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If you’re planning a game night for a large group of people, selecting the right game can make or break the evening.
While I like to think there are no incorrect answers, try to understand your guests and keep them in mind when making your game selections.
If your crew is newer to board games, try to go for something that has mass appeal and is easy to learn. If you have the right people, you can go for something that I like to consider more “crunchy”.
Games with too many game pieces could be intimidating for the average party-goer. For this reason, I’ve included a learning curve rating on each of the below suggestions.
What are the best board games for parties?
Whether you need a simple game for a small group or one that can play a whole room full of people, there’s a game for every party.
Here are a few of my best recommendations on party board games for adults:
Code Names: Deep Undercover is always accommodating and fun for a large group (photo by BoardGameChick.com)
14. Code Names (Deep Undercover)
Code Names is a popular party game that requires all players to be clever and guess the right words as indicated by their “spymasters”, who serve as the team leaders.
It’s a popular game and for good reason. It’s the perfect choice for almost any crowd.
In Code Names, groups break off into two teams. The spymasters will be assigned words from rows of word tiles that they must get their team to guess.
Spymasters can only give one-word clues, followed by a number that indicates how many words relate to that clue. The rest of the players decipher which words best fit the clue.
I love this game because it requires some wit to play it well, especially for the spymaster.
There are many variations of this game. The original game is much more family-friendly. But Deep Undercover is the adult version that adds a bit of extra fun for an adult crowd. It’s one of my favorite word games on the market.
Still, Cards Against Humanity is always a great choice for larger groups. It’s one of the best party games to hit the market in the last few decades and it’s a great game, even if it has more than a few cheap laughs.
But if you’ve never heard of it, it’s very simple. There are white cards and black cards. A black card will have a prompt. Players take turns playing a prompt while the rest of the players choose a white card that best matches it.
For example, a black card might say “During sex, I like to think about …”
A player might play a response that says something like, “Gloryholes”. Whoever played the prompt will select their favorite answer.
The name of the game is to be funny. There’s certainly an element of dark humor, and it is not for young children.
If the cards start to run their course, you can always buy expansion packs.
At the time of this writing, the original version of Cards Against Humanity is on Amazon for $25.
Learning curve: Very easy
Players: 4-20 or more
For ages: 17 and up
Estimated time: 30-90 mins
12. What Do You Meme
If you love Cards Against Humanity but want a different flavor, consider What Do You Meme.
It operates very similarly to Cards Against Humanity but is generally cleaner and can be played with a wider variety of people.
Instead of a phrase prompt, there’s a photo card (usually from a popular meme) and players select the best-fitting caption.
The player with the funniest meme wins the point. Simple as that.
What Do you Meme sells for about $38 on Amazon. Notably, there are family versions of this game available as well.
Learning curve: Very easy
Players: 3-20 or more
For ages: 17 and up
Estimated time: 30-90 mins
11. Apples to Apples
This is, I believe, the parent of the previous two games and the cleanest of the bunch. (Apple jokes!)
If your party is a family gathering or a work function, this may be the best option for you.
Similar in concept, Apples to Apples is a comparison game. The green apple card has an adjective. Players match them with a red apple card, which has a noun phrase.
The player that has made the best (or funniest) match, according to a judge, wins a point.
When I Dream is a fun party game with a hidden roles element for 4-10 players (photo by BoardGameChick.com)
10. When I Dream
This is a fun party game that is good for a large number of people.
When I Dream is a simple party game that is easy to teach yet has lots of replayability.
Given its simplicity, it still takes quite a bit of brainpower to play this game well.
Players take turns being the “Dreamer” while the remaining players alternate through hidden roles. They either will try to help the Dreamer guess the correct word on a Dream card, or they will trick the Dreamer and lead them to guess incorrectly.
Dreamers gain points for guessing correctly, while the fellow players gain points for their clue-giving abilities.
Dreamers have an added memory game element as they try to recall their dreams. This gives them a chance at some bonus points.
Overall, this game is a lot of fun and it’s almost always a hit with a crowd. The creative artwork also adds to the experience.
Can you spot the werewolves? (I promise it’s harder in the actual game) (photo by BoardGameChick.com)
9. Ultimate Werewolf
Ultimate Werewolf is a classic, easy-to-learn card game that largely is popular because you can play it with a large number of players.
Essentially, it’s a hidden roles game. The bad guys are werewolves and the good guys need to hunt down the werewolves. It’s a social deduction game that is perfect for large groups.
Villagers will slowly get “eaten” until werewolves are found. (Werewolves pick a player to eliminate, with the help of a moderator).
If the villagers are able to decipher who the werewolves are, before they are outnumbered by the werewolves, they win.
If there are the same number or more werewolves as players on the villager team, werewolves win.
This card game is a self-described Russian Roulette. Or, a game of hot potato but cuter.
Basically, the cards are goofy and funny and over the top. The card artwork is adorable. Cat cards have special abilities that help you during the game.
The exploding kitten card works as the hot potato. Avoid the hot potato and win.
It’s an interesting game that is quick and easy to learn.
Learning curve: Easy-moderate
Players: 2-10
For ages: 7 and up
Estimated time: 10-20 mins
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza is a fun and quick game to play for all ages (photo by BoardGameChick.com)
7. Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza
This game is very quick to play, and it can be played any time, any place.
It’s a fun way to pass the time and it also is guaranteed to get a few laughs.
This excellent game takes up the same amount of space as a standard pack of cards.
The goal of the game is to get rid of all your cards.
Players take turns playing a card from their hand while saying the words from the game title. So, the first player would put down a card and say “Taco” out loud, even though the card might say “Pizza”.
Play proceeds clockwise. If a player’s word and card match, players slap the deck and try to avoid being last.
The last player to notice the match has to collect the deck of cards.
It’s easy to get tripped up playing this game, and some cards in the deck exist to throw you off.
Taboo is another word game that is fun and easy to play. I like to bring this one home for the holidays since generally everyone in my family can pick it up, learn it quickly and have a good time.
Players break off into two teams. Each player will take a turn trying to get their team members to guess a word card without using common descriptive words that relate to that card. (Thus, the name Taboo).
It’s similar to charades but more talking and more buzzing.
It’s been around for a while and has stood the test of time. It currently sells for $14.99 on Amazon.
Learning curve: Easy
Players: 4 or more
For ages: 13 and up
Estimated time: 30-60 mins
5. Happy Salmon
You might see this game and think that it looks like a game for children.
And sure, kids could totally play this game. However, I find that adults really enjoy it, too.
It’s a fast-paced game and it doesn’t take very long to play at all. For this reason, it’s a good choice to kick off the evening in a goofy, fun way.
Players gather around a table and go through a stack of cards that have actions such as “high 5”, “switcheroo” and of course, “happy salmon”. Players will go through their stack of cards, trying to find another player to “match” their action.
For example, you have “high 5”. You actively look for someone else at the table who also wants to give you a high 5. Once you match, you high-five each other and you can move on. The first player to go through their deck wins.
It’s loud, chaotic, silly and so much fun. To get the full picture, check out the video on Amazon, where it currently sells for about $17.
Learning curve: Very easy
Players: 6-12
For ages: All ages
Estimated time: 30-60 seconds per round
4. Jackbox games
Ok, I get it. Video games are not board games. But I love playing Jackbox games on our Switch when people come over.
There are several packs available, with some of the more popular ones being Drawful, Fibbage and Quiplash.
An announcer will walk you through how to play the party games, which players can do on their phones. They are easy to play.
Secret Hitler is a secret roles game where players pass legislature to gain control (photo by BoardGameChick.com)
3. Secret Hitler
Secret Hitler is a hidden role game where it pays to be a good liar. I am not a good liar, so I find my heart racing every time I am the bad guy.
In this game, each player receives a hidden role card. The bad guys pretend to be good guys by passing legislature and trying to get Hitler in power.
Overall, this is a great board game that is beautifully done and includes wooden cards and foil playmats.
This game has provided hours of fun and has a high replay value.
At the time of this writing, Secret Hitler is on Amazon for $35.
Learning curve: Moderate
Players: 5-10
For ages: 17 and up
Estimated time: 45 mins
2. Telestrations
Telestrations is another light-hearted game with a concept that most players will be familiar with.
The game is similar to Pictionary but with the “Telephone Game” element. Players get a prompt to draw on a small whiteboard, they pass it to another payer who guesses what it is, and then the next player draws a photo of the previous player’s guess.
It’s funny to see what the end result is, which is usually not that close to the original phrase.
Learning curve: Easy Players: 4-8 For ages: 12 and up Estimated time: 30-60 mins
In this example, “easy to remember” is on the right and “hard to remember” is on the left. The “4” is the central placement a player wants their teammates to guess, but the red pointer is what they actually guessed. In this example, no points would be awarded for the guess (photo by BoardGameChick.com)
1. Wavelength
Wavelength is one of the new board games in my collection and I absolutely love it.
This game is a surprisingly great way to learn so much more about the folks you’re playing with. Not only is it a great party game, it’s become one of my favorite games to bring out at large gatherings lately.
Again, players break up into two teams. The “scale” is randomized each round.
Then, a player draws a card and takes a look at the scale. The card might say “Hot” on one side and “Cold” on the other. The player would think of a word that matches what the scale says. For example, if the scale is pointing to the hot side, “Coffee” could be the clue.
The scale will then be covered up again, and player’s teammates will guess the placement on the scale according to the clue.
Opposing team members can get points by guessing if the other team was correct or not.
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