The Best Holiday Party Games on Amazon, According to Hyperenthusiastic Reviewers

“We purchased Exploding Kittens for our nephew and our godson for Christmas and the kids howled with laughter playing this game. They literally played until it was time for everyone to leave,” writes one reviewer. And more than 5,000 others agree, calling this expert-recommended card game for parties “fun,” with one noting, “It was a huge hit, especially with the kids. It took a little bit of explaining and coaching to get the kids up to speed, but after that, they ruled the table like the merciless sociopaths kids are.” Another notes that the fun comes from how inappropriate the cards are: “The game requires you to make temporary alliances, screw everyone, be sneaky, or a little of the above. The cards are hilarious. The pictures are completely inappropriately awesome.” A third agrees, writing, “This is a quirky, funny, and flexible game that provides actual interaction in a light and funny way.” But many reviewers did note that the humor can be offensive to some. “If you’re highly offended and don’t find offensive/gross things funny, it’s probably not for you,” one reviewer writes, adding that the game still “really makes me laugh.”

This affordable party game is fun for all ages during the holidays, with one reviewer calling it “a hoot. We played it at Christmas for hours. Everyone loved it.” Another adds, “This game is so much fun. My entire family loves playing.” And a third says, “This game was perfect; even my 7-year-old was able to play along and guess correctly. I recommend this game for anyone with young children and us old adults.” While a few reviewers note that you can just download the app to play, one says springing for the game is worth it: “We have played this game on our phones, but I found the game to be a lot more fun [with the cards].”

“I was browsing the internet for a fun group card game that wasn’t Cards Against Humanity when I came across this gem,” one reviewer says about this meme-based card game that more than 200 reviewers called “lots of laughs.” Another reviewer writes, “The game went over so well at our recent holiday party. I would blame the alcohol, but truly the game was hilarious, and we had a great time playing it.” That reviewer goes on to explain that “essentially, the game provides an easel, and you put up a meme, and people caption the meme with the cards they have in their hand. I had more than a few friends say that they loved the spin of captioning a photo instead of the typical Cards Against Humanity format.” Another reviewer notes that “this game is really great, and I would recommend it for all meme lovers! There are expansions, and I’ve bought a few, but it is also fun to make up your own variations and add your own memes. The cards are clever and there are a variety of memes from the dawn of the internet to now.” But reviewers agree that the subject matter, while hilarious, is best for adults. “I got this for my family to play on Christmas. Everyone in our group, from ages 18–65, from meme experts to meme noobs, was laughing and having a great time,” writes one. Another concludes it is “similar to Cards Against Humanity, but some of the answer cards are even more messed up and hilarious. Definitely not for kids but perfect for a game night with adults.”

Reviewers agree that this game is super-easy, with one writing, “We love this game. It is easy to learn and is a riot to play. (This is speaking from a family who loves games and plays often.) We took it over to play with friends for New Year’s Eve and can’t remember laughing so hard or enjoying a game so much.” A second satisfied customer adds, “It is so simple to learn, easy to play, and adjusts well to all group sizes. There are a ton of cards, so we haven’t had to repeat clues. There are different levels of difficulty, so everyone can play and have fun.” A third says, “I have played Rollick a couple of times with a group of friends and it has been a hit each time! Rollick is great for parties and get-togethers because it is easy to learn, involves the whole group, and provides laugh out loud moments.”

“We love this game. I like that it’s so simple to play yet provides a ton of fun for all ages. Right out of the box, you’re ready to play in three minutes or less,” writes one happy customer, who adds that “another great feature is that you can play for as long or as short as you’d like. Nothing kills a game night quicker than a game that goes on forever. Our 4-year-old plays up to adults, and it’s a riot for everyone.” Another reviewer calls it “one of the best games I have purchased in a while,” explaining, “we played with friends and they loved it so much we bought them one too.” This reviewer goes on to say that “this was a Christmas gift from one of my siblings. They figured I needed a game that was kid-friendly but fun enough for adults as well. We played it on Christmas Eve with just a few adults and then the next day with a whole bunch of people they’d invited over. Adults, teens, and a little younger. Lots of laughter at the answers people came up with. I was looking for a ‘clean’ game that wouldn’t be too boring for adults. This was perfect!”

“Such a fun game. And what a wonderful, colorful set. We enjoyed Farkel at our family reunion — with ages 5 to 85 in attendance,” explains one reviewer, who adds that “it’s so nice for each player to have their own set of dice and their own shaker. Farkel is an easy-to-play game of chance with just a tad bit of strategy. It’s a good game for all ages.” Many reviewers also argue that this is more fun than Yahtzee, like one who says, “Played it with family and friends in Seattle and got rave reviews from them. Better than Yahtzee.” Another sums up the game’s appeal simply: “It’s compact. Easy to use. Fast paced. All that is required is looking at the dice for pairs, triples, 4 of kind, etc. Great party game that doesn’t require a lot of space.”

This giant version of the classic game Jenga has racked up more than 3,600 five-star reviews. “This one is the real thing — Jenga as I remember playing it as a kid,” writes one reviewer, who adds, “More than many games and toys of my childhood, I believe this one is still worth playing (which is why I now have my own set).” Another customer who bought it for her 6-year-old grandson writes, “This classic game never gets old.” A third reviewer notes, “This game is a classic and great for kids and adults alike. Great for large groups.”

Reviewers love this alcohol-soaked board game, which combines elements of different college drinking games. “This game is so much fun. It plays like Monopoly and combines some of our favorite games from college. I highly suggest this game for any upcoming parties or even if you’re bored at home with the roomies,” writes one reviewer. Several others did note that the cardboard game can get damaged by the drinks, with one recommending to keep “the King’s Cup separate. If you leave it in the center, there’s a good chance it will splash liquid on the board or even knock over while playing.” Reviewers also warned that the game can get players quite drunk. “A piece of advice: play this game at the BEGINNING of the night. We have never played a full game through because no one can sit upright long enough!” Another adds, “Forewarning this game will get you drunk so fast you won’t even realize it, but that’s a part of the fun in my opinion,” before concluding, “one thing I love about this game is it does leave open the option for creating your own rules within the game. I have a lot of board games and card games, and this is such a unique way to switch up your normal game night.”

“This is the game of telephone on steroids because you need to use your artistic skills as well,” one reviewer says about this drawing-based party game. “This is by far the most popular party game when we have a game night,” adds another reviewer. “We have the eight-player version, but so many people enjoy playing it, we decided to get the 12-player version.” A third says, “We played this at Christmas with my mom, sister, and 5 of the grandkids (ages 9 to 18), and we laughed so much. A couple of times, we had to tell the 9-year-old what a word meant, but other than that, this was a perfect game for mixed age groups.”

Reviewers raved about Monikers being one of the best party games out there, with one describing it like this: “Boiled down, it starts with Taboo and turns into Charades, ending up being wildly more fun than either.” Another writes, “This game is great for parties. The rules are all simple and combine games you already know into something new and fun. Seriously, even if you don’t know everyone at the party very well, this game is really fun.” A third adds, “This game is a blast! I have taken it to several celebrations with lots of different groups of people, and everyone has really enjoyed it. Some of the cards are very hard to guess, but that just makes it more fun. This game is great for large groups of people — I’ve played with up to ten and as few as six, but you could easily play with more people.”

“Mafia or Werewolf on steroids,” describes one reviewer of this social-deduction game. “This game was my introduction into the addicting world of social-deception games, and whenever my friends have get-togethers, we ensure there’s at least one copy of the game present (there’s at least three floating around our friend group).” One reviewer explains the premise like this: “In this game (you need at least five players), you are all members of a resistance, fighting against a corrupt government. However, the government is on to you and has planted spies in your midst. Now, you must choose your players to go on missions, and hopefully, you and your true allies can determine who is a spy or not, because even one failure on a mission will cause it to flop.” Reviewers also noted that the game is excellent for large groups, with one writing, “Resistance is one of those great, fairly-easy-to-learn games that are great with the right group of friends and family. The hidden-role style game will have people pitted against each other and accusing others of being liars or not.” While reviewers warn that “you will feel betrayed, abandoned, deceived, forsook, misled,” they conclude by saying, “It never gets old, and I honestly don’t think I’ve met anyone who’s played and not enjoyed it. Very worth the money and, trust me, it’ll become a staple of your get-togethers quite quickly, too.”

This classic party game is a favorite amongst reviewers, more than 1,300 of whom called it “fun.” One describes it as “a very solid word game with a little bit of deduction, press your luck, and ‘party’ thrown in.” That reviewer explains the basic premise like this: “Two teams, each with a clue-giver (spymaster) and one or more guessers. On the table are 25 random words. Each spymaster is trying to give their team one-word clues so that the guessers can figure out which of the random words are affiliated with their team. Whichever team can identify all their words first wins.” According to another reviewer, “Codenames really is genius in its simplicity. It’s a fantastic party game because it can be taught in under 5 minutes and provides a ton of fun. It has definitely been a hit in my gaming group and with my family over the holidays.”

Many reviewers raved about this party edition of the original Wits and Wagers. One reviewer who “bought the original game a while ago” says that “this is the game that is replayed when we get a gathering. Everyone enjoys the gameplay. Surprisingly, the tactics and strategy required to win are more complex than initially thought.” Another writes, “Bought this game for the holidays, to play with the family who were all coming in. We had everyone from a 10-year-old to a 40+-year-old, and everything in between, and we all played and had a great time.” A third concludes, “We played Wits and Wagers at our New Year’s Eve party and our guests really enjoyed it. Everyone wanted to keep playing, so we went three full rounds. The game challenges not only your memory but your deductive powers as well. The questions were interesting and a lot of fun. I highly recommend this game for a medium-size house party of six to 12 guests, and maybe even as many as 18.”

Reviewers praise this game for its “high energy” and “fast pace.” One happy customer says it’s a “very fun game with a group. Rounds are super quick since you have a five-minute timer. The game isn’t too difficult, but the fun comes from all the screaming and shuffling around. Definitely recommend this game for those who enjoy fast-paced, chaotic games.” Another adds, “Fast-paced, funny, and actually good for building communication skills. Games are nice and short, and there are lots of options to customize each round to suit players of different ages or experience levels.” Many reviewers play it over the holidays, with one saying, “This game is extremely fun. It’s a fast pace, yelling, teamwork game. It’s hilarious trying to pronounce the tools and describing what you need under such pressure. TOTALLY RECOMMEND TO GET FOR A PARTY GAME.”

Reviewers also rave about this Strategist-approved board game, which we called “a more accessible alternative to Catan.” One writes, “I bought this game to introduce my parents and younger nephews to board games, and to summarize the experience, it was a huge success! This reviewer goes on to explain, “Ticket to Ride is a light strategy game where the aim is to connect routes with the chain of trains you have and get points. The person with the highest number of points wins. It is a nice game for kids and elders alike. As this is a beginner strategy game, I would not recommend this game for seasoned strategists, but rather for folks who are just getting into strategy games.” A second reviewer — who describes the game as “light-hearted” — writes that “it’s rare to find a game that everyone in the family loves. This is that game. There’s enough strategy in it that you can make or break your game on your own merits, but there’s also enough element of chance in it (and the strategy isn’t typically too deep) that younger kids will enjoy it too.” A third reviewer calls it an “essential board game for anyone who plays board games,” writing, “it has tons of replayability and always is great competitive fun. If you like games, you must have this in your collection.”

“A complex, well-thought-out, challenging, cooperative game. If you like strategy and teamwork, there’s no reason to pass this one up,” one reviewer writes of Pandemic, which also took the top spot in our best four-player-board-game roundup. Board-game reviewer Ronny Alexander says, “This is considered a modern classic because it has a simple set of rules, it has a theme that everyone can get into, and it is highly replayable.” Many others note that the game is hugely replayable because it is difficult to win, with one reviewer writing, “It’s true, I haven’t ever beat this rotten game, and yet I keep coming back. This is a cooperative game where you all work together against those nasty strains of no-doubt-human engineered beasties.”