Best Adult Party Board Games You Need To Play
Looking for the best adult party board games for your next game night? You and your friends are going to have a fantastic time playing one of these top-rated 2021 best adult party board games.
It’s time to put down the phones, pull out a board game and get about the business of having fun with friends and family. There is no better way to spend time together than playing a board game to create a fun and memorable time together.
If you’re looking for party game ideas for adults or the best board games, I’ve got you covered. Below, I have rounded up the best adult board games to order online and have them sent right to your door.
Best party board games for adults list
To help you find the best game suited for your next party, I have given you some information about each game. Next, I give you the number of players, the age the game is appropriate for, a pro to buying the game, and how long it takes to play. Finally, I share with you an Amazon review that will be helpful for you to decide if you want to purchase the game for your next party.
Telestrations After Dark
Everything’s better after dark! Our favorite party game is all grown up. Telestrations After Dark is the adults-only version of the #1 LOL party board game Telestrations. Draw what you see, then guess what You saw for hilarious, weird, irresponsible, and just plain wrong outcomes. Telestrations After Dark is “adults only” and is miscommunication at its best!
- Number of Players: 4 – 8 players
- Age: 17+
- Pro: Fun all adults game
- Play Time: 15 min
Amazon Review
“This game is awesome and hilarious. It has provided hours of fun at parties I’ve gone, too, and people always ask why this isn’t as well known as Cards Against Humanity, which would be a comparable game. This is the adult version, so it could definitely get awkward if you are with the family and don’t want to see your mom drawing a giant xxxxx. Still, it’s super fun to play regardless. Not for kids as they wouldn’t get some of the references, and it would be inappropriate.”
Off Topic
Play this quick-witted game with friends for a good laugh. Draw a card to set the topics, and roll the die to select the letter that your responses must begin with. As you race against time, your answers will get a little outrageous and a little OFF TOPIC! If you take this game too seriously, you’re not playing it right.
- Number of Players: 2 – 8 players
- Age: 17+
- Pro: Perfect game for laughter
- Play Time: 30 to 90 minutes
Amazon Review
“What a great game for adult game night. I played with friends and laughed till it hurt! I am sending out recommendations to friends; this is a must-have for any get-together. The game is simple to explain, which gets you going quickly, and the 20 sided die makes each time different. My friends quickly came up with multiple ways to turn this into a drinking game!”
Photosynthesis
Welcome to the world of Photosynthesis, the green strategy board game! Plant and shape the ever-changing forest as you cultivate your seeds and your strategy. Take your trees through their life-cycle, from seedling to full bloom to rebirth, and earn points as their leaves collect energy from the revolving sun’s rays. Carefully pick where you sow and when you grow, as trees in the shadows are blocked from light and from points. This game features realistic gameplay and beautiful graphics.
- Number of Players: 2 -4
- Age: 8+
- Pro: Highly competitive
- Play Time: 30 – 60 minutes
Amazon Review
Don’t be fooled by the beautiful artwork or the adorable little illustrated animals are hidden within the components. Photosynthesis is a vicious abstract strategy game, and it’s probably the best use of thematic gameplay for any tabletop game in 2017. It’s worthy of being equated with other top-tier uses of theme in designing gameplay, such as Shadows Over Camelot, Blood Rage, and just about anything produced by Fantasy Flights.
Drink-a-Polooza
DRINK-A-PALOOZA is a great way to get the party started! This is the adult party board game of all party games. DRINK-A-PALOOZA, combines the skills of Pong, Quarters, Flip Cup, and more into one wild and crazy board game. Put the “game” in pregame or spend the whole night sipping, flipping, bouncing, and rolling your way around the best party game out there! Perfect for your next barbecue, bachelor party, dorm party, pregame, or night in! Your going to have so much fun but be careful. You might not remember it the next day.
- Number of Players: 2 – 12
- Age: 21+
- Pro: Combines all the best drinking games into one competition
- Play Time: Not stated
Amazon Review
“Oh goodness, where do I start? I love this game, I played this with 3 other people, and the game only gets better with the more people that play. If you hate just drinking and sitting around, or if you want to be the life of the party, BUY THIS GAME. Trust me won’t say you won’t regret it. 2-12 people can play. This game is the party. Be the one to start a party off right!”
Family Feud Blockbuster, Party Quiz Board Game
This is a great addition to every family’s game closet. Popular television game show now with a movie twist! Name something a movie hero can’t do without. Name a movie whose soundtrack features at least one song by The Beatles. Name an actress that won an Academy Award for Best Actress in the 80’s. Challenge friends and family to provide the most popular answers to hundreds of survey questions like this, all about movies, on-screen, and off.
- Number of Players: Up to 20
- Age: 12+
- Pro: Can set up team play
- Play Time: Does not state
Amazon Review
“This is a really fun game, but many of the questions in here are difficult. I do not recommend this game at all unless a person is thoroughly familiar with actresses, actors, directors and has seen many different films from all of the genres.”
Catan Board Game (25th Anniversary Edition)
An addictive strategy game that players build and settle the Island of CATAN. Players control their own civilization and look to spread across a modular hex board in a competition for victory points. Whether you play as a family, a board game group, or via video conference as you stay at home, CATAN is a social game that provides a good time and plenty of opportunities for player interaction.
- Number of Players: 4
- Age: 10+
- Pro: Can have tournaments & has expansion packs
- Play Time: 60 minutes
Amazon Review
“LOVE this game! We quickly learned the rules, which, to my old head at least, at first sounded rather complicated – it’s anything BUT. Lots of fun to get the family around a board game again and away from the video games and cell phones. The strategy is simple: collect resource cards (sheep, brick, stone, straw, and lumber) in order to build settlements, expand roads, and eventually build cities. Resources can be traded with other players, and rewards can be claimed (longest road, largest “army”), and as you work your way through the process of developing the land, the first player to reach ten points wins.”
Risk (60th Anniversary Edition)
This has been one of the most popular board games for generations. Betrayal. Alliances. Surprise attacks. The risk game continues to be one of the world’s most popular and influential strategic board games decades after its inception. This special 60th-anniversary edition of the risk game celebrates its legacy with premium packaging and game pieces. For true risk fans, the included game guide reveals the history of the risk strategy game. It also features 5 ways to play the risk board game, including the classic game plus the original 1957 La conquete du monde rules.
- Number of Players: Up to 5
- Age: 10+
- Pro: Easy to learn but very strategic game
- Play Time: 1 – 8 hours
Amazon Review
“As someone who has enjoyed this game for almost 30 years, I have owned many sets/editions. This is my favorite by far. The superb quality of the box leather-like straps.To the detailed map board and cards! Even the textures/details of the soldiers are amazing. This set actually came with a few extra soldiers for each color”.
Ticket to Ride
Ticket to Ride is a cross-country train adventure where players collect and play matching train cards to claim railway routes connecting cities through North America! Grabe your ticket and hop on for board game night.
- Number of Players: 2 – 5
- Age: 8+
- Pro: Fast-paced
- Play Time: 60 minutes
Amazon Review
“Simple to learn, it takes one game to get to grips with the mechanic, and after that, the strategy and tactics elements are easy to develop from there, and you get a deeper experience the more you play it. The scoring is really effective in creating excitement, particularly towards the end of a game, and the gameplay rewards both risky and conservative approaches, depending on how the board develops.”
University Games Smart Ass
This outrageous, fast-paced party game will have the whole gang in hysterics within minutes. This is the game for players who have been bursting to scream out the answer even when it’s not their turn. Each Who, What, or Where a question has eight clues – the first player to yell out the correct answer wins the round and takes a step closer to being the ultimate ‘Smart A**’
- Number of Players: 2 – 6
- Age: 12+
- Pro: Very entertaining for everyone
- Play Time: 15 to 30 minutes
Amazon Review
“My family loves trivia games- really any type of competition- and this game is one of the funniest we have ever played.
Secret Hitler
Secret Hitler is a dramatic game of political intrigue and betrayal set in 1930’s Germany. Players are secretly divided into two teams – liberals and fascists. Known only to each other, the fascists coordinate to sow distrust and install their cold-blooded leader. The liberals must find and stop the Secret Hitler before it’s too late.
- Number of Players: 5-10
- Age: 13+
- Pro: Funny game for a large group
- Play Time: 30 – 60 minutes
Amazon Review
“Secret Hitler is an amazing game! If you like secret identity genre board games, this is the one for you! A good way to describe it is similar to Werewolf. Still, without the major game mechanic flaw, people don’t get randomly killed off immediately, so everyone has a lot of time deciding who the Fascists are and make their case to each other by discussion/argumentation. “
Carcassonne
Inspired by the medieval fortress city of the same name, Carcassonne is a modern classic tile-laying game with easy-to-learn rules and endless strategy. Players take turns drawing and placing tiles to lay out the landscape of Carcassonne, placing meeples on the map as the medieval countryside grows. Score points throughout the game by claiming and completing various features, including roads, cities, fields, and monasteries.
- Number of Players: 2 -5
- Age: 7+
- Pro: Easy to learn and good for larger groups
- Play Time:
Amazon Review
“This game is a wonderful option for those who like simple and complex games alike. The game is for 2-5 players, and it is equally fun regardless of the size of your group! The game comes with a base city/road beginner piece for simplicity, but this particular version also has The River and The Abbot Mini Expansion Pack. You can choose to play with or without the expansion. Game time is anywhere from 15-45 minutes depending on a number of players and whether your group plays fast or likes conversation and enjoying a glass of wine or bowl of ice cream.”
Labyrinth
Search for treasure deep within the twisting maze! The playing board constantly changes, so no two games are ever the same! The cards will determine your quest. Looking for the Dragon? How many routes can you take and also foil your opponents? Try to gain the advantage by inserting the extra tile to move walls and open passages of the labyrinth. Block and advance is the strategy! The first play to reach all of their treasure wins!
- Number of Players: 2-4
- Age: 7+
- Pro: Easy game to play with quick rounds and has expansion packs
- Play Time: 20-30 minutes
Amazon Review
“This game has reinvigorated my love for board games. Having now played it many times both as a mid-30s couple and with our children (one of which is only 6 and manages to play along well). It’s a great game for getting your brain to think outside the box, and the constantly evolving board means it plays out differently every time. The”
Codenames Deep Undercover
Two rival spymasters know the secret identities of 25 agents. Their teammates know the agents only by their CODENAMES. Codenames: Deep Undercover is an adults-only, mature version of Codenames using the same popular game mechanics but introduces all-new words, packaging, “bystanders,” and art. A new twist is added with blank cards, allowing players to introduce their own words to the game. In Codenames: Deep Undercover, two teams compete to see who can first contact all of their agents.
- Number of Players: 4 – 8
- Age: 16+
- Pro: This is the best game for large adult-only groups
- Play Time: 15 – 25 minutes
Amazon Review
“Both this and the original are a super fun family party game of strategy inside jokes and bloopers. This is the adult version, so before warned, all the words are at all words and crude. I had to look a few up weren’t sure what somewhere, but I played this with my parents, and it was hysterical hearing them give clues about dirty words. “
Kingdom Builder
Kingdom Builder is a fun board game that players create their own Kingdoms by skillfully building their settlements and aiming to earn the most gold at the end of the game. The best thing is, Kingdom Builder is a highly variable game board, and varying scoring conditions will ensure that you won’t be playing the same game ever unless you want to.
- Number of Players: 4
- Age: 8+
- Pro: Every game is different, and game play is quick
- Play Time: 45 minutes
Amazon Review
“Kingdom Builder is my favorite board game. The basic game mechanic (placing three settlements on a single terrain type, adjacent if possible) is simple but requires thinking each move through. What really makes this game replayable is that it’s never exactly the same game twice. You use only half of the boards in any game and only 3 of the 10 scoring cards. This means that even in the unlikely event that you get the same four boards in the exact same positions as another time you played, the scoring conditions may be completely different, which completely changes your strategy.”
Betrayal at House on the Hill
Betrayal at House on the Hill Board Game -2nd Edition: Take a deep breath before you enter. It might be your last. Your fear will grow with each tile you place as you investigate a house filled with dreadful monsters and deadly secrets. With 50 fiendish scenarios (including seven new haunts) and dozens of danger-filled rooms, you’ll return to the house again and again – as often as you dare – and never face the same game twice.
- Number of Players: 3 – 6
- Age: 12+
- Pro: Good for parties
- Play Time: 60 minutes
Amazon Review
“Betrayal at House on the Hill is a great game, with a brilliant twist every time you play. The game has two phases; in the first phase, each player picks a character and explores a haunted house as a team. The characters are the usual unlikely mix of people who always seem to band together in 80s horror films to explore the creepy house. The house is built up by drawing tiles, so it’s never the same twice. Players explore and have events happen to them that can either negatively impact their chances of survival or can benefit them by awarding them with useful weapons.”
Wit’s End
WIT’S END. This challenging and entertaining trivia game will test your knowledge and engage your thinking through fun problem-solving. Answer questions in four mind-challenging categories as you work your way to the center of the board. Think laterally, wrap your mind around a TEASER, deduce the ODD-1-OUT, figure out the SEQUENCE, or try your luck in the WILD CARD category. The questions are packed with riddles and brain teasers on history, current affairs, popular culture, geography, science, arts, and more.
- Number of Players: 2 – 20
- Age: 16+
- Pro: It’s a great party game for teams
- Play Time: Does not state
Amazon Review
“If those in your family and friend group are the kind of people that watch documentaries and go to museums for fun, this might be your sort of game. The questions rely a lot on having random knowledge on a wide variety of topics, although those with a broad knowledge of science might have an advantage. But the questions also ask about history, geography, literature, art, broadway musicals, economics, and sports. The Teaser questions are fun if you like riddles; just don’t overthink them. The game board is simple to figure out but fun to play.”
Latice Hawaii Strategy
This is a great family game. In Latice, you get ahead by playing with your tiles as quickly as possible. You have to be careful, though, because you’ll need to balance how fast you play with saving resources for future turns and making sure you don’t set up your opponent.
This game is fast-paced, competitive, and more than a little addictive. Can you keep the gameplay light to allow an adult to play with an 8-year-old? Absolutely (hint: just give the adult a few extra tiles at the beginning). Can adults play competitively with the best players using chess-style strategies? Even better.
- Number of Players: 2 – 4
- Age: 8+
- Pro: It’s the type of game for young and old to play together
- Play Time: 20 – 40 minutes
Amazon Review
“We (adult couple, the late twenties) enjoy strategy games, and this one was extremely easy to learn. The company even has a wonderful 3-minute video on YouTube to explain how to play, so you don’t have to read the directions! This game can have as much strategy as you desire. A younger child could easily pick it up because you match the colors/shapes basically; however, you have wind pieces that move other pieces to set up for your next move. You want to get rid of all your tiles first. So, kids may take longer to master the strategy part of it but could still play and enjoy with adults. That’s awesome!”
Villainous
Villainous is a popular board game and the first in the Villainous line, which also includes the expansions Wicked to the Core, Evil Comes Prepared, and Perfectly Wretched, along with our Marvel Villainous title. Disney fans and game board lovers of all kinds will love the asymmetric gameplay and chance to play as a villain from one of Disney’s classic films. Villainous was the Game of the Year Winner at the TOTY Awards in 2020 and made the perfect present for any Disney or board game lover at birthday or holiday time, or even for Valentine’s day!.
- Number of Players:
- Age: 10+
- Pro: Easy to learn
- Play Time: Not stated
Amazon Review
“This is a fun game; I bought it so that my husband and I could play just the 2 of us. It took a bit to grasp the concept fully, and you have to be constantly paying attention to what everyone else is up to so you can do what you can to stop them from winning. I think the cauldron could have been a little sturdier in build for the price, but otherwise, it’s an enjoyable game, and I love the Disney aspect.”
Monopoly Game of Thrones
This is the great board game you played as a kid but with a new theme featuring Game of Thrones. It has a stunning game design and large, hand-sculpted custom tokens, the MONOPOLY: Game of Thrones Collector’s Edition Game will transport fans into a world of intrigue, valor, and betrayal. After all, when you play the MONOPOLY: Game of Thrones Collector’s Edition Game, you win or go bankrupt!
- Number of Players: 6
- Age: 17+
- Pro: Perfect gift or activity for Game of Thrones fans
- Play Time: not stated
Amazon Review
Huge fan of both Game of Thrones and Risk, this purchase was a no-brainer for me. I enjoyed the Domination game mode way more than I thought I would, adding an extra layer of strategy that the regular Conquest game mode doesn’t offer. Domination game mode includes house character cards, mission objectives, gold, master cards, and player boards for each house.
Redneck Life Board Game
Easy to start, hilarious to play, hard to forget! Step into the world of redneck life with “The Game of Redneck Life,” where a roll of 2 dice determines the grade you complete in school, which sets you up for one of 11 fabulous careers, such as Mullet Salon Operator or Monster Truck Announcer! Journey through Blue Collar Americana using credit to buy vehicles, get married, purchase a home, get divorced, remarried, and raise a passel of young ‘uns. Through accidents and brawls, players lose teeth during the game. Buy some back if you can, as the player with the most teeth at the end of the game wins!
- Number of Players: 2 – 6
- Age: 13+
- Pro: Easy to start, hilarious to play, hard to forget!
- Play Time: 1 – 2 hours
Amazon Review
“Ok, this is hands down one of the best board games I have ever played in my life! If you’re looking for a hilarious, unique board game to play then, this is one you shouldn’t hesitate to buy! This game will have everyone laughing the entire time you are playing with its funny Go Redneckin cards, all of the ways you can lose your teeth, and with the surprising amount of young ‘ens you can accumulate. It’s a similar setup to the Game of Life board game so keep in mind that this does take a little while to play since you have to travel all the way around the board to complete the game”.
Pandemic
Four diseases have broken out in the world, and it is up to a team of specialists in various fields to find cures for these diseases before mankind is wiped out. Players must work together to play to their characters’ strengths and plan their eradication strategy before the diseases overwhelm the world with ever-increasing outbreaks. For example, the operation specialist can build research stations needed to find cures for the diseases. The Scientist needs only 4 cards of a particular disease to cure it instead of the normal 5. But the diseases are outbreaking fast, and time is running out: The team must try to stem the tide of infection in diseased areas while also towards cures. A truly cooperative game where you all win, or you all lose.
- Number of Players: 2 – 4
- Age: 8+
- Pro: Fun strategy game
- Play Time: 45 minutes
Amazon Review
“This is one of the best board games I’ve ever played that features a team dynamic. Unlike Settlers of Catan, which will ruin any and every relationship you ever had, this co-op will reveal the true colors of anyone daring to pick up a colored pawn. Play this game with a stranger to get to know them. I promise that by the end of the game that you will know whether they will become your beast of a best friend forever or labeled a selfish, uncooperative squat head to be despised forever.”
Spontaneous – The Song Game
This is one of the best board games for family game nights and parties with friends. Some people even make it into an adult drinking game. Either way, spontaneous will have you laughing for hours and will surely be an encore for more.
One player says a word, and the race is on for the others to sing a song containing that word. Play begins with the Tunesmith turning the timer and announcing a Trigger-Word from his/her Hit-List. The first player who starts singing scores but must sing a minimum of 5 words containing the Trigger-Word. For example, if the Trigger-Word was dawn, the first player to begin singing a 5-word portion of lyrics from any song containing the word dawn scores.
- Number of Players: 4 – 10
- Age: 8+
- Pro: No talent needed
- Play Time: Does not state
Amazon Review
“This game was hilarious. We played it at a Thanksgiving gathering with 20 family members ranging in age from 7 to adults (no age necessary). We never laughed so loud and argued so much about who started singing first. We also argued about whether it was a song or not. Of course, it was friendly arguing. “
The Chameleon
Blend in. Don’t get caught. Six players. One word each. Everyone sounded pretty convincing, but someone isn’t who they say they are. That someone is the chameleon. In each round of the chameleon, a secret word is selected from a topic card in the middle of the table. Everyone knows what the word is, except for the player with the chameleon card, but which player is it? Using cunning, social deduction, and some serious mob mentality, each player, shouts out a related word to prove their innocence and tries to track down the impostor. Once everyone’s said their piece, the voting begins, and the moment of truth arrives. To successfully track down the guilty player and win the game, players will have to use all of their teamwork and witch-hunting skills. However, if you’re the chameleon, the rules are much simpler: Don’t get caught.
- Number of Players: 3 – 8
- Age: 14+
- Pro: Easy to learn, quick to play
- Play Time: Does not state
Amazon Review
“This is one of the funniest family games we have played! We have a very large family and like to play games together, but nobody has patience for board games. Interactive games that get us talking, laughing, and having fun together are what we love!”
Carcassonne
Carcassonne is the perfect introduction to the modern world of board games. With its simple rules (place a tile, place a deeply, score points), it should be part of everyone’s collection.
- Number of Players: 5
- Age: 8+
- Pro: Has expansion packs
- Play Time: 15 – 45 minutes
Amazon Review
“This game is a wonderful option for those who like simple and complex games alike. The game is for 2-5 players, and it is equally fun regardless of the size of your group! The game comes with a base city/road beginner piece for simplicity, but this particular version also has The River and The Abbot Mini Expansion Pack. You can choose to play with or without the expansion. Game time is anywhere from 15-45 minutes depending on the number of players and whether your group plays fast or likes conversation and enjoying a glass of wine or bowl of ice cream.”
Viticulture
You find yourself in rustic, pre-modern Tuscany in the game, where you’ve inherited a meager vineyard. You’ll have a few plots of land, an old crush pad, a tiny cellar, three workers. And the dream of owning the best winery in Italy. Your job is to allocate your workers and helpful visitors to complete various tasks throughout the year. Each season is different on a vineyard, so the workers have other tasks they can take care of in the summer and winter. There’s competition over those tasks, and often the first worker to arrive at each one has an advantage over the rest. Using those workers and visitors, you can expand your vineyard by building structures, planting vines, and filling wine orders as you work towards the goal of owning the most successful winery in Tuscany.
- Number of Players: 6
- Age: 14+
- Pro: Strategy game
- Play Time: 45 – 90 minutes
Amazon Review
“This and the basic Catan are my two favorite games. It is a strategy but less competitive than Catan. Sometimes our board game group gets a little too competitive, so this is a good break because you focus on building up your vineyard and can’t hinder another player’s plans, but it is a race to win. It’s also a little better than Catan because you can’t use the same one strategy every time and win; the summer and winter visitor cards can throw your plans for a loop in a close game or give a losing player a comeback if they are lucky.”
Ravensburger Castles of Burgundy
The hundred years’ War is over, and the Renaissance is looming. Conditions are perfect for the princes of the Loire Valley to propel their estates to prosperity and prominence. Through strategic trading and building, clever planning, and careful thought, players add settlements and castles, practice trade along the river, operate silver mines, farm livestock, and more in this top-selling game by Stefan Feld.
- Number of Players: 6
- Age: 12+
- Pro: Strategy game
- Play Time: 45 – 90 minutes
Amazon Review
“If you enjoy Catan, you will definitely like this game. You don’t collect resources as you do in Catan but buy and place city tiles on your later map with dice rolls (using your rolled die to pick up a tile from the board and placing them with rolled die as well). Some tiles give you bonuses for rolls, placing tiles, cashing in goods, etc. There’s a lot of planning ahead that can make or break a game for you”.
Monopoly Socialism
In Monopoly Socialism, game players move around the board, working together to make a better community by managing and contributing to projects such as a no-tip vegan restaurant, an all-winners school, or a museum of co-creation. But nobody said that cooperation is easy! Drawing a Chance card presents the flip side of striving for the perfect utopian society. You’ll have issues with your neighbors, your DIY community projects go awry, you’re constantly voting to shake things up, and there’s always an emergency that requires dipping into the Community Fund! Contribute all 10 of your chips to win the game, unless the Community Fund runs out of money and everyone loses. So much for a socialist utopia.
- Number of Players: 6
- Age: 18+
- Pro: Classic game with a twist
- Play Time: 45 – 90 minutes
Amazon Review
“Awesome party game for adults. Much funnier and less hateful than Cards Against Humanity and not something I’d be unwilling to let teenagers play. It’s a parody game. Hopefully, Hasbro doesn’t discontinue it because some people got their political feelings hurt. Lighten up, people. It says it’s a parody game for adults on the box.”