The Best Board Games For Grown-Ups

What to Look For

In our research, we found that the best board games are engaging, challenging,  and easy to learn. One of our top choices is Codenames, because the spy theme and clue solving feels different everytime you play. If horror is more your thing, then consider Betrayal At House On The Hill. It accommodates up to six players, and since a full game only lasts 30 minutes, it doesn’t take too much of your time. And did we mention that it’s scary? Read on to learn more about our favorite picks.

Codenames

Get a clue

This easy-to-learn game involves deciphering clues that your teammate makes up and is fun for any occasion.

Top Pick

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This spy-themed game takes approximately two minutes to learn but remains fun and challenging. There are several word cards that you are trying to guess based on clues that are given by one player on your team called the spymaster. Guessing the words on the cards is the equivalent of uncovering the identity of the spy represented by each card. The clues are not pre-written but rather made up by whoever is the spymaster in that particular game. This keeps the gameplay fresh and challenging each time you play. Although you technically could play with any number of players, we’ve found that the game works best with 4 or 6 players.

Pros

• We think it’s a great way to bond with new friends and family since it’s not overly competitive.
• Every round is unique, so the gameplay can remain fresh time after time.

Cons

• The spymasters of each round may take a long time to agree on their clues, while the rest of the players wait around.

Telestrations After Dark

Casual fun

This easy-to-learn game involves drawing and will have you and your friends laughing uncontrollably the whole time.

Best Game For Parties

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Telestrations After Dark is the adult version of the game Telestrations, and it’s a blast. You draw a picture based on a word or phrase, then your teammate has to guess what word or phrase that picture represents. Then, the next teammate draws a picture based on the most recent phrase, and it keeps on going down the line. It’s kind of like a drawing version of the classic kids game Telephone aka Whisper Down the Lane. This version has adult-themed words and phrases, which makes for a hilariously good time that isn’t inappropriate for young children. It’s for 4 to 8 players, easy to learn, and can be played for anywhere from 15 mins to several hours, depending on how many rounds you can play before you need a break from laughing so hard.

Pros

• This is another great bonding game, since it’s very casual and non-competitive.
• We love the adult-themed cards, which add a little risque fun to the night.
• Some of the responses can be downright hilarious, so it can be really exciting for both the guessers and the drawers.

Cons

• The included markers don’t last long before you have to replace them with better dry-erase markers.

Forbidden Island

Adventure is calling

This collaborative treasure-hunting game will have your heart racing and your gears turning.

Best Strategy Game

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This an exhilarating adventure game that could make you feel like Indiana Jones. You have to find four ancient treasures before the island collapses and swallows the treasures and you. It’s a collaborative game for 2-4 players, so you are working together with the other players, as opposed to against them. You can adjust the difficulty level of the game, which makes it very adaptable and enjoyable for new players or experienced players. It’s a strategy and problem-solving game with increasing pressure as the island sinks. We love a good treasure hunt, and we found this game did not disappoint.

Pros

• We love how the difficulty level is adjustable, so you can keep it simple for new players and increase to advanced levels after some experience.
• The collaborative nature of the game brings people closer together, since they feel like their all in the same boat. Whether you win or lose, you do it as a team.

Cons

• This is only a max of four players, so it’s not a great party game for five or more.

Betrayal At House On The Hill

Don't play in the dark

This spine-tingling haunted house game makes for a scary good time.

Best Horror Theme

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If you like horror movies, this might be the game for you. It’s really scary, but in a fun way. You explore a haunted house and must navigate all the terrors that await you in each room. The rooms change every time you play, so you encounter a different haunted house in each game. At first, you work together with the other players, but at a certain point, one of the players turns evil and becomes a traitor. Then you will have to survive their murderous actions as well. This game is for 3 to 6 players, and each game lasts about an hour. It’s challenging, suspenseful, and fun. Just make sure you leave the lights on.

Pros

• A full game takes about 30 minutes, so starting a new game isn’t a major time commitment.
• The horror elements add a fun theme to the gameplay that makes it feel like you’re a character in the plot of a movie.
• It’s a cooperative game with opportunities for betrayal, so everyone stays engaged.

Cons

• Some people may find the content offensive.

Pandemic

Save the world together

In this edge-of-your-seat exciting game, players work together to save mankind from deadly disease outbreaks.

Favorite Cooperative Game

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The premise is simple, and the stakes are enormous. Four diseases are spreading across the world. You need to stop them before they eliminate all of humankind. What makes this game great for any group of 2-4 players is that it’s cooperative; you work together to stop the outbreaks. So no need to worry about sour feelings from the game continuing after the game is finished. This game will make your relationships stronger by forcing you to work together for a noble cause. It’s a really fun and exciting game when you get into it. Because of the stakes, the tension increases as you get closer and closer to either saving the world, or everyone dying. The first game will take a while to learn all the little nuances of the game, but subsequent games become all about working out and executing the strategies with the other players. Once you get the hang of it, a game will probably take 45-60 minutes. So it’s perfect for an evening activity, but you won’t have to stay up late to finish it. Unless you want to play more than once, which you probably will.

Pros

• Widely considered the best cooperative board game ever made, Pandemic is always suspenseful and gratifying. If you have eager and competitive friends and family, this game is a must-try.
• The highest difficulty level is really hard, so it’s ideal for those ready for a challenging game.

Cons

• Only a max of four players can play at once.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my kids play these games too?

Yes, most of these games can be played by children. It depends on the maturity level of the child. Check the product page for the recommended minimum age, but it really depends on the individual child. So try playing it with your children if you think they might like it too. The only game we would strongly caution you against playing with children is Telestrations After Dark, because of its adult-themed content.

What is the replay value of these games?

All the games we reviewed here have a high replay value. That was one of our selection criteria. How good is a game if you can only play it a few times? These games continue to be fun and challenging through many plays.

How easy are these games to learn if we’ve never played them before?

When we were children, most of us learned how to play board games from other people who had played them before. Trying to learn a game solely from reading the included instructions can sometime be daunting. But we selected games that were easy to learn from the instructions. The first game will likely take a bit longer as you’re figuring it out, but you will be able to understand and play without a headache.