Joseph works as an editor in one of the magazines dedicated to video games. Here, at RecRoomPick, he’s given the opportunity to enjoy the reverse of the medal – the no less engaging world of offline games.
Ryan knows everything when it comes to gaming, both online and offline. Since his early years he’s been in love with arcades, air hockey, and foosball. Finally, he’s given the opportunity to share his knowledge and opinion on the hobby of his life (and even get paid for it!).
Last updated: November 16, 2024
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If you are looking for an awesome way to save any party or to brighten up boring events, then you have come to the right place. We are here to help you choose out of a great variety of the best party board games on the market.
We spent several hours researching various board games, including their individual features and feedback from verified buyers, to bring you the top-rated fun and addictive games for any occasion. Among the seven games we reviewed, Cards Against Humanity stood out the most for providing great value for money and accommodating the largest number of players as well as varied gameplay, which includes preposterous alternate game rules that add an amusing aspect to this board game. With a single session lasting 30 to 90 minutes, you can look forward to enjoying an entertaining and competitive game with your family and friends.
Before making your purchase, you should consider the number of players the game can accommodate in a single session, the recommended age, the time it takes to play it, and the included accessories. The best party board games are more inclusive because they allow for more participants, while the recommended age helps you to establish the most suitable game for your intended players in terms of complexity and type of gameplay. Accessories, such as expansion packs and additional gaming tools provide more playing options. Our review includes a comparison table, detailed reviews of each product and an all-encompassing buying guide with an in-depth analysis of the key features.
"A timeless party board game that can be played with alcohol or without it and will definitely reveal some curious secrets your friends might be not willing to speak about in everyday life."
Cards Against Humanity is marketed as a party game for horrible people and America’s #1 gerbil coffin. Considering its massive sales, truly impressive ratings, and widespread popularity as one of the best party board games of all time, there are an awful lot of us who delight in the distasteful and obscene themes and the ridiculous and entertaining gameplay of this product.
This version has been upgraded with 50 more cards to make a total of 600 cards consisting of 500 white cards with answers and 100 black cards with questions or phrases. This provides a high capacity for more than 20 players, aged 17 years and above, to participate in a single session that typically lasts for 30 to 90 minutes.
Upon purchase, you will also receive a booklet of sensible game rules which are easy to learn and play as well as preposterous alternate rules. At the start of each round, one player is chosen as the judge who will draw a Black card with a phrase or question that needs to be answered or completed. The rest of the players receive 10 White cards to answer the question or complete the phrase. Players submit the White Cards with their best answers to the judge who selects the best pairing. If the judge chooses your White card, you earn a point.
Buyers love the anything-goes brazenness and bizarreness of this party board game, its large capacity for group play, and the numerous cards which offer high replayable value with tons of outcomes and little to no downtime. Expansion packs are available separately.
This game provides the best opportunity to boast about your adventurous life and find out who among your friends have been through similar crazy and hilarious experiences. Make sure you are playing with people you can be comfortable and shameless with because you may reveal sexual histories or embarrassing hobbies such as sniffing dirty underwear.
Never Have I Ever comes with 550 Rule and Play cards to accommodate a minimum of four participants and as many as 12 players, or more. It is recommended for players who are 17 years and above.
Before starting the game, all the Rule Cards are placed on the table and each player is given 10 Play Cards. To play, you pick a Rule Card and read the directions aloud to find out what you must do for that round, and then place the card facing up on the table. If you are guilty of a Play Card, you win it and keep it face up. The first person to get 10 Play Cards wins.
This is the best party board game for adults who enjoy hilarious and risqué entertainment with friends who won’t judge them. It is like a more vulgar version of Cards Against Humanity. Alternative game rules are included with the package, and you can buy different types of expansion packs separately. These packs are ideal because the rule cards repeat some of the instructions.
WHAT DO YOU MEME? comes with an easel, bonus rules, and a total of 435 cards made of thick material with gloss finish. The cards consist of 360 Caption cards and 75 postcard-sized Photo cards with meme images. Teenagers who are familiar with millennial slang and popular internet memes would find this the best board games for teens party if it were not for the crude and profane language of the Caption cards. The good news is that these cards feature regular and adult captions so you can remove the inappropriate ones to make it more family-friendly and appropriate for older teenagers.
In each round, a rotating judge selects a Photo card and displays it on the easel while each of the other players draws 7 Caption cards and selects the best one to pair with that Photo card to complete the meme. The judge chooses the funniest pairing for the best combination, and whoever played the winning Caption card wins that round. The player with the most winning Caption cards wins the game.
This is a funny and engaging game because each player gets a chance to be a judge, and the large number of Caption cards allows for up to 20 players aged 17 years and above to play in a single session that lasts from 30 to 90 minutes.
We appreciate the availability of eight expansion packs for separate purchase because the relatively fewer Photo cards compared to the Caption cards can limit this game’s replayability. Some customers have also customized the game with their own printed photos for a personal touch and extended gameplay.
Drunk Stoned or Stupid board game comes with 250 cards and an apt and hilarious disclaimer from the manufacturer that states that they are not liable for any loss of friendships or fights that happen before, during or after playing. This is because you will find yourself accused of outrageous things, coerced into admitting guilt, laughing at unexpected votes, or creatively arguing out your vote.
It is similar to Player Ten The Voting Game because players read the question on the card aloud, and then vote for the player who fits that question the most. However, this game takes the social aspect to another level because the voting is not anonymous, and all the participants try to influence the player’s choice on whom to tag after he or she receives the card from a rotating judge, making this the best party board games for adults and older teenagers with thick skin and a sense of humor.
The budget-friendly game also differs from other board games in terms of what is considered winning. Once you have tagged a player, you have to convince them to accept it, or they will successfully defend themselves and tag another player. The judge makes the final decision on the player who should get tagged, and the first player to be tagged with 7 cards loses the game.
This product is recommended for a minimum of 4 players who are 17 years, or older. Owners particularly like the low pricing, the capacity for several participants, and the funny explanations given by players to justify why a particular player deserves to be tagged. The deck soon grows old, but you can purchase expansion packs separately. Some of the slang may also require web savviness.
This is one game that reinforces the need to confirm the recommended age before buying the best new party board games, or else you will put your children in a very awkward and embarrassing situation. Featuring explicit language, unethical debates, nudity, and sexual content, this board game will get you questioning where you went wrong in life. If you are a pearl-clutching prude, then you should stay away from Disturbed Friends – This party game should be banned.
The game is recommended for 4 to 10 players who are at least 21 years old. It comes with 250 question cards, 100 winning cards, 10 sets of voting cards, and game rules.
When it is your turn on the hot seat, you pick a question card and read it out loud, the other players vote for the answer they think you chose and then turn their voting cards face down. When you give out your answer, the other players turn over their cards to reveal their answers. The players who were correct in their prediction of your answer receive a hilarious cartoon winning card. Players continue to take turns picking question cards and reading them out loud until the game is won by the first player to get 10 winning cards. A single session lasts for 20-90 minutes.
This bestseller which adds humor and raunchiness to any rendezvous, is rated one of the best adult party board games, and you can purchase an expansion pack with 110 additional cards.
Not everyone appreciates the dark and twisted humor of this game. A number of buyers have been offended by some of its prejudices.
Exploding Kittens Card Game provides the best family party board games for parents who are looking for a child-friendly game with clean fun that can be played by kids from the age of 7 years, fans of Oatmeal webcomic and anyone with a warped sense of humor.
It comes with 56 cards and gaming instructions for 2 to 5 players, and you can add up to 9 participants with 2 decks of cards.
It is a fast game that takes around 2 minutes to learn the rules, with a playing session lasting approximately 15 minutes. Despite this, it does require a fair degree of strategizing, which older family members will find appealing.
Players take turns to draw a card from the deck on the table. If you draw a card with an exploding kitten, you are eliminated from the game, but if you pick a Defuse Card you can use laser pointers, kitten yoga, and catnip sandwiches to distract the exploding kitten. The other cards help you to stall for time by skipping your turn, attack the other players by taking their cards, view the next cards in the deck, and prevent an explosion by relocating an exploding kitten card.
This is one of the best new party board games which is popular with buyers for its affordability and family entertainment, as evidenced by the large volume of sales. You can also buy an expansion pack with 20 additional cards or the explicit NSFW edition for adults. The main drawback is the limited number of players.
Player Ten The Voting Game is rated among the best board games for adults party with hilarious feedback that will help you learn more about your friends and find out their perceptions of you.
Each player is assigned a number and receives number cards for the rest of the players for voting purposes. The question on the drawn question card is read out aloud and participants vote anonymously for the player that they think is best suited by that question. After the voting results are revealed, players then get one guess at the person who voted for them. If they guess correctly, they win a point. The first player to earn 10 points wins the game.
The voting game includes 160 question cards with a variety of safe and salacious questions for 5 to 10 players. You can remove the explicit content to suit your target audience or to make it palatable for players who might be easily offended by some of the opinions.
Customers like the hilarity that ensues from this game as well its compact package and varied gameplay, which allows you to alter the rules. It also offers a substantial session of 30 to 90 minutes of entertainment.
Since players vote for the person they think is best described by the question on the card, it is ideal for players who know each other pretty well. This makes it unsuitable for people who have to rely only on first impressions. Buyers also wish the game could be played by more than 10 players for larger group play at parties.
What are our favorite features?
A mixture of clean and raunchy content
Fun and engaging
Compact
Varied gameplay
Easy to learn
Great for close friends
What could be better?
Few players
May feel exclusive
Things to Consider
We have reviewed the most important features to consider before buying the best board games for a dinner party, family game nights and other social events. Prioritizing these features will help you to identify fun and highly-interactive party games that will leave the participants guffawing and giddy with glee, not blasé with eyes glazing over. We have also included the elements that constitute a good party board game as well as a helpful FAQ section.
What makes a good party board game?
To choose the best family party board games, look for these aspects in your prospective products:
Entertainment, engagement, and suitability for the intended audience.
Variable gameplay options to accommodate the age, skills, and preferences of different family members.
Large player capacity to include more participants.
Customizable gaming time to avoid downtime and boredom.
Expansion packs to upgrade the best new party board games and extend their player capacity and replayability value.
Features to consider before buying a party board game
Below are the definitive features that will help you to identify the best family party board games for clean fun or the best party board games for adults who don’t mind explicit entertainment.
Recommended age
This is the most prominent feature to look out for when shopping for the best party board games of all time to ensure it is suitable for your target audience in terms of theme, complexity, and gameplay.
Games such as Exploding Kittens Card Game is a family-friendly game that is recommended for players who are 7 years, or older. It comes with 52 cute cards with cartoons illustrated by Oatmeal, and the game lasts for approximately 15 minutes, making it an ideal choice for children who may have shorter attention spans and would be bored by lengthy sessions. It also takes around two minutes to learn the simple rules.
Comparatively, some of the best adult party board games feature explicit and inappropriate themes which can place you in an embarrassing situation if you were to play them with some family members, colleagues or, worse, members of your church choir who might be so offended that they might just engineer your excommunication afterward.
For the best board games for teens party, consider products like WHAT DO YOU MEME? with pop culture, social media slang, and trendy themes which teenagers deem the in-thing.
The Player Ten the Voting Game is versatile because it comes with explicit cards as well as silly and humorous cards that are safe for the whole family so you can choose the cards that will suit your target audience.
Number of players
The numerous games on the market vary in their capacity for the number of players that can participate in a single session. Ideally, a large number of players is preferable in the best board games for a dinner party or for a social event because you can involve as many people as possible. A large capacity also allows you to reduce the number of playing items to customize it for a smaller gathering.
The Exploding Kittens Card Game is suitable for sleepovers and gaming nights for a small family because it can only accommodate a maximum of 5 players at once whereas the Cards Against Humanity and the WHAT DO YOU MEME? can be played by 20 players, making them great choices for the best party board games of all time with numerous participants for group play.
Time it takes to play it
Another decisive factor you should consider is the length of the single session that can match the age, personality, and gameplay preferences of your target players. Children are likely to be bored by a long game with complex strategies and immersive gameplay, so the fast-paced Exploding Kittens Card Game, which takes approximately 15 minutes before it ends would be more appealing to them. A quick game is also handy when you are in a hurry or on a short break with colleagues.
Teenagers and adults favor the best new party board games, which last longer to provide plenty of interaction among players and extended gameplay. This could range from a minimum of 30 minutes to a maximum of 3 hours. Great examples of products with substantial length of gameplay lasting for up to 90 minutes include the WHAT DO YOU MEME?, the Player Ten The Voting Game and the Cards Against Humanity.
Other suitable options are the Drunk Stoned or Stupid, and the Never Have I Ever which come with 250 and 550 words respectively. The numerous cards and the high level of interaction involved in these models make the games last for a while with no downtime.
What’s included
The best board games for adults party come with cards that differ in their number depending on the model you choose. Additionally, they may include alternative game rules such as the ones that come with the Never Have I Ever or the easel found in the WHAT DO YOU MEME? game.
You will also notice that the best party board games of all time go through various stages of development to upgrade the packs with additional features and content that increase their player capacity and replayability value while reducing downtime. These expansion packs, which are available for all the products we have recommended, are usually purchased separately.
Extra features
Bonus apps: Knowing how teenagers are addicted to the best board games for teens party, some manufacturers have made software applications for their games so teenagers can download them and play anywhere.
QR codes: These are codes printed on cards to allow players to scan them for more information online.
Cards and playboard design: Consider the design of the paying tools for durable construction material, compact storage, and portable transport for gaming sessions. The WHAT DO YOU MEME? features cards made of thick material with gloss finish while the Player Ten The Voting Game has been widely praised by buyers for its convenient size.
All the featured games are portable because they do not include bulky boards which can add size and weight to the package, but the Player Ten The Voting Game tops them all and has received several positive ratings for its compact packaging which makes it easy to store or take it with you for sleepovers, parties, and outdoor games.
Although the majority of the products we have listed are recommended for teenagers who are at least 17 years old and other adults, the WHAT DO YOU MEME? would the best board games for teens party because it features trendy internet slang and images that would appeal to teenagers, and it comes with Regular and Adult Caption cards. The Player Ten The Voting Game combines raunchy and family-friendly themes that can be easily customized for teenagers.
Despite the name of the Drunk Stoned or Stupid board game, none of the board games in this review involve alcohol. However, some of the products above are party board games recommended for adults, and parties often involve alcohol. Adult players may also alter the rules to transform the board game into a drinking game. The Never Have I Never is often played with alcohol. Players take a gulp each time the card says something they actually did in their lives.
Wrapping It Up
Despite its inappropriate and obscene nature, few cards can compete with the Cards Against Humanity in terms of popularity, crazy and ridiculous gameplay, ardent fans, and high ratings, making it our Editor’s Choice as well as the best party board games of all time.
The Never Have I Ever won us over with its combination of numerous cards, alternative game rules, interesting storyline, and risqué and revealing entertainment, which will differentiate between the puritans and the perverts among your friends and provide the best party board games for adults.
Our third pick is the WHAT DO YOU MEME? which we also consider as the best board game for teens party due to its large capacity of up to 20 players, internet lingo and popular memes, and its blend of Adult and Regular Caption cards, which makes it easy to customize the game for different audiences.