What are great adult games?
December 20, 2010 11:45 AM Subscribe
What are great adult games?
What are some great adult (not X or R rated, adult as in not juvenile) non-electronic games for four or more players? Extra points for humor and speed (Pit is one that wold count for instance) This is for a Christmas gift for a family.
What are some great adult (not X or R rated, adult as in not juvenile) non-electronic games for four or more players? Extra points for humor and speed (Pit is one that wold count for instance) This is for a Christmas gift for a family.
Fluxx.
posted by rikschell at 11:49 AM on December 20, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by rikschell at 11:49 AM on December 20, 2010 [3 favorites]
Settlers of Catan, Dominion, Carcassonne..
Poke around at BoardGameGeek, do some searches, and see what you like. Really a whole ton of games fit into this category depending on all of your criteria.
posted by jozxyqk at 11:55 AM on December 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
Poke around at BoardGameGeek, do some searches, and see what you like. Really a whole ton of games fit into this category depending on all of your criteria.
posted by jozxyqk at 11:55 AM on December 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
Carcassonne, Settlers of Catan and Citadels get lots of play in our family's various households.
posted by crush-onastick at 11:57 AM on December 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by crush-onastick at 11:57 AM on December 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
I would second Fluxx. We played over Thanksgiving, all adults/adult children and loved it.
posted by Captain_Science at 11:58 AM on December 20, 2010
posted by Captain_Science at 11:58 AM on December 20, 2010
Ticket to Ride is a favorite around here, with the bonus of being fun for kids too.
posted by COD at 12:01 PM on December 20, 2010
posted by COD at 12:01 PM on December 20, 2010
It would definitely help a lot if you could narrow the criteria a bit — what kind of humor? how cutthroat competitive? what other things does this family like? — but I'll toss in a couple of ideas. The Big Idea from Cheapass Games is a super-quick bidding game for a group of 4-8 or so, where you're trying to get others to invest in funny adjective-noun-combination "products." Almost the whole Cheapass catalog is fantastic, so take a long look around there. For a more creative, literate family, Once Upon a Time, a not-too-competitive storytelling game, is one of the all-time greats for adults and can be played with kids too.
posted by RogerB at 12:02 PM on December 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by RogerB at 12:02 PM on December 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
Catch Phrase! and Taboo are both fast and fun word games. There's an electronic and a non-electronic version of Catch Phrase.
posted by cider at 12:03 PM on December 20, 2010
posted by cider at 12:03 PM on December 20, 2010
Best answer: My two favorite are, Scattergories and Apples to Apples. They can be hilarious or played seriously.
Apples to Apples is usually played both ways simultaneously, which involves much yelling and shouting about who should really get the coveted green apple card.
posted by zephyr_words at 12:13 PM on December 20, 2010 [2 favorites]
Apples to Apples is usually played both ways simultaneously, which involves much yelling and shouting about who should really get the coveted green apple card.
posted by zephyr_words at 12:13 PM on December 20, 2010 [2 favorites]
Does it have to be an indoor game? When it's warm out, I love Frisbee & handball with friends.
posted by brainwane at 12:13 PM on December 20, 2010
posted by brainwane at 12:13 PM on December 20, 2010
Bananagrams!
posted by joan_holloway at 12:14 PM on December 20, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by joan_holloway at 12:14 PM on December 20, 2010 [2 favorites]
Dixit is a lot like Apples to Apples, but fosters a little more creativity, and is more open-ended. Not to mention each card is a piece of art!
Dominion is a card-based game that is easy to learn, fun to play, and can be changed so that every game is different. It's slightly strategy-based, but definitely not as cerebral as something like Monopoly or Risk!
(Both of these games won the Spiel des Jahres award for best game of the year in 2009 and 2010.)
Bang! is a spaghetti western game that is better with more players (i.e. >4). Each person has a secret identity (sheriff, deputy, outlaw, renegade) and is charged with their own goal (protect the sheriff, kill the sheriff, be the last man standing, etc.). It's a fun, fast-paced game that usually ends up in 'bad guys' working together against 'good guys and vice versa.'
I know that many people swear to games like Cranium, Phase 10, Blokus, and Pandemic. There are a lot of good games out there, and there have been several previous AskMefi's, so I'd also suggest looking there. Good luck!
posted by genekelly'srollerskates at 12:21 PM on December 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
Dominion is a card-based game that is easy to learn, fun to play, and can be changed so that every game is different. It's slightly strategy-based, but definitely not as cerebral as something like Monopoly or Risk!
(Both of these games won the Spiel des Jahres award for best game of the year in 2009 and 2010.)
Bang! is a spaghetti western game that is better with more players (i.e. >4). Each person has a secret identity (sheriff, deputy, outlaw, renegade) and is charged with their own goal (protect the sheriff, kill the sheriff, be the last man standing, etc.). It's a fun, fast-paced game that usually ends up in 'bad guys' working together against 'good guys and vice versa.'
I know that many people swear to games like Cranium, Phase 10, Blokus, and Pandemic. There are a lot of good games out there, and there have been several previous AskMefi's, so I'd also suggest looking there. Good luck!
posted by genekelly'srollerskates at 12:21 PM on December 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
I adore Taboo and have a little (adult) crew of Taboo fans who play with me. Cranium is also fun, and Balderdash, while less fast-paced, is always a classic game.
posted by verbyournouns at 12:30 PM on December 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by verbyournouns at 12:30 PM on December 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
Cranium! I always bemoan the fact that most of our "coupled" friends don't live closer because it prevents my husband and I from having enough people around to play Cranium. On a similar note, you can't go wrong with old-school Pictionary.
You can also get The Newlywed Game, which is fun for non-wed people too!
Of course the very best game of all is Paper Telephone, but that's just played with pen and paper so you can't really give it as a gift...you could teach them how to play it?
posted by tetralix at 12:36 PM on December 20, 2010
You can also get The Newlywed Game, which is fun for non-wed people too!
Of course the very best game of all is Paper Telephone, but that's just played with pen and paper so you can't really give it as a gift...you could teach them how to play it?
posted by tetralix at 12:36 PM on December 20, 2010
Another vote for Taboo.
posted by Dragonness at 12:37 PM on December 20, 2010
posted by Dragonness at 12:37 PM on December 20, 2010
Boardgames I dig:
- Monopoly Deal is a card version of Monopoly that plays out in 20-30 minutes.
- Small World is a fun strategic game that usually runs 45 minutes.
- King of Siam is great if you have a lot of deep tactical people, even though the rules are simple.
- Pandemic is a great cooperative game- usually plays in 45 minutes to an hour.
posted by yeloson at 12:41 PM on December 20, 2010
- Monopoly Deal is a card version of Monopoly that plays out in 20-30 minutes.
- Small World is a fun strategic game that usually runs 45 minutes.
- King of Siam is great if you have a lot of deep tactical people, even though the rules are simple.
- Pandemic is a great cooperative game- usually plays in 45 minutes to an hour.
posted by yeloson at 12:41 PM on December 20, 2010
We have a ton of games we drag out every holiday season, but the ones that we always play are Scattergories and Balderdash.
posted by kerning at 12:52 PM on December 20, 2010
posted by kerning at 12:52 PM on December 20, 2010
Scrabble.
I suppose non-adults can play but the better players are usually over 18.
posted by dfriedman at 12:52 PM on December 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
I suppose non-adults can play but the better players are usually over 18.
posted by dfriedman at 12:52 PM on December 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I would N'th Ticket To Ride (USA is simpler than later ones), Carcasonne (good gateway light strategy game, very simple rules) and Apples to Apples (non-serious game, lots of laughs.)
Settlers of Catan is also good, but a bit heavier on the strategy and rules (still fairly light compared to Warhammer and such).
Beer Money / Lunch Money are fun, quick card games which simulate a street fight. This is a good social drinking game :)
posted by utsutsu at 12:59 PM on December 20, 2010
Settlers of Catan is also good, but a bit heavier on the strategy and rules (still fairly light compared to Warhammer and such).
Beer Money / Lunch Money are fun, quick card games which simulate a street fight. This is a good social drinking game :)
posted by utsutsu at 12:59 PM on December 20, 2010
settlers of catan! or classics like scrabble, monopoly.
posted by sabh at 1:23 PM on December 20, 2010
posted by sabh at 1:23 PM on December 20, 2010
Gloom is my personal favourite. Fluxx is also great, especially the zombie version.
posted by sacrifix at 1:30 PM on December 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by sacrifix at 1:30 PM on December 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
Here are some less commonly known games the should fulfill your bonus point criteria. I especially recommend Galaxy Trucker for the best mixture of speed and humor.
Galaxy Trucker - Plays 2-4 (an expansion will take it to play 5) - You race against the other players to create a space ship from a common pool of tiles, and then try to survive a bunch of events. The rules book is great/entertaining, and the entire thing has that fun ridiculous theme.
Space Alert - Plays 2-5 - A Co-op game where you try to survive on a space ship which is controlled by pressing buttons - same designer/thematic universe as Galaxy Trucker (the rules book is even better!). The tricky part is that you have to coordinate your actions at once under a time limit, and then you reveal what you did and see if everyone actually managed to do what they say they did. This is technically partially electronic because you use a CD for the real time stuff, but it also includes scenario cards you can use with a timer.
Factory Fun - Plays 1-4 - You're creating a factory that makes fun! Specifically, you're building a factory that makes goo and turns into other types of goo, and get points for chaining your different machines together, which can result in some ridiculous piping. Everyone simultaneously reveals a machine, and you get the one you manage to grab... but then you have to figure out how to place it
Pack and Stack - Plays 2-6 - Everyone rolls to get a bunch of different wood pieces, then simultaneously flips over a truck, grabs a truck they didn't flip over, and attempts to fit their pieces on the truck (much easier said than done, though this part isn't timed). It's always fun when someone grabs immediately, but then realizes their truck is a bit too slow and loses 1/2 their money!
Bunny Bunny Moose Moose - Plays 3-6 - Haven't played this one myself, but I saw part of it being played. I'm not sure if it has the speed component, but it definitely makes up for that with the silly/funny - players have to make moose antlers or bunny ears! It was even fun to watch,and it's a card game so it should be a bit cheaper.
If you want more.
Once Upon a Time is also a good choice if your family is the creative sort, as RogerB said.
Banagrams (as mentioned by joan) is basically adding the element of speed to scrabble so it has the speed value.
Paper Telephone (as mentioend by tetralix) (though I prefer the name Eat Poop You Cat) is always hilarious, and is free (as long as you've got paper and pen[cil]s)!
For more speed based games, Real Time Games on BGG, sort by rank, and look at the ones that look like they might be funny.
posted by radicarian at 1:40 PM on December 20, 2010
Galaxy Trucker - Plays 2-4 (an expansion will take it to play 5) - You race against the other players to create a space ship from a common pool of tiles, and then try to survive a bunch of events. The rules book is great/entertaining, and the entire thing has that fun ridiculous theme.
Space Alert - Plays 2-5 - A Co-op game where you try to survive on a space ship which is controlled by pressing buttons - same designer/thematic universe as Galaxy Trucker (the rules book is even better!). The tricky part is that you have to coordinate your actions at once under a time limit, and then you reveal what you did and see if everyone actually managed to do what they say they did. This is technically partially electronic because you use a CD for the real time stuff, but it also includes scenario cards you can use with a timer.
Factory Fun - Plays 1-4 - You're creating a factory that makes fun! Specifically, you're building a factory that makes goo and turns into other types of goo, and get points for chaining your different machines together, which can result in some ridiculous piping. Everyone simultaneously reveals a machine, and you get the one you manage to grab... but then you have to figure out how to place it
Pack and Stack - Plays 2-6 - Everyone rolls to get a bunch of different wood pieces, then simultaneously flips over a truck, grabs a truck they didn't flip over, and attempts to fit their pieces on the truck (much easier said than done, though this part isn't timed). It's always fun when someone grabs immediately, but then realizes their truck is a bit too slow and loses 1/2 their money!
Bunny Bunny Moose Moose - Plays 3-6 - Haven't played this one myself, but I saw part of it being played. I'm not sure if it has the speed component, but it definitely makes up for that with the silly/funny - players have to make moose antlers or bunny ears! It was even fun to watch,and it's a card game so it should be a bit cheaper.
If you want more.
Once Upon a Time is also a good choice if your family is the creative sort, as RogerB said.
Banagrams (as mentioned by joan) is basically adding the element of speed to scrabble so it has the speed value.
Paper Telephone (as mentioend by tetralix) (though I prefer the name Eat Poop You Cat) is always hilarious, and is free (as long as you've got paper and pen[cil]s)!
For more speed based games, Real Time Games on BGG, sort by rank, and look at the ones that look like they might be funny.
posted by radicarian at 1:40 PM on December 20, 2010
Can't Stop is great for gamers and non-gamers alike. I don't think you'll be able to get a copy though; even the new run is sold out.
posted by chairface at 1:44 PM on December 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by chairface at 1:44 PM on December 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Apples to Apples, Dixit, and Fluxx are all favorites at my house. Another good one (actually two decks that can be combined) is We Didn't Playtest This at All! and We Didn't Playtest This Either! from Asmadi Games.
posted by maurice at 1:44 PM on December 20, 2010
posted by maurice at 1:44 PM on December 20, 2010
Response by poster: Apples to Apples it is for this Christmas but lots of great answers, thank you all!!
Happy Holidays everyone.
posted by leafwoman at 1:55 PM on December 20, 2010
Happy Holidays everyone.
posted by leafwoman at 1:55 PM on December 20, 2010
We used to love Apples to Apples but found that we actually prefer Things. Because the goal is to guess who wrote what and the questions are often suggestive of some misbehavior, it lends itself well to joke answers. It can quickly become a contest of who can do the best impression of their friends, but we were surprised to find that it became almost impossible to guess one another's answers correctly if we established ahead of time that answers must be honest.
Revolution is also simple and fun.
posted by heatvision at 2:17 PM on December 20, 2010
Revolution is also simple and fun.
posted by heatvision at 2:17 PM on December 20, 2010
I guess I'm a little late in the game, but I wanted to pop in with Jungle Speed! We just got this for our friends, after having played it a year or so ago with other friends. We've been thinking about it since then. It's fast and fun!
posted by purpletangerine at 3:08 PM on December 20, 2010
posted by purpletangerine at 3:08 PM on December 20, 2010
you're lucky. as you can see above, we're in the midst of a global board game renaissance. there are dozens and dozens of new games that grownups of any stripe can enjoy. the trick is finding the ones that will appeal to you.
mefi's own Shadowkeeper (who runs the hilarious defective yeti) is my favorite game reviewer. he's never steered me wrong about what makes any particular game fun.
his yearly good gift games guide is always a must-read for me. that's still a lot of reviews to pore through, so be sure to check out his all-time list.
all that said, i'd go with Wits and Wagers or Apple to Apples. call me an illiterationist.
posted by bruceo at 3:43 PM on December 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
mefi's own Shadowkeeper (who runs the hilarious defective yeti) is my favorite game reviewer. he's never steered me wrong about what makes any particular game fun.
his yearly good gift games guide is always a must-read for me. that's still a lot of reviews to pore through, so be sure to check out his all-time list.
all that said, i'd go with Wits and Wagers or Apple to Apples. call me an illiterationist.
posted by bruceo at 3:43 PM on December 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
If you don't know that they're gamers, I'd skip Fluxx and Settlers of Catan. I like both, but have friends who won't play because the rules are too complex. They like both Apples to Apples and Ticket to Ride, though.
posted by momus_window at 9:10 AM on December 21, 2010
posted by momus_window at 9:10 AM on December 21, 2010
I would always recommend any of the Cranium Games, and Quelf, but they really are best for your more extroverted types. My Father-in-Law refuses to play any of them. So when we have our less creative types around we break out Pit. It's older than dirt, and very simple, but lots of fun. It mimics the trading floors of the stock market as all players try to hoard one commodity. Everybody yells their trades over each other as they try to be the first to corner the market. There are many editions out there, some even include a bell (fancy!) playable with 4, best with 6 or 8, up to 10 I think?
Note: If there are kids who have gone to bed, you can't play this game. It gets loud.
Wheat, barley, barley, wheat, barley, FLAX!
posted by swimbikerun at 11:53 AM on December 21, 2010
Note: If there are kids who have gone to bed, you can't play this game. It gets loud.
Wheat, barley, barley, wheat, barley, FLAX!
posted by swimbikerun at 11:53 AM on December 21, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by something something at 11:49 AM on December 20, 2010 [10 favorites]