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It's always fun to get together with friends, but adding in just the right game for the right group can make a gathering epic. In fact, fun group board games can help your group learn more about each other and bond, all while you're having a blast.
Before you pick out a game, it's key to keep in mind who you're playing with. For example, if you're playing with a group of acquaintances (or even some uptight family members), you may want to keep the content on the milder side with a fun trivia game. But if you're playing with your best friend since preschool, by all means, bring on the NSFW party games.
You'll also want to consider the style of game. If game night includes a dozen or more people, it's best to stick with verbal party games that include only a few pieces and minimal instructions. Otherwise, you could be dealing with total chaos. But if you're playing with a small, more introverted group, consider picking up a board or drawing-style game that's a little less intense.
No matter which route you go, finding the perfect fun group board game can make or break your night. Here's a list of some of the best options out there to help you kick your get-togethers up a notch.
1
The Best Game For Pop Culture Fanatics: What Do You Meme?
Number Of Players: 3-20
Game Play: As long as you want
The Gist: We all have that friend whose meme knowledge spans across time, genre, and social media platforms. Luckily, adult party game What Do You Meme? puts that database to the test. The goal? Create the funniest meme by pairing a caption card with whichever photo card (which are actual internet memes) is in play. At the end of each round, a judge will decide which meme wins, and whoever played the winning caption card takes the round.
What's Great About It: This game is super flexible — you can stop whenever you want and tally up everyone's score to declare a winner. Or not! It's up to you and your friends to decide how you want to play this hilarious, no-pressure party game.
2
The Best Game For A Tight-Knit Group: The Voting Game
Number Of Players: 5-10
Game Play: 30-60 minutes
The Gist: The tagline of The Voting Game is "Find out who your friends are," and with good reason. In this adult party game, a judge asks the group a single, often cringe-worthy, question. The rest of the group anonymously votes for who they think fits the bill, and players tally up their points at the end of each question to see who took the round.
What's Great About It: If you've been hanging out with the same group for a while, this party game can help uncover things about your friends you never knew. It's also extremely simple to play, so you won't get bogged down by weighty directions. Just pass out the cards and have fun!
3
The Best Game For New Friends: Hot Seat
Number Of Players: 4-10
Game Play: 30-60 minutes
The Gist: If you're planning a game night with new friends, consider picking up Hot Seat. In this adult icebreaker game, one person in the "hot seat" chooses three question cards, then picks the one they want to present to the group. The rest of the players write down how they think the person in the hot seat would answer the question. At the end of each round, the first person chooses the response that sounds the most like them.
What's Great About It: While some of the questions can be a little awkward, most are light and silly — perfect for getting to know your friends a little better. And because the stakes are pretty low, it's fun to make guesses about the other players and (most likely) won't result in all-out war.
4
The Best Fast-Paced Game: Exploding Kittens NSFW Edition
Number Of Players: 2-5 (Or, you can play with up to nine people if combine it with another deck.)
Game Play: 30+ minutes
The Gist: If you're into quick rounds and high stakes, Exploding Kittens: NSFW Edition hits all the right (and kind of grotesque) marks. It's basically the kitten version of Russian Roulette, as players draw cards until someone pulls the Exploding Kitten. Once that card is pulled, that player is out of the game — unless they can defuse it with cards featuring kitty-friendly things like catnip sandwiches or laser pointers. Players use the rest of the cards to get as far away from the Exploding Kittens as they can.
What's Great About It: The rounds can move super quick in this game, especially if someone pulls an Exploding Kitten right off the bat, so it never gets boring. Plus, the artwork was created by the artist from The Oatmeal, so you can be sure it's both hilarious and highly inappropriate.
5
The Best Drawing Game: Telestrations After Dark
Number Of Players: 4-8
Game Play: 15 minutes
The Gist: Telestrations is a fun mash-up of classic drawing games and telephone, only with way raunchier words. Each player gets their own mini whiteboard notebook and dry-erase marker to start. The group is shown a word or phrase and asked to draw what they see and then guess what they saw. Naturally, tons of miscommunication and awkward drawings tend to ensue for a rowdy game night experience.
What's Great About It: This game comes with over 1,200 words or phrases so it'll be a long time before you run out. And if you do, you can check out any of the expansion packs to add on.
6
The Best Role-Playing Game: One Night Ultimate Werewolf
Number Of Players: 3-10
Game Play: 10 minutes per round
The Gist: You can't trust anyone in One Night Ultimate Werewolf, a role-playing game that pits players against each other. To start, each player gets a role — a werewolf, seer, troublemaker, or another, each with their own special abilities. After a secret "night phase" where players switch roles, the group has only five minutes to figure out who is the werewolf in hiding.
What's Great About It: This game moves fast, and it changes every time you start a new round so you can never guess who's the werewolf. This game is also family-friendly, so feel free to invite younger players to join in.
7
The Best Trivia Game: Wits & Wagers Deluxe Edition
Number Of Players: 4+
Game Play: 25 minutes
The Gist: If you're itching to test your knowledge, Wits & Wagers Deluxe Edition is a great addition to your game night line-up. The best part? You don't even have to know the answers to win. After a question is asked, each player writes down their best guess. Then, the rest of the group bets on which answer they think is correct (or at least closest). Get ready for tons of debate and controlled chaos!
What's Great About It: There are a ton of different ways to play this game, including in teams, or by strategizing with other group members to collect the most points. With over 125 questions and tons of ways to play, this party game is sure to be a hit!
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