As the world is heading back into some sense of safety and game nights are scheduled once again, I want to bring you some of my favorite party style games. For the purposes of this entry, I will consider a party style game to be one that can accommodate 6+ players and have minimal items on the table top. These are the games that we take out when we have casual game nights, usually including more than one generation at the table. Excluded from this list are games I wouldn’t play with my grandmother or kids at the table. Sadly this excludes What Do You Meme? A favorite among my friends, but it doesn’t fit our family dynamic.
FUN Employed
This party game from Mattel calls itself “The Interview Game of Actual Jobs and Absurd Qualifications.” The box includes 89 Job Cards, 359 Qualification Cards and the Rules. Rated for 3+ players. Note: The box says it is rated for 18+, but it is not near Cards Against Humanity levels of NSFW content. We felt comfortable playing as three generations together at the table. Players are either the Interviewer or the Job Applicant. A job is picked at random and the Applicants are given random “skills” they then have to use to prove they are able to perform the job. Lots of laughter to be had!
Note: We did remove one card from the box as it contained ableist language. Depending on your group, you may want to do a quick review of the cards before you play.
Pictionary
This classic game also comes from Mattel. With the tagline “Quick Sketches, Hilarious Guesses.” This is a game I have always had in my house, but recently realized not everyone is familiar with. It’s basically Charades, but through drawing instead of the usual pantomime. You work together in two teams, meaning that many people can participate! The game as written contains a game board, but with optional rules you don’t need to use it. I highly recommend Pictionary for a casual game night!
Scattergories
One of the first games I remember playing with my family was Scattergories. I took for granted that everyone had played, until Rory mentioned he had ever heard of it! There is a 20 sided die with letters on it and 16 different lists. Once the dice rolls, flip the timer and try and to have a unique answer for every item on the list. This is a great group game because it is easy for players to drop in and out, this is especially helpful when you have friends with little ones around or anyone with a short attention span.
Sushi Go Party
Sushi Go Party is the expanded version of the popular Sushi Go from Gamewright. While this game does have a game board, not everyone needs to be directly in front of it. Players are dealt cards with menu items on them, use the pass and go method and can choose from multiple paths to victory. This game is fast paced and plays quickly. Rated for ages 8+ for 2-6 players and plays in roughly 20 minutes. This has been a joy in our regular game group!
Taboo
My experience with Taboo from Hasbro came after I saw the movie Four Christmases and I just had to pick it up! Rated ages 13+ for 4+ players and can play longer or shorter based on how many rounds you play. Basic premise is you are trying to get the other players to guess the word on the top of the cards without saying the words on the bottom of the cards. It’s a great time and you can play with as many people as you would like. Similar to other games on the list, players can drop in or out if they would like.
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What are some of your casual game night favorites? Let us know in the comments below!
