Top 5 Party Board Games for Fun Game Nights – Unique Picks You’ll Love
I Don’t Like Party Games – But These 5 Are Worth It!
I say this a lot because, for the most part, it’s true: I don’t like party games. Most of them are cheap, throwaway titles that rely on quiz mechanics, charades, or other overly simple activities. But every now and then, an exception comes along. Today’s article is about those exceptions. Welcome to my latest TOP 5 Party Games!
Want to know how rarely I make these lists? My previous Top 5 Party Games article was published back in… March 2021. Since then, I’ve played a handful of games designed for more casual, social settings — but few have been good enough to make this list. Some didn’t make the cut because, while they’re solid games, I wouldn’t call them party games per se.
One more thing: you won’t find 18+ games here — no NSFW, no raunchy humor, no “drink until you don’t care about the rules” nonsense. Honestly, the only ones I’ve tried in that category were those illustrated by Andrzej Rysuje — and even those felt too tame to be interesting.
So, without further ado, here are my picks for party games that you can play with friends who don’t normally touch board games.
Nekojima – A Modern Take on Jenga
Everyone knows Jenga — even if they don’t know it’s called Jenga. Now imagine replacing that tower of wooden blocks with wooden poles connected by strings. In Nekojima, the goal isn’t to pull pieces out of a structure — it’s to build one: a sprawling power grid on the titular island.
Players draw cards that tell them which districts they need to connect and which color string to use. You’ll stack poles horizontally and vertically, making sure not to topple the existing structure — and making sure no strings touch each other. Add in dangling cats (yes, really!) and options for both cooperative and competitive play, and you’ve got a dexterity game that’s pure chaos in the best way.
Nekojima isn’t just a test of steady hands — it’s a generator of laughter. This game caught us off guard, and every person I’ve played it with either bought their own copy or added it to their gift list immediately.
¡Desplumados! – A Crazy Card Game for Virus! Fans
If you’ve played Virus!, you know how wild it can get. ¡Desplumados! taps into that same energy with a simple, addictive card game. Players start with three cards in hand and can play one per turn. The goal: build your chicken coop by collecting hens of the same color.
Sounds easy, right? Wrong. Because this deck is full of cards that let you steal, swap, and sabotage. The real chaos comes from the card that triggers a reflex challenge — when it’s played, everyone has to slap the card, and the slowest player loses a hen. Don’t have any hens? Too bad — the next slowest does.
This little twist adds an unexpected physical element to an otherwise simple game, and it opens the door to some hilariously sneaky plays. No one said the card had to land in the middle of the table, after all.
Tic Tac KO: Dragons vs Unicorns – Tic-Tac-Toe Gets an Upgrade
Tic Tac KO: Dragons vs Unicorns throws down the gauntlet against a timeless classic: tic-tac-toe. It’s a two-versus-two game, so not a full-blown party title, but if you’re looking for something light and chaotic for a double date, this one’s perfect.
The goal is to fill the grid according to patterns drawn from cards — while, of course, sabotaging your opponents. Each team has a deck of creature cards: regular ones and magical ones that bring some nasty special abilities. Think of it as tic-tac-toe with fireballs and rainbow horns.
The art is vibrant and silly, and the humor will land especially well if you’re into games like Unstable Unicorns.
Zuuupa! (Whale Riders: The Card Game) – Too Many Cooks…
Zuuupa! came marketed as a game “for fans of Virus!” — and we totally get why. The rules couldn’t be simpler: play ingredient cards to cook the titular soup. Each soup requires a specific number of ingredient cards to complete. When someone finishes a recipe, anyone who has matching ingredient cards in play scores them. Then — plot twist — everything else on the table gets wiped out.
So if you were working toward a different soup? Tough luck. That’s the beauty of Zuuupa! — it’s mean, it’s chaotic, and it’s hilarious. Quick to teach, quick to play, and perfect for a party… provided your group can handle a little backstabbing.
King of Tokyo: Dark Edition – Godzilla vs. Kong… Without the License
Last but not least, a game that completely stole our hearts: King of Tokyo: Dark Edition. Imagine a dice-chucking brawl where giant kaiju battle it out in the middle of Tokyo. Sound like Godzilla vs. Kong? Pretty much — only without the official IP.
Here’s how it works: roll dice, deal damage, heal, or gain energy to buy power-up cards. That’s it — simple, fast, and full of player interaction. My personal favorite version is the Dark Edition, which swaps the bright, cartoony look for a moodier, more atmospheric style. But the regular editions? Still awesome.
King of Tokyo is pure, unfiltered fun — exactly what a party game should be.
Final Thoughts
That’s my second Top 5 Party Games list. As you can see, these aren’t your typical party games — and they’re not all brand-new releases. They’re just games that bring genuine joy to casual game nights. The order here? Completely random. Because hey, why do things the normal way?
