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Best Games Under $30

You don't need to spend a lot to play a lot. The best budget games are genuinely great games.

Price and quality have an inverse relationship in board games more than almost any other hobby. Some of the most beloved games ever made cost under $20. These are the picks that give you the most game for your money - no filler, all fun.

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#1

Codenames

4-8 players 15-30 min ~$20

One of the best board games ever made, period - and it costs $20. Teams, word clues, strategy, laughs. You'll get hundreds of plays out of this. Best value in modern tabletop gaming.

📖 How to Play 🛒 Buy on Amazon
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#2

Exploding Kittens

2-5 players 15-20 min ~$20

Fast, funny, and portable. Under $20 and provides endless 20-minute bursts of chaos. The art is ridiculous. The game is great. A reliable crowd pleaser.

📖 How to Play 🛒 Buy on Amazon
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#3

Yahtzee

1-8 players 30-45 min ~$10

The best $10 game you can buy. Five dice, a score pad, and rules you can explain in two minutes. It's been a staple of game nights and road trips since 1956 and it's not going anywhere.

📖 How to Play 🛒 Buy on Amazon
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#4

Scattergories

2-6 players 30-45 min ~$25

A letter is rolled. Fill 12 categories with words starting with that letter - but unique answers only score. Generates more debate and laughter per dollar than almost any game on the market.

📖 How to Play 🛒 Buy on Amazon
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#5

Uno

2-10 players 30 min ~$7

Under $10, plays up to 10 people, works at any age. If you somehow don't own Uno yet, fix that today. The Wild Draw Four card alone has destroyed more friendships per dollar than any other game component in history.

📖 How to Play 🛒 Buy on Amazon
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