If you want to spend some quality time with your lo??ved one, there are plenty of different options, and picking the best ones can be tricky.

While plenty of board games for couples are available on the market in 2025, not all of them are suitable. Many board games are playable with just two players, but most are best played with more. Others might be too simple or too complex for you and your partner. I have included ten board games for coup?les of all types in ??this list. Whether you're feeling romantic or in the mood to challenge a good friend, the following ten options are for you.

Best Board Games For Couples (Quick List)

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Chess, Checkers, and Tic-Tac-Toe

Right off the top, this is something simple that offers plenty of hours of entertainment. Chess, Checkers, and Tic-Tac-Toe off?er three classics packaged into one unit, saving money and space. I have had one such unit at my home for a really long time. The compact package also makes it ideal to play with your partner when you're traveling. The availability of three games also ensures that the two of you won't get bored playing the same thing time and again.

Lacuna

Lacuna is an adorable and romantic game perfect for a da??te night without being overtly romantic. The idea is to collect flowers of differe?nt colors from a pond (don't worry, it's not a literal water body). The board represents a pond where the flowers have fallen. You and your partner then take turns placing pawns between the flowers.

But there's a twist - there are way more flowers than pawns. Phase two begins when you place the pawns and collect the un?contested flowers. The player collects the flowers closest to one's pawn. Don't worry if you're confused about who's clo??ser to a flower - there's a ruler included. Ultimately, the person with the most flowers of four different colors wins.

Arkham Horror: The Card Game

Arkham Horror: The Card Game is my go-to pick for Halloween night, purely on vibes. While you and your partner work as investigators to unravel the mysteries, each scenario requires putting the puzzle pieces together to proceed. As the two of you travel (again, not literally) to different l?ocations, you encounter the dangers surrounding the places. Note that this game requires a lot of concentration, and completing a campaign can take a while.

Scrabble

I may be biased, but Scrabble is one of the first board games I ever played with my partner, and it's an enjoyable activity where you learn something almost every round. The goal of Scrabble is simple - try to make words with the letters at your disposal and score as many points as possible. The board is key; not all letters and words fetch the same points. Try and keep a dictionary with you in case the two of you get stuck. Scrabble is a perfect board game for couples who don't mind having ?a nerdy date evening.

Carcassonne

One of the easiest board games to learn, Carcassonne provides wholesome goodness with its ??gameplay. The i?dea is to use your given titles to create a map and generate your land. But there are only so many tiles, so add life to your map to score points. Once the tiles run out, the player with the most points wins. It's simple, but it's a great way to spend time with that special someone if you're both too tired for something more intense.

Dorfromantik: The Board Game

Based on the video game of the same name, the board game is an excellent box of co-op fun for couples. It's like Carcassonne in that you create your utopia with hex-shaped titles. A significant difference, however, is the campaign?? mod??e, which has some reveals that are unlocked gradually by completing tasks. Unlocking each revelation helps you and your partner score more points. This is a perfect board game for couples who want to play together rather than against each other.

Fog of Love

A list of board games for couples requires something romantic, and Fog of Love is a perfect fit. The two of you get to play the story of a couple and tinker with it in every way possible. Brew different traits and destinies to live out the scenarios that decide what happens next. This game doesn't have a winner or a loser, as you and your loved one discover the nuances of life by living in the shoes of two fictional characters. It's about closure, not victory. While it's a wholesome game, completing Fog of Love can take a while, so don't sit down for a game ??if you or the other player has other plans.

Splendor: Duel

This modified version of the classic Splendor is perfect for spending time with your better half. The core gameplay remains the same, as you have to create beautiful jewelry for your clients. In Splendor: Duel, the raw gems are available on the board, and you have to pick them based on specific rules. There are three victory conditions, and your strategies are based on unique special effects. The Duel version is better, and the matches are quicker.

Sea Salt & Paper

Another excellent game for date night, Sea Salt & Paper is a great game for couples to play in 2025. The idea is to build different hands of cards to score more points. You can choose cards randomly from the main deck or abandon uncertainty and peel one off the discard pile. You can also irritate your loved one by stealing a card from them or picking an extra one for yourself, albeit with some trade-offs. The fast-paced nature of Sea Salt & Paper makes it perfect for quick sessions, and the origami-b??ased artwork is a big hit in my book.

Codenames Duet

Codenames is one of my favorite board games, so when I heard a Duet version was launching, I picked it up instantly. The regular Codenames game supports up to eight players, but the Duet version only needs two, thus emphasizing cooperation over competition. The core gameplay is the same, but you and your partner will take turns to provide the clues. This version is much quicker: you only have to find f??ifteen clues before the time runs out. It's short, fun, and a fantastic way to spend a rainy evening in doors with friends, family, and that special someone in your life.

The post 10 Best Board Games For Couples In 2025 appeared first on Destructoid.

Taylor Lautner, perhaps best known for his role as Jacob Black in the Twilight movies, is set to return to his glory days of werewolves (sadly, no vampires have been confirmed) in the newly announced upcoming Amazon series Taylor Lautner: Vampire Hunter. 

Let’s face it, while Lautner has gone on to feature in a few movies and TV series since his breakout role as Black (Grown Ups 2, The Ridiculous 6, Home Team), he? is definitely remembered most as part of the will-they-won’t-they love triangle between a werewolf, a vampire, and an infuriatingly moody teenage girl. 

In what seems like an attempt to bring back his now grown-up fans, Variety has revealed that Laut?ner will be starring in a new series??â€?As himself. 

Brought to Amazon by Tornante (the studio behind Bojack Horseman, which gives me some hope), Taylor Lautner: Werewolf Hunter will bizarrely follow on from Lautner’s appearance in the Twilight films (in a fourth-wall-breaking kind of way), with Lautner wrapping up filming on Breaking Dawn Part 2 before teaming up with a “real-lifeâ€?team or werewolf hunters to, I’m assuming, save the world ??from the lycanthrope threat. 

There are several levels of iron??y here, not least of which is the fact that the series will center on Lautner fighting the very creatures that made him famous. There’s also set to be a love story (hopefully with someone more palatable than Bella), and still maintaining his Hollywood career during the d?ay.

Honestly, the final aspect might be a bit of a stretch. Lautner has had arguably the least significant Hollywood presence of the main Twilight cast since the last movie wrapped, but that’s why the Bojack connection makes me hopeful. Bojack Horseman is a masterpiece of a tragicomedy, very much centered on the storyline of a struggling former star who has lost his way, so fingers crossed Amazon can? pull this off. 

The post Taylor Lautner ??set to return to his werewolf roots in bizarre Amazon series appeared first on Destructoid.

Black Friday shopping is like walking on a beach after a big swell: you never know what you'll find laid out on the sand. To keep the metaphor going, Amazon's Black Friday week is a hurricane that brings treasures from the deepest ??depths to the surface for all to see.

I'm not the biggest fan of what Black Friday represent??s, historically or contemporaneously, but that doesn't stop me from sorting through? Amazon's Black Friday sale whenever it comes around. If I have to play the game of capitalism, I'd prefer to play it when everything I need to indulge my hobbies and habits is being sold cheap.

Amazon always throws a lot of deals at us during its Black Friday even??t, and it's easy to get overwhe??lmed by all the options. Luckily, we've been around this block a few times, so here are our top ten finds from Amazon's Black Friday 2024 event.

LEGO Advent Calendar 2024 Christmas Tree

• Regular Price: $35.55
• Discounted Price: $28.79
• View at Amazon

LEGO has been a part of my life since I was old enough for them not to be a choking hazard, and my love for these collectible, connectable blocks has only ripened with age. I'm not ?the biggest fan of ??LEGO's seasonal advent calendar sets, but I'd be lying to your face if I didn't admit they're a great gift idea.

This year's LEGO advent calendar is a fully decked (to the halls, even) Christmas tree with attachable ornaments. 'Tis not the season yet, but if stores can start celebrating the holidays early, so can you?? and the ones you love.

Yeti Rambler 20-ounce Stainless Steel Tumbler

• Regular Price: $35.00
• Discounted Price: $24.50
• View at Amazon

Whether I'm hitting the gym or going on a long car ride, I like to have a travel cup full of water or tea on hand. The Yeti Rambler is one of the most reliable reusable cups out there, and a great deal on the 20-ounce stainless steel Tumbler variant is happening right now.

The Yeti Rambler's leakproof base and convenient sliding lip make it a fantastic to-go cup. Whether you buy it for yourself or as a?? gift to a friend or a partner, this ?cup will be well-loved and well-used.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition

• Regular Price: $199.99
• Discounted Price: $154.00
• View at Amazon

The Kindle is one of the best e-readers out there, and it comes in dozens of differe?nt versions with unique features and benefits. The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite already over-delivers on its promise to make reading off its screen as comfortable as possible, and its Signature Edition dials things up even further.

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition has everything that makes the base Paperwhite fantastic, but it also has more memory, a wireless charging feature, and an auto-adjusting front light. If you or someone you know loves to do some readi??ng before you go to bed, the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition wil?l be a godsend.

Monopoly

• Regular Price: $27.99
• Discounted Price: $19.49
• View at Amazon

Zoey Handley and Arka Sarkar did a fantastic job explaining why Monopoly is a great board game, so I won't try to steal their thunder by parroting them. They also brought the outstanding Black Friday deal happening for the ga??me to my attention, so I owe them a big thanks.

If you haven't sat in on a game of Monopoly, now's the perfect time to remedy that fact. Seriously, it should be illegal for a board game to be this fun AND have t????his many unique versions.

Dungeons & Dragons Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

• Regular Price: $49.95
• Discounted Price: $24.99
• View at Amazon

Despite their place in the game's title, I've played a lot of Dungeons & Dragons games that didn't feature a single dragon. It can be tricky for Dungeon Masters to make their players feel like they're facing off against a powerful and dangerous magical reptile, which is why Fizban's Treasury of Dragons is one my favorite D&D supplements.

This tome is full of ways to incorporate dragons into your D&D campaign. From rules on how to roleplay both heroic and villainous dragons and tips on how to run combat encounters against the scaly beasts, Fizban's Treasury of Dragons is a must-buy for any tabletop role-play?ing fans who wa??nt to introduce a spice of draconic might into their epic adventures.

Sony ULT WEAR Over-Ear Headphones

• Regular Price: $199.99
• Discounted Price: $149.00
• View at Amazon

I love to write at a local coffee shop and bookstore down the road from my place, but sometimes, the noise level inside is too high for me to focus. I already have a solid set of noise-canceling headphones, but I recommend the Sony ULT WEAR over-ear headphones to anyone who needs a pair.

These?? comfy headphones will fit snugly over most heads, and their impressive battery life means you won't need to worry about them dying when you need them the most. They're also compati??ble with iPhones, Androids, and most gaming laptops and consoles.

Castle Art Supplies 40 Piece Premium Drawing and Sketching Set With Tutorial

• Regular Price: $49.99
• Discounted Price: $34.49
• View at Amazon

I've never been good at drawing, but putting pencil to paper and doodling what's around or on my mind has always been therapeutic. When I finally took up sketching as a serious hobby, Cas?tle Art Supplies provided one of my first art supplies sets.

Castle Art supplie?s' premium? drawing and sketching set includes charcoal sticks, blenders, pastel pencils, and a wide range of sketching pencils. It even includes a little instruction book th??at teaches es??sential tips for improving your drawing skills.

Elden Ring for PS5

• Regular Price: $59.99
• Discounted Price: $19.99
• View at Amazon

Elden Ring is one of those games that'll never fade into obscurity in my lifetime. With the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC propelling the game back into relevancy (and even drawing some controversy), now's the perfect time to pick up FromSo?ft's latest masterpiece if you haven't played it already.

The PlayStation 5 port of Elden Ring is one of the best builds of the game, and it's on sale at barely twenty dollars. Amazon rarely includes games since it's Black Friday events, so I'd ju?mp on this deal while it's here.

PowerA GameCube Style Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch

• Regular Price: $59.99
• Discounted Price: $35.99
• View at Amazon

Many of the Switch's best games are compatible with the system's GameCube controllers, but these re?creations of one of the best controllers ever built have a few issues. Luckily, independent hardware developer like PowerA have stepped up with their own Switch-compatible GameCube controlle?rs.

Power??A's wireless GameCube-style Switch controller works just like a genuine wireless GameCube controller, and they don't suffer from the annoy??ing input lag that plague Nintendo-licensed variants. It even has a cute little Mario mushroom emblem on it, so it won't look out of place alongside the rest of your official Nintendo merch.

INSIGNIA 32-inch Class F20 Series Smart HD 720p Fire TV

• Regular Price: $129.99
• Discounted Price: $69.99
• View at Amazon

No one wants to watch a movie on date night or play a game with friends on a glared, low-quality television set. Televisions aren't cheap these days, but the INSIGNIA 32-inch Class F20 Serie??s Smart HD 720p Fire TV is worth th?e price, especially when it's reduced.

This model of the INSIGNIA Smart TV comes with a 720p resolution screen, in-built compatibility with Alexa and Apple airplay, and HDMI ARC sound. at well under one-hundred dollars, this is a deal anyone who?? wants to upgrade their entertainment center should consider.

PlayStation 5

• Regular Price: $499.99
• Discounted Price: $424.00
• View at Amazon

The PlayStation 5 has been out from under th??e scalping community's thumb for a while, so you can get your hands on Sony'?s latest console for a fairly reasonable price now. To celebrate Black Friday, Amazon is offering PS5s at a reduced price. It's only a fifteen percent price drop, but every little bit helps.

What makes Amazon's PlayStation 5 Black Friday deal so outstanding is that it aligns with some fantastic PS5 game deals h??appening right now. Some of the PS5's best titles are on sale cheap right now, so why not get the console for someone wh??o doesn't have it yet? If that someone is you, so be it.

Amazon Basics Classic Lined Notebook

• Regular Price: $8.54
• Discounted Price: $6.39
• View at Amazon

Journaling is a habit I'd recommend to anyone and everyone. Writing your tho?ughts and observations is a g??reat way to clear your head and teach yourself how to appreciate the world around you.

The Basics Classic Line Journal is exactly what it sounds like?: a solid hardcover journal you can take whe?rever you go. With two-hundred-and-forty pages, there's plenty of space for you to fill with whatever you want.

The post Here’s Our Top Finds From Amazon’s Black Friday Deals Event appeared first on Destructoid.

Black Friday is looming on the horizon and all you can do right now is get as prepared as possible for when it hits. We'll try helping you by listing some of the sweetest PS5 deals you can buy ahead of the dark ?day when we celebrate St. Spending.

1. Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown

• View Deal at Amazon

Things are looking bleak for Ubisoft right now, but that doesn't mean the company hasn't been putting out bangers - you just need to look away from that treacherous AAA space. Prince Of Persia's latest outing is both a tribute to the series' early days and one of the most modern and addictive games of recent times. It's an excellent title and, at a ridiculously high discount of 70%, you just shouldn't ignore it's fantastic ??price tag of $14.97. There are a lot of good early deals right now, but? this one is the one to beat.

2. Final Fantasy XVI

• View Deal at Amazon

FFXVI is known to have underperformed sales-wise, which might have to do with its low price, but don't let the incredibly low price tag of $24.97 for 50% off fool you into thinking Square is just trying to get rid of it. It's not every day that you get a stellar game at a lower price, let alone this low. Final Fantasy XVI is the latest addition to the main line of Final Fantasy, and it's t??he best it has?? played in over a decade.

3. Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon

• View Deal at Amazon

Do you happen to be tired of FromSoft's Souls series, or do you want more of it but with a different taste? Great, because Fires Of Rubicon will quench either kind of thirst. Though it got great reviews and sold decently, Fires Of Rubicon didn't quite capture the attention of gamers for as long a Elden Ring, but it's highly deserving of your time. You can get this spectacular high-octane-ified take on the FromSoft formula at 33% off for the awesome price of $39.99.

4. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

• View Deal at Amazon

If you'd like to visit the world of Avatar for yourself, this is the cheapest way to do so. Frontiers of Pandora is a better game than the original Avatar, and definitely the best way to remain in the imagination of James Cameron until the release of one of the many planned sequels. At 71% off for just $19.99, this is currently the biggest?? discount on a big game ou??t there.

5. Hot Wheels Unleashed

• View Deal at Amazon

If you're looking into extreme fun that'll also come packed with a hefty dose of nostalgia, Hot Wheels Unleashed is one of the best-possible picks for you. It came out in 2021, so the 64% off for $17.97 isn't exactly a surprising sale for a fresh-new title, but it's certainly a solid discount for a game that'll certainly? prove a positive surprise.

6. Madden NFL 25

• View Deal at Amazon

It's no secret that the Madden series has consistently been one of the best-sell??ing ga??ming franchises in the world, so it's possible you already own it. Still, there are always those of us who patiently wait for the right time to get a game, so I'm pretty confident in saying that 50% off for $34.97 is that time.

7. F1 24

• View Deal at Amazon

Whether or not you're a fan of Formula 1, it's hard to deny the appeal of F1 24 at a mere $34.99. Yes, that's still the latest entry in a popular sports series so yeah, you're looking at quite ??the deal. Not for you? Consider getting it for an F1 aficionado ahead of Christmas!

8. WD_BLACK 1TB SN850X

• View Deal at Amazon

One of the sad realities of the current console generation �even when we're talking about the incredibly powerful new PS5 Pro �is the lack of a Hard Drive capable of holding all the content you'd want it to. The WD_BLACK 1TB isn't an infinite disk, but, at 15% off for $79.99, 1TB of high spee??d storage is a pretty good deal.

9. Logitech G Pro X Wireless Lightspeed Gaming Headset

• View Deal at Amazon

While this is not an official Sony product, it was already one of the best gaming headsets you could get for a console. Logitech's stuff has been legendary in and outside the PC sphere, and this is no exception. Now, for 40% off at $137.90, it might just be the very best wireless headset deal y?ou can get for your PS5.

10. OIVO PS5 Controller Charger

• View Deal at Amazon

I'm yet to find a non-official controller that replaces the Dual Sense, but the same doesn't apply to controller chargers. The OIVO charger will get the job of charging up two controllers in two hours, and is a really cool alternative to the official Sony charger for its current price and the cool frontal LED panel. You can currently get the OIVO charger at 33% off for just $19.99.

The post 10 Best Early Black Friday PS5 Deals (2024) appeared first on Destructoid.

Black Friday is a few weeks away, but you won’t need to wait to enjoy some fantastic deals on board games. Whether?? you want to buy something for your collection or friends, there are some great options to explore. All the games on the following list are not only excellent options in their own right, but you can save a decent amount of cash by purchasing them right now. 

Catan

• Players needed: 3-4
• Regular Price: $54.99
• Discounted Price: $43.97

Catan will always remain one of ??my favorite board games due to the fantastic blend of luck and strategy. While you’re relying heavily on your dice draw, you’ll also have to place carefully to ensure getting a steady stream of resources to reach the victory condition. Again, the game emphasizes heavily what you want to do with your resources, and this is one title where hoarding is strictly discouraged.

Monopoly

• Players needed: 3-6
• Regular Price: $21.99
• Discounted Price: $14.97

Can there ever be a listicle about board games without Monopoly on it? Entertaining kids and adults alike since 1935, Monopoly is a fantastic way to spend some quality time with your friends and family. Like Catan, you depend on dice draws to decide your fate, but what you do with the ou??tcome always relies on your decision-making. Buy properties, set up hotels, or go to jail - everything can happen during a round of Monopoly. 

Splendor

• Players needed: 3-4
• Regular Price: $39.99
• Discounted Price: $21.98

Surviving as a royal jeweler (not literally) isn’t an easy task, especially when you’ve become the very best. Essentially a pretty simple game, Splendor is ab??out collecting gems and then using them to get the mines. There isn’t much control over the gems that you receive, but using them strategically to secure the mines relies entirely on you. In fact, short-sightedness can cost you heavily in this board game, which makes it an amazing strategy board game as well. 

Wingspan

• Players needed: 1-5
• Regular Price: $65
• Discounted Price: $52

Wingspan is a beautiful game for nature lovers, which can get deeply compelling and extremely strategic at the same time. The core objective is to build up your engine by collecting unique bird cards.  Then, you play them strategically, feed them with tokens, and help lay eggs. As you build up your aviary, you’ll need to make critical decisions at every stage. In fact, the hard part is picking between four different actions every turn. Wingspan can feel a bit complex for beginners, but you’ll ge?t good at it in no time. Additionally, the game can be played solo as well.  

Ark Nova

• Players needed: 1-4
• Regular Price: $74.95
• Discounted Price: $51.07

Ark Nova is one of the newer additions to the board game segment, and it’s perfect for those who enjoy management games. Relying on the cards that are dealt to you, the objective is to build the ideal zoo for your animals. This means placing the right animals in their correct habitats. Unlike titles like Wingspan, Ark Nova does a??llow you to chain the cards in your hand when required. There are five types of core actions, so you’ll once again have to pull out a sound balancing act. Like Wingspan, Ark Nova can be enjoyed alone or with your friends and family. 

Pandemic

• Players needed: 2-4
• Regular Price: $44.99
• Discounted Price: $35.99

While Pandemic requires you to at lea??st have a partner to play with, it’s a co-op experience. In simpler words, you and your buddies will be using the cards to stop a global pandemic from happening. The objective is to win and win together instead of trying to outwit each other. Coordination might be key, but your chances of success will mainly de?pend on how well you use the cards in your hand. If you enjoy Pandemic, there are plenty of themed versions available on the market as well.

Ticket to Ride

• Players needed: 2-5
• Regular Price: $54.99
• Discounted Price: $43.97

Ticket to Ride is one of those ?board games that look incredibly simple to play, and it is, but after a few turns, you then realize how complex it can get. Another board game that relies on cards, the core objective is to build the longest train possible. But you can’t place the bogies anywhere you want, and the color of your cards will drive it. You’ll also have to connect the location cards in your hands for bonus points and avoiding penalties. It’s not an easy job at all?, as your opponent will be doing the same, and the chaos begins if both of you have to lay down tracks on the same path. 

Arkham Horror

• Players needed: 1-4
• Regular Price: $59.99
• Discounted Price: $47.96

Halloween might be over, but the season of spookiness is yet to go away, and what better board game to play during this time than Arkham Horror? Themed around the Cthulhu mythos, Arkham Horror requires you to don your investigative hat and figure out what’s going on in the my??sterious town you find yourself in. To solve the mysteries in Arkham, you’ll have to rely on the instructions on the cards. The core gameplay is divided across different campaigns, and you can pick up several expansions (which all fit with the core set). 

7 Wonders Duel

• Players needed: 2
• Regular Price: $34.99
• Discounted Price: $21.99

The original 7 Wonders requires you to build the finest empire possible across different ages. The Duel version has the same fundamental mechanics, but it’s tailor-made for two people. Winning in 7 Wonders Duel can be achieved in differen??t ways - you can invade your opponent, research something marvelous, or build a city that takes you closer to the victory condition. The Duel version also results in quicker games, and you don’t have to set up a full board?? game night to get enough people to play in the first place. 

Everdell

• Players needed: 1-4
• Regular Price: $75
• Discounted Price: $59.98

Everdell is perhaps one of the most beautiful board games that I ever played. Unlike Catan or Monopoly, Everdell is about going on an adventure where y??ou get to build up your own civilization. The playing board is absolutely gorgeous, but Everdell isn’t about visual gimmicks. You create your own civilization of critters and cute animals using different cards. You can play alone or with your friends in a competitive way. The Standard edition is currently available at a discount, and it’s an amazing deal. If you love Everdell, you could also pick up expansions in the future.

The post Best Board Game Deals before Black Friday 2024 appeared first on Destructoid.

While the Halloween festivities are yet to begin, there are some amazing gaming deals you can enjoy. These deals are all available on Amazon, and you can avail them ??from the comfort of your home. The deals also include some huge discounts on hardware, software, and gaming accessories. Irrespective of whatever your needs are, it's likely that you'll find at least one of the following deals worth your time and money.

Samsung Odyssey G9 49" OLED Curve Monitor

Regular Price: 1599.99

Deal Price: $949.49

If you're the type of gamer who loves widescreen and doesn't care about a budget, the 49" giant, aka, Odyssey OLED G9 from Samsung is the perfect choice. You can save over 40% by availing yourself of the latest deal from Amazon, and in return, you will get one of the best widescreen monitors on the market. With 240 Hz refresh rate at 1440P, it's the very best Samsung has to offer. There's support for Freesync a??s well, so the monitor will perform even better if you have an AMD-based setup. Additionally, you can connect multiple input devices at the same time, if you, like me, games on both PC and console.

Razer Basilisk V3

Regular Price: $69.99

Deal Price: $39.99

The Basilisk V3 has been one of my trusted aides when it comes to gaming and work. It's an extremely ergonomic mouse that's well-built for all kinds of palm sizes, and fit??s comfortably. The mouse is pretty lightweight, so your hands won't tire after intense FPS sessions. It also offers support up to 26K DPI, and 11 programmable buttons. If you??'re someone who loves lighting up the room with RGB, there's that as well. The Basilisk V3 is one of the best gaming mice you can get without breaking the bank.

College Football 25

Regular Price: $69.99

Deal Price: $42.99 (PS5)/$47.99 (Xbox Series X|S)

If you're a sports game lover, College Football 25 is probably the best 2024 release to try out. It's by far way better than Madden NFL 25 (even though Madden has the full NFL license). More importantly, it's the only authentic college sports simulator you can find on the market. Compared to titles like FC 25, the live service is lot less greedier and far more manageable. Th?e Standard Edition is enjoying decent discounts for both PS5 and Xbox Series X|??S users (physical copies).

Street Fighter 6

Regular Price: $59.99

Deal Price: $34.99 (Xbox Series X|S)/$3988 (PS5)

If we are talking about traditional fighters, Street Fighter 6 remains one of the best titles in my book. Capcom's immense efforts at introducing new controls for beginners makes Street Fighter 6 one of the best games to try for newbies. However, it also offers some rigorous tests to the veterans, who can juke it o??ut in ranked mode. If you've a curre?nt-gen console, you can get some big savings on a physical copy.

God of War Ragnarok

Regular Price: $69.99

Deal Price: $39.99/$34.99 (PS5/PS4)

God of War Ragnarok isn't only one of the best PlayStation exclusives in recent years, but Ragnarok is the continuation o??f the new saga. Unlike the first set of games, Kratos isn't all vengeful in the new saga, and he also has a son too look after. I loved the 2018 release, and Ragnarok is a worthy successor by every means. While there's no discount on the PC version as of writing, you can get a handy discount by picking up the physical edition on either the PS4 or the PS5.

Acer Nitro 27 inch Full HD 240 Hz Curved monitor

Regular Price: $249.99

Deal Price: $159.99

We began the list with a gaming laptop, and we end with one. Unlike the Samsung Odyssey, the Acer Nitro 27" Curved is a much more budget friendly option. But don't be fooled by the price, as this screen justifies its valuation in every pixel. While you will have to satisfy yourself with 1080P resolution, you get 240 Hz refresh rate. In my experience, a higher refresh rate is way more usefu??l than a higher resolution. If you're someone who wants to get the competitive edge in shooters without breaking your bank, this is a very good monitor to pick.

The post Best Gaming Deals This Week appeared first on Destructoid.

Tablets are one of those "one-does-all" pieces of technology that The Jetsons writers dreamt of in the 1960s. These screened squares have been around since the 1980s, but they've so advanced far past their ancient progenitor that it's hard to tell they're part of the same technological evolution??ary family.

These days, finding something a tablet can't do is a genuine challenge. Many people I know look at tablets and see more accessible versions of their smartphones; they use them to place calls, send emails, and play their favorite mobile games. Some of my closest friends prefer to use them as digital artists' easels, and I've seen proof of how well their favori?te tool works for them at local art shows. Personally, though, I use my Kindle tablet to bring my ever-expanding personal library of books with me wherever I go.

The best Amazon Prime Day tablet deals

To ?help you make the best out of Amazon Prime Day, I've cobbled together a list of the best Amazon Prime tablet deals I could find. Each entry on this list gives you a sizable discount on one of the many tablets available on Amazon. I, of course, can't tell yo?u which tablet is right for you since I don't even know what you want one for. However, whatever you pick, you're getting a great deal on a product that will help you achieve whatever goal you're working towards.

iPad Mini (6th Gen)

• Price: $379.99 ($499.99)
• Storage: 64GB
• A simple, stress-free tablet

The Apple iPad Mini is a fantastic choice for people looking for a basic, function-focused tablet. Essentially, the Apple iPad Mini is the tablet equivalent of a dumb phone: an intentionally simplified device devoid of the distractions that come pre-build into so many modern smart devices. It has several useful apps, a 12MP UltraWide?? front camera, and an Apple Pen. There's no unnecessary clutter or unwanted distractions here, so you can take notes, edit photos, or send a message to your friend without worrying about getting blown off track by a flood of notifications.

Lenovo Tab P11

• Price: $129.00 ($199.00)
• Storage: 128GB
• A slender screened beauty

Budget is always a factor to consider when you shop for a new table. The Levono Tab P11 is a lot less expensive than most Android tablets, but that doesn't mean it's less functional. This tablet has an 11-inch display, four built-in ste?reo speakers, ??and two 1080p@30fps cameras. Combine this with full app support, and you have a reliable and fun tablet you won't need to worry about replacing..

Amazon HD Fire 8 Kids

• Price: $74.99 ($149.99)
• Storage: 32GB
• A great tablet for kids

The Amazon HD Fire 8 Kids is a portab??le entertainment center for children and an excellent tool for parents in the digital age. The talent comes with a free one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+, a service with access to various child-oriented apps, including e-readers, gaming hubs, and streaming services. Its parental controls are simple to understand and implement, and its thirteen-hour battery life means children will have plenty of time to play, learn, and share meaningful experiences with their parents.

OnePlus Pad 128 GB

• Price: $399.99 ($479.99)
• Storage: 128GB
• Android's magnum opus

If you're in the market for a solid Android tablet, you don't need to look further than the OnePlus Pad 128 GB. Android has always nailed the frame design of its smart devices, and the smooth and ultra-portable casing of the OnePlus Pad 128 GB is one of the best examples of that fact. This sleek design compliments the OnePlus Pad 128 GB's eleven-inch screen size and 144 Hz refresh rate, allowing you to experience high-quality? video and audio in the office or on your couch at equal comfort levels. Best of all, th?e tablet comes with in-depth brightness customization options, so you don't need to worry about messing up your sleep schedule if you do a spot of late-night ebook reading.

Wacom Intuos Pro

• Price: $312.84 (379.95)
• A fantastic tablet for artists

The Wacom Intuos Pro is the go-to drawing ?tablet for most digital artists. I have a much more basic version of this tablet, and it's served me well for many years. The Wacom Intuos Pro has apps that let you draw images, edit photos, and apply some paint to both. The Pro Pen with the tablet is accessible and highly customizable, enabling you to adjust the sensitivity to your liking. You can also edit the tablet's button commands and create program shortcuts, allowing you to personalize your unique artistic process and increase your productivity.

Kindle Scribe Essentials Bundle

• Price $299.97 ($439.97)
• The ultimate Kindle note-taker

Kindle Scribe's claim to fame is that it doubles as a digital note-taker. The Scribe comes with a fully editable digital notebook and an easy-to-use Apple Pen. If you're like me and love to keep a notebook open while you read, the Kindle Scribe is the perfect Kindle for you. With the Essentials bundle, you als?o get a leather folio sleeve, a magnetic attachment, and a power adaptor.

Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Collection

• Price: $134.97 ($204.97)
• A fantastic e-reader for

The Kindle Paperwhite is my favorite Kindle model, mainly because it strives to recreate the feeling of reading an actual, made-of-paper book. Its glare-free screen ensures a clean reading experience, and its adjustable warm-light settings mean I never have to worry about throwing my circadian rhythm out of whack if I read at night. The Essential Collection sweetens the deal by throwing in a complimentary fa?bric cover and adaptor, ensuring your Kindle won't suffer wear and tear if you take it on a trip.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+

• Price: $169.99 ($219.99)
• Storage: 64GB
• A splendid choice for non-Apple users

Samsung may be Amazon's biggest rival, but that doesn't mean they're petty enough to keep the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ from getting an outstanding Amazon Prime Day deal. With an 11-inch screen and a top-notch sound system, the Galaxy Tab A9+ is one of the best tablets for streaming. Movies, TV shows, audiobooks, and music will all look and sound fantastic on this tablet. To sweeten the deal to cavity-inducing levels, the Galaxy Tab a9+ has access to far more ??Apps than most Apple-produced tablets, and its exceptional processing speed enables you to have multiple apps open simultaneously without running into slowdown or crashes.

Amazon Fire HD 10

• Price: $74.99 ($139.99)
• Storage: 32GB
• The newest Amazon tablet

If you want to splurge on a new Amazon tablet, you can't get much better than the Amazon Fire HD 10. The latest version of the Amazon Fire Tablet runs over twenty-five percent faster than the previous models, and its 1080p Full HD display screen brings out the color of any show you stream, book you read, or game you play. It even has some great parental control options, so you can loan it to younger family members ??w??ithout having to worry about them seeing something they shouldn't

Amazon Fire HD 8

• Price: $54.99 (99.99)
• Storage: 64Gb
• The best Amazon Prime Day tablet deal

Many consider the Amazon Fire HD 8 one of the best versions of Amazon's Fire tablets, and it is currently available for over half off. The Fire HD 8 has everything you? could want from a Fire tablet: a fantastic battery life, buttery-smooth streaming capabilities, and in-depth compatibility with Alexa, Kindle, and the Amazon App Store. Compact in design and robust in its customization options, the Fire HD 8 is the Fire tablet, and it's an investment you won't regret making.

The post Best Tablet Deals From Amazon’s October Prime Day (2024) appeared first on Destructoid.

The Amazon Prime Day deals are now live, and you can acquire some terrif?ic board games at bargain pr?ices ahead of the festive season.

Whether you want to spend quality time with your loved ones or give them memorable gifts, board games are always a great choice. However, modern board games can b?e quite expensive, especial??ly if you're looking for more recent releases. Thanks to the Amazon Prime Day deals, you can expand your collection or pick up some great potential gifts at low prices.

Disclaimer: This isn't a ranked list??, so feel free to pick as per your budget and preferences.

Ticket to Ride

Regular Price: $54.99

October Amazon Prime Day price: $29.99

An enjoyable board game that can get as strategic as you want, Ticket to Ride is a perfect game for a family evening. While best enjoyed in a group of four, Ticket to Ride can be quite competitive when played between a duo. Each step requires you to decide between m??ultiple actions, and to win you'll have to make the best decisio??n possible.

Catan

Regular Price: $59.99

October Amazon Prime Day price: $29.99

Settlers of Catan is a fun family game until someone rolls a seven on their dice. This is my favorite strategy game of all time, and there's no better feeling than watching your strategy come good (or perform miserably due to bad luck). Catan is also a relatively easy game for board game beginners, and there are numerous expansions to increase the scope for replayabil??ity.

Red Rising

Regular Price: $24.99

October Amazon Prime Day price: $8.99

Based on the popular book series by Pierce Brown, Red Rising lets you play as one of the powerful houses and establish yourself as the top dog. The core gameplay revolves around playing your cards right and outsmarting your opponents. There are several references from the book series of the same name that help you relate to the original lore. Red Rising also has an aut??om??a system that lets you have fun on your own.

Pandemic

Regular Price: $39.99

October Amazon Prime Day price: $25.64

While most board games would pit you against one another, Pandemic is different. It's a co-op experience where you attempt to defeat the game itself by preventing another mass disease outbreak. The job is easier said than done, as not everything will be under your control. The aim is to carefully play your cards in coordination with your mate to stop a disease before it can grow into an ugly manifestation. Make sure to check out the different versions of Pandemic as well while the Amazon Prime Day sale is live.

7 Wonders

Regular Price: $59.99

October Amazon Prime Day price: $37.99

You're one of the seven greatest cities in the world, but can you be the best? That's exactly what you'll have to do in order to win in 7 Wonders. The core strategy involves you having to manage your drafted cards carefully to build your military might through different ages. But you'll also have to keep track of how your opponents are doing to have increased chances of victory. While the base game requires at least three players, 7 Wonders also has a Duel version.

Splendor

Regular Price: $39.99

October Amazon Prime Day price: $22.49

It's not an easy task being a jewel merchant in the Renaissance era, especially when you have to face competition from your buddies. Splendor requires you to own different mines, use them to own jewels, and have the highest prestige points. But owning every mine isn't possible, as you'll have to use the jewels that are dealt to you. Splendor offers unli??mited hours of replayability since there's no one fixed way of winning a game. It's an amazing game in groups, or you can play with your partner (don't get overly competitive).

Everdell Collector's Edition

Regular Price: $99.99

October Amazon Prime Day price: $59.99

Everdell is one of the most beautiful board games I have ever played. Putting aside the strategic gameplay, the game board, cards, and the big tree make Everdell one of the best g?ifting options. Thanks to the latest deal, you can get the Collector's Edition for the price of Standard. But you get the Legend exp??ansion, Premium tokens, and more as part of your collection.

Dixit

Regular Price: $39.99

October Amazon Prime Day price: $29.99

If you're looking to add a board game that hones your creativity, Dixit it is. Every turn, you and your mates will be dealt a set of cards with extremely imaginative graphic designs. While one person takes the role of the riddler, other players have to guess. While your objective as the riddler is to ensure that all players don't think the correct card, you'll only get points if at least one person picks the right card. Thanks to the open-ended nature of the cards, you'll have to dive deep into the depths of your imagination. You can also pick up a Disney version of Dixit at the same Price as the base edition.

Twilight Imperium

Regular Price: $164.99

October Amazon Prime Day price: $119.99

One of the best sci-fi strategy games of all time, Twilight Imperium puts you in charge of different civilizations with the objective of reaching the top. Each civilization has certain unique powers and abilities, and you'?ll want to strategize accordingly. Reaching to the top has no one set way - trade, form an alliance, or wage a war if you wish. The 4th edition has a great deal as part of Prime Day. Do note that Twilight Imperium takes many hours to finish a game, so you might have to play in multiple sessions.

Exploding Kittens

Regular Price: $20

October Amazon Prime Day price: $12.99

If you have a party coming up, you should add Exploding Kittens to your collection. A card-based game, Exploding Kittens has one sole objective - don't get blown up. To avoid being blown up, you'll have to play your cards carefully. Additionally, you'll also have to plan and try to get your friends blown up (no, not literally), for the last one standing is declared as a winner. Exploding Kittens is one of the best? party games. It's fun, easy to learn, and extremel??y chaotic at every turn.

Mysterium

Regular Price: $54.99

October Amazon Prime Day price: $32.99

With the spooky season coming up soon, Mysterium should be high on your wishlist. Like Pandemic, Mysterium is a co-op title, forcing you to work with your friends to unravel the mystery. Expect plenty of spooks and creeps as you utilize the cryptic clues to crack open your investigation. Mysterium allows you to? play at your desired difficulty and offers plenty of replayability with different story endings, suspects, and more.

The Witcher Old World Deluxe Edition

Regular Price: $190.95

October Amazon Prime Day price: $142.99

If you're a big Witcher fan like me (who owns the books and the games), maybe it's time for you to add the grand board game. Like Geralt in the stories and the games, you get to explore the vast land and create your adventures. You play with the help of your deck and the different cards, and it's all about balancing your actions. Sometimes, it might just be worth holding on to your cards to create a move with greater synergy, which will help you get more rewards. Even if you're just someone who loves RPGs and old-school grand strategy board games, The Witcher Old World is worth a place in your collection.

The post Our 12 Fa?vorite October Prime Day Board Game Deals (2024) appeared first on Destructoid.

Once again, another Amazon Prime Day has come around and there are a lot of good deals to ??be had. Whether you need something for around the house, or you want to get your hands on a gaming bargain, there’s something for ever??yone. 

The following deals are only available this Amazon Prime Day, which is Octob??er 8-9, 2024. I’ve scoured the site for the best deals, and admittedly this is a very mixed bag, but here are the best deals I found. 

Amazon Echo Spot (2024)

If you’re looking for something that can act as not only your home assistant but your alarm clock too, then look no further. The Echo Spot does everything any other Echo does, includin?g controlling your lighting, playing your music, and basically just making life easier all around. Plus, it’s nice to look at, as far as alarm clocks go, and is newly released for 2024. 

Amazon Fire 7 Inch Kids Tablet

While nobody is suggesting that you supplement parenting for time spent on a tablet, there's no denying that sometimes as parents we just need a little bit of peace and tablets are a great way to get it. This Amazon Fire Kids Tablet has a 7-inch screen, a reassuring amount of parental control, and thanks to the built-in case and stand, it’s incredibly difficult for even the most determined of children to wreck it. And even if they do, it comes with a two-year guarantee which means that if it does happen to? break, you’ll get a free replacement. ??;

Fullstar Vegetable Chopper

Now I know that this is a bizarre choice, but hear me out. I’ve got one, and I use it every single day and I honestly don’t think I could go back to not having one. No more crying when cutting onions, perfectly diced vegetables every single time without fail, and cleaning it is an absolute breeze. Seriously, while I’ll openly admit that this is a very weird example for this list, the Fullstar Vegetable Chopper is a culinary game-changer. 

Corsair M65 Gaming Mouse

Admittedly just a smidge under the $50 budget that’s been set, you cannot go wrong with a Corsair mouse. The Corsair M65? is packed with high-tech features which will allow you to fine tune your mouse movement, and keep your gaming smooth. It has eight tunable buttons and a 26,000 DPI optical sensor, and you can even change the RGB lighting to suit your mood. I mean look at this thing, it’s beautiful!

PowerA Mario Wireless Switch Controller 

Although this might not seem like the biggest discount, and it’s definitely not the biggest discount on this list, the PowerA Mario Wireless Switch Controller is perfect for gaming fanatics, whether they're a seasoned veteran or just getting into gaming. If you have a Switch gamer in your life who is a fan of Mario â€?and?? let’s face it, they likely are â€?t??hen this would make one hell of a Christmas gift.  And yes, it is officially licensed by Nintendo.

SanDisk 256GB microSDXC Card 

You cannot go wrong with more storage for the Nintendo Switch, and this Sandisk 256GB MicroSDXC Card is perfect, especially given the official Nintendo Switch branding, complete with Super Star motif. It’s also specifically designed and tested on Nintendo Switch, so you can play with the peace of mind that your save files and screenshots are truly protected. At half price, there’s?? no better time to get this in your basket. 

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Hardcover Box Set

Percy Jackson and the Olympians ??is a collection of five books that sees Percy in cahoots with Greek Gods in the 21st century. This box set includes all five books, bound in hardcover with beautiful cover art and the spines come together to form waves. This set is perfect for any teenager wanting to get into the series, or anyone older who has fond memories of the series from their younger years. 

The Lord of the Rings Hardcover Box Set

Whether you’ve read the books before, or simply seen the movie adaptations, this Lord of the Rings Box Set is an absolute must for any fan of the franchise. Including The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King, this set allows you to really immerse yourself in?? the world of Tolkien, which is something that everyone should do at least once in their lives. 

HP DeskJet 2755e Wireless Color Printer

Everybody needs a good printer in their house, whether for printing for a fun hobby or for dealing with the taxing parts of life. This HP 2755e is compact, sleek, and comes with 3 months of ink included as part of the deal. You can pri??nt 7 black and white pages a minute, or 5 pages if you want some color, and everything is con?trolled via the HP Smart app. 

Indiana Jones Ultra-HD 4K Collection

The Indiana Jones movies are absolute classics, and there’s no better way to enjoy them than in Ultra-HD 4K. This box set has a massive 68% off this Prime Day, so there’s no better time to sit back, grab som?e popcor??n, and binge-watch Indie’s adventures through history. 

Catan

Catan is a board game that’s come up a few times here at Destructoid, and for good reason. For three to four players, Catan is a game of strategy, where you compete to expand your territories. Fall is the perfect time to shut the curtains and block out the world while losing yourself in a game of Catan. 

Pokémon Charizard Deluxe Collector’s Statue 

If you’ve got a Pokémon fan in your life, then now is the perfect time to get ahead on the Christmas gift purchasing. This Charizard Deluxe Collector’s Statue is absolutely beautiful, and anyone who has been a fan of Pokémon for a long time, as well as new fans, wi??ll appreciate having it on display somewhere in their house. 

Galaxy Projector

With the evenings getting darker and the nights getting longer, it can feel pretty gloomy inside the house. This Galaxy Projector no??t only lights up the room, but it adds some much-needed color into your space while things are grey outside, and also plays white noise to aid sleep. It comes with a remote control that means you don’t even need to get up to change the lighting, making it perfect for cozy nights spent reading in bed, and isn’t that one of the joys of Fall?

The post 13 Best Prime Day Deals Under $50 (October 2024) appeared first on Destructoid.

Narrowing down a list of the 10 g??reatest strategy board games o??f all time is no easy task.

In my experience, almost every board game that I have played involves some kind of strategy as you devise a plan to win. That said, this list includes games where strategy is the core part of gameplay. While there might be slight reliance on luck, your strategy, and that of your op?ponents, will ultimately decide who are the winners. In this list, you'll find some evergreen classics, along with a few relatively new ones.

10. Carcassonne

The strategic part of Carcassonne boils down to how you're laying down the tiles. Sometimes, you would be forced to lay down the tile at only one possible spot. But more often than not, you'll have to figure out the most efficient spot for dropping down your tile. When it comes to drawing your tiles, it's entirely dependent on luck. But it??'s up to you when it comes to the placements. Similarly, you'll also need to place your Meeples strategically as they fetch you all your points.

9. Splendor

Splendor has strategic decision-making at every step as you choose how to spend your gems. Being a jewel maker is no easy feat at all. Picking the gems most efficiently is the hardest thing to balance, and it becomes harder if you and your opponent are going for any of the same colors. Also, you don't have any control over which card is going to pop up next. More often than not, you might end up spending your gems on a card, only for an even better one to come up from the deck. Despite some reliance on luck, Splendor, whether played in groups of 2 or more, reli??es heavily on strategic decisions.

8. Wingspan

The beauty of Wingspan lies in the fact that you can only make one of four available decisions at every turn. In simpler word?s, you're a??lready giving up on three alternate decisions every turn. The goal is to choose what you think is going to be the most efficient decision during a turn. However, a game changes every moment, as you and your opponents take turns to pick up new cards. While you can decide how to play the cards, elements like card draws and food tokens aren't mostly in your control. Hence, you'll need to think deeply in order to succeed in this incredible nature-themed game.

7. Pandemic

Pandemic is very different from other strategy board games on this list. For starters, you play with other people, and not against them. Pandemic is also one of the best co-op board games you can add to your collection. The common goal is to work with your buddies to solve a disease and prevent it from spreading. But you don't get a magic wand; instead, you'll need to work with the cards dealt to you. How you play out the cards from your hand, along with your buddies, will ensure if you manage to halt the next COVID-19 or not. Pandemic is also available?? in different themes a??nd timelines, offering great many choices to players.

6. Twilight Imperium

Twilight Imperium is almost three decades old, and it's one of the best strategy board games of all time. Over the years, Fantasy Flight Games have made some changes with every new edition, and the latest one (fourth edition) perhaps has the most strategic decision-making at every step. Players choose from different factions, with the ultimate goal of rebuilding it. Every turn, you'll have to choose between one of the many available actions, which again depends on the cards you draw. You can't control every piece of the outcome in Twilight Imperium, but relying on s?ound decision-making will make your life easier?.

5. Ticket to Ride

Ticket to Ride can be one of the most elaborate strategy board games you can come across. On a map, you and your opponent(s) are building the longest railroad possible while connecting cities. Each turn, you can only take one of three possible actions. There's a lot of emphasis on the risk-rewards approach. Having more destination tickets will allow you to score more, but only if you can connect the route. You can ??stack as many train cards as you want, but you'll have to keep pace with your opponents while laying down the routes. While the overall theme is simple, Ticket to Ride can have an extremely strategic approach at times.

4. Scythe

Scythe is arguably the best board game that I have played but don't own in my collection. Its theme can delight fans of strategic and general board games equally. There are five factions, and you have to vie for dominance in the closed city known as 'The Factory.' Each turn, you can make multiple decisions, but there's always an opportunity cost. Scythe has very little reliance on luck in the form of Encounter Cards. Other than that, every outcome will be based on your decision/actions.?? Additionally, every faction grows differently, adding to the overall complex nature of the game.

3. Ark Nova

Ark Nova is undoubtedly one of the new entrants to the world of strategy board games, and it inherits core parts from other hits of the genre. Like Ticket to Ride and Wingspan, your chances of winning depend on action cards. But the role of the cards is a lot less reliant on luck and more on your ability to understand what to do with them. The main goal is to improve the appeal of your park and collect conservation points. But your opponents will try to do the same, and the primary strategy i??s about how you play out the cards.

2. Brass: Birmingham

Brass: Birmingham sits on top of the list for strategy board games on BGG. While the game, published in 2018, doesn't attempt to do something radically new, it implements all key aspects required for a successful strategy title. The main objective is to build, develop, and establish a thriving network of industries, which takes place across two eras. In Brass: Birmingham, you have a total set of six different options, but you can only make two decisions every turn. I am a massive fan of the ??theme of this particular board game as well, which helps it rank slightly higher than other names on this list.

1. Catan

Catan is a great family game until someone rolls a seven on the dice. Catan is undoubtedly one of the older titles on this list of great strategy board games. There are multiple expansions that help to expand the base experience. At its core, Catan relies more on strategy than luck. You have to be very careful about placing your fir?st settlements. From there on, every step involves strategy. Whether you're trading resources or expanding your settlements, there's always an opportunity cost. A good roll of dice will benefit you immensely, but your chances of winning depend mostly on your decision-making abilities.

The post 10 Greatest Strategy Board Games Of All Time appeared first on Destructoid.

Summer's finally winding down, and most of us are about to have much less time to read. Luckily, bib?liophiles still have time to pick up and read through all the outstanding novels, anthologies, and collections that landed on bookstore shelves this season.

More than a few cozy, thrilling, and thought-provoking books have come out recently, and ?most of them are well worth the price tagged onto them. So before Autumn truly settles in, here are the ten best book?s of September 2024.

10. Cryptomania: Hype, Hope, and the Fall of FTX's Billion-Dollar Fintech Empire - Andrew R. Chow

If Andrew R. Chow's Cryptomania can't convince you that cryptocurrency was one of the worst things ever created by human hands, I'm not sure anything will. Even if you're one of the many who've already recognized and reconciled? with this truth, I'd still recommend picking th?is up if you're in the mood for a delightful shot of schadenfreude.

Following the meteoric rise and biblical fall of Sam Bankman-Fried, one of crypto's most prominent pioneers, Cryptomania is a captivating exploration of its controversial subject. Thorough in its resea??rch and wry in its prose, this tell-all nonfiction inquisition leaves nothing unsaid about the financial fad that tried (and spectacularly failed) to change the world.

9. Hera - Jennifer Saint

From The Penelopiad to Lore Olympus, role-bending retellings of Greek mythology’s greatest sagas and tragedies have become a stable of the contemporary fiction scene. Jennifer Saint’s fledgling portfolio consists only of subversive reimagining of classic Greek heroines, and her latest book, Hera, shifts focus to one of Gree??ce’s most iconic and controversial goddesses.

Told from the titular character’s perspective, Hera kicks off in the immediate aftermath of the gods�apocalyptic war with the Titans. Forced into a less-than-storybook marriage with the power-hungry Zeus, Hera resolves to use the power her new role gives her to subvert her husband’s rule. Packed with acts of divine wrath and Game of Thrones-style power plays, Hera is ?an empowering epic guaranteed to appeal to Greek mythology fans.

8. There Are Rivers in the Sky - Elif Shafak

Writers have been playing with time and space for centuries. While sci-fi authors analyze our relationship with these omnipresent forces by unraveling and reshaping them, contemporary fiction writers like Elif Shafak dial the scale back a few notches and explore the subtle ways they influence our lives. There Are Rivers in the Sky d??oes this by telling the tales of four people with one thing in common: they live along a river.

Told over millennia, There Are Rivers in the Sky follows a quartet of characters from radically different time periods and back??grounds whose lives revolve around the River Tigris. Woven together by Shafak’s poetic prose, this tale of four souls celebrates the incalculable ways water ties our history and lives together.

7. Hum - Helen Phillips

Many dystopian novels revolve around the chaos sown by unmoored artificial intelligence. Helen Phillips�Hum isn’t as unapologetically bleak as I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream or as grandiose as 2001: A Space Odyssey, but it’s still a terrif?ying and unflinching tale about technolo?gy’s ability to transform society and our personal lives for better and worse.

After losing her job to?? one of the artificially intelligent robots, or “Hums,�that inhabit her climate-change-wracked city, May Webb agrees to become the test subject for a radical experiment. Now invisible to the surveillance systems that watch over her world, May moves her family to the Botanical Garden, one of the few green spaces left. How??ever, when a deadly threat targets her children, fate forces May to ally with a mysterious Hum with even more enigmatic motives.

6. ??The Seventh Ve?il of Salome - Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Hollywood is a fantastic setting for any story, but the City of Angels lends itself particularly well to suspense. Silvia Moreno Garcia’s The Seventh Veil of Salome spins a saga of intrigue, romance, and betrayal that will put a live wire in thriller fans�spines?.

Set in the 1950s, The Seventh Veil of Salome follows Vera Larios, a beautiful receptionist from Mexico City who miraculo?usly lands the starring role in a sword-and-sandals epic recounting the biblical tale of Salome. Unfortunately, Vera’s sudden success puts her in the crosshairs of Nancy Hartley, a bitter ensemble player who makes it her mission to steal Vera’s role, fame, and newly kindled relationship with a dashing cameraman.

5. Group Living and Other Recipes - Lola Milholland

The word “home�often channels images of a close-knit (or dysfunctional) blood family living behind the same walls. But what if the place you called home was open to anyone and everyone? Lola Milholland lived in a home like this, and hers is the story behind Group Living and Other Recipes.

One part cookbook, one part memoir, Group Living and Other Recipes sheds light on the under-explored world of commun?al living. Through her recollections of the many colorful characters who lived in her childhood home (??and the many incredible recipes those eccentric travelers taught her), Milholland opens your mind to a new, surreal, and delicious way of living.

4. This Is Why We Lied - Karen Slaughter

The intrigue at the heart of any good whodunit story lives and dies off the strength of its prime suspects. Murder on the Orient Express and Knives Out prove this. This Is Why We Lied by Karen Slaughter honors this tradition, bringi?ng together a colorful cast of potential murderers under one roof and leaving it to the reader to deduce which did the de?ed.

Eager to escape their stressful careers for one weekend, GBI investigator Will Trent and medical examiner Sara Linton spirit themselves away to McAlpine Lodge, a scenic tourist trap in the heart of the mountains. Unfortunately, their dream vacation turns into a n?ightmare after someone murders the lodge's owner, and they quickly realize that no one on the summit is being honest about where ?they were the night he died.

3. By Any Other Name - Jodi Picoult

The great William Shakespeare once said "all the world’s a stage," and that we all have a part to play in the grand performance we call life. The truth beneath those words lays itself bare on every page of Jodi Picoult’s By Any Other Name, a rousing story about the risks two women b??orn centuries away from each other take to ensure?? the world hears their voices.

Melina Green, a struggling playwright, has just finished her latest script, inspired by the life of her Elizabethan ancestor, Emilia Bassano. Emilia, a talented writer smothered by the restrictions Elizabethan society forced upon women, conspires with a then-little-known actor named William Shakespeare to bring one of her plays onto the stage. As charming as it is insightful, By Any Other Name is a clever spin on the “Shakespeare didn’t write his own plays�s??tory that’ll leave you in the mood to stand up and applaud.

2. The Pairing - Casey McQuiston

Summer is a time to relax and put your worries away, if only for a while. Cozy books are a fantastic way to spend a lazy summer day, and few things are more comfortable than a playful rom-com. Casey McQuiston’s The Pairing ??is yet another top-shelf romantic outing from one of the best contemporary romance writers out there.

Theo and ??Kit were inse?parable during their younger days, childhood friends who transitioned into star-crossed lovers. But time pulled them apart, and both have barely thought about each other in the decades they’ve been apart. That is until they run into each other by chance after spontaneously and simultaneously deciding to embark on a food-and-wine tour passing through most of Europe’s most famous cities. Forced to spend a weekend together in some of the most romantic locales in the world, Theo and Kit's long-dormant relationship begins to spark back to life.

1. A Sorceress Comes to All - T. Kingfisher

The Brothers Grimm's fairy tales are some of the darkest stories you’ll ever read. From old witches being baked alive inside of ovens to wicked step-sisters getting their eyes plucked out by birds, these “children's stories�give horror movies a run for their money. T. Kingfisher’s A Sorceress Comes to All retells one of Grimm’s lesser-known and uniquely terrifying fairy tales, “The Goose Girl.�/p>

Cordelia lives alone with her mother, a wicked sorcer??ess who keeps her daughter under heel with a healthy mix of emotional abuse and paralyzing magic. When her mother concocts a scheme to murder the kindly brother-sister duo that took them in off the streets, Cordelias’s forced to make an impossible choice: stand with the woman who raised her or risk it all to save the only people who have ever treated her like family.

The post 10 New Books To Read September 2024 appeared first on Destructoid.

If you’re a f??an of a good whodunnit, there’s no shortage of fantastic opt??ions for you to choose from. 

I’ve read my fair share of mysteries over the years, and I’ve a??lways been impressed by how versatile the genre can be. Sure, someone always dies, and someone always investigates, but mystery novels can transport you to alternate timelines, take you into the minds of frightening killers, and keep you up for hours with intensely compelling plots.

In no particular order, here are the best murder mysteries that you should consider adding to your reading ?list. 

Murder on the Orient Express

When it comes to mystery novels, Agatha Christie is the undisputed champion. It’d be perfectly fair to put any of her novels on this list (I’ve got a personal soft spot for Death in the Clouds), but there’s really no better starting place than Murder on the Orient Express. The novel is a great introduction to Christie’s famous characte??r detective Hercules Poirot, and it’s got an ingenious mystery plot. There’s a reason this one has been adapted into film multiple times. 

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Here’s another novel that, for very good reasons, has gotten multiple film adaptations. Stieg Larsson’s The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo kicks off a spectacular mystery series, introducing character??s like investigative reporter Mikael Blomkvist and the reclusive Lisbeth Salander. The two make unlikely allies as they investigate a cold case, and the book really digs into the procedural aspect of cracking an unsolved murder. It can be a bit slow at times, but the characters and plotting are absolutely excellent. 

A Study in Scarlet

Arthur Conan Doyle walked so Agatha Christie could run. Sherlock Holmes and his assistant Dr. Watson are the most recognizable detectives in the world today, but their story began with the 1887 novel A Study in Scarlet. The book sees the pair solving two revenge-fueled murders, and along the way, it establishes just how brilliant and unorthodox Holmes�methods are. A Study in Scarlet helped establish the murder mystery formula and reading it ??now, it’s easy to see why Doyle’s approach has been imitated for over a hundred years. 

The Girl on the Train

The best murder mysteries don’t just keep you guessing throughout the plot but also get you engaged in the personal stakes of all the characters involved. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins is a particularly personal story, and ??from the earliest pages, it’s impossible not?? to feel for the book’s main character, Rachel Watson. The story starts as an examination of Rachel’s alcoholism and obsession with her ex-husband, Tom, but slowly, she starts uncovering lost memories and stumbles into a dark secret. 

Sharp Objects

You probably know Gillian Flynn from her novel Gone Girl, which was adapted into a film by director David Fincher, but Flynn’s debut novel Sharp Objects is an equally well-thought-out murder mystery. The novel tells the story of journalist Camille Preaker returning to her hometown, Wind Gap, Minnesota, to report on a series of young girls who’ve been kidnapped and murdered. Being back home brings up some traumatic childhood experiences, and as Camille? tries to deal with her past, she discovers that she has a personal connection to the grisly crimes playing out in the town. 

Magic for Liars

Murder mysteries tend to be wrapped up in gritty realism, but this novel by Sarah Gailey imagines what a murder investigation looks like at a school for young magic users. Magic for Liars is set at the Osthorne Academy for Young Mages, and when a faculty member gets killed, the school tasks a non-magical private investigator named Ivy Gamble to solve the bizarre case. Ivy dives into the mystery while navigating her strained relationship with her sister Tabitha, who teache?s at the Academy. 

The Big Sleep

The Big Sleep is a classic hard-boiled detective novel by Raymond Chandler, and over 80 years after its first publication, the book still stands out because of its great characters and unequaled atmosphere. Philip Marlowe is a private detective who gets asked to in?vestigate a blackmail case, but before long, the blackmail escalates to murder. Marlowe finds himself in a tangled web of mysteries, and the? complex plot is entirely satisfying, even though it doesn’t answer every last question it raises. 

The Lovely Bones

Written by Alice Sebold, The Lovely Bones changes up the typical murder mystery plot by telling the story from the victim’s point of view. Susie Salmon is just 14 years old when she’s brutally murdered by her next-door neighbor, George Harvey. Instead of passing on, Susie's spirit remains on Earth to witness her family and friends become devastated by her loss, but she also sees them become deeply invested in solving her murder. Their investigation doesn’t work out as they hope, but by subverting the tropes of the genre, The Lovely Bones carves out a unique place for itself. 

The Yiddish Policemen’s Union 

The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michael Chabon is a spectacularly imaginative alternate-history novel and one of my personal favorite boo??ks. ??The novel is set in a fictionalized version of Sitka, Alaska, where Jewish refugees from World War II established a sprawling city. Meyer Landsman is a detective working on a strange murder case that takes him down a rabbit hole, which eventually unearths a global political conspiracy. Chabon is a master of genre fiction, and all his skills are on display in this one. 

Along Came a Spider

I’ve got to be honest here: I’m not really a James Patte??rson fan. That said, Along Came a Spider has inspired a whole series of films and more than two dozen sequels, so clearly, I’m in the minority here. This book is utterly over the top but also brilliantly plotted. Detective Alex Cross is stuck between two seemingly unrelated cases �a grisly family murder and the kidnapping of two children �but he has n??o idea just how deep the mysteries go. 

The post 10 Greatest Murder Mystery Books Ever appeared first on Destructoid.

Narrowing a list of the greatest board games for teens is no easy job, as the?re are just so many offerings.

The age group of 13-19 is a popular target for many brands, and the choices have neve??r be??en more than in 2024. From pure classics to new inventions, the market has plenty of offerings for teens today to spend some quality time with their friends and family.

10. Battleship

Battleship might be the simplest entry on this list, but they will always have a memorable place in my heart. The simple gameplay is very easy to learn, but every round has a moment of surprise. Moreover, all variants of Battleship are easy to carry, making the board game perfect for fami??ly tours and long journeys. However, its limitation of playability in terms of the number of players puts it at the bottom spot.

9. Catan

The hex-based gameplay of Catan will never go out of fashion, and it's as good a pick for family nights as it is for a group of teenagers. Over the last three decades, Catan has managed to provide endless hours of fun to those who lo??ve to build their settlements. Unlike typical war board games, the mantra is to barter and trade with your fellow mates. The idea is to expand your settlement to become the first to reach 10 victory points in order to secure the win.

8. Scrabble

I feel that half my vocabulary has developed from the Scrabble nights I spent with my brother. A game specifically built for two, Scrabble tests your ability to formulate words from a handful of randomly assigned letters. While the main emphasis is on creating words, not all letters provide you with equal points. Scrabble is the perfect way to spend some quality time with a game that's fun and educational at the same time, and you can pick from one of the many special editions availa??ble on the market.

7. Everdell

The reason for Everdell's spot at 7th is its slightly niche nature as a civilization builder. However, I have always had fond memories of the genre (be it digital or not), and Everdell is an excellent addition to yo??ur collection. The main objective is to build the best possible city between two winters, but the job isn't as easy. Every turn, you can place a worker to advance your city or play a card that reveals a unique strategy in your favor (or hinders the opposition).

6. Ticket to Ride

Ticket to Ride is such a fun game that you often forget how strategic the core gameplay could become. Creating the longest continuous rail route isn't easy when there are so many different possible ways to make that happen. But again, it's a work of balance - do you claim more routes by drawing cards, or do you try to get more Destination Tickets? Ticket to Ride is available in different edi?tions if you're looking ??to modify your gameplay experience.

5. Clue

Known as Cluedo outside North America, Clue is an ageless classic to test your powers of deduction. The game revolves around thre?e types of cards - character, weapon, and location. The top card of each kind is placed in a confidential file. What follows is a sequence of guesswork as you and your friends try to figure out the contents of the confidential file. The aim is to uncover your opponents' hands to get a pe?ek at the confidential items and then make the correct accusation to match the victory condition.

4. Wingspan

When Wingspan came out, I was well past my teenage years, and yet, there's a fantastic charm to this title. For starters, this is the perfect choice for those who love nature, and birds in particular. The key is to attract different birds to your habitats, which results in points (the person with the most points after 4 rounds wins). To grow your habitat, you'll need to use the food tokens to draw the birds and lay the eggs with miniature tokens. Since its release in 2019, Wingspan has received several expansions as well.

3. Codenames

At its core, Codenames is one of the simplest board games for teenagers to learn. You form a team, and one pers??on has to act out a word card for a correct guess. This is easier said than done, as your teammate can only speak one word (with certain restrictions). Guess correctly, and your team is one step closer to a victory. Guess wrong, and you might end up putting the opposition in a stronger position.

2. Flamecraft

Out of all entries on this list, Flamecraft is the best fit for teenagers - it's a bit complex for children, and there are better alternatives for adults. Flamecraft takes a cuter approach to the whole arc of fantasy, and the core gameplay is straightforward to learn. As Flamekeepers, you get to visit different shops, and the aim is to attract more dragons to the establishments by building up a reputation. Flamecraft is also an excellent way to get into placement games, and you can upgrade to more recent titles like Dune: Imperium if you want to explore more.

1. Monopoly

The board game of Monopoly might be older than me, but it's hard to dethrone the king of party games. Monopoly is not just fun to play with friends, but it taught me so many financial concepts (like how you gradually upgrade your properties and why it's ultimately beneficial even if you incur a cost upfront). Over the years, Monopoly has received numerous special editions, sets with ?special rules, and more. Personally, I think the classic version still holds an?? evergreen place in my heart as the best-ever board game of my teenage years.

The post 10 Greatest Board Games For Teens (Ranked) appeared first on Destructoid.

If you have ever searched th??e Internet for recommendations about detective books, your chances of coming across Agatha Christie's works are pretty high.

Over her ??lifetime, Christie wrote 66 novels and 1??4 short story collections. While the latter has some great works available in different compilations, the novels helped the author become a household name worldwide. Her evergreen works are based on the exploits of Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple.

While?? all her works are well-celebrated worldwide, let's take a look at ??her top 10 works of all time.

A.B.C Murders

A.B.C. Murders is one of the best novels featuring Hercule Poirot. The main plot revolves around a series of murders. While the killings appear to be random, there's a patter??n—all the victims had alliterative names. While the plot is enjoyabl??e, the unique blend of first—and third-person storytelling always drew my attention.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, with a name like that, doesn't make any attempt to hide the plot from readers. What begins as a tragic suicide soon turns into a game of blackmail and murder. Every murder mystery has a plot twist, but very few works of literature match this masterpiece. While you might try to guess who the murderer might be, the ending will leave y?ou astonished, to say the least. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd has also been adapted to a serialized version under the title "Who Killed Ackroyd."

Murder on the Orient Express

Murder on the Orient Express is one of Agatha Christie's most decorated works and takes Poirot on a wild ride across Europe. What begins as a luxurious train ride starting at Istanbul comes to? a halt due to snowfall. A murder is discovered on the train amidst all the chaos, but there are no apparent suspects. The murder is even more interesting as the victim, Samuel Ratchett, had feared for his own life and tried to hire Poirot for protection. While the Belgian does refuse at first, Ratchett's murder forces the Belgian detective to use his grey cells to figure out the truth.

And Then There Were None

And Then There Were None has always felt very different from other works of Agatha Christie. First, there are ??a lot more murders, and they appear to happen in bizarre fashions. The plot is set on an island where Mr and Mrs Owen invite eight people. However, the hosts are nowhere ??to be found, and soon, one murder starts happening after the next. While you might find the murders disturbing at first, the end leaves you wondering whether all the actions of the killer were justified or not.

Death on the Nile

Like Murder on the Orient Express, Death of the Nile is very well-celebrated, with a movie adaptation released in 2022. As good as the Gal Gadot-starring movie, reading the book is much more intense. As t?he young couple of Linnet and Simon, about to get married, starts a cruise on the Nile, they're confronted by Jacqueline, who has a bad history with both. As the cruise begins, Linnet narrowly escapes death from a boulder before the killer eventually gets to her. What starts as a happy and picturesque ride on the river Nile soon turns out to be a race between the killer and Poirot. Like most works of Agatha Christie, the ending will leave you thinking, "Oh, I didn't see that coming."

Appointment with Death

Appointment with Death introduces you to a s?trange character like Mrs. Boynton, whose death actually feels satisfying to some extent. In fact, Poirot even overhears Raymond telling his sister about how their stepmother needs to be killed. While Mrs Boynton's death might not affect you much, it encourages Poirot to solve the case in 24 hours even though it's not clear whether there's a murder.

Crooked House

Crooked House is one of Christie's lesser-known works since it does not feature Poirot or Marple. The central plot might appear simple, but there are many ?twists and turns to expect as a reader. I also like the narrative style of Charles, who is tasked with discovering more about Aristide Leonides' murder. The suspect appears to be someone inside the family, but the obvious candidate might not be the killer.

The Body in the Library

The Body in the Library is arguably my favorite Marple story, which revolves around the murders of two teenage girls. It all begins when the body of the first victim is discovered by a maid at Gossington Hall. As Miss Marple starts investigating the first case, reports of another missing girl come up, who turns out to be the second victim. What unravels from there on showcases?? the depths some might go to fulfill their wishes.

A Murder is Announced

Usually, murders are noticed after they happen, but in this case, the killing is announced in a local newspaper before it happens. Despite all the pr?eparations made by Miss Blacklock, a murder does happen at Little Paddocks, just like it was announced in the newspaper. As Miss Marple starts her investigation, it appears Miss Blacklock could have been the killer. What soon begin??s as a case of mysterious murder turns out to be a game of stolen identities and absolute chaos.

Five Little Pigs

There aren't many works of Agatha Christie where a dead case is reinvestigated. In Five Little Pigs, Hercule Poirot takes up an old case involving Carla Lemarchant, whose mother had been sentenced to prison for killi??ng her husband, Amyas. Poirot soon discovers that there were five other people present at the Crales on the day of the murder. Five Little Pigs is a testament that the most obvious truth might not be accurate. Despite Caroline's confessions, it soon turns out tha??t the killer was someone else.

The post 10 Best Agatha Christie books of all time appeared first on Destructoid.

War Board Games are one of my favorite ways to spend time with friends and loved ones. While They can be slightly complex, their reliance on tactics, backed by the central theme, offer??s massive scope for imagination.

The choices in 2024 are ??plenty, ranging from ageless classics to modern creations. While some of them have you role-play as a simple fa??ction, others put you in charge of expanding entire kingdoms. In this list, I have focused mostly on the newer games available in the market while shedding some light on the evergreen classics.

10. Battleship

What can be a better way to start this list than this evergreen classic? While Battleship doesn't have armies and grand strategy, the game is incredibly fun and requires just two people. The aim is simple - you and?? your opponent are in a race to take down the different boats on each side. To do so, you have to guess where your opponent has placed their boat correctly. The one who makes all the correct guesses first wins the match. It's quick and easy to learn, and the smaller board offers plenty of? portability.

9. Risk

The grandfather of War Board Games, Risk has aged well and inspired plenty of modern creations in this genre. The classic puts you in charge of your army, and the goal is to capture the whole world. However, your attempts to seize different lands depend on the outcome of your rolled dice. Risk is?? available in various editions, so you can choose the one to your liking. Irrespective of your choice, the c?ore gameplay is the same.

8. Sniper Elite: The Board Game

Sniper Elite: The Board Game is certainly one of the better adaptations of a video game onto the tabletop. If you've played any of t??he different Sniper Elite titles, you'll be no stranger to the importance of stealth. In the board game, the emphasis remains the same as you aim to outwit your opponents (a maximum of three players can play it). Use different loadouts and inventory cards and combine them to reach your target. But be aware that your rivals will also have certain tricks up their sleeves ??to defeat your purpose.

7. Mage Knight: Ultimate Edition

While Mage Knight can be an extremely complex game to learn, its reliance on grand strategy is second to none. First, it's one of those unique War Board Games that can be enjoyed solo. The idea is to capture cities of the realm, and you can do the same with your friends in co-op (or go directly against each other). Once you learn the basics, the emphasis on strategy will win you over. Additionally, Mage Knight belongs to the genre of magic and fantasy, going on a different path from m??ost War Board Games.

6. War of the Ring

This one is for all loves of Tolkien's writings, and the game has two parts - the clash of Middle-earth and the resistance of the free people to the threat of Sauron. The event cards shape how your campaign develops and whether your grand quest will be a success or failure. Players, playing as the good and evil, take turns to outclass each other. While there are more War of the Ring adaptati?ons, this one offers the classic Tolkien experience found in the books and movies.

5. Conflict of Heroes: Awakening The Bear

The beauty of Conflict of Heroes lies in its simplicity, and it's certainly one of the more accessible War Board Games to get into. Action points dictate the core gameplay, and you have to decide about arranging your front and rear defense properly. As the game goes on, it gets more complex with new units entering the war. Conflict of Heroes is an excellent depiction of World War 2 and a perfect choice for those who love games ??based on history.

4. A Game of Thrones: The Board Game

From World War 2, we switch to the fantasy world of Game of Thrones. If you have read the books and watched the series, you already know what to expect. Humorously enough, no ??player has all the?? resources to trigger the victory condition. This is why cooperation is key until you have what it takes to backstab your rivals and win the game. While the gameplay has ample twists and turns, the central theme is a bonus for those who love George R.R. Martin's fantasy world.

3. Dune

Dune: Imperium might?? be the newer game, but the original pays homage to the classic War Board Games. You play as one of the several fac?tions from the world of Dune. Every faction has unique advantages that the players can exploit. The narrative campaign evolves just like it happens in the books, and the game is best enjoyed between 4-6 players. Do note that a complete campaign can be between 2-3 hours, but you can play with your friends in multiple sessions.

2. Undaunted

Undaunted moves away from the more orthodox War Board Games, as your strategies are decided on decks. Your deck represents the battlefield - use officers to add units, and then use the units to complete objectives. Of course, every war has its casualties, and the same happens in Undaunted. As good a deck as you might have, something might always happen to weaken the cards in your hands. Undaunted is available in three different edition??s, with Stalingrad being the latest one.

1. Root

A war is uncertain, and so is Root. A normal round of this game can sometimes feel so chaotic that you'll have to invest all your gray cells to complete the objectives. Like Dune, there are different? factions, and the four choices couldn't have been more unique. All four factions have various ways of completing the objectives, which adds to the replayability. What might seem like a cute board game can quickly feel brutal. Rounds in Root are also quicker compared to some of the other entries on this list.

The post Top 10 Best War Board Games Of All Time appeared first on Destructoid.

Last month, Amazon revealed plans for a live-action Like a Dragon: Yakuza series on Prime Video. It's set to stream across six episodes starting on October 24, and we officially have our first look thanks to a new te??aser trailer.

In addition to showing off some footage, the latest update on the series reveals the casting for Kiryu's sworn brother, Akira Nishikiyama. Kento Kaku—who previously played Shinji Sakamoto in the live-action Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku and Haru in House of Ninjas—has been cast in the role. 

The trailer is ju??st over a minute long, and most of it is spent lingering on yakuza body art, but there are some promising shots. The blink-and-you'll-miss-it glimpse of Kamurocho gate looks particularly spot-on, at least from what we can see.

As previously reported, Masaharu Take directs the live-action take on Like a Dragon. The series will be streamed worldwide and split ??into two parts. The first three episodes launch on October 24, and the second three will fol?low a week later on November 1. Amazon will offer dubbed/subbed options in 30 languages, so a lot of folks out there are going to get to enjoy Kiryu's dramatic journey.

The story of the Like a Dragon show spans two time periods, set in 1995 and 2005. It follows the life of original series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu, from his childhood friends to the repercussions of the decisions he makes as a member of the criminal underworld. Ryoma Takeuchi (Shinnosuke Tomari in Kamen Rider Drive) is in the lead? as Kiryu. If they can at least squeeze in a few minigames in the process, we'll have a hit on our hand??s.  

The post Amazon’s Like a Dragon: Yakuza live-action series reveals first trailer appeared first on Destructoid.

I remember when Amazon was nothing more than an online book retailer. I’m one of those? fossils who loves to carve out time to visit my local bookstores, but I’d be lying if I didn't admit that many of the books perched on my bookshelf didn't come from Amazon.

E-reader devices like Amazon’s own Kindle have made reading more accessible than ever before in our increasingly mobile world. Still, I’ll always prefer the experience of cracking open a physical copy of one of my favorite books over reading it off the screen of my Kindle, even if I always end up falling back on good old Ken whenever I go on vacation. Fortunately for old-sch??oolers like me, Amazon reg??ularly offers top-notch deals on actual books, and the pickings are always better than ever on Prime Day.

The Best Amazon Prime Day book deals

Below is a list of all the best Amazon Prime Day book deals I could find. Each is a sizable mark-down from the book’s usual price, and some cover multi-book series. I don't know what genre of books you're into, but many on the list are po??pular choices that people have probably recommended to you before. If you’ve been putting off reading that one book that all of your friends have been begging you to check out, now might ??be the perfect time to pick it up.

10. The Complete Calvin and Hobbes

• Price: $102.97 (-54%)
• The perfect trip down memory lane

Calvin and Hobbes is a comic that reminds us we're all just kids who have gotten older. The imaginative, insightful adventures of a young boy and his stuffed tiger have much to say about childhood innocence and the pieces of ourselves we do and don't leave behind when we grow up. This boxed set collects every Calvin and Hobbes strip Bill Watterson ever wrote and drew into three hard-cover, fully colored hardcovers tuck??ed into a sturdy case.

9. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings Boxed Set

• Price: $16.34 (-55%)
• The ideal way to read Tolkien's epic saga

Tolkien’s genre-defining Middle-Earth saga may seem difficult to get into, but this boxed set is the perfect way to introduce it to those who haven’t read it. This boxed set includes The Hobbit and all three chapters of the Lord of the Rings saga, tucked in a charmingly detailed?? slipcase that will look great in any Tolkien-themed collection.

8. The Thrawn Trilogy Boxed Set

• $20.66 (-51%)
• The best introduction to Star Wars: Legends

Amid a lack of new films in the '90s, The Thrawn trilogy finally - literally - put more Star Wars on the page. It kick-started the franchise's original Expanded Universe, introducing iconic characters like the titular Grand Admiral and Mara Jade, Luke Skywalker’s red-haired bride-to-be. For years, it was almost impossible for younger Star Wars fans to get their hands on these books. Fortunately, Timothy Zahn's seminal three-part saga got an epic boxed set re-release as part of “The Essential Legends Collection�ini??tiative, complete with new cove?r art and a sleek slipcase.

7. Bridgerton Boxed Set

• Price: $33.67 (-56%)
• Embrace this aristocratic romance in style

Netflix’s Bridgerton series has kept calm and taken the world by storm over the last few years, giving the book series that inspired it a second chance at mainstream popularity. This four-book boxed set is an excellent gift for that special someone you’ve been binging the TV show with, one that could give the two?? of you a reason to re-watch the show while you wait for the next season to drop.

6. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie?? Mackesy

• Price: $7.56 (-67%)
• A gateway to a good cry

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse is the literary embodiment of a phrase I don?’t think people hear enough these days: “Hey, it’s okay.�This charming tale of a lost boy’s journey to find a new home is an emotional odyssey that will remind even the most cynical readers that it’s okay to lower your guard, let the people you love in, and show yourself a little mercy. I’ve seen a copy of this book in my therapist’s office, and I think it deserves a place in everyone’s home.

5. The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires ?by Grady Hendrix

• Price: 8.75 (-48%)
• A southern gothic thriller with a subversive edge

The Southern Book Clu??b's Guide to Slaying Vampires puts a new spin on vampires and Southern literature. When Patricia Cambel invit?es the devilishly handsome James Harris into her book club, she discovers that he and the city of Charleston aren’t as attractive as she first believed. It’s one part traditional vampire story, one part uncompromising critique of ??the inequalities rooted in the Deep South’s culture, and it’s as nail-biting as it is cozy.

4. Babel by R.F. Kuang

• Price: $14.94 (-25%)
• A mystery that will make you question everything you read

Babel may not have won a Hugo Award, but it’s still a top-tier fantasy novel. Set in the late 1800s, it follows Robin Swift, a Chinese immigrant and Oxford student who works in the university’s magic-translating “Babel�institute. As his studies progress, however, he slowly realizes his and his fellow students' role in perpetuating the British Empire’s rule and begins plotting a revolution. A passionate exploration of academia's role in maintaining and tearing down the status quo, Babel will make you ask all the right questions.

3. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

• Price: $11.23 (-61%)
• A hilarious chemical reaction

Lessons in Chemistry is a delightful tragicomedy cocktail that made me wish I’d paid more attention in chemistry class. After being unjustly fired from her position in a chemistry lab, Elizabeth Zott becomes ??the hostess of a popular cooking show, using her newfound fame to educate and empower disadvantaged women nationwide. Funny, heartwarming, and full o?f exciting chemistry facts, this is the perfect weekend read.

2. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

• Price: $13.48 (-25%)
• A beautiful map to a life well-lived

The Midnight Library made me think about my life choices in the best possible way. Nora Seed’s journey through a library that catalogs all the ways her life could’ve been different is a powerful meditation on choice and consequence that made me appreciate things I didn’t before I started reading. As creative as it is profound, The Midnight Library is a must for any science fantasy fan.

1. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Gabrielle Zevin

Everyone’s talking about A Court of Thorns and Roses, and now that I’ve finally read it, I’m happy to join the crowd. We fo?llow Feyre, a young huntress who incurs a powerful Fae's wrath. Sentenced to spend the rest of her life in the magical realm of Prythian for her crime, Feyre becomes entangled in a web of secrets, danger, and romance that hooked me within the first few pages. The hype behind this one is real, and any fantasy fan owes it to themselves to read the first installment of what is rapidly becoming a very popular fantasy series.

The post Best Prime Day Book Deals (2024) appeared first on Destructoid.

K??indles are fantastic e-readers that allow you to achieve several goals within the same small piece of technology. I started using an ancient one many years ago and still love it, but they've come a long way since the first one was released in 2007.

With a Kindle, any Kindle, you can have hundreds, maybe even thousands of books in a single sleek device. It means you no longer need to cart kilograms of books with you on holiday or have that 1,000-page novel taking up space in your bag during your commute. They're also pretty eco-friendly, considering how long they can last you. Finally, but most importantly in my book, a Kindle is a great way to read a book with the right lighting so it doesn't mess up y??our sleeping pattern. But they're not exactly cheap, which is why it pays to get them when they're on sale, as they are every Amazon Prime Day.

The best Amazon Prime Day Kindle deals

Below, I've listed the best Amazon Prime Day Kindle deals I could find. Each one has a decent discount on one of Amazon's massive range of Kindles. I can't tell you which one is right for? you, but I will tell you that even if you purchase a classic Kindle with a glare-free screen, you'll be making an investment that'll last you decades because you really don't need to upgrade these dev??ices once you've found one you love to hold and read on.

Amazon Fire HD 8 Tablet

• Price: $49.99 ($99.99)
• Storage: 32GB
• Perfect for kids

Amazon Fire Tablets are perfect for kids because they're e-readers as well as entertainment centers. You can switch between education apps, ebooks, and watching Tractor Ted on Amazon Prime all on the same device. If you want to res??trict the use of the tablet to just reading ebooks, you can do so with parental controls. Even if not, this is a brilliant first tablet for kids who are just starting to get to grips with them in school before they enter the world of larger and more advanced com?puters.

Amazon Kindle

• Price: $99.99 ($119.99)
• Storage: 16GB
• Classic version of the Kindle

The standard Amazon Kindle is all you need to store thousands of books in one place. I have a much more basic version than this, but it's fabulous. This version has a backlight so you can read at all hours of the day, and you can access the Kindle Store directly from the device, meaning you can pick up new books and download them in sec??onds. The battery life on this device will go for 6 weeks??????????????????????????, depending on how much you use it, so you can probably take it on a trip without ever needing to recharge.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

• Price: $144.50 ($169.99)
• Storage: 16GB
• A Kindle that reads like real paper

The main appeal of a Kindle Paperwhite is that it's designed to look like real pape?r. Reading a book on one of these is like reading a real book, with an adjustable warm light that's built to help maintain your natural circadian rhyt?hm and not bombard you with blue light at night. Which can keep you up longer.

It's got a glare-free screen and a battery that'll last you for 10 weeks if you play your cards right. It's much be?tter for reading during the day, so if you're hiking or camping and getting a break here and there, you can work through an entire book while still getting enough sleep at night and not feeling as though your eyes are being burned.

You can get a premium cover and adaptor with the essentials kit, which is also on sale for Prime Day. I can't recommend a cover enough because your Kindle will almost definitely get scratched if you don't have one. Having a charger tha?t stands out doesn't hurt either because th?ey're small and easy to lose if you can't spot them in the bottom of your bag.

Amazon Kindle Scribe Essentials Bundle

• Price:$289.97 ($469.97), $314.97 ($489.97), $324.00 ($519.97)
• Storage: 16GB, 32GB, 64GB
• A Kindle you can take notes on

The Kindle Scribe is a completely different beast from your normal e-readers. While you can download and read books on it, the device is also useful for note-taking, sketching, and even marking up documents on the go. If you're only using it as an e-reader, you'll get months of charge out of the ba??ttery, but this can be a fantastic tool to help anyone study, draw, or work.

This essentials kit includes the premium pen for the best notes and sketch quality, a l??eather folio cover that feels incredibly high-quality, and a magnetic attachment ?for the charging cable to ensure you don't accidentally leave the device unplugged.

I could really have done with one of these in school because the ability to s?wap between quickly drawing and getting back to reading would have helped me keep documents clean while having somewhere to doodle distractedly.

Books

• Various deals and savings

There's no point in having an e-reader without books, and Amazon has loads of them on sale. There are hundreds of deals for you to take advantage of, but books are such a personal thing that it's hard to point you to which ones you should take advantage of. My? advice is to head to Amazon and scroll through the deals to see what stands out to you because you already know what you like and see if something surprises you from the list.

SAIJI Tablet Kindle Stand Pillow

• Price: $45.04 ($59.99)
• Compatible with many e-readers

While having a flexible tablet stand like the gooseneck one below is great, there are many more relaxing tablet stands out there. That's where the SAIJI Tablet Kindle Stand Pillow comes in because it's built for nothing less than extreme co??mfort.

This accessory for your Kindle looks mad. But once you've set up your book and sit back with your legs up, you'll realize why you needed it. Anyone who just wants a cozy pillow to cuddle while re??ading or something soft to hold nearby will also find it enhances their reading because you just don't need to faff so much when you're holding onto a pillow when you read.

Remote Control Page Turner for Kindle

• Price: $19.99 ($69.99)
• Compatible with many e-readers

This simple page-turning device is wireless, allowing you to sit back with your book on your Kindle and click away when you get to the end of the page. Even if your Kindle is only on your knees, it's always a bit ??of a pai??n to move your cozy blanket just to turn the page, so this means you can stay nice and snug for hours.

FlyCoco Gooseneck Tablet Stand Holder

• Price: $15.99 ($26.99)
• Compatible with many e-readers

Holding a Kindle or any e-reader and reading isn't exactly difficult, but we've all read a book in bed for so long that our hands have gone fizzy, and we've dropped the book so our faces are inside the pages. A tablet stand holder takes away the pain and humiliation of being hit by a book by your failing fin?gers and gives you the option to move it around to a much more comfortable position.

For me, reading in one position gets super uncomfortable quite quickly because I've got a bad back. Moving around ??and having my book to the side, above me, or in front of me so I can fall asleep with my mouth open really helps. A gooseneck tablet stand holder is best because it can work around the awkward angles of your house, unlike straight-necked holders.

The post Best Amazon Prime Day Kindle deals (2024) appeared first on Destructoid.

Board games are brilliant. They make for the perfect night in with friends, family, or just ?that one really special person in your life. With a board game, you're free to have a conversation and play a game without ??anyone in the room being glued to a screen, and really feel like you're getting to know one another.

However, board games can also be an expensive hobby. Many aren't cheap, and g??oing out to a board game café isn't really an option when you're at home, bored, and want something to do that isn't turning on a console or movie. That's why it pays to grab them while they're cheap, and one of the best times is right before Amazon Prime Day. These early discounts can save you a bundle of cash, money you'll need for what you've been holding out for in that sale.

Best board games on sale before Amazon Prime Day

Below, I've listed the best board games that I've found on sale before Amazon Prime Day. These are games that I think are brilliant because they involve every player and allow time for free-flowing chatter between rounds. Of course, there are also just a few classics everyone needs?? in here too.

Bananagrams

• Price: $13.99 ($17.02)
• Players: 1-8

Bananagrams is a simple yet thoroughly enjoyable game similar to Scrabble. Each player has a set of tiles and must make as many words as possible before the others do. It's frantic, quite stressful, but also incredib??ly enjoyable because it pushes you to really think about the words you can make. As you can see in the image above, you can place tiles everywhere to make words word, ending up with a patchwork of letters by the end of the game.

Dungeons & Dragons: The Yawning Portal Game

• Price: $23.90 ($55.99)
• Players: 1-4

Dungeons & Dragons: The Yawning Portal Game is a different sort of way to play D&D. You don't need to craft a character, have a stash of D20s, or understand how every spell in the game works. This board game is all about being a server in a classic D&D inn, where you'll all compete to be the best at serving the 68 unique characters, earning the most points for your work. This game is great for D&D fans and newcomers alike, even those who have never heard of the TTRPG can enjo??y with.

Clue

• Price: $17.12 ($21.99)
• Players: 2-6

Clue is a mystery board game that never ends. It takes the iconic setting of so many mystery novels, a group of strangers brought together for one night only for someone to be murdered, and asks players to solve it. Every character has something to hide, and players need to work together to uncover secrets and motivations for the murder. But one player will be trying to get away with it the entire time. It's a great game for friends who want to?? try out something new and think they have the acting skills to fool one another. Clear your evening, though, because it can go on for a while.

Scrabble

• Price: $17.49 ($21.99)
• Players: 2-4

Don't skip Scrabble. It's an essential board game for everyone. Each player is given a set of tiles with letters on them, and you've got to work out the longest or highest-scoring words you can based on where you can place them on the board. You've got to use letters other players have placed to snake them out of the best score??s and emerge victorious because of your understanding of the English language.

With that said, this game is meant to be fun, too. I'm only okay at it, and I always lose to my mother-in??-law, who plays several times a week. It's the go-to game for my wife and me, because we both love how creative you need to be with letters and words, and it just gets you talking. There's lots of time to think, eat, drink, and relax together. If you're after a good board game for date night, it's this one.

Arkham Horror: The Card Game

• Price: $47.96 ($59.95)
• Players: 1-4

In Arkham Horror: The Card Game, players pick an investigator deck and set out to the town of Arkham, Massachusetts, where a dark presence is infecting the town and causing all sorts of trouble. It's a cooperative game with sc?enarios for you to work through, making for lengthy game sin which you'll uncover secrets and must solve mysteries on the fly. This is a brain-teasing game that requires a lot of thought and attention from each player, so not one you can play casually while chatting.

Harry Potter Hogwarts Battle

• Price: $34.96 ($49.90)
• Players: 2-4

Harry Potter Hogwarts Battle is a cooperative deck-building game in which up to four players must build up their defenses as one of the major characters from the Harry Potter franchise. The key is working together here, so as you gain influence, you ge??t more spells, can heal, and fight back against the dark forces ??that are once again rising in an attempt to overthrow the balance of power in the wizarding world. There's a decent mix of roleplaying elements with deck-building here, making it perfect for bridging the gap between fans of the books and fans who just love board games.

Trivial Pursuit

• Price: $38.00 ($44.99)
• Players: 2-6

Trivial Pursuit is a g??ame that requires the full attention of every player. Everyone has a counter and must make their way around the board, gathering wedges by completing tasks in e?ach category. These range from answering questions to performing tasks, and there's always at least one every player is terrible at.

This game is for group parties who want to have fun but also play s??omething that'll keep them on their toes. It's not a game that you can ignore for minutes at a time, but you can also pause here and there to chat before diving into another round. The rounds go quite quickly if every player is quite sharp, and the best games I've play?ed have always been the competitive ones.

Carcassonne

• Price: $33.59 ($41.99)
• Players: 2-5

Carcassonne is a board game that should really be part of everyone's collection, because it's the perfect introductory game for those who haven't ventured into board games just yet. In it, play??ers build a map using tiles until they've crafted a unique landscape, from which one of them emerges as the winner. Over time, you've got to fill the landscape with knights, monks, and all sorts of other bits and pieces of medieval life until it feels like a thriving, living world you've built with your f??riends.

Ticket to Ride

• Price: $43.97 ($54.99)
• Players: 2-5

Ticket to Ride is a fast-paced board game in which you've got to build your railway lines linking iconic American cities before everyone else. You've got to plan routes perfectly and claim ??them to ensure you're the winner because a simple card could be your downfall if you don't pay attention. It's easy to learn and lasts up to an hour for each round, so a relatively quick board game you could squeeze two rounds into an evening.

Fallout The Board Game

• Price: $65.98 ($69.99)
• Players: 1-4

Fallout The Board Game brings the beloved franchise to life in an entirely new light. Each scenario put players at the edge of unknown territory and sees them work through stories based on tales from the games. You'll be battling massive mutated enemies, uncovering unpleasant truths, and leveling up your character while using V.A.T.S. to land precise hi?ts and make the most of your perks.

Everything has been translated here, right up to the faction system tha can completely transform a game if you're not careful. This board game is probably best for fans of Fallout, b??ut I think anyone could enjoy it as long as t??hey understand the rules and embrace the wasteland.

Chess, Checkers, and Tic-Tac-Toe

• Price: $14.99 ($19.99)
• Players: 2

Chess, Checkers, and Tic-Tac-Toe are all fantastic little board g??ames that most people know how to play. The beauty of this edition is that it includes three games in a single box, meaning you don't need three boxes to fill up your board game drawer or space on a shelf. I regularly play these with my children and in-laws, and they're just brilliant to have ready to ?go at a moment's notice when friends pop over, and you want to do something a little different to keep the evening moving.

Exploding Kittens

• Price: $17.07 ($20.00)
• Players: 2-5

Exploding Kittens is a pulse-pounding card game that takes about 15 minutes per round, but it feels so much faster than that. This game sees you dodgi?ng exploding kittens with various other types of cat tha?t can pass it on, reflect it, or do something absolutely crazy to help you survive the ensuing blast. I love the inventiveness of each card and how they can just take you by surprise, and have you giggling away while trying to play your turn.

Cascadia

• Price: $31.99 ($39.99)
• Players: 1-4

Cascadia is a simple and relaxing b?oard game in which each player takes a turn to pick a token and link up their ecosystem. It's designed for everyone to have a good time in up to 45 minutes together while looking at how ecosystems naturally expand as it's reflected in each turn. Think of this one as more of a game you can play while having deep conversations that you can come back to between breaks in the natural flow.

Monopoly

• Price: $19.99 ($21.99)
• Players: 2-6

Monopoly needs no introduction. This is a game about buying up properties as you move around the board, building houses and hotels on them and ruining every other player with the extortionate rents you can charge. My family was always terrible at playing this game because my parents couldn't go easy on each other, but that ruthlessness has seen me become the best player among my friends. Monopoly is one of those easy games that everyone knows how to play, so it pa?ys to have it ready to go as an activity for a rainy day or night.

7 Wonders

• Price: $50.98 ($59.99)
• Players: 3-7

7 Wonders is a game that feels a lot like the Civilization series. Each player is the leader of one of the world's seven greatest nations. Over the course of the game, everyone will acquire cards that'll help them reach ?their long-term goals and win the game, but they've got to keep an eye on each other.

This is as much a game about building your own civilization up as it is about tearing other ones down. If you love a game with a broad scope and like to kick off your own political dramas, look no further. If you really want to spice things up, then you can pick up the Leaders expansion to add even more n??ames into the mix while working t??o become the world's greatest civilization.

Deception: Murder in Hong Kong

• Price: $31.89 ($39.99)
• Players: 4-12

Deception: Murder in Hong Kong sees players work together to find a killer, but the killer is among them. Everyone is an investigator, but th??e killer must de??ceive and manipulate the rest of the players to get away with murder. It's a tense game that can lead to some arguments, but the way it pushes everyone to suspect each other whilst also being forced to trust to a certain degree is brilliant.

Catan

• Price: $43.97 ($59.99)
• Players: 3-4

Catan, also known as Settlers of Catan, is a phenomenal board game, but you need ?a few hours to get through each game. Players start with two settlements and a handful of resources, and must gain more resources through dice rolls and deals with others so they can build roads, cities, and conquer the map. with every player competing to win, there are so many layers to the conversations you have and the deals you can make. I've swapped side on an alliance more than once to prevent someone winni??ng.

The base game is fantastic, but you can also get the expansion on sale before Amazon Prime Day. The Seafarers expansion brings new elements to the core game that allow you to branch out and explore the waters surrounding the land. Cities and Knights adds war-like mechanics to the game. Finally, Explorers and Pirates adds even more sea?faring elements to the game, and with all of them together, you can get lost for an entire day playing.

Pandemic

• Price: $30.04 ($39.99)
• Players: 2-4

In Pandemic, players must work together to stop a pandemic by making use of each of their character's skills and crush outbreaks and epidemics as they occur. Four diseases threaten the world, and it's down to every player to help prevent them from ending the world. This game is a fabulous change of pace from those that pit you against one another, and we all need a game that has you working with other people rather than against th?em now and then.

There are three expansions for the base game that enhance the gameplay, but it's the alternate editions you might want to nab while they're on sale. Pandemic: Reign of Cthulhu is similar in style but sees you trying to close four gates rather than stop four diseases. Pandemic: Rising Tide has playe?rs battling against the sea itself in the Dutch Water Crisis. Each one is different mechanically and keeps things interesting wi??th loads of new flavor.

Mansions of Madness

• Price: $87.99 ($109.99)
• Players: 1-5

In Mansions of Madness, players take on the role of investigators exploring eerie locales in a mysterious region where some sort of horror is haunting the locals. There are four campaigns to work through, each of which uses an app to help move things along and aid in the sleuthing players must?? employ if they want to conquer the entities at the heart of this game. This is another cooperative board game, but one that's great for a group who are really into game when they start to play them because it requires a lot of attention.

The Beyond the Threshold expansion adds two new investigators into the mix for the base board game, and The Streets of Arkham expansion adds a further four investigators and two new scenarios to dig into. I'd recommend conquering the base game first because these expansions, especially The Streets of Arkham, get into this universe's lore qu??ite heavily and require that background knowledge from the base game.

Star Wars Legion

• Price: $95.99 ($119.99)
• Players: 2

Star Wars Legion is a miniatures game designed to allow two players to battle it out in any Star Wars skirmish they can imagine. The miniatures are unpainted, so you can have a go at finishing them yourself, and the rules are fairly simple compared to other miniature games like Warhammer 40K. The only downside is that it's limited to two players, so you'll need to have multiple rounds in a day or o?rganize a few sessions with different people over time to make the most of it.

The post 20 best?? bo??ard games on sale before Amazon Prime Day appeared first on Destructoid.

Microsoft really is running out of reasons for people to buy one of its Xbox consoles. While it still has some platform exclusives to call its own, like the upcoming Gears of War: E-Day, you'll soon be able to access the entire Xbox Game Pass l??ibrary without the actual console by using an Amazon Fire ?TV Stick.

Announced today in an Xbox Wire post, Microsoft doesn't provide an exact date for when it'll happen, but the Xbox app will soon become compatible with select Fire TV devices. Using a Fire TV Stick 4K or a Fire TV Stick 4K Max (which cost $49.99 and $59.99 respectively), you can then play Xbox titles via cloud gaming. The only other thing you need is a Bluetooth wireless controller, and it doesn't even need to be an ??Xbox one. You could play with a PS5 controller if that's all you have.

Assuming you have a Fire TV already, this is altogether more affordable than buying an Xbox console. Even if we use the cheaper Xbox Series S, which is $299.99, for our comparison, the console plus a year's Game Pass Ultimate subscription, which is $16.99 a month, comes to nearly $504. The year's subscription plus the $49.99 Five TV Stick 4K is just under $254, making it cheaper than the c??onsole on its own.

The one caveat is that since you'd be playing games via the cloud, your experience is reliant on your internet connection. If it's not particularly stable or drops for whatever reason, there's no offline option you can fall back on. Plus, like I said, you need to have the right TV for it, which could set you back an additional $240 according to Amazon's website. Even so, f?or those already with a compatible TV and Fire TV Stick, this sounds like a very enticing offer considering how many games are available on Game Pass.

Microsoft has always expressed a desire to make its games more widely available. It's why it's grown willing to put its own IPs, like Sea of Thieves and Hi-Fi Rush, on rival platforms, especially when the PS5 and Switch are outselling the Xbox. There are even rumors of Halo, one of Microsoft's premiere franchises, coming to PlayStation, but nothing official has been said on the matter. Microsoft has also indicated it's not completely giving up on hardware, with Xbox boss Phil Spencer himself appearing to tease the existence of an Xbox handheld.

This move has most likely been influenced by Microsoft's efforts to get more people subscribe??d to Game Pass. It's clearly reached as many people as it can through the Xbox console, and growing subscription numbers is a priority for the company.

The post Xbox Game Pass coming to Amazon Fire TV Stic?ks, with no need for a console appeared first on Destructoid.

Ghouls are some of the most iconic characters in all of Fallout â€?which makes it a little trouble that we don’t kn?ow muc??h about them. 

Ghouls have been around since the very first game, and other wastelanders have pretty much always treated them as second-class citizens. Because of that ghouls tend to form their own settlements, like Necropolis in the original Fallout and the Underworld in Fallout 3. Though some ghouls decide to go it alone, in general, they tend to look out for each other because, as the Fallout show reveals, they’re g?oing to be ar?ound for a long, long time. 

How do ghouls live so long in Fallout?

Something about becoming a ghoul stops your aging process entirely and essentially lets you live forever. In the games,?? ghouls can pretty easily live for centuries without any problems. Some ghouls lose their minds and become feral. They get violent and will eat anyone who comes near them, but at least in the games, it isn’t clear why some ghouls turn fe?ral and others are just fine. 

The Fallout show introduced some changes to the lore surrounding ghouls. In the show, it seems like every ghoul is on the path to becoming the equivalent of a post-nuclear zombie. To survive, ghouls need to track down and take a mysterious serum that seemingly holds their mind together. We don’t know much more about that serum, and we also aren’t sure if the Fallout show is going to change how gho??uls become ghouls in the first place. For now, we have to rely on what the games have to say. 

What makes someone become a ghoul in Fallout? 

The Fallout lore becomes a little vague around the process known as “ghoulification.â€?We know that exposure to extreme radiation has a chance to transform someone into a ghoul, and that’s about it. At lower doses, the transformation will leave them looking burned and scarred, as the Ghoul does in the Fallout show. At higher doses, a person’s skin will tear and rot, like Roger’s in epi??sode 3, and they might even turn feral in??stantly. 

Radiation is always involved, but not all ghouls are people who’ve been exposed to radioactive fallout. The Fallout 3 DLC Point Lookout introduced Desmond Lockheart, a man who exposed himself to radiation before the Great War in order to preemptively become a ghoul and survive the bombs. In Fallout 4 we meet Eddie Winter,? who did the same thing, as well as John Hancock, who t?ook a radioactive medication in the post-war days to transform himself into a ghoul for reasons that are entirely his own.

Though they won’t die of natural causes, ghouls can be pretty easily killed â€?in the games at least. Some ghouls can regenerate health when they’re exposed to radiation, but none of them exhibit the superhuman healing powers that Squire Thaddeus has after his apparent transformation. The Fallout series is clearly getting set up for a deeper exploration ?of how ghoulification works, and it seems like the show is going to take things in a new direction fr??????????????????????????om what we’ve seen before. 

Fallout ghoul serum explained

The Fallout show introduces two different kinds of ghoul serums that are changing the lore in big ways. The first serum is something that we see the Ghoul taking to keep himself from turning fer??al. The show doesn’t tell us how or why the serum works, but it seems like most ghouls in the wasteland are aware that finding it and taking it can help them retain their sanity. 

We also see a mysterious serum created by the snake oil salesmen toward the end of the season. We meet the salesmen a couple of times, and he always seems like a scam artist. Then he gives Squire Thaddeus his mystery serum, and Thaddeus suddenly regrows a lost foot. Later Thaddeus heals from another grievous injury and gets told that he's turning into a ghoul. Before we see that transformation actually take place, the season wraps up. Hopefully Fallout seas?on 2 will fully explain what’s going on with each ghoul serum and where they come from in the first place. 

The post What are Ghouls in Fallout and ?how do they live so long? appeared first on Destructoid.

Tim Cain, the project lead on the original Fallout, just dropped his rev?iew of Amazon’s new show, but you don't ne??ed to watch all of it.

In his review, Cain emphasized how the show nails the feeling of the Fallout universe. He said that the show managed to get everything fro?m the visual aesthetics to the dialogue and storyline to fit right into a universe that’s often hard to capture because it's so different from other versions of post-apocalyptic worlds. 

"For people who don't want rambling, you can just stop, leave. 'Tim said he liked the show.' There you go," said Cai?n.

As a creator and a fan, Cain said that he was thrilled by the amount of Fallout lore that gets packed into every episode of the series. “What I especially love about it,â€?Cain said, “is that there’s no exposition.â€?The show just drops viewers into the heart of the Fallout universe, which Cain admits might be a littl?e off-putting for viewers who’ve never picked up ??any of the games. 

Cain also addressed his feelings on some of the biggest lore changes that the show introduced to the Fallout canon. When it comes to the big reveal that Vault-Tec planned to drop the first nukes, Cain said that he believes the company never got the chance. He thinks that the moment the bombs?? fell actually caught Vault-Tec off guard, and as proof he points to the fact that Barbara’s daughter is with Cooper at a birthday party when everything goes down, rather than safely tucked away in a vault. 

When it comes to the heated debate that fans have been having about the show’s relationship to the lore of Fallout: New Vegas, Cain said that he’s really not concerned about it. “Let me just remind you that lore drift is inevitable in big IPs,�he said, after spit-balling a number of different ways that the show could explain what happened to Shady Sands and where that event falls on the overarching Fallout timeline. Echoing a sentiment from a video he released two days after the show premiered, Cain asked fans to engage with the series?? in a fun and friendly way, rather than making personal attacks against the people who may or may not have made adjustments to the timeline.

Overall, Cain seemed joyous that the world he helped create nearly 30 years ago is continuing to thrive and bring he new fans. He said he was hoping for a season two, so he’s probably thrilled that Amazon has just confirmed it. 

The post Original Fallout lead des??igner Tim Cain says ?he loved the TV show appeared first on Destructoid.

A small detail in the Fallout show has some fans worried that the events of Fallout: New Vegas just got kicked out of the franchise’s timeline. 

Note: Discussing this will entail some necessary spoilers of both the Fallout show and the game New Vegas, so be aware that spoilers follow from here on out.

While the Fallout TV show has only been out for less than a week, one particular detail has already lit up some discussion, centered around the timeline of events in Fallout's version of America and their relation to the Obsidian-developed RPG Fallout: New Vegas.

The detail in question is a blackboard in a Vault 4 classroom that’s meant to be teaching some of the wasteland’s history. Many of Vault 4’s residents are refugees from Shady Sands, the former capital of the New California Republic that Hank MacLean nuked sometime before the events of the show, which takes pl??ace in 2296. The blackboard lists an event labeled as “The Fall of Shady San??dsâ€?as occurring in 2277, and it shows an arrow indicating the capital was nuked sometime after that point. 

The reason this is a problem for some fans is that New Vegas takes place in 2281, and none of the NCR citizens in that game mention anything called the "fall of Shady Sands." The worry is that the show is establishing a new timeline where the NCR collapsed before the events of New Vegas ever happen??ed, but when you look at the larger picture, that doesn’t seem to be what’s actually happening here. 

Mojave, mo�problems

There are a few reasons to think that New Vegas’s place in the canon is safe??. For one thing,?? Bethesda’s design director Emil Pagliarulo has explicitly said the game’s story is still canon. 

When it comes to that “fall of Shady Sandsâ€?label on the blackboard, there’s no reason to think the fall was a singular event. “Fallâ€?here seems to be a label that the residents of Vault 4 are applying retroactively to mark when the NCR started losing power. That actually lines up with the lore of New Vegas, where we learn that the NCR has stretched itself too thin and is struggling to maintain control over all of it??s territory. 

There’s also a detail in the show that seems to imply the NCR had alre??ady abandoned Shady Sands by the time the nuke fell. A sign in the town refers to it being the “first capital�of the NCR, which means something must have driven the NCR to relocate, and that probably has a lot to do with why we don't see much of them in the first season.

We know that, even though Shady Sands was destroyed sometimes after 2277, plenty of people still live in the area, because those are who Moldaver is trying to give electricity to with cold fusion. We also?? see proof in the show that the NCR had a heavy presence in New Vegas, just like it did in the game. The finale's credit sequence shows us an NCR vertibird in the streets of the city -- maybe that's where it set up its new capital.

There’s still plenty we don’t know about the state of the NCR or other notable locations like the Boneyard, the Hub, and of course New Vegas itself. Assuming the show gets a second season, I’m excited to see what direction it takes. Drastically diminishing the power of the NCR is a big lore change, but to be fair, the writing was on the?? wall for?? the faction by the time they pushed into the Mojave. 

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Vault-Tec has always been a quiet villain in the Fallout universe, but the Fallout show really dri?ves home how evil the company is. 

Vault-Tec not only orchestrated the Great War that ended the world but also created the vaults as a means of trapping people inside generations-long experiments. The show calls out some of the worst vaults from the Fallout lore, and it shows us the strange relationship the peo??ple of the wasteland have with the vaults. Even though Vault-Tec created its main product?? for nefarious purposes, some people really have found lasting peace inside the vaults. 

Spoilers for the Fallout TV show follow.

Vault 33

Lucy’s father Hank is the overseer of Vault 33, which is located near Los Angeles. The people of Vault 33 actually have a lot in common with those of Vault 76 in Fallout 76, they’ve just been living their lives underground for much longer. Life in 33 is all about preparing for Reclamation Day, when everyone will be able to go above ground and begin? rebuilding America. 

What really sets Vault 33 apart is that it’s connected to two other Vaults, 32 and 31. Every three years, ?the Vault populations reconnect and trade members in a marriage ceremony that’s meant to prevent inbreeding. Vault-Tec really thought things through, but even though life in 33 is peaceful and safe, it’s part of a darker story. 

Vault 32

The people in Vault 32 presumably lived similar lives to everyone in 33. They farmed, maintained the Vault, and learned new skills to get ready for Reclamation Day. Somewhere along the line, the people in Vault 32 figured out what Vault 31 was using them for, and they rebelled against the experiment. That clearly didn’t work out because by the t??ime we see the inside of the vault, everyone in it is already dead. 

Vault 31

Vault 31 is where Hank’s from, but it’s actually just a secret cryo-storage facility for Vault-Tec executives. For over 200 years, Vault-Tec’s top brass have been thawin?g themselves out one-at-a-time and ruling over Vaults 32 and 33, which are basically just breeding pools for the Vault-Tec execs. We k??now that, before the war, Vault-Tec planned for its leaders to outlive all of their competition, but the finer details of that plan are still something of a mystery. 

Vault 4

The experiment in Vault 4 involved scientists using genetic modifications to transform the human body â€?though it looks like they only made it as far as adding ears and noses to places they shouldn’t be and creating a man with one eye. Compare?d to the other vaults, Vault 4 had way more contact with the outside world. It was so well acquainted with the wasteland that it took in refugees from Shady Sands when they needed a new home. By the time the show begins, the people of Shady Sands and the residents of Vault 4 have formed one community that provides some peace to everyone, educates children, and offers medical assistance to wasteland wanderers. 

Vault-Tec easter eggs

We don’t see any other ?vaults in the show, but the season finale reveals that Vault-Tec sold vaults to other powerfu??l companies that wanted to run their own experiments. A representative from Big MT suggests a vault that’s purposefully overcrowded to force residents to compete for survival. REPCONN wants to have a vault governed by a robot. West-Tek has plans for a vault that works to create “a super mutant soldier.â€?We also hear about a vault with psychedelic drugs in the air and another designed to run tests on children. 

Those experiments sound an awful lot like Vault 27, Vault 51, Vault 87, Vault 106, and Vault 75, some of which we’ve actually gotten to visit in the games. The horror of the faults has always been a key part of the series, and the show call?s out some of the worst vaults there ever were. 

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Last week saw the exciting new trailer for the upcoming Fallout show. While the adaptation is going to be telling its own story, you may be wondering whether it might touch on Fallout 5's possible narrative, even accidentally. However, Todd Howard h??as made sure that hasn't h??appened.

In a recent interview with Den of Geek (as spotted by VGC), the show's executive producer Jonathan Nolan clarified whether the TV series is, to some extent, Fallout 5. Nolan says a conversation between him and Todd discussed the idea of the show being a part of the overall Fallout universe, rather than being a retelli??ng of one of the game's stories.

Todd Howard then said he made sure the showrunners didn't do certain things. He said he told the crew, "don't do this, because we're going to do that in Fallout 5." There's even a joke about how the adaptation is almost like Fallout 6. But the consensus is that the show is its own story and doesn't tread on anything that's come before or after? it in terms of arc.

Speaking of Fallout 5...

When Bethesda confirmed the next Fallout game was currently being worked on, I think it's safe to assume people thought it was too early to make such an announcement. Starfield was still very much in development at the time, and we still have absolutely no idea what's going on with The Elder Scrolls 6 since that 2018 E3 tease.

In short: don't expect Todd to start giving away too much about F5 or TES6 anytime soon. I think he's still coasting on the (ahem) success of Starfield, but hopefully, the studio is making some headway ?on the new ??projects.

In the meantime, Fallout will be airing on April 11 via Amazon Prim??e Vide??o.

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For some reason, the Fallout Teaser Trailer that dropped a few months ago just didn't really resonate with me. The strong points of the IP, its post-apocalyptic world and intriguing "wild west" style narrative were missing from the mainly b-roll teaser. However, Amazon just released a new over 3-minute long trailer for the show and it looks a lot more like the Fallout I know.

Everything that felt missing from the teaser is actually front and center in this new trailer. We start with a look at life inside the vault, which looks half comfy and half dystopia. You know, your typical Fallout vault. We also get a look at some of the characters. First is Ella Purnell who plays Jean, a vault dweller who leaves the safety of the vault for the first time. In the trailer, her character appears cautiously optimistic about life on the surface, which is more or less how I felt leaving the vault for the first time in Fallout 3, though it didn't last long.

Then there's Walton Goggins who plays the Ghoul. The trailer actually starts by showing him before the nuclear war, as a vault sale??sman which fits. Then as a Ghoul, he appears to be the sarcastic car?efree selfish character we'd expect from a Ghoul.

We also get a look at plenty of subtle yet "Fallout-esque" features throughout. Like a medical robot assuring Jean, "I'm simply going to harvest your organs!" Yep, it's Fallout.

Of course, I'll save my full judgment for when the series actually drops. But I can say I'm more optimistic that this will be a genuine Fallout story rather than the IP serving only as a name to the story like the recent Halo series.

All episodes of Fallout will become available for st??reaming on April 11, which is right around the corner!

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If you're a streamer on Twitch and you're somehow managing to make money off it, it seems there's a bit of good news on the horizon. Well, provided you're based? in the UK, Canada, Australia, or Turkey. However, if you're a subscriber to streamers, this may sting a little.

In a recent blog post on Twitch, the Amazon-owned platform is going to up subscription costs for the above countries. Beginning March 28, Tier 1 subs will now be increased, except in Turk??ey, which will see all three tier prices rise. By quite a significant amount, I should add.

Twitch held a stream recently in the hope of clarifying some of the details. CMO Mike Minton says broadcasters with subscribers will still get the same revenue share. How?ever, this also means the company will financially benefit as well.

Possibly more price increases coming?

As it stands, this is just an initial wave that Minton says will hopefully reward those who use the site for streaming purposes. This is especially important for anyone who makes a living doing so. Obviously, this could have a knock-on effect for the subscribers themselves, who, going forward, will have to ??pay out a bit more if they want to support their favorite channels.

As for whether this will roll out to the US and other countries, it's hard to say at this point. It sounds like Twi?tch?? is implementing it in the UK, Canada, Australia, and Turkey first on a sort of trial basis. If it works out to be beneficial, then we could see it come to other nations.

It's also important to note those days, as Twitch says, "you’ll keep earning the same amount per Prime sub as you do ?today until June 3rd when [Twitch will] switch to the published, per country payout rates." It's definitely worth reading through everything and watching the posted ??video if you feel these developments will affect you.

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Last year, we reported that Twitch was introducing a new Partner Plus Program, which brought with it changes to how streamers are paid. While it was met with some praise, it was also criticized for certain threshold requirements. As a result, the company has implemented a?? few changes.

In a recent blog, Twitch announced its updated payouts for Partner Plus. For starters, it's now allowing Affiliated rather than just Partners to be included in the program. The changes also lower the threshold from 350 to 300, which mean??s more streamers can qualify.

When the scheme began last October, it adjusted the 50/50 split to a 70/30 one, giving streamers more income. Now, with a lower threshold of 100 Plus Point (presumably this is in relation to how many subscribers channels have), a new Level 1 entry point will give conten?t creators a 60/40 split, while Level 2 retains the 70/30 split.

Twitch has received "clear feedback"

Additionally, when the Partner Plus Program (which is dropping the "Partner" from the name) was first introduced, it put a c??ap on how much streamers could earn. In a nutshell, anyone whose revenue was $100k or more would go back down to the 50/50 split. This idea has now been scrapped.

The program was met with some backlash from the commu??nity, many of whom were concerned that the 350 subscriber threshold was ?unobtainable for many channels. Add onto that the income cap, and it was not Twitch's finest hour.

However, judging by responses to its Twitter thread on the news, it seems many are much happier with these new chan??ges that will be coming into effect this May.

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After a nasty 2023 for games industry labor, 2024 is off to a similar start. We already saw significant layoffs at Twitch last year, and now there's even more grim news ahead, as the Amazon-own??ed platform is letting 35% of its staff go.

A recent report from Bloomberg says Twitch is due to lose around 500?? of its workforce. This news was originally sourced from people who are "familiar with the plans."

Since this report, the company has issued a statement about the layoffs. A recent blog post acknowled??ges the "difficult decision" Twitch had to make, in which there will be a reduction in the "size of our workforce." It also confirms the number of job losses will be ??500.

Addin?g to this, CEO Dan Clancy says there will be a livestream going ahead on Thursday, January 11 at 1 pm PT for those who have questions. There's also a section th?at addresses those who feel the decision will affect their role. Those who are not affected will still be sent an email from Clancy.

When will it end?

This also comes just shortly after Unity announced it was laying off 25% ?of its staff, which accounts for around 1,800 jobs. Indeed, this latest developer from Twitch could set another precedent �carrying on from 2023 �in terms of job uncertainty? in the video game and adjacent industries.

We already experienced a ton of job losses last year, with thousands of employees being let go from otherwise lucrative development houses and publishers. Worse still, entire studios �such as TimeSplitters outlet Free Radical Design �had their doors closed for good.

We're only into the second week of the new year, and things are not looking good for those employed in video games. This is all in spite of the fact that the industry at large saw rising profits in 2023, according to data from Statista.

Hopefully, there'll be somet?hing on the horizon quickly for the hundreds at Twitch that are affected by the decision.

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Despite being one of the biggest streaming platforms in the world, Twitch has more than its share of problems. Recently, the company announced 180 employees were being laid off, and n?ow it's having to cease operations in Korea.

In a recent blog post, Twitch CEO Dan?? Clancy has said the service will shut down business in Korea, effective February 27, 2024. The statement goes on to say that it was a "difficult decision" but the "the cost to operate" Twitch in the country is "prohibitively expensive."

Clancy explains that the company had spent time trying to reduce the cost of running in Korea, saying th?at the team "experimented with a peer-to-peer model for source quality." All efforts appear to be in vain, though, with the platform saying it's bee??n "operating at a loss."

What happens to Korean streamers?

Obviously, this means that anyone in Korea who uses ??Twitch to broadcast won't be able to come the end of February. In the blog post??, Clancy says streamers who "devoted significant time and effort into building their communities" will be helped.

The company will "work to help Twitch streamers in Korea move their communities to alternative livestreaming services." Sadly, those who a??re perhaps not on Twitch's radar will unlikely be given a hand.

Last month, it was also announced that Twitch was being dropped from the Nintendo Switch, owing to numerous and recurring issues with the app. The Amazon-owned service will no doubt continue to dominate the streaming market, but these avenues b??eing closed off will no doubt be harmful for business.

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