one.

Description from Etsy.

Board Game Hero Scratch off – $23

This scratch-off poster is a Challenge for a Real Board Games Hero!

Complete different fun challenges and improve your skills!

Description from Etsy.

Dice Keychain – $9

A great small gift for the gamer in your life! This listing is for one keychain that is created with your choice of black glitter, blue glitter, green glitter, pink glitter, purple matte, red glitter, white glitter, yellow matte, or a color of your choice vinyl. It measures approximately 4 inches long (without hardware) by 2.75 inches at its widest point. It is a recreation of a 20-sided die.

Description from Etsy.

Personalized Giant Meeples – $18

Personalize yours today with no extra cost or delivery time!

We were sitting around at game night talking about how funny it would be if there was a big meeple that could eat all the other meeples. Someone said there should be an even more giant meeple that can eat the big meeples, like the T-Rex in Jurassic World.

Description from Etsy.

Meeple Pillow – $20

A custom-made pillow shaped like a board game meeple.

Description from Etsy.

Baking/Kitchen

So, I’ve become that person who decided to learn to bake during the pandemic. It’s a good thing we have a treadmill otherwise I would be in some serious trouble. One thing that I want to figure out how to do is make the perfect cookie for cookie cutters! So here are some adorable gaming cookie cutters I found on Etsy.

D20 Cookie Cutter
Meeple Cookie Cutter
Domino Cookie Cutter
Tetris Cookie Cutters
Chess Pieces Cookie Cutters
Zelda Cookie Cutters (not a boardgame, I just love Zelda)

Boardgame Plates: These are specifically geared towards to children, but I think that these would be fantastic for parties with a lot of dips. Each dish could hold a different dip and then the plate portion would hold the chips and veggies.

Apparel & Funny Gifts

Trying to find the right type of T-Shirt for a boardgame lover that isn’t super painfully dorky or trying too hard is, well, hard. Here are some that I found that look cool or have just the right amount of dork factor. These are all in the $20 range, and many come in multiple colors.

Meeple Word Cloud of Board Games
Meeple Word Cloud of Game Mechanics
Vintage Meeple
Best Cribbage Player
Never Settle – Catan Shirt
The Cones of Dunshire

That’s all!

Thank you for taking the time to read this whole shopping guide. You’re bound to find a gift for the board gamer in your life here. Feel free to recommend other great ideas in the comments below as well 🙂





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