Anyone who has gotten into board games will know that some of them can get pretty expensive - and complicated. If you're seriously into learning the rules and making such a big investment, they can be a lot of fun. And although there are a lot that are on the more affordable side, some of the expensive ones can be pretty tempting and look like a lot of fun.
But, how are you supposed to know which of the expensive board games on the market are worth spending all that cash on? We definitely don't want to drop a bunch of money on a game and then not have any fun with it. Luckily, we're here to tell you which pricy tabletop games are worth picking up for your friend group.
To see 10 board games that are worth the high price tag, keep reading!
10 Too Many Bones
When it comes to expensive board games, Too Many Bones is definitely up there on the price list. This game will set you back between $129 and $300, depending on where you pick it up and the expansions that you choose to pick up for the game. And because Chip Theory Games is still releasing expansions, it's definitely a game that can add up quickly in price.
But if you're into strategic adventure games, Too Many Bones is one that you simply cannot miss. This game is a dice builder RPG in which up to three players come together to either play solo or on teams. The players take their character on an adventure to defeat enemies and hone their skills.
9 Pandemic Legacy
At under $50, the first season of Pandemic Legacy doesn't seem like it's that expensive of a game. Considering some other tabletop games can run into the hundreds of dollars, spending this little amount on a game seems like nothing. But, if you and you and your friends have a great time playing, you'll likely want to pick up the other seasons which also cost $40 to $60, so it can add up.
In this game, players come together to play on co-op teams as a group of disease-fighting specialists that are trying to save the world before a pandemic wipes out society as we know it. Players can travel the world, build structures to aid in their research, and treat diseases. How long the game goes will really depend on how well your team does at researching and battling the disease.
8 Mansions of Madness: Second Edition
Mansions of Madness: Second Edition is a tabletop game that requires an app to move the story and the gameplay forward. The app is available on iOS or Android, so as long as someone in the group you're playing with has a phone or tablet handy, you're ready to play. This game will set you back anywhere between $50 and $70, which is pretty low of a price compared to some other games on this list.
Up to five players can come together to play this co-op board game or it can be played by a single person who's looking to become immersed in the spooky and mysterious world of this game. Players are sent into the world of Innsmouth and explore the mysterious mansions there where they have to solve puzzles to uncover the mysteries that lie within them.
7 Gaia Project
Gaia Project is a civilization-building game that will set you back anywhere from $80 to $100 to pick up a copy and start playing. If you're someone that likes other strategic tabletop games like Terra Mystica, you'll definitely have a good time playing this game. In Gaia Project, there are fourteen separate factions that live on seven different planets. They can't leave their home planet, so they have to work together to expand and grow their space society.
This game is designed to be enjoyed by 1-4 players competitively. Although you can play it by yourself and see how well you can expand this galactic society through the different rounds, it's definitely most fun played competitively with other people.
6 Viticulture Essential Edition
Depending on where you pick it up, a copy of Viticulture Essential Edition will set you back anywhere from $45 to $60. Although that's more expensive than some other board games on the market, it's well worth it for people that are looking for a really unique and fun board game with a heavy focus on strategy and economy.
In this game, players are taken back to the pre-modern era of Tuscany, Italy. There, they're the owners of a small vineyard. Each season, the players are tasked with deciding how to divide up their workers in order to make the most profit and progress on their vineyard.
5 Eldritch Horror
Eldritch Horror is a horror-themed adventure game that will set a player back about $50 to pick it up. Considering how entertaining this game is and how popular it is in the tabletop gaming world, that's actually a pretty low price, but it's still more expensive than some of the $20 and $30 games out there.
In this game, 1-8 players come together to travel around the world and fight back against the evil entities that are beginning to take over. This game comes with two unique decks of cards known as Mystery and Research cards that will help players to learn about where they're going and prepare for what they might be finding there once they arrive.
4 Rising Sun
Rising Sun is a board game that costs about $80 and can be played by 3-5 people. It's a historically-based game that comes with some really cool, unique mini figurines and has a heavy focus on negotiating and strategizing how to further yourself in the game.
This game is set in a mythical version of feudal Japan. Each player is the leader of their own clan and they have to figure out how to play against the other players to help their clan rise to the top and reign supreme in this historic era of Japan. Whether you want to negotiate with other players to get what you want, train monsters to fight for you, or make offerings to the Kami, this game takes some thinking but the payoff is so worth it.
3 Nemesis
When we said high price tag, we weren't kidding. Nemesis is a horror, science-fiction game that can be played with 1-5 players and will set the buyer back a total of around $150 to $200 to pick up. But is it worth it?
If you're someone that really loves scifi and you enjoy board games that come with a unique board and a lot of miniature figurines to play the game with, then we have to say yes. In this game, the players take on the role of the crew of a spaceship. After being awoken from their hibernation, they learn that their ship is having a critical failure and they need to figure out what the problem is and fix it so they can make it home before the ship crashes.
2 Dinosaur Island
Who wouldn't want to bring extinct creatures like dinosaurs back to life if they had the chance? Dinosaur Island is a board game that gives players exactly that opportunity! Picking up a copy will set you back between $55 and $75, depending on where you get it, and it can be played with 1 to 4 players.
In this game, players research and use the DNA of extinct dinosaurs in order to bring them back to life and build a theme park that will draw in the crowds. Along with bringing back these creatures, players have to manage their theme park.
1 Blood Rage
Blood Rage is for 1 to 4 people and costs around $150 to pick up a copy of. In this game, each player controls a Viking clan and is in charge of making sure that they remain strong and victorious. This fantasy game comes with mini figurines that really add to the fun of the game.
Players have to use their skills and bonuses wisely and think quickly so that they can fight back against attacks and make sure they're always a step ahead of the other players.