.jpg?q=50&fit=contain&w=1140&h=570&dpr=1.5)
Board games are a beloved pastime for those who can coordinate the schedules of 3-6 people and actually manage to get together for a night of negotiating, fighting, or conquering. Though the big names are beloved - Monopoly, Sorry, Clue, and others - many gamers are willing to learn something a bit more complicated in order to decimate the egos of their closest friends.
It's a familiar feeling for board game aficionados to enter a store only to cringe at the prices. Games often cost $40 USD or more and can often climb as high as $100. However, tabletop games could be doing much worse damage to people's wallets. These huge board games, while filled with content and figures, all cost upwards of $180 USD.
Updated May 4, 2022, by Gabrielle Huston: We've tracked down even more of the most expensive board games that you can actually buy right now, and added them to this list.
13 Cthulhu Wars: Core Game Fourth Printing - $179.99 USD
Lovecraft's infamous monster Cthulhu has gained popularity recently with the incredible Call of Cthulhu tabletop RPG experience akin to D&D. However, if your friends aren't interested in such an involved, multi-day experience, Cthulhu Wars is an excellent alternative.
It's a strategy board game where the player chooses an alien race or God from Lovecraft's writing and attempts to take over Earth. At a whopping $179.99 USD, board game groups may want to go in on this game together. As seen above, there are lots of figures though, so the price feels a bit fairer.
12 Doomtown Reloaded: Premium Edition - $199.99 USD
Doomtown Reloaded is a collectible card game that was a revamp of the existing game: Deadlands: Doomtown. In it, up to four players fight for control of the town of Gomorra, California. They may choose to play as "The Law Dogs", "The Sloane Gang", "The Morgan Cattle Company", or "The Fourth Ring."
Doomtown Reloaded even went on to be nominated for two Golden Geek awards. The Premium Edition, priced at $200 USD, offers players a wooden carrying case, clay poker chips, metal ghost rock coins, and more.
11 Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Warcry – Catacombs - $210.00 USD
Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Warcry is a brand new addition to the Warhammer high fantasy tabletop miniature wargame. This series is always getting new content, miniatures, books, and more to add to every player's growing collection. Henry Cavill's interest in the franchise has also brought new, more casual players into the fold, as well.
This edition is a core set meaning that it comes with everything a group would need to start playing including a rulebook, dice, and gameboard. It costs a pretty penny at $210 USD but is hardly the most expensive board game on the market.
10 Android Netrunner LCG: Revised Core Set - $220.00 USD
Android: Netrunner is a Living Card Game (LCG) set in a cyberpunk future where megacorporations have all the power and resources. It was well-loved by many as a spin-off of other familiar board games. But it had to be discontinued when its license agreement with the makers of Magic: The Gathering ran out.
This particular edition was one of the last to be released before the shutdown in 2018: a revised core set, released in 2017, that replaced some of the original cards. At $220 USD, it won't be in the budget for most people, but whoever snaps it up will have a piece of board-gaming history.
9 Super Dungeon Explore - $240.00 USD
Super Dungeon Explore is a high fantasy board game title from Soda Pop Miniatures. The first edition was popular with typical high fantasy classes, lots of hacking-and-slashing through monsters, and an adorable chibi art style.
However, when the developers started a Kickstarter campaign to make a second edition, it fell through spectacularly. The first edition is still for sale at least- even if it's for $240 USD. It can accommodate 2 or more players and comes with more than 50 miniatures.
8 Scrabble Luxury Edition - $249.00 USD
There are more editions of Scrabble than one person could count in a lifetime - like the recently released national parks themed edition of Scrabble. But the most expensive, by far, is the Scrabble Luxury Edition. The board is set atop a stunning wooden box that holds all the pieces in its drawers.
Faux leather is used in the base of the board, for the scorebook, and the tile pouch. For the most competitive players, it even comes with a small golden hourglass. While Scrabble has been a beloved household staple for years, $249 USD seems a little out of most folks' price range.
7 Swords & Sails: Emperor's Bundle - $284.00 USD
Swords and Sails takes place in the middle of the medieval period in 1000 CE. Between 2 and 7 players will choose a faction and fight the others for control over Europe. All the political intrigue, spying, fighting, and alliance-making and breaking is present in this history.
As happens with video games like Mario Party, your friends may not be your friends by the end of the night. This Emperor's Bundle provides all 6 of the game's expansions which add new kingdoms for the player to control like Poland, Hungary, and Leon. Is that worth $284.00?
6 Catan 3D - $300
Catan is a household name these days - even people who don't play board games have often at least heard of Catan. Players have spent so much time on this game that they've developed a massive amount of house rules that they share on the internet for all to enjoy.
Catan 3D takes Catan to the next level. ...literally. All the pieces are in 3D and beautifully painted down to the details. It is listed on the official Catan website for $300, but they occasionally run out of stock - if that happens, you'll need to buy it from Amazon or elsewhere for an even higher price.
5 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures: All the Loot Bundle - $349.00 USD
Despite being an almost 4-decades-old franchise, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles just never seem to go out of style. Just recently, they were added as skins to Smite on the Battle Pass and the comics have hit a new stride with storylines in TMNT: Last Ronin. In Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures: All the Loot Bundle, fans can take on the role of their favourite hero in a half shell to play through one of several campaigns in the TMNT comic-book universe.
You'll need to drop $340.00 on it. It's largely narrative-driven, so the game isn't much to look at, but - as any D&D player knows - a good game master will make all the difference in bringing Master Splinter, the turtles, and Shredder to life.
4 Secrets of the Lost Station: Core Game & Miniatures (Limited Edition) - $345.41 USD
Secrets of the Lost Station is a cooperative tabletop miniature game that asks players to search for alien artifacts and protect society from otherworldly threats. It was a sequel to the board game Secrets of the Lost Tomb.
This set, worth a pretty penny at $345.41 USD, was a limited edition release that included the core game and more than 100 miniatures to incorporate into the stories. It all comes in its own box and can be played with up to 6 people at once. Even folks who are new to board games will enjoy it since it's not considered very difficult.
3 Kingdom Death: Monster - $350.00 USD
Kingdom Death: Monster is a Kickstarter board game with a lot of depth and replayability that's become a favourite of dedicated tabletop players. It can be a little tricky to play at first, but gamers will pick it up in no time.
It's best to start with people who are more experienced so that they can explain the details when you get lost. All of the cards and miniatures are well made, with beautiful illustrations to go alongside. It'll run you $350.
2 Ticket To Ride: 10th Anniversary Edition - $549.99
Ticket To Ride is a road-building board game that has been beloved for years. In it, you take on the role of a business that is building railroads across the world. There have been Ticket To Ride editions in America, Europe, France, London, Amsterdam, Nordic Countries, New York, and more!
When Ticket To Ride celebrated its 10th Anniversary, they came out with a special edition of the game that is truly stunning. While it retailed at only $100 upon launch, it's now found on resell sites like Amazon and eBay for quadruple the initial cost (or more). $549.99 was the cheapest we could find it on Amazon at the time of this writing.
1 Small World Designer Edition - $3,500.00 USD
The Small World Designer Edition comes in a gorgeous box with special art, 3D components, metal coins, and more! It's an incredible way to enjoy this board game that involves controlling a fantasy race and competing with other players for land.
While it's technically possible to get your hand on one of these bad boys, it'll cost you a pretty penny. When it was released, it cost $400. Now, though, you'll have to buy it from a second-hand seller. On eBay, the only copy is currently listed for $3,500.