Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors’ opinions or evaluations.
Whether they require light strategy, fuel conversations or are just straight nonsense, party board games change the mood of any friend or family gathering. We talked to board game designers and avid players to learn which party board games are guaranteed to liven up the party.
What Makes a Board Game Great for Parties?
“This is a trick question because ‘board’ games aren’t good for groups larger than the number of players. Nothing kills a party atmosphere faster than watching somebody else roll dice for an hour,” says Evelyn Martin, brand activation expert at Directionless Creative and party gamer extraordinaire.
What makes a board game great for parties isn’t the board game itself, but a game that matches your group’s vibe. For instance, the board game you choose for a lively New Year’s party will be different from the game you choose for a strategy game night for four people.
“The best party games are easy to explain in under five minutes, get people laughing or talking right away and most importantly, keep everyone involved from start to finish,” says Alex Mackey, co-founder of Lethal Chicken Games, a board game company. “If a game sidelines players (like Exploding Kittens does once someone’s eliminated), it can stall the party vibe.” In general, party board games should be:
- Easy to learn
- Quick to set up
- Quick to play
- Able to accommodate a crowd
- Structured so people can come and go without disrupting gameplay
Top Party Board Games To Try
Martin has hosted over 50 game parties at her house and hundreds of group events for her clients, and Mackey designs party games. These are their favorite party games and the ones that Martin has seen liven up groups the most:
- Catchphrase. The best party game for groups of any size, of any age, is Catchphrase. It’s fast, interactive, vocal (not sitting silently around a board), high energy, different every time, and people can join or leave whenever. “If you gave me an entire games store, told me I could only keep one party game, I would pick Catchphrase 99/100 times,” says Martin.
- Jackbox Games, especially the version with Drawful and Fibbage. You play on your TV, and people’s phones are the controllers, so it scales up to let more people play than just the standard four controllers of a video game.
- The Chameleon: This game is all about “lighter bluffing and quick laughs,” says Mackey. It’s also quick to learn and easy to play.
- One Night Ultimate Werewolf: This game has fast resets, so no one is stuck waiting for a new game to start, which is great for large groups where people don’t want to commit to a long board game.
- Dumb Questions to Ask Your Friends (Big Potato): “The questions are hilarious on their own,” says Mackey. This game is the perfect icebreaker for getting a party started.
Read More: Best Board Games
The perfect party board game depends on your group’s dynamics and interests. Mackey distinguishes four types of games based on how your groups interact with each other:
- For creative or storytelling groups, funny combination games like Apples to Apples and Catchphrase are bound to please. If you have a smaller group, a longer strategy game like Catan might also be a good one because it takes more thought than a simple party game.
- For competitive groups, social deduction games like Codenames and The Chameleon are good choices.
- For high-energy groups that like to get moving, games that involve action and skill will get the group excited. So, think of games like Twister, Jackbox Games and Catchphrase.
- For chill and more talkative groups, anything that includes conversation starters or trivia will be a hit, like Dumb Questions to Ask Your Friends or Wits & Wagers.
Party Games for Small vs. Large Groups
For small groups, you can get away with games that take a bit longer or require turns. Games like Spaceteam, Codenames and Exploding Kittens are great for groups of 4 to 6. If your group likes strategy games, Catan, 7 Wonders and Azul are options. These games take a bit longer to play and involve more thinking, but they are still a lot of fun.
Larger groups, on the other hand, need a different approach to board gaming. With groups of seven or more players, it can be hard to keep everyone engaged, especially if they have to wait for their turn to play. So instead, choose games that have the entire group interact, like Apples to Apples or Telestrations.
Top Party Games for Different Age Groups
Party games for kids verge on the edge of silly, whereas party board games for teens and adults involve a little more thinking or strategy (but not much more, because they have to be easy to play).
Where To Buy Party Board Games
You can buy party board games at any major retailer or online. But if you want unique party games or something your friend group hasn’t seen before, you should check out local game stores. The retail workers at these shops are often game enthusiasts and experts, so they can point you toward the right game for your group.
You can also find good deals on used board games at thrift stores or online resale websites.
Party Board Games Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can party games be played with just two people?
Party games that are trivia-based, like Catchphrase and Taboo, are the best to play with just two people. Many party games are designed for larger groups, but are possible to play with just two people if you adapt the rules.
Are there party board games for families and kids?
There are many party games geared toward families with kids. Apples to Apples, Connect 4 Frenzy and Twister are classic party board games for family fun.
What’s the average duration of a party board game?
Most party board games are designed to be played quickly, and many last between 15 and 30 minutes.
Are party board games able to be replayed or one-time use?
Party board games can absolutely be replayed, but be prepared to see some prompts repeatedly.