If watching The Traitors has awakened your appetite for back-stabbing and double-crossing, the good news is that many of the best board games provide a low-stakes avenue to do just that. Social deduction games provide some of the most chaotic fun you can have with your family and friends, and the best part is you don’t have to cheat on your budget to get your hands on them – plenty of top-notch picks in the genre are currently at record-low prices.
The wonderfully wacky Snakesss, which would usually set you back $19.99, is currently just $9.99 at Amazon. Meanwhile, Jackbox board game, Fakin’ It (which was also originally priced at $19.99) is down to $12.34 on Amazon. For a more occult edge, it’s worth checking out Betrayal Deck of Lost Souls, which is sitting at $8.68 on Amazon after a majorly impressive 57% price cut.
Whether you fancy something silly, spicy, or spooky, the one thing these board games won’t be is spendy. Each one of these super fun, super sneaky social deduction games will offer the only kind of betrayal you want to experience around Valentine’s Day.
Should you buy?
Each of these price-slashed secret role games have their own unique selling point, so which one you pick up really depends on your personal taste. As you can probably tell from Snakesss’ psychedelic box art, it’s a bit of a kooky one. Players take turns levying quirky trivia questions against their pals who either be the almighty Mongoose of Truth (long story), a run-of-the-mill human, or a sneaky Snake trying to push everyone else away from the right answer. Snakesss is as much a feast for the eyes as it is a feast for the noggin but it’s also just a really good ol’ time.
Fakin’ It is based on the Jackbox mini-game of the same name and is just as wild as its digital counterpart. Across five categories of gameplay, players have to work to weed out the Faker who has no idea what ridiculous opinion-based questions the group are being asked. Without any clue of what prompt they’re supposed to be responding to, the Faker has to try to blend in with the group (usually to hilarious effect). Fakin’ It can get a little cheeky at times but is still teen-appropriate. That said, if you really want to dial up the naughtiness, the 17+ version, Fakin’ It All Night Long is available on Amazon for $9.20 too.
If you’re a fan of the horror board game classic Betrayal at House on the Hill, you should be hyped to get your hands on its card game spin-off. Betrayal Deck of Lost Souls is a gorgeously macabre spin on social deduction games that uses the medium of a tarot-inspired deck to guide players through defeating the one true Curse. Of course, there will be one among the group who’s siding with the forces of evil. If you decide to pick this one up now it’s on sale, use the money you’ve saved to buy yourself some candles: you’re gonna need some ghostly mood lighting.
If you’re on the hunt for even more savings on tabletop goodies, you oughta take a peek at our roundup of the top board game deals. If bricks and building is more your speed, checking out our best lego sets list should be next on your agenda.