The Best Party Games

A party game is a board game that sets aside victory. The most important thing is to have a fun time with friends or family.

This does not mean that there will be no winners, on the contrary! The game will be very competitive sometimes, but what’s more important is that all players enjoy their time, regardless of the results. The rules are often very simple so that they’d be easily understood by all players. There will also be short games to allow you to play several rounds in a row.

Speed, problem solving, creativity, inventiveness and even bluffing. These are all skills you’re going to be constantly using while playing the games we have for you on this list.

Pigeon Pigeon

Pros:

• ✓ Lets your creativity run wild
• ✓ Fun gameplay
• ✓ A small game that can be taken anywhere

Cons:

• ✕ Using a notepad
• ✕ Can be too difficult for little children

Pigeon Pigeon is a best seller. It promises a lot of fun and playful moments, giving you room to express your humor and explore your imagination.

Accessible for players as young as 6 years old, this game can be played by at least 2 players, and has simple and easy to understand instructions.

The goal is simple: eliminate the other player or the other team. To do this, the team draws a card with a question and its correct answer. Then you have to invent two other completely false, but well-thought-out answers to make your opponents bet on the wrong answers and gain the bet chips! It is therefore necessary to find the right balance between coherent and completely offbeat answers!

Pigeon Pigeon is simply a perfect mix of bluff, quiz and humor!

Ratings:

• Comprehensibility of the rules: 5/5
• Entertainment: 4.5/5
• Replayability: 4/5

Contrario

Pros:

• ✓ Great for game nights
• ✓ Simple rules
• ✓ The contrarios can lead to some funny guesses

Cons:

• ✕ Determining whether the contrario is an antonym or a synonym can be tricky

Contrario is a fun game that can be easily played by anyone older than 12 years old. There are over 1300 contrarios that encompass several genres: Music, film, literature, history and many more. A contrario is a term that has been created by altering the original expression by using synonyms or antonyms.

The goal of the game is simple: Guess as many original expressions as possible. The cards contain several contrarios and clues that are meant to lead the players to guess the correct original expression, even though it could require some brain power to achieve that. If the players can’t guess the expression based on the contrario alone, then the two clues given can help them find the correct expression. So if the contrario is “diamond port” and the clue is “world war II,” what do you think the original expression is? It’s Pearl Harbor of course!

Ratings:

• Comprehensibility of the rules: 5/5
• Entertainment: 5/5
• Replayability: 4/5

Beat That!

Pros:

• ✓ 160 challenges for the whole family
• ✓ Many accessories provided
• ✓ Fast paced gameplay

Cons:

• ✕ Even though the challenges are fun, they could be a bit difficult sometimes

Beat That! is a great game to liven up your evenings with all its wild challenges! This game is accessible to players of 9 years old and over. You can play with 2 to 8 players thanks to the multiple accessories provided in the box.

Competition is in order and the goal is to win as many rounds as possible. You’ll discover 160 cards of different challenges that you will have to make from the accessories provided. The principle is easy to understand, a card is drawn and then read aloud. Players wager chips and all attempt to complete the challenge. The points are then validated and the winner is the one who obtains the most points. Cleverness, speed and skill will be the key words of your Beat That! evenings!

We find this game very entertaining as it has a nice rhythm that ensures a lot of cheerful moments!

Ratings:

• Comprehensibility of the rules: 4.5/5
• Entertainment: 5/5
• Replayability: 5/5

Killer Party

Pros:

• ✓ A game that animates an evening, a day or even a weekend
• ✓ Possibility to play with 50 players!
• ✓ Cheap and very entertaining

Cons:

• ✕ Games are long and require strategic setup

Killer Party takes place in parallel with an event such as a birthday, an evening, or a weekend. The game lasts at least 4 hours and can take up all the time of a weekend with family or friends. The game can be played by anyone who’s 14 years old and over. The game will require a bit of strategy to make sure it’s as entertaining as possible. The goal is simple, the organizer determines the order of the players. The first player must kill the second player who themselves must kill the third player. The last player must kill the first player.

The goal is to kill as many people as possible. Each time a player is killed, they give their mission card to the killer. The cards are distributed at the beginning of the game with the indications of the murder: the murderscene, the method, etc. 53 mission cards are available and are different according to the conditions of the murder but also the desired time of the game. It’s a perfect game to pit everyone against each other and show off your sneakiness!

Ratings:

• Comprehensibility of the rules: 4/5
• Entertainment: 4/5
• Replayability: 5/5

Time’s Up

Pros:

• ✓ Very engaging and exciting
• ✓ A game for the whole family
• ✓ 3 rounds for 3 times the fun

Cons:

• ✕ Cards can be remembered quickly if you play often and will eventually become memorized

Time’s up is available in several editions and is mainly played by young kids. Accessible to players who are 12 and older, the game places the teams in competition over 3 rounds. The principle of the game is quite simple: You have to uncover as many cards as possible in 30 seconds.

The first round consists of guessing the card by describing it. The second round uses the same cards as the first. This time, only one word is allowed. The last round prohibits speech. It will therefore be necessary to mimic the card. The team that guesses the most cards wins.

Ratings:

• Comprehensibility of the rules: 5/5
• Entertainment: 4.5/5
• Replayability: 4/5

Trial by Trolley

Pros:

• ✓ Discover the dark side of your friends!
• ✓ Learn to persuade other players
• ✓ Quite simple to understand

Cons:

• ✕ Need a table to play

Trial by Trolley is a game that’s played with both a card and a board. This atmospheric game can be played by players of 14 years old and over and takes place in just 15 minutes. It is therefore possible to complete several rounds in one evening!

The principle of the game is to make 2 teams. They each constitute a path using previously distributed cards. The goal is to let the unbreaking train crush the opposing path. Difficult to explain but ultra intuitive in play! Who are you going to crush? Between problem solving, black humor and decision making, this game is both challenging and funny!

Ratings:

• Comprehensibility of the rules: 4/5
• Entertainment: 4/5
• Replayability: 5/5

On Your Marks

Pros:

• ✓ Accessible to children
• ✓ Adrenaline and speed
• ✓ The rules are simple

Cons:

• ✕ Need a large space to play
• ✕ Limited to 5 players

An entertaining speed and observation game that can be played by anyone 7 years of age and older. The rules are simple and the games are fast. They simply depend on the players!

The game can be played by 2 to 5 players. Ideal for rainy days or even during the holidays. The principle is to draw a card and catch the brand logos with a suction cup as quickly as possible. Each logo is worth 1 point and 5 points if it is one of the 3 marks you selected at the start of the game on your secret objective!

All you need is a sharp mind, sharp eyesight and suction cup ready to grab the cards!

Ratings:

• Comprehensibility of the rules: 5/5
• Entertainment: 4/5
• Replayability: 4.5/5

Dobble

Pros:

• ✓ For the whole family
• ✓ A very compact and portable game
• ✓ Everyone has a chance!

Cons:

• ✕ No negative points for the Dobble!

With its simple rules and the possibility of playing from 6 years old, Dobble is the ideal family game. You can take it everywhere with you thanks to its very compact design, this game is a great companion for your vacation evenings.

It is possible to play with 2 people and up to 8. The goal is to be the fastest to find the matching symbols on the different cards of each player. Whoever finds the symbol first wins the card. The objective is to collect the most cards to win the game. Keep an eye out and don’t miss your chance.

Dobble is available in several versions but the principle is always the same. To get you even more entertained, alternative rules and mini-games are available in each box!

Ratings:

• Comprehensibility of the rules: 4.5/5
• Entertainment: 5/5
• Replayability: 5/5

JetLag

Pros:

• ✓ Hilarious to watch your opponents mix up the answers
• ✓ Funny trivia
• ✓ Multiple themes

Cons:

• ✕ Can be too complicated for children as they wouldn’t know the expressions

Accessible from the age of 12, JetLag is a game that requires memory and concentration. This party game is extremely easy to understand and will be ideal for livening up your evenings. After a drink or two, it will be even more hilarious. A player reads you a common expression or movie name. At the first expression, you do not answer. You only start from the second but will respond to the first. This shift ensures a mix of very funny answers!

The goal is to stay focused and answer correctly. Use your memory to guess the most expressions you can to earn points. The design of the game is compact and can accompany you everywhere. To spice up the game even more, you can shift the answers by 2 or 3 expressions instead of just 1!

Ratings:

• Comprehensibility of the rules: 5/5
• Entertainment: 5/5
• Replayability: 4/5

Sketch It

Pros:

• ✓ Discover the drawing talent of your friends
• ✓ Can be played by 8 players
• ✓ Fun rules

Cons:

• ✕ Rather expensive to buy
• ✕ Choice between 6 or 8 player versions

Sketch It is the drawing version of the popular children’s game telephone. Each player has their sketchbook. The game is also available in 6 or 8 player versions with more or less notebooks and markers. The first player draws a card and makes the first drawing. The neighbor must guess the drawing and draw in turn. Beware of misunderstandings and miscommunications so that the last player can find the original drawing.

The game is even funnier if the players aren’t the best of painters. An hourglass is included in the box so that you can tell how much time you have left. The game is well-designed and comes complete with everything you need to draw.

Ratings:

• Comprehensibility of the rules: 4.5/5
• Entertainment: 5/5
• Replayability: 4/5

Shit Happens

Pros:

• ✓ Dark humor for lots of fun
• ✓ Put political correctness aside for one fun night
• ✓ Convenient to carry
• ✓ Many game combinations

Cons:

• ✕ For adults only

Shit Happens is a game that’s for adults only. It is played in about 30 minutes with at least 2 players. The players will be making fun of political correctness and deride everyday hassles for an inappropriate but irresistibly funny black humor. This game enlivens your evenings thanks to the fairly simple rules and multiple combinations that will be renewed with each game!

The goal is to reach 7 cards first. You start the game with 3 cards with everyday struggles, some of which are highly exaggerated. A shitometer index is at the bottom of the card, ranging from 0 to 100. The player draws a card, hides the shitometer index and shows it to the other players; their neighbor must successfully classify the card according to the clues of the cards they already have. If the guess is correct, they win the card and in turn draw a new card.

Ratings:

• Comprehensibility of the rules: 4.5/5
• Entertainment: 5/5
• Replayability: 5/5

Don’t Drop the Soap

Pros:

• ✓ Fairly simple rules
• ✓ A quick start of the game
• ✓ A lot of fun with some really nice jokes!

Cons:

• ✕ Not suitable for younger children

This game is quite simple. The goal is to get rid of all your cards and not to be stuck with the soap card. Accessible from 18 years old, the game is played very quickly between 5 and 15 minutes, which is great as it allows you to renew the games. You can play with 3 to 6 people.

7 soap cards are present in the game and 52 regular cards. You must play all the cards in your pile, getting rid of the soap if you have one. If you are stuck with the soap at the end, you lose. The illustrations in this game are very interesting and well thought out. You just have to like prison jokes!

Ratings:

• Comprehensibility of the rules: 5/5
• Entertainment: 5/5
• Replayability: 5/5

How to Choose a Party Game?

Age

The age required to play a party game, like all board games, is written on the box. It is important to take this criterion into consideration, especially when you want to play with children.

Some games are not suitable for children because of:

• Complicated rules
• Need to be aware of references
• General knowledge
• Profanity

The Number of Players

Depending on your gaming habits, the configuration of your family or your number of friends, you can choose your party game according to the number of players required.

This number is always indicated on the box. In some card games, nothing prevents you from modifying the rules to play with more than the number of players indicated!

The Duration of the Game

Are you planning on a full evening of gaming? Or rather over an hour before dinner time? Choose your game according to the time you want to play it for.

Party games are usually short games, lasting no more than an hour. There are some longer games but those also depend on the number of players, the speed of play of each player, etc. The estimated duration is written on the box.

The Theme of the Game

Trash humor below the belt, dark humor or rather good-natured play, a multitude of themes are available to you. Party games are often related to the first two categories. Who doesn’t like an inappropriate joke every now and then?

You can also find party games of strategy, speed or where you have to memorize information. These kinds of games are not confined to a certain category of themes and this makes it possible to be enjoyed by everyone!

FAQs

• Are there party games for children? 
  • Party games are usually meant for adults and older teenagers. They liven up the evenings and are often games with profane terms, inappropriate jokes and black humor. Some party games are good-natured and suitable for children from 6 years old, but they are becoming rarer. These games are dedicated to family time, during the holidays, for example.
• Do party games have to be in card format?
  • No, party games can come in different formats, cards or board games, but it is true that they are very often found in card and compact formats to make them convenient for transport!
• How do I choose the right game?
  • Watch videos of the gameplay, read the manuals thoroughly, take a good look at the game presentation photos to carefully scrutinize every detail!

Comparison Table