Cards Against Humanity
Sherlock Holmes - The Thames Murders
When was the last time you sat around playing a game with your friends that did not involve a smartphone or some other digital device? If you’re like most people, you haven’t seen a board game in the last couple of decades, much less actually played one with your friends. This is really a shame as board games were once the best way to spend an afternoon or evening with family and friends. These low-tech games were easy to play and they needed that little bit of human interaction that is missing today.
The good news is, board games are making a comeback, in more ways than one. Families are finding them a great way to bond together without the constant beeping distractions of phones business owners are finding them useful as a team building tool during office parties and lunch breaks. These old timers of the gaming world are great at decrease stress due to today’s technology overload and they can teach the younger generation the virtues of patience and working towards a goal.
If you have a stack of old board games hidden in your attic, it’s time to dust them off and resurrect them in your home. These gems are possibly vintage today and worth more than what you originally paid for them. If you no longer have these, we’ve put together a selection of some of the best board games you can get today so start a new tradition in your family or other social circle and let the games begin.
The Best Board Game
1Cards Against Humanity
If you find you need to hide your true nasty self from the world during your workweek then you need to play Cards Against Humanity on the weekend and let the horrible person within come out to play. This is the perfect party game for horrible people. It contains 100 black cards with questionable questions and 500 white cards to reveal all the possibly funny or despicable answers. The aim of the game is simple. Each round, a player picks up a black card and asks the horrible questions on the card. The rest of the players then offer their funniest responses from the white cards in their possession. The answers could be anything from humorous, to downright rude and everything in between. This set of cards included a booklet of sensible rules, but if you’re not feeling particularly compliant, you can switch to the preposterous rules that are also included. With 600 cards in all, there are thousands of possible outcomes to the questions. For more fun options like this, check out our selection of the best laser tag sets.
Great party game for horrible people
Contains 500 white cards and 100 black cards
Includes a booklet of sensible game rules
Alternate preposterous rules also included
Thousands of possible outcomes
The box is America’s No. 1 Gerbil Coffin
- BrandCards Against Humanity LLC.
- ModelCAHUS
- Weight2.25 pounds
2Wit’s End Board Game by Game Development Group
Put yourself and your friends to the test with the Wit’s End Board Game by Game Development Group. This game is every bit as challenging as it is entertaining. The game has been designed to test your general knowledge and quick-thinking skills with a series of brain teasers and riddles to really get you thinking. Answer questions in four mind-challenging categories – TEASER Category, ODD1OUT Category, SEQUENCE Category, and WILD CARD Category. There are over 1200 questions about popular culture, geography, the arts, history, science and a whole lot more. If you’re a person that has a head full of little pieces of information that aren’t particularly useful in everyday life, this is a game to showcase your knowledge.
Challenging and entertaining trivia game
Test your knowledge and quick-thinking skills
A game of brain teasers and riddles
Answer questions in four mind-challenging categories
Includes 1200 questions about popular culture, geography and more
Includes cards, game board, playing pieces, die, and instructions
- BrandGame Development Group
- Model11104
- Weight2.31 pounds
3Exploding Kittens Card Game
Take out your frustrations on kittens, without actually harming any real ones with this Exploding Kittens Card Game. This is a highly strategic, kitty powered version of Russian Roulette. It takes all of 5 minutes to learn this easy game and about 15 minutes to play before the last kitty explodes before the winner is announced. This card game is similar to UNO but with kittens, goats and laser beams. This is a fun game that for 2 – 5 players so for a hilarious afternoon of fun, get together within some friends and let the kitties start exploding. If you are also a fan of Nerf guns, be sure to check out our selection of the best ones on the market.
Highly-strategic, kitty-powered version of Russian roulette
Similar to UNO but with kitties, goats, and laser beams
5 minutes to learn, 15 minutes to play
Draw an exploding kitten, you lose
Last player standing wins
- BrandExploding Kittens LLC
- ModelEKG-ORG1-1
- Weight6.4 ounces
4Catan The Board Game by Catan Studio
Build your own little empire with Catan The Board Game. This oddly shaped board game brings family board games to a different level as each player strives to create their own civilization. This is an award-winning game that pits players against each other as they create and develop their own little world of trading and development. Each player controls their own civilization as they build homes, roads as they build new settlements or upgrade existing ones. They need to be on their guard though because this game has a villain with nefarious plans to rob and plunder. This is a great game for young and old, with up to 4 players battling it out on the board for victory.
Award-winning civilization-building board game
A game of clever trading and cunning development
Players control their own civilization
Beware the robber’s nefarious plans
3 to 4 players, 60 minutes, ages over 10
- BrandCatan Studio
- ModelCN3071
- Weight2 pounds
5It’s in The Bag! by Gatwick Games
If you love party games, you’ll l love It’s In The Bag by Gatwick Games. This is a collaborative team-building that is 10 times better and more fun than other party games. The game involves playing in teams with a timer running. Each player will have the opportunity to put on their best performance as their team guesses for points. Round 1: Describe the word. Round 2: Describe the word using only one word. Round 3: Act out the Word! It may sound simple enough, but the hilarity starts with the quick thinking of the performing player to act out the word for his or her team. Don’t forget the hourglass timer. Your team needs to guess the right word before the sand runs out. This game is ideal for kids of all ages and even adults can let their inner child out to play this fun game. This is a great game for when you’re stuck indoors or when that party is degenerating from sizzle to fizzle. You may also like some of the best remote control airplanes from our list, so check them out.
Collaborative team building game
10 times better than other party games
The perfect game for kids of all ages – adults too
Great for when the party gets boring
100% satisfaction guaranteed
- BrandGatwick Games
- Weight1.7 pounds
6The Golfing Dead – Only One Survives
Golf is one of the tamest games in the world but not when you play The Golfing Dead Card Game by Gatwick Games. This incorporates the classic game of golf with funny twists. This is a quirky combination of a major golf tournament meeting the zombie apocalypse as you fight off zombies as well as your opponents. In addition to tough fairways, you also need to deal with horrible, smelly zombies who like to throw Zombie urine as well as gather those zombie hordes to make it nearly impossible to get to the last hole. The cards have been beautifully created with fun pictures providing entertainment for the entire family. Kids will love this game just as much as adults. Next time you throw a party, pull out this card game and host your own zombie apocalypse party.
Classic golf with funny twists!
Fight off zombies and opponents
Ruin your opponent’s golf game with zombies
Beautifully created cards
Entertainment for the entire family
Fun for parties or competitive friends
- BrandGatwick Games
- Weight9.6 ounces
7Gloomhaven by Cephalofair Games
Gloomhaven by Cephalofair Games combines cards and tokens with a storyline that unravels in a way similar to a “Choose Your Own Adventure” book. This is a Euro-inspired tactical combat game in an incessant world of alternate motives. Players are forced to collaborate in order to clear out menacing dungeons and long-lost ruins as they play the part of the wandering adventurer. The cards determine the powers the hero has and the player can choose from the higher power or lower power depending on his or her strategy. This is a fun game with an unpredictable ending. It’s so much fun and never boring because the choices each player makes will constantly change so no two games will ever play the same way.
Euro-inspired tactical combat
1 – 4 players
60-120-minute playing time
Inspires players to work together
No two games will end the same way
- BrandCephalofair Games
- ModelCPH0201
- Weight21.6 pounds
8Plan B Games Azul Board Game Board Games
Who’d have thought board games could incorporate a little bit of the artistic aptitude as players build a mosaic fit for a monarch. Plan B Games Azul Board Game Board Games features high-quality components in a fun and accessible way. Players need to work on fun tile drafting and tile placement mechanics. Players need to compete for tiles before they can claim them and arrange them on the board to win points. You can get extra points for collecting sets of the same color or if they manage to achieve particular patterns. Penalties apply if you can’t use any of the tiles you claim and what your rivals can do will also vary depending on the tiles you’ve laid.
This is a game with a difference and is quick and easy to learn. The game can go on for 30 or more minutes and is ideal to be played with 2 to 4 players.
Build a mosaic fit for a monarch!
High-quality components and fun, accessible gameplay
Fun tile drafting and tile placement mechanics
Quick to learn for players young and old
For 2 – 4 artisans, age 8 and up
Game plays in 30 – 40 minutes
- BrandPlan B Games
- ModelNMG-600010EN
- Weight3 pounds
9Sherlock Holmes – The Thames Murders & Other Cases by Fantasy Flight Games
Bring the much-loved story of Sherlock Holmes to life as you solve crime on the streets of London with Sherlock Holmes – The Thames Murders & Other Cases by Fantasy Flight Games. This is a game that will challenge your mental ability and quick thinking skills as you cooperate with your friends to solve each case. There are no die or game pieces here, you need to solve the crimes using cards and the information given to you in the game. Every decision you make will take you towards a different outcome so this is a game that will never be boring. Use the maps, newspaper articles and other clues to solve the mysteries. This is not a game of luck or chance, but one that will test your talent of observation and cleverness.
Revives the historical classic story
A game that challenges your mental ability
Cooperate with your friends to solve each case
Enter the world of Sherlock Holmes
Ages 12 + / 1 – 8 players
- BrandFantasy Flight Games
- ModelSHEH03
- Weight4 pounds
10Leder Games Root by Leder Games
If you thought woodland creatures were cute and fuzzy, think again. When you play Root by Leder Games, the furry creatures are in a battle for domination in the woods. Extract the riches of the forest, forge alliances and rivalries as you navigate your way through the game. Bring the family together for a battle in the woods in the comfort of your home. How you all play will determine the ruler of the woods.
A game of adventure and war
Dominate the woods, extracting its riches
Forge alliances and rivalries with the other players
Players’ choices determine how the game is played
- BrandLeder Games
- ModelLED01000
- Weight2.2 pounds