Best Party Board Games of 2024 – Review and Comparison

Are you having a party and wondering what are the best party board games you could play with your friends? You have definitely come to the right place. We have just finished baking our top 10 party game picks for you!

Any party can be livened up with a good board game. No matter your preferences, there is a range of options to help you get your party going in no time, and add a fun twist to any gathering!

From the mystery of Deception: Murder in Hong Kong to the high drama of Codenames, the time has come to test yourself in the ultimate board game challenge. Can you hold your nerve long enough to succeed? Or will your team pull together in time to get the right result and win the game?

Whether you are looking for the best board games for a dinner party, family night, sleepover, or simply to keep a large group entertained, we have put together a list of the top ten party board games you can buy. So what are you waiting for? Get your group together, and fight for the win!

Top 10 Games For Large and Small Groups – Summary

Best Party Board Games – Our Top 10 Picks

1. Best Overall – Codenames

Players are split into two teams with one spymaster and a number of field operatives in each. Twenty-five codename tiles are randomly picked and placed face down in a five-by-five grid.

The gameplay is relatively straightforward as most of the game is summarised on a small keycard. Blue squares are for the blue agents to guess, and red squares are for the red agents to guess. The pale squares represent innocent bystanders, and the black square is the assassin, someone you never want to pick.

The spymaster’s job is coming up with a one-word clue and a number to help their team guess where their agent on the grid is. The word represents a theme and the number represents how many cards on the grid are relevant to the clue. Based on the clue field operatives must discuss to figure out the cards to flip over.

You want to guess cards with your team’s agent and eventually uncover all of them to win. Flipping innocent bystanders end the turn whereas flipping the assassin tile ends the game immediately in epic failure.

Codenames represent a straightforward, easy to learn the concept which lends itself well to hours of fun and an interesting game to keep your party entertained. It can offer a unique insight into players thought processes and offers a chance to be creative and daring in a way that many other games cannot offer. The risk of the assassin adds an edge throughout the play, and the ability for either team to equally win heightens the excitement!

2. Best Team Vs. Team – Decrypto

Each team in Decrypto has its own screen that contains four cards in pockets numbered 1-4. The team members can see the words on these cards while keeping them hidden from the opposition.

There are two rounds, in the first one, a team member takes a code card, which shows three of the digits 1-4 in random order – e.g., 1-3-2. The player has to deliver a coded message to their teammates to help them guess this code. The team will have pre-agreed code words for each digit, for example, ‘pig,’ ‘fish,’ ‘dog’ and ‘house.’ If the player then says ‘house,’ ‘pig,’ ‘fish,’ the team will have to work out that this means ‘4-1-2.’

In the second round, team members give clues about their words, to match a numbered code. It is the job of the other team to guess this numbered code. If correct, they receive a white mark of success. If they fail, the original team must guess the number correctly or receive a black mark themselves. When one team has two white marks, they are declared the winners.

The basic goal is to intercept the enemy codes, and this makes for a creative and exciting game that keeps players guessing and highly engaged. The need to work as part of a team offers a collaborative element to the process, and it is genuinely satisfying to see your team reach success.

Anyone who enjoys a team vs. team board games will find Decrypto delivering a fun, collaborative, and rewarding experience. Despite relatively straightforward rules, there is enough depth to remain strategic, entertaining, and engaging throughout.

3. Best For Family – When I Dream

The game could go either way and playing good and not so good spirits is both fun and exciting.

Each round, a player takes on the role of the Dreamer. They ‘fall asleep’ wearing a night mask while other players are secretly dealt with their role cards. This helps to determine whether they are good or evil spirits, or whether they are ‘tricksters’ who change roles as the game progresses.

Round lasts two minutes where spirits draw Dream Cards, showing a specific element of the dream. They try to describe the vision to the dreamer using a single word. If the dreamer guesses the element of the dream, the good spirits team side is awarded a point card. Alternatively, the card goes to the naughty spirits.

The Dreamer and good spirits receive one point for every card in the good spirits pile, and the same applies to the evil spirits for each card in their collection. Tricksters earn points depending on how well balanced the two teams were. If the piles are equally balanced, they get extra points.

Before the dreamer opens their eyes at the end of the round, they must use the words they guessed to tell the dream to gain extra points.

When I Dream is a game that is quick to pick up and play, making it suitable for players of all ages and abilities. From the first moment, there are plenty of laughs as players try to guess the elements of the dream correctly, and each round is different as they come directly from the imagination.

The roles are well balanced in terms of participation, giving everyone an equal chance to play. The game is highly accessible, a pleasure to look at, and is straightforward to learn which makes it one of the top family party board games out there that can be enjoyed in around 20 minutes.

4. Best Charades Alternative – Monikers

The idea behind Monikers is simple: you select a card which has on it the name of a celebrity, historical figure, internet meme, or other well-known personality.

The goal is to play as many cards as possible in sixty seconds, and the levels move from acting and using words to describe the person, to a charades-style silent movement, to the final round: get your team to guess the card with just one single word. The only rule? At no point can you mention the name on the card – everything else is fair game!

A point is awarded for each correct guess, and at the end of the game, the team with the most points wins: it really is that simple!

It is a fast-paced and fun game that will leave you howling with laughter at your teammate’s impressions! You will have to think outside the box and be as creative as possible in order to win and help your team guess, and the guessers will have to be prepared to broaden their minds and ideas to win the point. Hours of fun from one of the most simple card games ever made!

5. Best for Dinner Party – Love Letter Premium Edition

With competition at every turn, will yours be the one to reach her first, or will a rival thwart you?

Love Letter Premium Edition is a game about taking risks, much like love itself. The game is divided into rounds, each representing one day. At the end of each round, one letter reaches the Princess for her to read. When she receives enough letters from one suitor, she falls in love, and grants the player permission to court her, naming them the winner in the game and love!

A round starts with each player drawing the top card from a deck and adding it to their existing hand. The player then discards one card face up in front of them and applies any effect of the card – even if it doesn’t help you. Keep all discarded cards visible this helps the other players to figure out which cards other players may have.

When the deck is empty, a round ends. The person closest to the princess delivers the letter, and Princess Annette retreats to read it. All those still playing reveal their hands, and the player with the highest-ranking wins the round and receives a token of affection. They also begin the next round, having received a favorable review from the princess at breakfast. The game continues until the princess has chosen a suitable suitor for her affections.

The game presents a fast-paced challenge that is easy to pick up and play. It keeps players guessing and competing for the love of the princess until the very last minute. It is a fun, light game designed to entertain, and has the bonus of being beautifully presented and carefully crafted to enhance the whole playing experience.

Despite having a theme, the game is abstract at heart. There is a very little feel of chasing the princess to win her heart, but rather solid, straightforward guessing of the roles other players have in the current round. This is not necessarily a bad thing at all, though.

If you are planning a great evening with your friends and need a quick, simple, fun, and abstract game to play – bring Love Letter, it is one of the best dinner party board games for the job.

6. Best Group Investigation – Deception: Murder in Hong Kong

How Do I Play?

Each player is randomly assigned a secret identity/role before starting the game. The basic roles are:

Forensic Scientist
The key to the crime, the Forensic Scientist assists the Investigators in providing Key Evidence and Means of Murder. It is important that this player gives no indication as to the solution.

Murderer
When the crime occurs, the Murderer takes one clue card and one means card – this is the solution to the crime, and provide the key evidence and means of murder. They must then do everything in their power to hide their role and point the finger elsewhere! Even if they are identified, the means and evidence must also be recognized for them to lose the game.

Investigators
The players responsible for solving the crime, They must examine hints provided by the Forensic Scientist and must identify the key evidence and means of murder. This fact allows the murderer to be arrested, and the investigators to win. Don’t forget that the murderer may be an investigator – trust no-one!

Accomplice
They know the murderer and the solution to the crime and win alongside the murderer if the evidence is not identified.

Witness
An Investigator who saw the culprits fleeing the scene. They do not know the identities of the murderer or accomplice and do not see the solution to the crime. If the murderer is arrested, but successfully identifies the witness, the latter is killed. This means the murderer and accomplice get away with their offense and emerge victoriously!

Deception: Murder in Hong Kong is an exciting game that pits friends against friends and leaves anything possible. The murderer could be hiding in the ranks of the Investigators, and it is necessary to second guess every clue and statement in order to get to the bottom of what is happening.

At the same time, the game is highly accommodating which means that the whole family can play and take on different roles. The diverse characters are also excellent as they ensure every party session is unique and fun.

7. Best For Adult parties – Cards Against Humanity

Not one for the faint-hearted, this is a card game that pushes the limits further than you have previously dared. You’ll need to hold your nerve to play all the way through!

The party card game immerses players in situations that range from hilarious laughter to things that are just dead wrong. In other words, all the things you should not say or think – you get to do it this time around!

The rules are as simple as it can ever get. The game takes only a couple of minutes to set up and you are ready to go. It begins with each player drawing ten white cards and selecting one player – a ‘Card Czar’ to play a black card. This player reads the card out loud, and everyone else answers the question or fills in the blank by passing the Card Czar one white card. The Czar then shuffles all the cards and reads out all possible phrases combinations; the funniest wins an Awesome point. After each round, a new player becomes the Card Czar, and everyone draws ten new white cards.

Cards Against Humanity is one of the best party card games for adults and has easily earned its place in our top ten. It is genuinely funny, easy to play, and is guaranteed to add a spark to any party. It can be played with any number of players, and should appeal to most senses of humor.

At the same time, this party card game is not for everyone; I’d keep it away from your super-religious grandma or an uptight conservative neighbor as it walks the fine line for some cards.

8. Best Intimidating – Cash ‘n Guns

The game takes place over eight rounds, and a boss gets selected for each round. This player controls the pace of play. The gameplay is simple and easy to follow with the below simple steps:

1. Loot cards are revealed on the table – this helps everyone see what is up for grabs and motivates them to win!
2. Players load their guns – they select either a ‘Bang’ or ‘Click! Click!’ card from the hand they are dealt with.
3. The Boss counts to three, and then each player points his gun at someone. The Boss has the right to tell whoever points at them to aim it in another person.
4. The Boss counts to three again giving players a chance to chicken out
5. The ones that stayed have to reveal their cards. Anyone who has been targeted by a ‘Bang’ is now wounded and misses out on getting any loot.
6. Those who are eligible for loot take one loot card at a time from the table. This includes benefits such as the Boss position, medical care, a new bullet, money, or diamonds.

Once the loot has been split, the new round begins with a new boss. The game goes for eight rounds, after which the gangster with the most valuable stash wins.

Cash n Guns is a simple and easy to play game that works perfectly for anywhere between 4 and 8 players. Rules are simple to follow, and the limit of eight rounds means that you can fit in a game even in a short time.

The boss of the gang is randomly allocated, allowing everyone to have a fair turn, and this results in a fair and fast-paced game that everyone is free to enjoy. Not to be taken too seriously, this is a fun and fluffy experience that anyone should expect a great party board game to deliver.

9. Best Picture Guessing – Dixit: Odyssey

Each player is given six cards, and draw another one after each round. In each turn, one player is given the role of the storyteller. This player then secretly chooses one of the cards in his hand and must find a way to describe this card. This description can be a sound, expression, song, word, or any other gesture, but should not be too obvious. This card is placed face down in the center of the table.

The other players choose a card within their own hand which matches this word or sentence, and this card is given to the storyteller who then lays out all the cards. The storyteller shuffles the cards and reveals them to the group. Players then vote on which card belongs to the storyteller. Conversely, the storyteller does not vote, and no-one is permitted to vote for their card.

The player’s place numbered tiles face down on the table, and once they have seen everyone cards try to guess which is the storytellers. Once the tiles are placed, the answers are revealed to see who voted for which card.

If everyone or no one guesses the card correctly, the storyteller gets no points, and the other players receive two. Otherwise, the storyteller and each of the correct guessers get three points each. Players will get one point for each vote their image receives.

Players then refill their hands, and the next player becomes the storyteller. The game ends when the decks run out, and the player who has the most points wins.

Overall, the game represents a simple concept, and one which allows creativity and imagination to run riot – the more you play, the more dramatic and creative the descriptions will be. This game offers an ideal way to stretch your brain and use the most unique, imaginative ways to describe simple concepts.

The key is clarity; the storyteller cannot be so clear that the game is immediately given away, nor must they be so vague that no one has a chance to guess correctly. This balance can be a challenge to achieve and means that the game is kept engaging and players are forced to think on their feet and push the limits of the imaginations even further.

Dixit is a series of games and most of them are not only a great choice for large groups. So, if you need a board game for a smaller group and a family, you can have one game that fits both occasions perfectly.  Alternatively, If you are after trivia party games, check out our latest top 10 trivia games review.

10. Best Traitor – The Resistance: Avalon

Prepare to navigate yourself through this game of hidden and dubious loyalties, bluffing, deduction, and skill!

Players are randomly allocated to a team at the start of each game by dealing out secret identity cards specifying their character and loyalty to evil Mordred or the noble King Arthur. Some characters have special powers that could yield great advantage over opponents but have to be kept secret as it could give players away.

Straight after you get immersed in passionate conversations that aim to identify the minions of Mordred within our ranks. The players on the dark side will try to defeat the servants of Arthur, completing quests and missions without ever revealing their true identities.

If a minion manages to get themselves onto a mission, they can sabotage it and cause it to fail. Failing three missions will typically end the game with the evil side emerging victorious. Completing three missions would similarly grant the servants of Arthur a win.

Hence, the ‘good guys’ must use discussion, deduction, and, where needed, accusation, to help them identify just who each player really is. There are sure to be some nasty surprises in store!

The latest incarnation of the Resistance series, Avalon is the ultimate social deduction game, the real challenge of which is figuring out who the good and bad guys are. With bluffing, double-bluffing, ruses and false truths, and the potential to be tripped up at any moment, this is a game which brings out the different side in each player.

We have noticed that shy people may become very vocal, whereas the typical active talkers get outspoken. In fact, the board game is perfect for team bonding exercises, or some may say ‘team breaking’ since you may struggle to easily switch between the tense bluffing full of lies and conspiracy to genuine and truthful day-to-day life.

The game has close to endless replayability as no two sessions are ever the same. Some gaming sessions can get overrun by emotions that are positive and result in hilarious fun that we are yet to see beaten by any other party-friendly board game we’ve played.

Moreover, despite bluffing and lying – we recommend this party game for team building activities. I do not know why it works, but we kept talking about it for days with the team at work.

How to Choose The Party Board Game For Your Gaming Group?

Before we recommend a party game, let’s first agree on what it actually means.

Party is a place for fun and frivolity, and you don’t want to risk wasting time with a game which isn’t quite right, or leaves half the players yawning in boredom! Instead, make sure your gathering gets off on the great note by picking from the top-rated party board games guaranteed to get the whole crowd involved.

Best party board games are addictive and fast-paced that are also accessible to all people despite their experience with board games. Simple rules, punchy twists, loads of fun, and high drama are just perfect for your awesome party. The outcome should be satisfying and a challenge to reach and of course, keep you guessing right up to the last roll of the dice.

Our review has considered games that are excellent fun, have a hint of strategy, and are tailored for large and small groups.

Frequently Asked Questions