23 Board Games for Adults You'll Never Get Tired of Playing
Trivia? Murder mysteries? Flying burritos? These games have it all.
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I still remember the exact moment I swore off board games as a teen. It was after a brutal, 3+ hour game of family Monopoly in which my dad slowly but surely cleaned us all out, and I thought I'd never play again. And while I'm still hesitant to even look at a Monopoly board, I have since discovered that board games for adults don't actually have to end in misery. In fact, a good board game round can be just as fun as adult party games or couple games. You just have to find the right one.
No shade to the original classics like Scrabble, Clue, and Monopoly, but the board game world has seriously evolved in recent years. Today, there’s something for every personality type and interest. There are sexy board games you can play with a partner, drunk board games to play with your friends, and new, updated spins on the classic board game genres like trivia and murder mysteries. Your biggest challenge will probably be figuring out which one to add to your collection first.
Our top picks for the best board games for adults of 2024:
To kickstart your search for the best board games, scroll through our selections below. These games are guaranteed to get any party started—and keep it going. Get ready to put your minds to the test and keep your wits about you because your best Adult Game Night™ is right around the corner!
Pros
- So chic, it doubles as home decor
Cons
- Lacks the creativity of other board games
Bet you didn't know a board game could be so fahncy. This Backgammon game might look colorful and fun, but it's actually one of the oldest board games. If you've never played before, it might take a hot second to figure out, but once you get the hang of it, you'll love pulling this out to challenge your friends.
- Ages: 6+
- Players: 2
Pros
- Requires group participation, so no one is left out
Cons
- Not technically a board game
Got a lot of chit-chatters in your friend group? This game will be quite challenging for them since it requires limiting how you talk *and* how much you talk. The game works like this: you pick a card with a specific term on it and roll the die to see how you can deliver clues to your teammates so that they can guess the word. You might have to rap your clues (Freestyle) or go full-Charade (Show Don't Tell).
- Ages: 18+
- Players: 4+
THE REVIEW: "Super fun game to play with friends. Easy to turn into a drinking game and make your own rules," one reviewer says. "One of my go-tos for game night."
Pros
- Uses characters you know and love from the O.G. Clue
Cons
- Some reviewers found the game too complicated for casual play
There's nothing wrong with some good old fashioned Clue, but if you're worried that might be too easy for your adult game night, you can up your game with this new ~adult~ version, Clue Conspiracy. The murder mystery game lets you play as either a Conspiracy Ringleader/Conspiracy Accomplice trying to murder a hotel manager, Mr. Coral, or a Friend trying to save him.
- Ages: 14+
- Players: 4-10
THE REVIEW: "We loved this new aged-up take on Clue. Great for game nights as it flexes to accommodate up to 10 players," writes a reviewer. "Lie to your friends, get away with murder!"
Pros
- Easy, yet chic set up makes for elevated play
Cons
- Can be a bit confusing at first
It's time to find out how close you and your friends really are. Here's the premise of this game show style board game: each round, one player (a "psychic") gets a peak at a target on a wheel. They must remember where the target is before hiding it, then, using clues, they must get their team to guess where the target is. It's a bit hard to explain, but at its core, it tests how well the psychic can anticipate how their friends think.
- Ages: 14+
- Players: 2-12+
THE REVIEW: "Great party game or family game," writes a reviewer. "Scales very well, so would work well with a large group. A game that you could play for 20 minutes or for hours."
Pros
- Comes with a quick gameplay option
Cons
- You really, really, really have to love trivia to have fun
Trivial Pursuit is one of those games that really only starts being fun once you're an adult because, well, you might actually know the answers by then! This Master Edition has 6 trivia categories—Geography, Entertainment, History, Art and Literature, Science and Nature, Sports and Leisure—for a total of 2,950 questions, so you'll never run out of challenges no matter how much you play.
- Ages: 16+
- Players: 2+
THE REVIEW: "I got this for my grandparents for Christmas. We always play the traditional Trivial Pursuit together and have lots of fun, but my boyfriend and I have a hard time with some of the questions as they are before my time, so I got this for my grandparents so we could play together and it is perfect," one reviewer writes. "We play this new one every time and it has both newer and older questions, so it isn't unfair in either way!"
Pros
- Ask yourself questions you've never thought about before
Cons
- It's on the personal side, so playing with strangers could be a risk
Feel like getting deep with your partner or party guests? Break out this storytelling game, developed by couples therapist Esther Perel. The game encourages players to tell stories based on prompts that other people want them to answer. You can play seriously, with extra rules involving tokens and voting, or you can play casually by picking up a card and letting the conversation flow!
- Ages: All
- Players: 2+
THE REVIEW: "Great game for any occasion. You wanna play it with your girlfriend? Do it. You want to play it with your family? Do it. With your coworkers? Do it," one reviewer says. "You'll have so much fun and you'll learn so much about people you spend your time with."
Pros
- Doesn't take too long to play, but can be extended
Cons
- Slightly problematic game scenario
Ever watched a cult documentary and thought, "Hm, I bet I could be a good cult leader"? First, you should interrogate that. Second, you'd love Cultivate, a board game where players compete to collect "meeples" (colorful follower tokens) and succeed at secret agendas.
- Ages: 14+
- Players: 2-5
THE REVIEW: "I played Cultivate with two other people and all of us picked up the game quickly from the instructions and enjoyed our three-player experience," says one tester. "It is lightweight, teachable, has amazing artwork, and is also a good balance of strategy, competition, and fun, satirical theming."
Pros
- With 50 different scenarios, you won't end up playing the same game over and over
Cons
- While you can play in a pair, 3 people minimum is best
In this tile game, players work together to design a haunted house. Unbeknownst to the others, however, one player is at work to betray the “team,” so you have to overthrow them before it’s too late!
- Ages: 12+
- Players: 3-6
THE REVIEW: "LOVED IT," writes one reviewer. "There are 50 unique storylines in the game, and each one is well thought out and enjoyable! The rules are easy to follow and leave room for subjectivity for whoever is playing. Highly recommend this game to anyone who enjoys strategy-based games!"
Pros
- All the fun of an escape room without having to leave your house
Cons
- It's more interactive than a regular board game
Turn your house into an escape room with this game, which challenges a host to walk players through 9 rooms at the Grand Hotel, each with their own series of puzzles that players must complete if they have any hope of escaping the Grand Hotel ever again.
- Ages: 12+
- Players: 2+
Pros
- Very lively gameplay
Cons
- Some reviewers say the rulebook is a bit confusing
It's a Witch Hunt! This game combines cards and interactive role play to create an epic game of deceit, strategy, and the luck of the draw. Each player must participate as a character based on stories from the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, and the goal is to accuse and "hang" all the witches before they take over the village.
- Ages: 14+
- Players: 2-12
THE REVIEW: "It literally feels like you are in 1692. You are sitting around with your friends or family or whoever and you're all suspicious of each other. You're all accusing and being accused of being a witch, having to defend yourself and others, and it's complete organized chaos," says one reviewer. "I love it."
Pros
- The board swivels, so everyone can see the Scrabble board
Cons
- Monopoly and Scrabble can both take forever to complete
Leave the ripped up cardboard games to the kiddos and elevate your game with these sturdy sets of Monopoly and Scrabble. The classic games are known for testing your spelling skills (Scrabble) and your patience (Monopoly), so only pull these out if you're ready to play for hours.
- Ages: 8+
- Players: 2-4
THE REVIEW: "Fabulous set up for Scrabble," one tester writes. "Makes the game easier (the board swivels!) and safer (the letters don't slide around!). Simply a great product."
Pros
- Expansion packs are available to further customize the game
Cons
- 2 player only
Think Game of Life, but with more relationship drama. In Fog of Love, you and your plus-one will become two different characters who try to fall in love amid unforeseen twists and life-altering turns. Described as a strategy game, Fog of Love is all about the choices we make...and who we make them for.
- Ages: 14+
- Players: 2
THE REVIEW: "This is definitely a unique game," one tester writes. "You work together, or potentially at cross-purposes, to simulate a relationship. You are each working towards some secret objectives as well, so it's not just about finding a certain level of success. Overall, I found this to be a unique title and worth having in your collection."
Pros
- Every game leads to new designs
Cons
- It's harder to win than it seems
Let's get those creative juices flowing! The main objective here is to compete to see who can create the prettiest mosaic with the least amount of waste in resources. But don't be fooled into thinking this is a game about the art, it's actually a game of strategy that requires quite a bit of math, too.
- Ages: 8+
- Players: 2-4
THE REVIEW: "My husband and I love this game. It doesn't take too long. You can still talk while playing. It does take some strategy," writes one reviewer. "A fun game to play while chatting without taking all night. A gorgeous game to look at, too!"
Pros
- Super easy to learn the rules and play
Cons
- It can get messy, beware spills!
This board game combines all the best old- and new-school drinking games (pong, flip cup, quarters, etc.). Just grab some cups, your drink of choice, and roll the dice for a night you may or may not remember the next day. Pro tip: Have some water nearby for hydration because you'll need it.
- Ages: 21+ (though you can play with non-alcoholic drinks)
- Players: 2-12
THE REVIEW: "This game is SO fun! It really is the perfect drinking game," one reviewer says. "All the popular games are part of it—King's Cup, Beer Pong, Quarters, Flip Cup. It's easily altered to have everyone drink as much as y'all want."
Pros
- Detailed evidence really makes you feel like you're in the investigation
Cons
- 6 "Episode" game takes up to 15 hours to play through
When your crew is convinced they could solve a murder mystery, this game will put that theory to the test. The goal of this 6-part game is to find out who killed a man during his class of '98 high school reunion. A whodunnit and '90s nostalgia? Sign us up, plz.
- Ages: 14+
- Players: 1-6
THE REVIEW: "We played this with some friends over a several month period. It was so much fun," one tester writes. "Definitely went down some rabbit holes, but the reveal at the end is great."
Pros
- No table required
Cons
- It can get old fast
You'd be shocked at how much changing up the angle of your pong table adds to the fun. Before the haters object, YES this still counts as a board game. Do you not see the board?!
- Ages: 21+
- Players: 2
Pros
- Very easy to adjust the game for a large party, or for players to filter in and out
Cons
- Too few players and the game becomes too easy
Here we've got a classic, "sniff out the imposter" game. The premise is simple: Each player is told the secret word, except for the Chameleon, who must try to act like they know the word and blend in with the group. It's up to all the other players to track the Chameleon down.
- Ages: 14+
- Players: 3-8
THE REVIEW: "This game was so fun! We played with mostly millennials but one Gen-Z and everybody was paranoid, laughing, thinking, and screaming," says a reviewer. "I thought we would get tired of it and move on to another game, but we played it for hours."
Pros
- You can easily adapt the game to your party needs
Cons
- There are only 16 game cards
This word game is all about speed and wit. Every turn, you pick a topic card that has a series of questions. Simply roll the die to pick a letter each word must start with and fill out your answers. The funniest answers win!
- Ages: 15+
- Players: 2-8
THE REVIEW: "I bought this game for a small adult party that had varying senses of humor, and it was a hit," says a tester. "Such a fun time with lots of laughs, but still interactive and intellectually stimulating enough to keep you interested."
Pros
- Fun way to work on your problem-solving skills
Cons
- Potentially triggering
Despite the obvious comparisons between the current trying times, this game is seriously fun. Basically, four diseases have broken out in the world and it is up to a team of specialists (the players) to find cures for these diseases before mankind is wiped out.
- Ages: 8+
- Players: 2-4
THE REVIEW: "I haven't ever beat this rotten game, and yet I keep coming back," one reviewer writes. "One day we'll win."
Pros
- Can be played by small or large groups
Cons
- Be ready to challenge your way of thinking
You ever see something you know you don't need, but you're super glad it exists? That's this game right here. Basically, you pick a character and have to use Pantone color swatches to create a design that'll help others guess the character. (Don't worry, there are additional hints, too.) It's like Pictionary, but the soothing palettes mean no one will flip the table.
- Ages: 8+
- Players: 2-20
THE REVIEW: "We have played this game with my family and at the office. It's an absolute blast," writes one reviewer. "Allows you to be creative and it's plain fun!"
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