The 15 Best Party Games to Play With Friends
Last updated on January 7th, 2026 at 03:24 pm
Looking for the next game for your game night with friends? I’ve got you covered! Here are some of our favorite party games to play with friends on game night.
We love to play board games and card games around here. Just about anytime we have friends over, it’s pretty much guaranteed that we’ll be pulling a game or two out after dinner! We always have friends that are surprised by the types of games we have, because they’re a little more unique than your typical Monopoly or Taboo! So, today, I’m sharing a few of our favorite games to play with friends.
We’ve had lots of friends who were originally resistant to playing board games with us, but by the end of the night they’re usually asking when we can do it again! It’s taken us some time to gather a good collection of games that work well with a crowd, but we’ve got a lot of favorites now! Here are a few we love to pull out again and again.
15 Board Games to Play With Friends
LCR Wild
(Unlimited Players)
This is a really simple dice game perfect for a crowd. Simply roll the three dice and pass your chips to the right, left, or center of the play area depending on where you land. When you’re out of chips, you’re eliminated! It gets a lot more exciting if you have everyone bring three $1 bills to play with instead of the chips – last player standing keeps the entire pot!
Spyfall
(Up to 8 players)
This game is perfect for a party. Everyone at the table has a card that they have to keep secret. The spy is trying to figure out what everyone else’s card says, and the group needs to sus out the spy! We always end up in fits of laughter when we play this one. Best for a group who doesn’t mind being put on the spot.
Codenames
(Up to 8 Players)
This game is played in teams. So, the game recommends up to 8 but we’ve played with way more! The set up is a bit like the old computer game, Minesweeper. On the grid, each time has specific words assigned to them that only the clue giver knows. The clue-giver on each team tries to get everyone else to guess the words assigned to that team. The catch? They can only give a one-word clue. We almost always play multiple rounds of this one!
Ultimate Werewolf
(Up to 30 Players)
I used to play this game with a plain ol’ deck of cards at every slumber party I went to as a kid. It is so much fun and it’s one of those games that just gets better the more people you have. This one is best played with a group who isn’t afraid to get a little silly! There’s also a shorter version (that’s maybe even more popular) called One Night Ultimate Werewolf.
Rabble
(Unlimited Players)
I’ve also heard this called Monikers or Celebrity. It’s a team game where you have to get your team to guess your words first by describing them, then by using one word, and finally with only charades. It’s silly and so fun for a larger group.
Tapple
(Up to 8 Players)
A card assigns a category and then you must come up with words in that category that start with each letter of the alphabet. Don’t come up with a word in time? You’re out! It’s harder than you’d think, and good for lots of ages!
I Know… You Don’t
(Up to 7 Players)
One player chooses a rule for the round from a deck of cards, and everyone else has to follow it. But they don’t know what it is! See if you can guess the pattern or rule before anyone else. It’s hard but so fun, and we always play a bunch of rounds.
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza
(Up to 8 Players)
This fast-thinking card game is like the classic game of War but with a twist. As you flip cards, you take turns saying the name of the game (the first players says “Taco”, the next player says “Cat”, and so on). If the card you flip matches the word you say, you try to slap the stack to take the cards!
Hues & Cues
(Up to 10 Players)
Try to get the group to guess a very specific color swatch on a board full of tiny color swatches. You’ll give a clue for the color and they have to try and place their markers on the exact hue. It seems impossible at first but you’ll be surprised at how close they get!
Pantone: The Game
(Up t0 20 Players)
In this team game, you’re trying to get your teammates to guess clues by using Pantone color swatches! You manipulate them to create shapes or suggestions and you’ll surprise yourself at how creative you get… and how well your teammates can guess! It’s tricky, but really fun for a creative group.
Wavelength
(Up to 12 Players)
This team party game is all about predicting what your teammates think. One person on the team gives you a clue and has you guess where on the spectrum between two things that is. For example, it might be a spectrum of “Hot” to “Cold” and they give the clue “Coffee”. The categories change every time (things like Overrated/Underrated and Wet/Dry), and it’s always a really great time.
Telestrations
(Up to 12 Players)
This game is a perfect mash-up of Pictionary and Telephone. And, it’s probably my personal favorite party game! Each person starts with a prompt and has to draw a picture. They pass it to the next person, who writes down what they think it is. Then they pass it to the next person, who has to draw what the previous person wrote down…etc, etc. It’s pretty fun and it’s great for when your group includes kids!
Just One
(Up to 7 Players)
We love this game so much we bought a second copy for so we can play up to 14 players! It’s incredibly simple – everyone works together to get each other to guess words on a card. The only catch is, the clues can only be one word, and only one person can give each clue. So, if two people write the same clue they both have to erase it! Everyone always loves this game!
Sequence
(Up to 12 Players)
You can play this game individually with a small group, or as a team for a bigger group. You’re playing cards from your hand to create a sequence of 5 on the board, but the other team can sabotage you along the way! It’s quick to learn and doesn’t take long to play. Perfect for a group that likes to chat while they’re playing a game.
Skyjo
(Up to 8 Players)
If you’ve ever played Golf (or Play Nine) this will feel familiar! You’re working with a mostly face-down deck of cards, slowly flipping them over and trying to get cards to match so you can earn the fewest points. It’s another one that’s easy to chat while you play, and it’s a perfect game for a low-key, quiet night.
Flip7
(Unlimited Players)
This game is played in rounds and goes by really quick. It’s great for risk-takers who don’t want to learn a complex game. Try to get 7 cards flipped without getting the same number twice!
Pass the Pigs
(Unlimited Players)
I played this a TON as a kid. It’s silly and unique and so easy to learn. Roll the “dice” (actually pigs) and score points based on how they land. Keep rolling and risk losing the points, or stop while you’re ahead!
Tenzi
(Unlimited Players)
You can play as many people as you have sets of dice in this fast-paced game. There are tons of different ways to play, so it’s good for a group who likes variety!
Other Tips for Game Nights with Friends
If you’re looking to host a game night with your friends, here are a few other ideas to help you make the most of it!
- Set out a few puzzles for guests who aren’t into the games.
- If all else fails, the classic board games like Uno, Yahtzee, and Clue are always a blast!
- Go really old school and play Spoons!
- If you have any gaming consoles those are always a fun surprise for adults at a houseparty! A good multiplayer game will get everyone invested. We love to bust out the Nintendo Switch for a round of Mario Kart. You’ll be surprised at how competitive your friends get!
- For a big group, we love playing Heads Up. It’s similar to Charades or the classic Taboo, but played on your phone. You can find it in the app store and it works on iOS or Android! It always leaves us in fits of giggles.
- Another great online game is Jackbox Party Packs! It can be played on most video game consoles and can be played with a big group.
- For a small group, we love escape room style games. This brand is great, and we had a ton of fun with it!
- Another similar idea? Many of your favorite games have mobile versions! You can play online with friends at your own pace.
What kinds of games do you like to play with a big group?
What a great list! I recommend so many of these games all the time. For fans of secret roles games, I also love Deception: Murder in Hong Kong. Up to 12 people can play, and it’s always a favorite among my gaming groups.
And if anyone wants a raunchier game night, both Codenames and Telestrations have “adult” versions!
Yes! Those are all great suggestions!
We have most of those and I agree they’re so fun! I’ll have to get Nadia. I didn’t know there was a specific game for it! I love to play it with my kids at the end of the school year! (I have 8th graders). I’d recommend “we didn’t play test this at all” it’s a $10 card game on Amazon that can have up to 7 people I believe. Although we’ve played with 10. It’s a series of “rule” cards or random requests. It’s hard to explain but it’s SO silly and fun. I also really like Quelf for big groups but they have to be wiping to get silly. The last time I played I was in a homemade fort for 45 mins haha!
I’ll have to look into that – sounds like fun! Quelf is absolutely hilarious – I love that game, too. 🙂