Have you ever looked at your favorite board game and thought, 'This is great, but what if there was… more?' I certainly have. Sometimes, you can only play a game with the same cards, rules, and strategies before things start to get a little boring. Luckily, publishers know we're always looking for new content for our favorite games and create expansions accordingly.

But as a board game enthusiast with a very limited budget and even more limited shelf space, I often wonder what it would really cost to go all in on a game. I’ve gone down the rabbit hole and crunched the numbers on some of the most popular and expensive board games out there to see what it would cost to buy everything.

Pandemic

  • Total cost: ~$120

Pandemic is probably the best gateway co-op game out there. It was one of the first cooperative games I ever played, and it quickly made me realize that board games don’t have to be competitive. Nothing bonds (or breaks) friendships quite like pulling that last Epidemic card.

On the Brink adds special roles, In the Lab drops you into a microscopic puzzle, and State of Emergency keeps things unpredictable. Compared to other “all-in” games, it’s actually one of the more wallet-friendly collections, which is a nice change of pace.

Wingspan

  • Total cost: ~$200

Wingspan is the board game version of a coffee break. The stunning artwork and educational facts about the birds make it a joy to play. It's a go-to game whenever you're looking for something a bit more calming.

There are currently three expansions for the game: European Expansion, Oceania Expansion, and Asia Expansion. Each one adds new ecosystems and gameplay twists. Oceania, in particular, introduces nectar as a resource, forcing players to rethink strategies they thought were set in stone. It’s a great example of an expansion that doesn’t just give you more cards but actually reshapes how you play.

Scythe

  • Total cost: ~$260

Scythe is one of those games that truly feels like an event. I remember the first time I set up the board and saw all the beautifully crafted miniatures and mechs.

Its expansions offer completely different flavors: Invaders from Afar introduces new factions, The Wind Gambit brings airships, and The Rise of Fenris turns it into a story-driven campaign with eight episodes. It's a game that keeps on giving, and with all its expansions, there's always something new to discover.

Gloomhaven

  • Total cost: ~$275

I've spent countless hours with my friends playing through the Gloomhaven campaign, and it's been a ride. I'm a big fan of Dungeons and Dragons, and Gloomhaven is basically the board game equivalent. I've fought a ton of monsters and unlocked all sorts of cool characters and abilities.

The only true expansion on the original game is Forgotten Circles, which adds a new character and a new campaign to continue the adventure. (Though there is a mini-expansion called Gloomhaven: Buttons & Bugs.) It's a deep, deep game, and one expansion might not sound like a lot, but believe me, you’ll get more than enough play out of it.

Terraforming Mars

  • Total cost: ~$280

As a huge space nerd, Terraforming Mars was an instant buy for me. Just the idea of terraforming Mars into a lush, green world won me over.

It’s got a whopping five major expansions: Hellas & Elysium, Venus Next, Prelude, Colonies, and Turmoil. And if that's not enough, there are also a number of promo card packs and other add-ons that can be hard to track down. I particularly like the Prelude expansion because it gives everyone a head start, which completely changes the game.

Everdell

  • Total cost: ~$300

I will admit that I'm somewhat new to Everdell, but I'm a sucker for a beautiful board game, and Everdell might just be one of the most stunning. The charming anthropomorphic creatures and the gigantic cardboard tree even make the setup fun. While I don't have all the expansions, I did rush out to buy a few after only playing the main game a few times.

All five expansions give you a completely different experience, and you can't necessarily play with all of them at the same time. They introduce so many new critters, events, and mechanics that it’s almost a different game every time you play.

Catan

  • Total cost: ~$325

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Catan. I’ve been playing it since high school, so I’ve had my fair share of both amazing wins and frustrating losses. The game has four main expansions: Seafarers, Cities & Knights, Traders & Barbarians, and Explorers & Pirates. Each one introduces new mechanics that can change the game in fundamental ways.

There are also a number of smaller expansions that add new scenarios and player numbers. The sheer volume of expansions for this game makes it a massive money sink, but for the dedicated Catan fan, it's a no-brainer.

Root

  • Total cost: ~$400

Root is chaotic, clever, and deceptively deep. It's pretty easy to get the hang of, but there is a lot of strategic depth involved once you get the hang of the basic rules.

Expansions like Riverfolk, Underworld, Marauders, and Hirelings take that chaos and multiply it, adding new factions and mechanics that change the game’s dynamic entirely. Every expansion makes Root feel like a new game, even if the basic rules remain pretty much the same.

Dominion

  • Total cost: ~$600

I’ve been playing Dominion since it first came out, and I'm always impressed by how it manages to stay fresh after all these years. There are a staggering 16 expansions for this game. In all honesty, most people are not going to go and purchase all of these expansions.

Each one introduces a new card type or mechanic, which changes how you build your deck. The sheer number of card combinations is astronomical, so you could probably play a new game every day for a year and still not see every single combination of cards. It's an absolutely massive amount of content, and you're going to be paying quite a bit for it.

Arkham Horror: The Card Game

  • Total cost: ~$1,000

I've spent countless hours trying (and often failing) to save Arkham from the coming of the Great Old Ones. While the game can be punishingly difficult, the narrative and storytelling that unfold prevent the box from gathering dust on my shelf.

Unlike the board game, this is a Living Card Game (LCG), which means expansions are released in a steady stream. A single core set might get you started, but the real meat of the game is in the extensive campaign expansions and mythos packs. If you tried to buy everything, you'd easily cross the $1,000 mark.