When you're home for the holidays—or hosting others—what's your tactic for convincing the troops to put down their phones, back away from the TV, and interact with each other? Me, I'm a true believer in the humble board game (with a side of wine). Whether the political conversations are making you batty or the kids are hyped up and you need to just direct their energy somewhere, the board game is here for you.
But which game is right for your group? Here's your game, based on who's around. (And if you don't have the one that's right for you, maybe it's time to upgrade?):
Cards Against Humanity
The self-proclaimed "party game for horrible people." Break this out after the bourbon's on the table and the little ones have retired for the evening.
Pictionary
Make sure the teen artist who can draw is on your team.
Sorry
In my house, when you knocked someone off the board you did so in a flamboyant fashion while yelling "SORRY"! We didn't really raise our voices all that often, so it was invigorating. I suggest you try it.
Yahtzee
Everyone should have their own signature dice shake, because even if you come in second, you'll look cool doing it.
Guillotine
Somewhat macabre in title, but pretty harmless in practice. You line up a bunch of characters from the French revolution and collect them with action cards—gather the most points (i.e. the most valuable characters), and you win.
Taboo
Don't say it, don't say it! Until someone guesses it, that is.
Scrabble
But you already own this one, right? Right?
Scattergories
A personal favorite! Roll the alphabetical dice and then race against opponents to scribble out as many words as possible that relate to a list of categories before time is up.
Moby Dick
A new card game for the literature lover, described by the creators as such:
Experience the thrill, the awe and the terror of The White Whale in this card-driven narrative adventure game based on the classic book by Herman Melville. Set sail with 2 to 4 players, and follow Ahab and the crew of the Pequod to their inevitable, fated destruction. Roll custom engraved dice, collect beautiful raw wood oil tokens, and assemble a crew of hardy sailors ready to take on the boundless adventure of the open ocean.
Bananagrams
Be your own best Will Shortz, but do it quickly and use up all those tiles!
Monopoly
But only the version with paper money!! Do not even reach for the one with a credit card reader. (P.S. There is also a Star Wars version, my fellow nerds.)
Clue
This classic game pits you against each other to find out who committed the perfect—or not so perfect—crime. (Mr. Mustard is usually my alias.)
Trivial Pursuit
Even if you can't complete your pie before someone else does, you can impress your family members with obscure sports facts.
Jenga
Lots of trash talk until the tower topples right into your beer.
Settlers of Catan
Never rely on the longest road—it gets you nowhere. And plan for about 3 hours for this one.
Evolution
Only click on this if you plan to have 5 free hours somehow during the holidays, and you're cool with masquerading as a reptile, bird, or insect.
Risk
To be honest, looking at the Risk board gives me anxiety, but it's good for occupying competitive siblings who want you to know just how strategic they are.
The Game of Life
Spinning the wheel is the best part because, at least in my childhood version, it sounds like what I imagine the Wheel of Fortune does.
Twister
You're gonna need stretch pants for this one.
Uno
One of the easiest card games to grasp right from the beginning—and also one of the easiest to annoy everyone by reversing the order 4 times!
Candyland
We always put real candy to be won at each new location—good incentive to occupy kiddos while you drink wine in the other room.
Trouble
Portable enough for distraction in the car and to go right to the table when you arrive.
Operation
That buzzer when you hit someone's abs while trying to remove a rib stays with you, even after the game's over.
Parcheesi
Get all your pieces to home base before the others do. Or else!
Chinese Checkers
Contrary to what the name suggests, this game is German in origin. Race across the board by hopping other players and making single-space moves to take the other corner. You got this.
You look like you might need some snacks handy with all that playing...
Let's hear it: What is your favorite board game to rally family around? Tell us in the comments below!
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Written by: Samantha Weiss Hills
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Oh, and to get back to food- I made the Double-Corn Corn Bread with Fresh Thyme (https://food52.com/recipes/8195-double-corn-corn-bread-with-fresh-thyme) on this site recently and it was delicious :-)
Replace all of the games mentioned with Charades (free) and card games and you'd be better off. This list is an excellent list of games you should throw away as soon as possible, not something to bring out at parties.
List of games and much better replacements that are cheap and easy to find::
Trivial Pursuit --> Wits and Wagers (doesn't penalize you for not knowing trivia)
Yahtzee --> King of Tokyo ( like Yahtzee but with monsters and is actually fun)
Sorry, Monopoly --> Ticket to Ride ( easy, set driven fun with the ability to screw your neighbor)
Parchisi, Chinese Checkers --> Literally any other game. These games have been replaced by better options since the turn of the 20th century.
Candy Land --> Why do you hate your kids? Can be replaced with a Full frontal lobotomy but might be easier to replace with Animal upon Animal or any kids game made since 2000.
Settlers of Catan is the best game on the list, but even that is outdated and it has been around only 10-ish years. (Now just called Catan btw) Also, not an easy game to teach. Codenames is easy , cheap and can be found everywhere and was last year's game of the year. A lot of fun that people can come and go from the game without ruining it.
It may be a food site, but it's a game article and I feel sorry for you if you are still playing those games listed in it.
The problem *I* have with the list is that it's the gaming equivalent of suggesting beers you should try and offering up Budweiser, PBR, and Coors, instead offering any of the many microbrews and international options that people DO NOT know about. These options are, for the most part, known and established, and they completely ignore the prevalent and accessible industry that is currently popular and needing of guides to break the holiday gaming monotony.
Phase 10 - Uno meets rummy.
Perpetual Commotion - speed solitaire w/ ppl
Sushi Go - pick a card and pass it on, trying to get best matches for points
Hanabi - solitaire w/ ppl, except everyone but you can see your cards and give hints
Fluxx - tons of themes, all rules come from the cards and a basic draw-play structure
Love Letter - quick & simple game for a few, drawing & playing to try to get to highest point card
Haggis - newish game, old-school mechanic in line with rummy/bridge/euchre/others
Dixit - has a board, but is basically a creative guess-who card game for any # of ppl
Gloom - creative storyteller game with cool, see-through overlay cards
Once Upon a Time - storyteller but less gloomy
Munchkin - many themes to arm and search cards, bit more challenge, groups
Chrononauts - a little more involved time travel
Jaipur - 2-player card collecting/swapping
Noueni - match cards to design on board
Resistance - figure out the spy, interactive
And many, many more. See also: card building games like Dominion for a bit more challenge
Qwirkle a tile laying game that is 6+. It can be as simple or more complex depending on the players. Easy to learn and teach.
Sheriff of Nottingham is a bluffing game where you try to get goods past the sheriff. It can get loud, but a good loud.
Resistance another loud game for 5 + players. Uncover the spies among you before they sabotage the missions.
Joking Hazard is a comic based cards against humanity. Lot less duds, and while crude it isnt as gross. Much easier to play with the inlaws.
Ticket to Ride with the 1910 expansion. I like this game because it keeps everyone in until the end. Your goal is to complete train routes and there is a lot of player interaction if it is desired.
Smallwood is a risk like game that doesn't take forever, has a good theme, and is easy to play.
Codewords a word game that people who like games like mad gabs should like.
Potion Explosion is one of myour new favorites. You try to complete potions but using a mechanic kind of like bejeweled or candy crush.
Betrayal at house on the hill is a cooperative game where you explore a haunted house together until the haunting happens. One person turns traitor.
Five Tribes has a mancola mechanic that makes it different. My grandparents in law loved this game.
The tortoise and the hare is a racing game that is fun for a large variety of ages. You have bets on the winners but don't want those bets to be discovered but others either.
There is at least a few.
Evolution is a game where you each manage one or more species to eat as much good as possible (mark of evolutionary success). You do this by playing various trait cards to make your animal smarter/more resistant to predator species/more lethal predators.
Card against Humanity is a non-member these days, but some people enjoy it. Punchline Mad Libs. Joking Hazard shows promise, but I haven't cracked it open with a group yet.
Nice to hear about joking hazard, my friends love the webcomic it's based off of, so maybe we'll finally be able to play with it soon~
Do yourselves a favor, pop over to boardgamegeek.com and educate yourselves.
60 minutes. 3rd game, ordered a pint before and pint after and the time difference on the receipts was 48 mins
With the rise of boardgames, there's no shortage of better, more modern, less expected options out there.
Food fiends can play Sushi Go, Takenoko, or (food in name only) Haggis... Drinkers can play Red Dragon Inn. Creative types who hate a lot of rules can play Dixit. People who want to have fun even if they lose can play Flick Em Up or Colt Express. Guests who hate playing against other people can try a cooperative game like Forbidden Island or Desert, or Castle Panic. Speedy people could play Perpetual Commotion. All ages can try to Survive. Those with good memories can try Hanabi. People itching for a bit more challenge, or are geekier, could try Dominion or Lords of Waterdeep. And on and on.....
I love the suggestion of boardgames for the holidays! They have become so accessible and fun nowadays that I would encourage anyone reading to venture a bit further and get ticket to ride, Carcassonne, sushi Go, Coup or Pandemic at a nearby target or Barnes and Noble.
https://www.amazon.com/Hasbro-B0965-Monopoly-Deal-Card/dp/B00NQQTZCO
https://www.amazon.com/Asmodee-MATSDRA1-Mille-Bornes-Card/dp/B00KXSJSC0/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1481572395&sr=1-1&keywords=milles+bornes
On the other hand, is this the only time you get to meet up with some of your family who share fondness for some particular higher-learning-curve? Maybe Pandemic or Powergrid make an appearance.
Pass the Pigs can be scaled just about infinitely, while in a small group, I'm fond of Mille Borne, which is simple to understand but esoteric enough to be a little interesting.
Then there's the bourgeoning class of "but people won't put down their phones" party games like Ellen's Heads Up or the entire Jackbox Party Pack embracing everyone's personal device for some interesting gameplay options.
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