20 Board Games for Your Next Game Night

I love hosting game nights. It’s a great excuse to get together with friends or gather around the table as a family to laugh, snack, and engage in some healthy competition. Whether you need a few fresh board games for your existing rotation or want to start a collection for future game nights, consider these 20 options. There’s a good mix of strategy board games, low-key gameplays, and classic titles.

_{Prices are accurate as of September 19, 2024. Subject to change.}

Wingspan

In Wingspan, bird lovers act as researchers, bird watchers, ornithologists, and collectors to attract a diverse bird population to their wildlife preserve. It’s an engine-building game, but it’s also a chance to learn about the birds you’re playing with — behavior, favorite foods, and other details are true to life. And while it’s fun to play with up to five people, you can even play alone.

CDSK trivia

I love Trivia and find it’s a great game for a group of people who don’t necessarily want to sit around and learn an entire strategy-driven board game they have to commit to. But after a while, every trivia pack starts to feel the same. In CDSK, each card you pull has 10 questions based on the subject, ranging from easy to hard so players can accumulate points based on how much they know about a certain topic — which could be broad, like magazines, to specific, like Celine Dion. Sometimes I play trivia with whatever board is included, but it’s often more fun to just pick cards in a group and ask away.

Labyrinth

Players must navigate an ever-moving maze to collect the items shown on their cards. Games are quick, typically around 30 minutes, and I found that both kids and adults can enjoy this problem-solving game together. A larger group of us played on teams, which was also fun.

Scream The Game

Scream is one of my favorite movies, so I was ecstatic when this board game was released in 2023. It’s fast-paced at just about 20 minutes, as you work with other players to collect cards (with items like cell phones or blood) to complete scenes. You’ll need to download an app because as you play, Ghostface calls to give directions that you must complete before he calls again or it’s lights out for everyone.

Scattergories

Scattergories is one of my all-time favorite games. It’s for those of us who are not particularly drawn to complex strategy games but still want to use our brains. There are 48 cards with 12 categories each, ranging from “items in this room” to “movie stars” and beyond. Each round, roll a letter die and think of 12 answers starting with that letter. You’ll find yourself flying through your list in some rounds, while in others, it feels like the timer is slowly ticking by with not a thought forming.

The Blockbuster Game

Ah, remember the good old days of browsing Blockbuster aisles on a Friday night? Sadly, this game can’t replicate that, but it is a fun take on trivia and charades. In the first part of the game, you’ll need to quickly name movies that fit the category — like movies with a number in the title, for example. In part two, pick three movie cards and choose which one you’ll act out, quote, and describe in one word for your teammates to guess.

Nancy Drew Mystery at Magnolia Gardens

If you’ve always wanted to be a detective, try your hand at the one-off games from Hunt A Killer. Each box comes with evidence like testimonials, suspects, and alibis, and players must create a timeline to solve the mystery. This one revolves around solving a poisoning at a botanical garden. It’s fun to solve with friends or alone. The unfortunate part is you can only play once, but the brand does have other mystery boxes if you love the thrill of true crime.

Catan

Here, strategy game lovers compete to quickly build settlements on the island of Catan. This game has been around since the 90s, but has gotten especially popular as of late. If you find yourself as hopelessly addicted as a lot of Catan fans, there are several expansion packs available.

Star Wars Outer Rim

My husband and I have very different opinions when it comes to board games. I bought this with him in mind, but I ended up enjoying it as much as he did as we competed to move across the galaxy. Games can take several hours, but you can also play solo.

Pandemic

I know, the thought of playing through a fictional pandemic after living in a real one for several years seems like self-punishment, but thankfully, this one is fun. You work together with other players, rather than competing against them. A lot of games are better with more people, but Pandemic is a great two-player option. There are expansion packs too.

Wavelength

In each Wavelength round, a target is randomly and secretly set on the spectrum and hidden by the blue screen. One person, dubbed the “psychic,” knows where the target is, and based on the drawn card, gives clues to their team to correctly place the dial in the right area. For example, if the card says hot and cold, and the target falls on the hot side of the spectrum, but not quite all the way, coffee could be a good clue. It’s a hot drink that isn’t usually scalding. That round’s team decides where on the spectrum they think the answer falls and the other team decides if the center of the target is on the left or right of that answer. It’s probably best with teams, but technically, two people can play together.

Jumanji Deluxe

We watched a lot of scary movies growing up, but Jumanji was the movie that absolutely terrified me. When I found out it was a real game you could own, I couldn’t bear the thought. However, as an adult, I appreciate the thrill of trying to make it through the jungle and win, while also working together — if any player loses all of their life tokens, everybody loses. This is the deluxe version, which features real sounds and a glowing green dome, but the classic game is also still available.

The Game of Life

The Game of Life is a classic that adults and kids can play together, navigating the board with your car and peg people. There are several versions available. I’m particularly fond of the 90s board, which I found on eBay a few years ago, but that’s likely because that’s the one I grew up playing. This one from Amazon is based on the original 1960 version. Though I haven’t played it, there’s also a Quarter Life Crisis edition that features crippling debt.

Scrabble

Always a classic, Scrabble tests players’ vocabulary and spelling abilities. The game hasn’t changed much since it was invented in 1938, but this particular set is part of a retro series of games so visually, it’s reminiscent of the 1948 version.

Clue

Clue walked so the Nancy Drew mystery game above could run. Play detective and try to outsmart your fellow gamers by figuring out who amongst you is a murderer and how they did it. And while you’re at it, it’s worth a rewatch of the 1985 movie starring Tim Curry.

Yahtzee

Growing up, my grandma had the physical Yahtzee game that we played together often, but she also had several electronic versions that were basically my first version of the Gameboy. I’d love to get my hands on one of those again, but until then, I’ll stick with this. I love this game for when you want to play something fun that won’t take all day. Yahtzee takes strategy, but also a good amount of pure luck.

Wheel of Fortune

If you dream of being on an episode of Wheel of Fortune, you can test your skills with this at-home version, though sadly you won’t win any real money. It’s easy to play with most ages. One person acts as Vanna White, setting up the puzzle and keeping an eye on the answer key, and the rest of the players spin the wheel, buy vowels, and try to solve the puzzle without going bankrupt.

Backgammon Set

I must admit, I’ve never actually played Backgammon, but it’s stayed a classic for a reason. Most ages can enjoy it as the premise is relatively simple: you want to be the first person to remove all your pieces from the board, though the ways in which you can do that are very specific.

Monopoly

People fall into two categories: those who like Monopoly and those who avoid it at all costs. I am in the latter group. Perhaps the idea of someone buying up all the property and forcing the rest of us into bankruptcy just hits too close to real life. But if you do enjoy it, there are several boards available. This is the Signature Collection, but there are themed Monopoly games for movies and TV shows and even locations — I’ve played one set in my hometown.

Checkers + Chess Set

Several of the games on this list accommodate two players, but this set is dedicated to it. The reversible wooden board works for checkers, chess, and tic-tac-toe.

Featured Image Credit:  Capuski/ iStock