Top 3 board games for families in Amazon's deals – all arriving before Christmas

(Image credit: Ravensburger Games)

published 16 December 2021

Want to find a way for the family to have together indoors over Christmas, but that doesn't involve just scanning Disney+ for a fresh Pixar film? I've picked three excellent board games that are as much fun for adults as kids, all of which are 1) currently reduced on Amazon, and 2) are available on Prime, promising delivery way before Christmas day.

I'm the guy who curates our guide to the best board games, and I've played all of these – they're excellent fun, will keep the attention of kids and grown-ups alike, and Wingspan is actually in that list of the top games overall, so you know it's damn good. The other two are big favourites too, though – and I've chosen games at three different budget levels, so there should be something to suit you.

Disney Villainous board game: was £39.99, now £24.50 at Amazon
Play as Captain Hook, Maleficent, Jafar, Ursula, Queen of Hearts or Prince John – all competing to see who's the wickedest of them all. Designed for ages 10+, the clever part about this game is that it's asymmetrical, meaning that even though you're playing the same game to the same rules, you're all playing it a bit differently to each other, angling for different objectives, and with different special abilities. It means there's a ton of replay value, since every time you play feels that bit different. And isn't it fun to be the bad guy for a change? Save 39% today – it's a great price for a really premium-feeling box.

Exploding Kittens card game: was £19.99, now £9.95 at Amazon
Made for ages 7+, this is a simple game that still provides plenty of opportunity to be clever… or to try to be, at least. The idea to keep playing and drawing cards, but without taking an 'Exploding Kitten' card because, well, you clearly don't want that. There are lots of ways to avoid taking a card, including skipping turns and switching up the game – if you've played Uno, some of the ideas will feel familiar. But the cat theme and Russian Roulette-style tension of not knowing if you'll draw well or badly turn it into its own thing. It only takes about 20 minutes to play a round. And it's half price!

Wingspan board game: was £59.99, now £44.07 at Amazon
Targeted at players 10+, this the game of these three that will give older teens and adults the most to get their teeth into strategically. Well, your beaks into, at least. Wingspan is a game of attracting birds to your board, then using those birds to create resources that attract more birds, and also triggering different birds' special powers to help you even more. Every turn makes you more capable of doing cooler stuff next turn – the game snowballs, which makes it deeply satisfying. Will you have the coolest collection of birds at the end? Only the points total will confirm it… you get a ton of cards and components in this box, so it's a great price at 27% off!

One of the reasons I've picked these games in particular is that all three have gorgeous art and design, which helps to keep every one engaged in the game. From the watercolours of Wingspan to the cartoony animals of Exploding Kittens, they're just fun to look at and play around with, whether it's your turn or not.

Matt is T3's former AV and Smart Home Editor (UK), master of all things audiovisual, overseeing our TV, speakers and headphones coverage. He also covered smart home products and large appliances, as well as our toys and games articles. He's can explain both what Dolby Vision IQ is and why the Lego you're building doesn't fit together the way the instructions say, so is truly invaluable. Matt has worked for tech publications for over 10 years, in print and online, including running T3's print magazine and launching its most recent redesign. He's also contributed to a huge number of tech and gaming titles over the years. Say hello if you see him roaming the halls at CES, IFA or Toy Fair. Matt now works for our sister title TechRadar.

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