It's no secret that Jesse and I love board games. They're the perfect way to spend some free time, have a laugh or show off your competitive streak - and we have a pretty big collection.
Whilst we've shared board games in our Instagram stories and Recent Things post in the past, I thought I'd put together our Ultimate Board Game Guide so you have a single post you can refer back to when you're looking to buy a new game.
Whether it's for a gift or just for a new way to spend time as a couple, family or with friends - this guide has something for everyone. Because there are so many games, I've broken them down into sections: Party Games, Adult's Only Games, Family Games, Strategy Games, Trivia Games and Word Games.
Board games tend to get a bit of a bad rap at times - and are often considered a little bit nerdy, but I promise you, these games are all 100% NON Nerdy Girl Approved - but my nerdy husband also approves of them so they work for everyone 😉
It's a long list - but a great one at that!
So let me share The Ultimate Board Game Guide with you! >>
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These games are best played with friends - and four or more people. The following list of Adult's Only games also fit into this list - but I thought I'd separate them just to be clear!
The Game of Things ⭐⭐⭐⭐What is it? In the Game of Things, everyone is given a prompt that they then have to answer secretly - and you then have to guess who said what. The questions are things like "Things you'd buy with a million dollars" and "Things you wish grew on trees".
Who will love it? Kids and adults alike will love this game - but we've found it's best to play with 12+ (the manufacturer does recommend 14+)
When's the best time to play? It's the perfect ice breaker and a great way to get to know other people so it's great for playing at parties. I feel like this would be an awesome youth group game or small classroom game too!
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here (Australian link is here)
Codenames ⭐⭐⭐⭐What is it? Codenames is a team game where two teams compete to make contact with all of their secret agents first. Only the Spymasters on each team know the identity of their agents and they have to give one-word clues (plus one number, indicating how many cards match that clue) that point to the Codenames of multiple agents. For example, you might have "Ghost" and "Glass" and the spymaster says "Transparent 2" - giving their teammates the opportunity to guess what codenames fit those descriptions. You have to correctly guess the code name whilst avoiding the code names that belong to the opposing team - and trying to avoid the dreaded assassin card which ends the game.
Who will love it? Those who love a bit of strategy but don't want an all-out strategy game. It's best for 14+ but we've found that 12-14 year olds also catch on pretty quickly when playing with an adult who can explain the game well.
When's the best time to play? This is a great game to kill some time - whether at a party or games night or when you have friends over for lunch or dinner and want to do something different. It's a great game to play with people who don't really know each other yet as you can develop bonds as a team and then have something to talk about later.
You know a game is good when it has multiple expansions! Codenames currently has 5 expansions that I know of - and we currently have two of those (plus the original). Here's what's different!
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here (Australian link is here)
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here (Australian link is here)
Codenames Pictures ⭐⭐⭐⭐What's different? In Codenames Pictures, you're still playing in teams but you have pictures to guess rather than names. These pictures are locations where there are either agents, innocent bystanders or the assassin.
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here (Australian link is here)
Codenames Duet ⭐⭐⭐⭐What's different? Codenames Duet follows similar rules to the original Codenames, only you're working together instead of in teams. The key card is two sided and each player (or team if you're playing with more than two players) can see the green agents they want the other player or team to guess. You are working together to find all the agents within just NINE turns - whilst also avoiding the assassins.
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here (Australian link is here)
What is it? Man Bites Dog is a newspaper headline game. Each player has a hard of cards which they have to use to make up a fake headline. They have to make sense - but the cards mean you end up making the most hilarious headlines. Rather than playing for points, we usually make it a competition of who can come up with the funniest headlines.
Who will love it? I haven't found a person who hasn't loved it - but if you love word games, this is the perfect party game alternative!
When's the best time to play? You can play it in small groups or big groups - but we find the more people, the better! We usually play with a bigger hand of cards so there's more cards to choose from.
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here (Australian link is here)
Town of Salem ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Antidote ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Crabs Adjust Humidity ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Disturbed Friends ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Bucket of Doom ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Awkward Turtle and Awkward Turtle NSFW ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Scrawl ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Dirty Words ⭐⭐⭐
Hot Seat ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Castle Panic ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spaceteam ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What is it? This may just be our FAVOURITE party game. It's loud, it's frantic and it's so much fun. It's a collaborative game so there's no winners - everyone works together to repair the space shuttle. Each team of two has a pile of cards which have something that needs repairing (with one or more of the tools in front of you or the other people playing - which you have to swap around the table one by one by calling out to the other players and organising the swaps), a mishap card where you might have to work without your thumbs or everyone has to pass their tools to the left/right or a piece of the space shuttle that is repaired. You have just FIVE minutes to get the space shuttle fully prepared so you have to work fast. Whenever we've played this, we play round after round after round because people can't get enough.
Who will love it? Everyone. We've played with kids and adults and everyone has loved it.
When's the best time to play? With a big group. The more people, the better!
Poop The Game ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What is it? In Poop The Game, you each take turns "pooping" into the toilet which has a "clog number". Each "poop" has a number (1, 2, 3, 4 etc) and you have to make sure your turn doesn't lead to the toilet reaching it's clog number or all the cards are yours. The aim of the game is to end up with 0 cards in your hand - and the game gets funnier with skip and zero cards where you have to make a noise or gesture on your turn. From leaning on a fart to trumpet fart sounds and splash noises. Toilet humour amuses almost anyone and this game is perfect for getting everyone laughing.
Who will love it? Just about anyone. We've played it with kids and adults and everyone loves it. Even those who tut-tut it at first end up loving it.
When's the best time to play? Anytime! We play it as a two player game or with a big group. It's really easy to teach others how to play so it's great to play at parties. We have the Brown Bag Combo which has the original Poop and Party Pooper so you can play with even more people.
Rhino Hero ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What is it? Rhino Hero takes building card towers to a whole new level. Players take turn building the tower and placing a roof with each roof card having special instructions for the next player. Some roof cards have a little picture of Rhino Hero - meaning you have to place Rhino Hero on that picture and set up your walls before placing your roof card. It seems easy at first, but as the tower gets taller and you have to move Rhino Hero from place to place it gets really hard!
Who will love it? Everyone. Little kids can play this game as it's super simple and no reading is required - but adults will love it too.
When's the best time to play? Anytime. We play it as a two player game - or bring it out when we have friends over or games nights. There is a jumbo edition available which would be even better - but apparently it's incredible rare and incredibly expensive.
The Chameleon ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What is it? Chameleon is a game of strategy which is so much fun. Each player drawers a card at the beginning with one of the players drawing the "Chameleon" card. This player has to try and blend in with everyone else and pretend like they know what the secret word is. The word chart is placed out in front of everyone and the dice is rolled to see what the word is. Every player that isn't the chameleon has a list card which tells them what spot on the word chart is the "secret" word for the game. Players then have to say a word which is linked to the secret word - but not so obvious as to give it away - including the chameleon. After everyone has said their words, you then have to guess who the chameleon was. For example, we played with friends and the word was "Roald Dahl" (the author) and I said "war" as Roald was enlisted in the RAF - but all of the other players in the game thought I was the chameleon as my word didn't sound like it linked with Roald Dahl.
Who will love it? Players 14+ - only because kids younger probably won't know what some of the things on the cards are (like authors etc) and it makes it hard to play.
When's the best time to play? As an ice breaker - or anytime, really!
What is it? If you've ever played "Mafia" - Town of Salem is exactly that, only with added roles. Each night the mafia chooses their victims whilst the bodyguards can guard people, the doctors can heal people, the investigators can see who's good or evil etc. There are heaps of different roles that are played and the more players you have, the more roles you have in the game - making it a great game for big groups.
Who will love it? Kids 12+ manage to get the hang of this game when someone who knows how to play explains it to them well - but there's also an Adults Only 18+ NSFW Edition which is the same - but the graphics are definitely not kid friendly.
When's the best time to play? With a big group. The more people, the better!
Antidote ⭐⭐⭐⭐
What is it? In Antidote, you've been poisoned with a deadly poison and have to work out what Antidote is the correct one before everything has been eliminated. Players take turns either discarding a card or trading research with other places. Eventually you'll be left with one card that you have to "drink", hoping it's the antidote before the true antidote is revealed. If it matches the antidote, you win! At first it seems impossible to know what the antidote is - but then you realise that the chemicals come in pairs and if you pay attention to what other players have, you can quickly see what card is missing.
Who will love it? This is definitely not a game for young kids - only because they won't understand the strategy behind it. 14+ will love it! You can play it with 2-7 players which means it's a great game for just a single pair!
When's the best time to play? Anytime!
Here, Kitty Kitty! ⭐⭐⭐⭐
What is it? In Here, Kitty Kitty! your neighbourhood has a cat problem and that problem is - everyone wants a cat... or multiple cats! Players take turns luring kitties onto their properties, moving cats into their homes and stealing cats from their neighbours.
Who will love it? Anyone 10 and up!
When's the best time to play? Anytime. It's quick to learn and relatively quick to play. It's especially great for playing with people who have a serious competitive streak as competition makes it all the more fun!
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here. (Australian link is here)
Imploding Kittens ⭐⭐⭐⭐
What is it? Exploding Kittens is a game that's easy to learn, quick to play and heaps of fun. The aim of the game is to be the last one standing by avoiding or diffusing the Exploding Kitten. Throughout the game you play special cards to steal from or attack other players and if that Exploding Kitten pops up - you better hope you have a defuse card handy or you're out!
Who will love it? Anyone. We've played it with kids and adults and everyone loves it.
What is it? Imploding Kittens is the expansion pack for Exploding Kittens and adds a whole new level of evil to the game. The Imploding Kitten expands the original game to 6 players. Unlike the exploding kittens, the imploding kitten cannot be diffused and the first player to find the Imploding Kitten in the card gets to place it wherever they like in the deck, face up so the next player to find it is immediately out of the game. This means that player can be as evil or strategic as they like - ending the next player's turn immediately or keeping the game going for a little bit longer. It also comes with The Cone of Shame which has to be worn by any player who asks which way play is going - or who is the next player.
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here. (Australian link is here)
Wazabi ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Panic Lab ⭐⭐⭐
What is it? Some like it hot and Wazabi is a seriously spicy game! The aim of the game is to get rid of all of your dice - but the less dice you have, the harder it gets to win. Everytime we play this game, it gets loud - and a little bit frantic - with the cards having you picking up/discarding/handing all your dice to the player on your left or right
Who will love it? Anyone, really! Once you learn how to play and your competitive side kicks in, everyone loves it!
What is it? Panic Lab is a fun little game for up to 10 players where players are on a mission to capture Amoebas before they cause too much havoc. All players compete at the same time, working to find the lab and then move in the right directio nto spot the amoeba - hoping it's the one they're looking for. Amoebas are constantly changing as they can pass through one of three mutation devices which then changes what amoebas the players are looking for. The first player to collect five tokens (from capturing the correct amoeba) wins!
It's kind of like snap in that you're all looking for the same thing (in this case, the amoeba that matches the dice - or that matches the mutation - instead of a pair) and are racing to be the first to spot and "snap" that amoeba.
It's kind of like snap in that you're all looking for the same thing (in this case, the amoeba that matches the dice - or that matches the mutation - instead of a pair) and are racing to be the first to spot and "snap" that amoeba.
Who will love it? Anyone who loves a bit of competition. This game also works really well with kids.
When's the best time to play? Anytime. It's a quick game to play and easy to learn. The more players, the better as the competition is even fiercer!
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here. (Australian link is here)
Speechless ⭐⭐⭐⭐
What is it? Speechless is kind of like charades, only with a twist. Players take turn being the "presenter" where they have 90 seconds to act out 6 words without saying a single thing. Unlike charades, however, those guessing also can't speak. The players have to watch and quickly write down what word they think is being acted out on their card. At the end of the round, the answers are revealed and players get 2 points for the correct word and one point for any incorrect word they answered that someone else answered as well.
Who will love it? Anyone who loves charades or the chance to be a little bit dramatic
When's the best time to play? Anytime! It's a quick game to play and really fun.
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here. (Australian link is here)
Legends of the Hidden Temple ⭐⭐⭐⭐
What is it? Legend of the Hidden Temple is based on a Nickelodeon TV Show (which we've never seen but we love the game). Battle against the other teams to prove you're worthy to enter the temple to find the treasure in time! There's physical and mental tests so everyone will have a chance to show off their strengths.
Who will love it? Anyone who loves a time sensitive challenge!
When's the best time to play? With a big group of people. You can play with anywhere from 4-12 players!
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here.
Your Worst Nightmare ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What is it? They say you should face your fears - and in this game, it's more about fessing up to them. Players deal out four fear cards and rank them on their scare cards from least scary to screaming bloody murder terrifying. The real challenge though? Figuring out where your fellow players will rank the fear cards for themselves.
Who will love it? This is another great conversation starter game. Each round people can talk about their fears, share funny (or scary!) stories and there tends to be plenty of laughter as people laugh about their ridiculous fears.
When's the best time to play? With a group of friends. You can play with 2+ players.
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here. (Australian link is here)
Saved By The Bell The Board Game ⭐⭐⭐
What is it? This one is in this category simply because 80's and 90's kids who watched Saved By The Bell will love a trip down memory lane.
Who will love it? Anyone who loved Saved by the Bell
When's the best time to play? You've got to play it with people who watched the show - the best part is the trip down memory lane! Be warned though, everyone will fight for their favourite character (I ALWAYS want to be Kelly!)
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here. (Australian link is here)
Rummikub ⭐⭐⭐
What is it? Rummikub is a classic game that's easy to learn and fun to play. Players take turns placing tiles in runs or groups (for example, consecutive numbers in red or groups of the same number in different colours etc). The object of the game is to play every tile on your rack to win the round - with the winner being the person who wins the most rounds. It's all about recognising patterns and planning your moves to make the most of your tiles.
Who will love it? Anyone. We've found kids 8+ pick it up pretty quickly!
When's the best time to play? Anytime!
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here. (Australian link is here)
What is it? Legend of the Hidden Temple is based on a Nickelodeon TV Show (which we've never seen but we love the game). Battle against the other teams to prove you're worthy to enter the temple to find the treasure in time! There's physical and mental tests so everyone will have a chance to show off their strengths.
Who will love it? Anyone who loves a time sensitive challenge!
When's the best time to play? With a big group of people. You can play with anywhere from 4-12 players!
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here.
Your Worst Nightmare ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐What is it? They say you should face your fears - and in this game, it's more about fessing up to them. Players deal out four fear cards and rank them on their scare cards from least scary to screaming bloody murder terrifying. The real challenge though? Figuring out where your fellow players will rank the fear cards for themselves.
Who will love it? This is another great conversation starter game. Each round people can talk about their fears, share funny (or scary!) stories and there tends to be plenty of laughter as people laugh about their ridiculous fears.
When's the best time to play? With a group of friends. You can play with 2+ players.
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here. (Australian link is here)
Saved By The Bell The Board Game ⭐⭐⭐What is it? This one is in this category simply because 80's and 90's kids who watched Saved By The Bell will love a trip down memory lane.
Who will love it? Anyone who loved Saved by the Bell
When's the best time to play? You've got to play it with people who watched the show - the best part is the trip down memory lane! Be warned though, everyone will fight for their favourite character (I ALWAYS want to be Kelly!)
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here. (Australian link is here)
Rummikub ⭐⭐⭐What is it? Rummikub is a classic game that's easy to learn and fun to play. Players take turns placing tiles in runs or groups (for example, consecutive numbers in red or groups of the same number in different colours etc). The object of the game is to play every tile on your rack to win the round - with the winner being the person who wins the most rounds. It's all about recognising patterns and planning your moves to make the most of your tiles.
Who will love it? Anyone. We've found kids 8+ pick it up pretty quickly!
When's the best time to play? Anytime!
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here. (Australian link is here)
These games are for 18+. Whether they involve swearing or inappropriate graphics, they're not the kind of games you want to play with kids!
What is it? Crabs Adjust Humidity is a 3rd party unaffiliated expansion of Cards Against Humidity - but it's an awesome game to play on it's own. We have Volumes 1-5 and trust me when you say the more you have, the better as you will play through every single card. This game will have you in stitches - just make sure your friends bring their sense of humour because some of these cards are preeeettty offensive.
Who will love it? Anyone with a sense of humour - especially if they like Cards Against Humanity
When's the best time to play? This is the perfect game to play at a party (as long as they're all adults!) or when you're having drinks with friends!
What is it? Disturbed Friends is a seriously messed up game - but that's what makes it so funny. Each turn, one player reads out a multiple choice question and secretly places their voting card face down in front of them. Every other player then places down the voting card (A B or C) in front of them, guessing what the question reader will answer. The person who read the card then reveals their answer and anyone who guessed right gets a #WINNING card - with graphics as inappropriate as the questions.
Who will love it? Anyone with a twisted sense of humour.
When's the best time to play? With a big group of people. The more players, the better. There's cards for up to 10 players but you can also make your own "Voting cards" on pieces of paper.
What is it? I don't know if it's because I'm a writer or because I love a good story, but Bucket of Doom is one of my FAVOURITE games. Each round, there's a situation card that everyone has to get out of using their hand of objects. The object cards are double sided and have everything from Jesus's sandals (the perfect object when you're stuck in a flood) to VIP One Direction Tickets and Hairy Coconuts. The situations are everything from facing death by sharks to being a grandpa with alzeihmers who on his first ever skydiving trip realises he's jumped out of the plane without a parachute. Each player then has to tell the story of how they'll get out of the situation using their object - and the person who has the best story wins the round and gets a card.
Who will love it? Anyone - especially people who love a good story. You can even "PG" the game by taking out the inappropriate cards.
When's the best time to play? With a big group of people. This is the perfect party game and will have everyone laughing til they cry!
What is it? Do you know when you can't remember a word but you're trying to get other people to understand what you're talking about? Sometimes they think you're talking about something that is TOTALLY different from what you were meaning. Take that situation, amplify it and add cackles of laughter and you have Awkward Turtle. You're given a word which you have to try and make the other players guess - but there are certain clues on the card that you CANNOT say or you automatically lose that round. You also can't use guestures so you can only give your other team members verbal clues. For example, your word might be Ukelele - only you can't say Hawaii, Instrument, Strings or Rainbow so you might explain it as a small guitar. The NSFW edition is exactly the same - only you're playing with slang words, swear words and all things taboo.
Who will love it? Anyone 17 and up. The regular version still has not so kid friendly words (think panties, penis etc) so you probably wouldn't want to play it with kids.
When's the best time to play? The more people, the better. Depending on how many people we have, we either play it the traditional way (in teams vs eachother in 60 second rounds) or by players scoring points based on whether or not they can get the other players to guess their word in a certain number or guesses/clues or a certain time limit.
What is it? Scrawl is like an adult version of pictionary and the drawing prompts can range from somewhat innocent into seriously hilariously bad.
Who will love it? Anyone who loves pictionary but wants a more grown up version - especially creative people who love to draw... but really, it's hilarious with anyone... and sometimes the worst drawn pictures are the best.
When's the best time to play? Anytime, really!
What is it? Dirty Words is a dice word game - kind of like Man Bites Dog but an adult's only version. You've got to roll the dice and try and make as many sentences (or a single) sentence using the word on the dice. You can make the dice words plural or add ed/ing etc to make the sentences make sense - but you have to line all of the sentences up scrabble style so they interconnect with one another.
Who will love it? People with a dirty mind and a sense of humour.
When's the best time to play? When you know who you're playing with. People could definitely get offended by some of the sentences, haha!
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here.
What is it? Hot Seat is a game where the truth (or hilarious guesses) comes out! Each round, the player in the "Hot Seat" reads out a question. This might be "What have I done that nobody else here has?" or "What would I trade for a kidney?" and then all players (including the question reader) write down a response. The other players are trying to guess what the reader would write - or they write something that might fool the other players. Everyone then places their answers into the middle and the answers are read out one by one - with players then guessing which answer was written by the player in the Hot Seat. The player in the Hot Seat gets one point for every person who guessed their answer - and the other players get either 2 points for correctly guessing the Hot Seat person's answer - or 1 point for fooling other players into thinking their answer was the Hot Seat answer. If you answer the same as the person in the Hot Seat? You get 4 points.
Who will love it? Anyone. You can even PG-ify it by removing some of the cards. You might not want to play with people who are easily offended!
When's the best time to play? At a party or with a big group of people (up to 10 players)
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here. (Australian link is here)
The Voting Game ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Can of Squirms ⭐⭐⭐
What is it? In The Voting Game, players take turn voting for which person best matches the card. Someone draws a black playing card and all players then use their voting cards to vote for which player best matches the question. All votes are placed face down into the pile (or you can make it not anonymous) and the player who read the card then reveals the votes one by one (you can shuffle them first to make it even more anonymous if you like). The player who received the most vote then wins the round and keeps the card - and there are also lots of different alternative playing rules if you feel like switching it up.
Who will love it? The same as Hot Seat - anyone. You can even PG-ify it by removing some of the cards. You might not want to play with people who are easily offended!
Can of Squirms ⭐⭐⭐
What is it? Can of Squirms comes with a warning to NOT go in a pair with a family member - and once you start playing, you'll understand why. Players go head to head, facing some seriously awkward questions. Each round a question card is drawn and the players answer who they think is the more relevant player. Other players then cast their votes as to whether the team will agree on their answer or disagree.
Who will love it? People who aren't afraid to be a little bit embarassed - and those who aren't easily offended!
When's the best time to play? Away from kids 😂
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here. (Australian link is here)
Monopoly Gamer ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Disney Monopoly ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Harry Potter Cluedo ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Minions Kerplunk ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Squirrels! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What is it? The only rule of this game is DON'T JUDGE - and you'll need to keep that in mind because these cards can be pretty outrageous.
Who will love it? Anyone with a sense of humour.
When's the best time to play? At a party with a big group of people. This is one of those games where it doesn't really matter how many people you have playing.'
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here or at Games World. (Australian link is here)
Are You Normal? ⭐⭐⭐
What is it? Have you ever wondered how normal you really are? Are You Normal? is kind of like Family Feud in that you see where you fit on the "normal" scale.
Who will love it? Anyone.
When's the best time to play? It's a great party game. The more people, the better!
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here. (Australian link is here)
Shit Happens ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What is it? Shit Happens to everyone - and in this game, shit DEFINITELY happens. Just like real life, crappy situations pop up everywhere and you are competing to put your crappy events in the right order. It's a fun game that usually gets the conversation flowing as everyone talks about their real life crappy situations.
Who will love it? Anyone.
When's the best time to play? When the kids aren't around. This definitely ISN'T kid friendly!
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here. (Australian link is here)
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here or at Games World. (Australian link is here)
What is it? Have you ever wondered how normal you really are? Are You Normal? is kind of like Family Feud in that you see where you fit on the "normal" scale.
Who will love it? Anyone.
When's the best time to play? It's a great party game. The more people, the better!
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here. (Australian link is here)
Shit Happens ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐What is it? Shit Happens to everyone - and in this game, shit DEFINITELY happens. Just like real life, crappy situations pop up everywhere and you are competing to put your crappy events in the right order. It's a fun game that usually gets the conversation flowing as everyone talks about their real life crappy situations.
Who will love it? Anyone.
When's the best time to play? When the kids aren't around. This definitely ISN'T kid friendly!
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here. (Australian link is here)
These games can be played by all ages. There's no adult only content and they're easy enough for everyone to understand.
What is it? Monopoly Gamer is a brand new edition of Monopoly featuring Mario and his pals - but this game of Monopoly is totally different from anything you've played before. Each character has their own special abilities and along with the dice, you have to roll a power up dice which will see you getting extra coins, losing coins or activating your superstar ability. The game is quicker than a faster Monopoly game as you also have the opportunity to compete in Boss fights as you pass Go.
Who will love it? Mario fans and anyone who loves Monopoly but wants to play a little something different.
When's the best time to play? When you have a bit of time to play. Like any Monopoly Game - it's not a game that will be over in 5 minutes... but this version is quicker!
When's the best time to play? When you have a bit of time to play. Like any Monopoly Game - it's not a game that will be over in 5 minutes... but this version is quicker!
What is it? If you're a Disney fan, you NEED this version of Monopoly. Disney Monopoly features your favourite Disney characters instead of random street addresses with players playing as one of six gorgeous silver icons (from Cinderella's shoes to Genie's lamp and a Circus tent for Dumbo). Instead of building houses and apartments, you build Cinderella-esque cottages and castles. So much cuter!
Who will love it? Any Disney fan!
What is it? Harry Potter fans will love this version of Cluedo. Playing as Harry, Ron, Hermoine and your other favourite characters, players go head to head to discover who made your friend disappear, what spell or item they used and where it happened.
Who will love it? Harry Potter fans - and anyone who loves a bit of mystery.
What is it? Minions Kerplunk totally took me back to my childhood where my sister and I would play Tumblin' Monkeys for hours - and the concept is still so much fun as an adult. It brings out people's competitive and sleuthful sides as they try different tactics to stop the minions from falling to the bottom.
Who will love it? Anyone or any age!
When's the best time to play? Any time! It's a quick game and really simple to learn.
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here.
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here.
What is it? The Princess and the Goblin is a game that combines skill, memory and the luck of the draw. Players are on a mission to rescue the princess from the goblins by searching for clues and matching cards to find the best path out. The challenge is, goblins will pop up when you least expect it - so you have to be smart about your moves and try and get out before the other players or your chances of escaping will disappear in just a few turns!
Who will love it? Everyone. It's a really easy game to play and lots of fun.
What is it? This is another game that's quick to learn and fun to play. Your mission is simple; collect 5 matching acorns to win the game. The problem? Players can steal, draw from the deck, discard and cause mayhem with every turn so it's not as simple as it seems!
Who will love it? Anyone! We've played with people of all ages and everyone loves it.
When's the best time to play? Anytime. It's quick to learn, quick to play and just a single deck of cards with no added pieces so you can really play it anytime, anywhere.
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here. (Australian link is here)
Pictionary ⭐⭐⭐
What is it? Pictionary is a classic game that almost everyone knows how to play - so it's the perfect game to keep at home for when you want a game to play that you don't have to explain. Players take turns drawing an image whilst the others guess what they have drawn - simple! The latest edition (linked) has dry erase cards and a pop culture category which makes it so much easier and more fun.
Who will love it? Anyone of any age. I find kids especially love Pictionary.
When's the best time to play? Anytime. The game is pretty quick!
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here. (Australian link is here)
Windup War ⭐⭐⭐⭐
What is it? Windup War is a game about what happens when the kids go to bed - the toys come out to play! You choose a "faction" to play (The Tin-Fantry, Gladiators etc) and choose three of your leaders, each with unique weapons and health scores to make up your army. The aim of the game is to be the last toy standing and players take turns to strategically kill off their targets.
Who will love it? This game is definitely better for older kids or adults as there's quite a bit of strategy involved.
When's the best time to play? When you want a relatively quick game with a little more strategy to it.
For those wanting a game with a little more strategy - or just a chance to put your competitive pants on and totally OWN someone in a game, these games are for you.
Get ready for some serious competition - and a little bit of evil along the way (because sometimes you have to play dirty!).
What is it? This is probably the first strategic not girly in any sense of the imagination game I ever played and loved. Castle Panic is one of our favourite games, it's quick to learn and really interesting and so far, just about everyone we've played with has gone and bought their own copy as it's seriously good.
Who will love it? Anyone!
When's the best time to play? Anytime. It's a relatively quick game (30 minutes or so) and easy to learn.
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here. (Australian link is here)
Noir ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Boss Monster ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mastermind ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
BattleCON ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Bloodsuckers ⭐⭐⭐
Quoridor ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pow! ⭐⭐⭐
Ex Libris ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Anagram ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Upwords ⭐⭐⭐⭐
But tell me, are you a board game fan?
What's your favourite game? And which of these would you like to play?
What is it? We had never played Risk before getting this game, but as huge fans of The Walking Dead, it was a no brainer. Instead of an army, in this version of Risk you are on a mission to defeat the walkers before they eat you.
Who will love it? Any fan of The Walking Dead - and anyone who wants a strategy game that isn't too intense.
What is it? I love this game. The graphics are incredible and I love that it has 6 different games that you can play with the one set. Basically, Noir is a "catch a killer" style game. With players battling to either catch the killer (playing as the inspector) or avoid capture (playing as the killer). It's so much better than other "catch a killer" games I've played in the past and so much fun to play. It's almost like a mix of Guess Who and your average inspector/detective game.
Who will love it? Anyone. Everyone we've played this with has loved it!
When's the best time to play? Anytime. It's a really quick game to play and fast to learn.
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here.
Resistor ⭐⭐⭐⭐
What is it? The first time I saw this game I thought nope. Totally a nerd game - but I was proven wrong. Resistor is a two player tactical memory game where you try to manipulate the cards to win the game. You can always see one side of the double sided cards (which your opponent cannot see) so by keeping track of what's on those cards, remembering where they're played and remembering what's in your hand, you'll find yourself defeating your opponent in no time - as long as no mishap cards pop up along the way!
Who will love it? Anyone! It's quick to learn and fun to play.
When's the best time to play? Anytime. The fact that it's a single deck of cards means you can also play it anywhere.
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here.
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here.
What is it? Boss Monster is a deck building game where you have to build your dungeons to beat the heroes (it's a bit of a reverse from the usual as you're the monster trying to defeat the heroes). It's a bit of strategy paired with the luck of the draw, quick to learn and fun to play. It's one of Jesse's favourite games - and mine too!
Who will love it? Anyone. I thought it was too "nerdy" for me but it's really easy to play and I love it!
What is it? Mastermind is an oldie but a goodie - a strategy game that's quick to learn, easy to play and even kids love it. You've got to try and guess the colour combination of the pegs before your turn runs out.
Who will love it? Anyone!
When's the best time to play? Anytime, it's pretty quick to play!
What is it? This is very much Jesse's game - so if you're looking for a great gift idea for a gamer in your life, this is the one. BattleCON is a dueling card game where players or teams go head to head in a battle to be the last person standing. It's pretty easy to learn, but the strategy of the game takes a little while to learn so if you're not a keen gamer, this mightn't be the game for you.
Who will love it? Gamers - but anyone can play it!
What is it? In Bloodsuckers, players choose to play as either vampires or hunters - each with their own special abilities. You're on a mission to control the most locations within the town, attacking your opponents and recruiting innocent bystanders throughout the game.
Who will love it? Anyone who loves a strategic game - the more competitive, the better.
When's the best time to play? When you have a bit of time up your sleeve. It usually takes 1-2 hours to play.
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here.
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here.
Tomb Trader ⭐⭐⭐⭐
What is it? This is a quick game with a great story. In Tomb Trader, you and your friends are on an archaeological excavation where you're hoping to steal some seriously cool and expensive items. Unfortunately for you, you're not the only one playing to line your pockets - as your friends are all trying to do the same. Each player has particular treasures that will give them bonuses at the end of the game and these are kept a secret. Players have to negotiate to determine who gets what treasure in each round in just ONE minute - and if an agreement can't be made? That location is destroyed and the items go along with it.
Who will love it? This is a game that most people love once they learn how to play (tip, play this Quick Start video) - but those who feel they're pretty good at negotiating (or manipulating) will love this game even more.
Meduris ⭐⭐⭐
What is it? Meduris is a game of strategy and story. Players work independently to gather resources and build huts and temples - whilst also pleasing the gods with offerings to the druid to earn points. It's a mixture of luck (as the roll of the dice really determines how your turn will go) and strategy as you pick and choose where to place your huts, what to build and what to set aside for later.
Who will love it? Anyone who loves a good strategy game.
When's the best time to play? This game is better when played with more than two players - as playing as a two player tends to be much harder as you're doing double the work.
What is it? Anansi, the trouble maker has somehow gotten a hold of all of the stories. In the game, you play as an animal, using your special abilities to try and turn the tricks in your favour - being careful that the tricks you play don't turn back to bite you! It's a little hard to explain but this video does a great job!
Who will love it? Anyone who loves a good back story - or who is a bit of a trickster!
Scotland Yard ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What is it? In Scotland yard, you play the detectives who are out to find Mister X on the streets of London. The problem is, you can't find him on foot alone so you've got to use travel tickets to get on the taxi, bus or underground to seek him out. You almost always know how Mister X is travelling - but you rarely know where he is, so you've got to try and outsmart him to find yourself in the right place at the right time to catch him red handed.
Who will love it? Anyone who loves a strategic game - but anyone can play it as it's quite easy to get the hang of!
What is it? Don't let the creepy graphics on the box scare you away. Whilst Betrayal at the House on the Hill is a game about a haunted house, it's really fun to play. Players build their haunted houses room by room, with one player secretly acting as the traitor and the others trying to defeat the secret traitor before it's too late. The expansion adds twenty new rooms onto the original game along with new omens, objects, spirits, monsters and haunts.
Who will love it? Anyone who loves a good scary story or anyone who loves a suspenseful game where you never know what will happen next.
Nefarious ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What is it? In Nefarious, you're racing against the other players to build crazy inventions. The twist is actually a double twist as two twist cards are drawn at the beginning of the game which radically changes the playing field. This means that just when you're thinking you're about to win, you could find yourself rethinking your strategy altogether.
Who will love it? Anyone
When's the best time to play? The game can be played by 2-6 players so it's a good game for small groups.
What is it? Quoridor is a classic game that's really interesting to play. The object of the game is to move your pawn piece from one side of the board to the other. On each turn you can either move your pawn or place a wall to change your opponent's path.
Who will love it? Anyone who loves classic games like chess, checkers, connect four, chinese checkers etc.
Pow! ⭐⭐⭐
What is it? Pow! is a quick little strategy game that's actually more in depth than it looks. Players take turn building their comic book "decks", choosing supervillains and superheroes and hoping they'll end up with the highest score at the end of the game. It's a game of luck (as you're rolling the dice and hoping you get what you want) and strategic decision making.
Who will love it? This game is perfect for those who are good with numbers - as you've got to try and calculate what superheroes/supervillains will work best for you.
When's the best time to play? Anytime, really - the more players the better though!
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here.
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here.
Spoils of War ⭐⭐⭐⭐
What is it? The raid is over and it's time to divide the treasure... only, there's a problem... you're all a bit greedy. Spoils of War is a game of bidding, wagering and bluffing where players compete to score the most treasure.
Who will love it? Anyone who is good at outwitting their opponents.
When's the best time to play? When you have a group of competitive players. The game is for 3-5 players but you can also play in teams of two!
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here. (Australian link is here)
Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? ⭐⭐⭐⭐
What is it? Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego is a hide and seek game with a twist! Players use a process of elimination to work out which loot Carmen took off with and where she is now - battling against time because Carmen could show up and end the game at any moment!
Who will love it? Anyone who loves a competitive mystery game.
When's the best time to play? With a small group. This game is for 2-4 players.
Where can I buy it? Available at Target US. (Australian link is here)
The Oregon Trail: Hunt for Food ⭐⭐⭐⭐
What is it? The Oregon Trail: Hunt for Food is an extension of The Oregon Trail - but it can be played on it's own. This game is a collaborative one where all players are working together to hunt for food. You'll face deadly threats as each roll will see you either succeed or fail miserably. Together you have to come up with the best strategy to win - whether that's letting one player bring home the bacon (or the meat...) or sacrificing players along the way. At the end, if just one player brings the required food, you all win!
Who will love it? Anyone who loves a collaborative game - and who loves a good bit of strategy too!
When's the best time to play? With a smallish group. This game is for 2-6 players.
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here. (Australian link is here)
Paramedics: CLEAR! ⭐⭐⭐⭐
What is it? In Paramedics: Clear! players have to manage their resources, upgrade their ambulances and save the lives of their patients before time runs out. It's fast paced and you'll have to use your head as you can't save everyone!
Who will love it? Anyone who wants a fast paced, timed game with an awesome story.
When's the best time to play? With a small group. This game is for 1-4 players.
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here.
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here. (Australian link is here)
What is it? Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego is a hide and seek game with a twist! Players use a process of elimination to work out which loot Carmen took off with and where she is now - battling against time because Carmen could show up and end the game at any moment!
Who will love it? Anyone who loves a competitive mystery game.
When's the best time to play? With a small group. This game is for 2-4 players.
Where can I buy it? Available at Target US. (Australian link is here)
What is it? The Oregon Trail: Hunt for Food is an extension of The Oregon Trail - but it can be played on it's own. This game is a collaborative one where all players are working together to hunt for food. You'll face deadly threats as each roll will see you either succeed or fail miserably. Together you have to come up with the best strategy to win - whether that's letting one player bring home the bacon (or the meat...) or sacrificing players along the way. At the end, if just one player brings the required food, you all win!
Who will love it? Anyone who loves a collaborative game - and who loves a good bit of strategy too!
When's the best time to play? With a smallish group. This game is for 2-6 players.
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here. (Australian link is here)
What is it? In Paramedics: Clear! players have to manage their resources, upgrade their ambulances and save the lives of their patients before time runs out. It's fast paced and you'll have to use your head as you can't save everyone!
Who will love it? Anyone who wants a fast paced, timed game with an awesome story.
When's the best time to play? With a small group. This game is for 1-4 players.
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here.
If you're a trivia buff or someone who is a sponge with information, this section is for you!
What is it? Smart Ass and Dumb Ass are from the same company - but each have different objectives. In Smart Ass, you want to be the best of the best - but in Dumb Ass, you win by picking the wrong answer!
Who will love it? Anyome who loves Trivia - Dumb Ass is also really good for people who don't like regular trivia games.
When's the best time to play? When you've got a bit of time and brain power (or not) to spare!
What is it? My Mum is OBSESSED with the chase. She sits there and answers the questions out loud, pretty much yelling at the TV - so naturally, The Chase Australia Board Game was a no brainer. This is just like the show and the perfect way to both improve your knowledge - and show off your memory and brain power.
Who will love it? Anyone who loves Trivia - especially if they like game shows like The Chase and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.
When's the best time to play? When you've got a bit of time and brain power to spare!
Where can I buy it? Purchase it from Amazon Australia. You can also get the UK version here.
Linkee ⭐⭐⭐⭐
What is it? In Linkee, you're given a card of clues that all links to one specific word. When you get that word, you get to turn over the card with has one of the letter L-I-N-K-E on the back. As soon as you can spell LINKEE using those cards, you win! This game gets LOUD as everyone tends to shout out answers over the top of each other - but that's what makes it so fun!
Who will love it? Anyone who can think fast and can make connections between words.
When's the best time to play? Anytime!
Comparity ⭐⭐
What is it? Comparity is a game of knowledge where players have to correctly work out when the buildings were built and how tall they are to create your grid. The first player to correctly place all of their cards wins. If you place your card incorrectly, you have to draw 3 cards.
Who will love it? Anyone with good general knowledge - or a good guesser!
When's the best time to play? Anytime really, it's the size of the deck of cards so you can take it anywhere.
Where can I buy it? The official website is here.
I'm a writer and a bookworm so I love word games. Scrabble has always been my favourite board game - and that's probably because I have a brain full of crazy obscure words so I can always manage to pull out an awesome word score.
Here are some of my other favourite word games that are sure to be a hit!
What is it? Bookworms, pay attention - this is the game for you! Ex Libris is a game where you both have to know your books - or know how to trick other players into believing your own literary creations. You have to both correctly guess the first or last line to famous novels and fool other players into thinking your made up first/last lines are the real deal.
Who will love it? Bookworms - or anyone who can tell a good story!
When's the best time to play? Anytime, really!
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here.
What is it? Anagram is a game where you compete to create as many words as possible from the letters you have or reveal - or by stealing your opponent's letters or anagrams. Think of it like the card version of Boggle - only fast paced with stealing encouraged!
Who will love it? Anyone who loves word games - or who has a bit of a competitive sleuthful side!
When's the best time to play? Anytime! The game is pretty quick to play.
Where can I buy it? Purchase it here.
What is it? Upwords is a fun twist on Scrabble that gets rid of the old Scrabble scoring method and instead focuses on stacking those letters as high as possible. The higher the stack, the more points your letter is worth.
Who will love it? Anyone who loves Scrabble or word games.
When's the best time to play? Anytime!
But tell me, are you a board game fan?
What's your favourite game? And which of these would you like to play?
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My friends and I love Articulate. I’m very surprised to find it’s not on your list though it is similar to Awkward Turtle by the sounds. All my other favourite games are on your list. It’s a great list and I’m definitely going to purchase some of these. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteArticulate is another great game! Definitely one we have in our board game cupboard and should play more often! :)
DeleteSome of my favourite games: Takenoko, Fresco, Stone Age, Bohnanza, Ticket to Ride (lots of versions), Carcassone, 7 Wonders, Alien Frontiers, Mysterium, Flash Point Fire Rescue
ReplyDelete