Whether you're hosting a quiet night indoors with friends, a wild birthday shindig, a hen or stag night or an outside garden family BBQ, choosing the best party game can make your night one to remember. Do you plump for a challenging mental board game, something a little more physical, a funny card game, or a drink-orientated activity to loosen the guests up?
Perhaps kids are attending, and you want to cater for all ages, from 3-year-olds to teenagers. We're here to help, so we've put together a buying guide to answer all your questions. Plus, we've chosen our top 10 party games to buy online at Amazon, Argos and John Lewis. Moreover, we have partnered with video game blogger Benjamin Titmus for reviewing and fact-checking the article so that we can deliver you the best information.
Benjamin is a writer of fiction and occasional video-game reviewer. He gained his MA in English Literature from Birmingham City University, where he was the editor for The Student Anthology. Though his main enjoyments are reading, writing, music and gaming, he has time for anything that tickles his fancy. Learn more about him and his blogs from here.
For those after a quick look, here is our Top 5:
For a more in-depth look at the comprehensive top 10 selection, make sure to read on to learn more about the different types of party games available and understand how our ranking was determined.
This article's chosen EC site price listings are reflective of its publishing date.
Image | 1 ![]() Elan Lee | 2 ![]() AdMagic | 3 ![]() MOZOOSON | 4 ![]() Hasbro | 5 ![]() Hasbro | 6 ![]() Fax Potato | 7 ![]() What Do You Meme | 8 ![]() Get Crunk | 9 ![]() Paul Lamond | 10 ![]() Rustic Robin |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Throw Throw Burrito: A Dodgeball Card Game | Cards Against Humanity - UK Edition | Beer Pong Set - 100 American Party Cups and 10 Balls | Cranium | Twister | Unicorn Pinata Set With Stick and Blindfold | What Do You Meme | The Brutal Drinking Game for Students, Pre-Drinks, Stags and Hen Parties | Hot Potato - The Musical Potato-Passing Game | Pin the Dummy On the Baby |
Features | Matching Cards + Throwing Burritos = Lots of Fun | See Who Gets the Most Laughs With This Darkly Funny Game | An Exciting and Competitive Drinking Game | Test Your Guests' Drawing and Puzzling Abilities | Twist and Flex Your Way to Victory | A Fun-Filled, Mexican-Inspired Treat | Get Creative With Your Memes | Enjoy Being Offended While Getting Tipsy | A Highly Entertaining Game That's Ideal for Kids | The Perfect Addition to a Baby Shower |
Price | £24.99 | £24.99 | £17.99 | £21.99 | £10.00 | £22.99 | £27.99 | £8.99 | £16.99 | £4.99 |
Number of Players | 2-6 | 4-20 | 2+ | 4+ | 1-4 | Limitless | 3+ | 3-20+ | 2-6 | Up to 35 |
Average Duration | 20 minutes | 30 Minutes+ | 10 Minutes+ | 35 minutes + | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Suitable for Kids | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Family-Friendly | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Age Recommendation | 7+ | 17+ | 18+ | 16+ | 6+ | All Ages | 17+ | 18+ | 5+ | All Ages |
Batteries Required | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes (2 AA Batteries - included) | No |
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Once the party's kicked off, and you expect the evening to stretch well into the night, you'll need a party game that can last for hours while keeping the guests entertained until it's time to kick them out. If you want something short and snappy, grab one that takes less time but intensifies the fun.
Shorter games are the better option for a kids' party because it prevents them from getting bored. There are plenty of games out there with varying duration lengths, with some lasting just 20 minutes and others as long as you have the energy to keep going. Check the game's specifications or packaging to see the estimated time it takes to complete. This will ensure you grab the right one.
If a game does run over, it can always be put on hold. Better to do this sooner rather than later before people start getting frustrated. Decide on a time to end the fun, and the group can come back to it the next time you meet up.
A murder mystery game is a great choice for those looking for a game that will last the whole night!
Those little bundles of joy are expecting a lot of fun and games when party time arrives. Perhaps a clown or magician, some tasty food and of course - party games. Kids have an abundance of energy, and games are an excellent chance to channel it and tire them out in time for bed.
Children err on the side of physical activity, so you'll want to find games that allow for this while keeping them safe from harm. You can grab the kids attention, liven up the party and give them a mental and physical workout with simple games that will get them moving.
Also, if it’s an expensive game with high-quality parts, chances are it will probably be wrecked by over-eager children. Choose games that either require little to no parts or whereby the parts are designed to be used frequently. For example, kids will quickly get bored if the game revolves around using tiny bits of plastic, or even having to use a pencil and a notepad to keep track of game mechanics.
When you host family parties, you can count on masses of children running rings around their parents, causing all kinds of hell. Or, you might have young teens waiting for a chance to mix it up with the adults. You can harness that energy through some good old family-friendly party games, where everyone can get involved.
Luckily, there are tons of great products out there. Some are designed just for children, though adults can get just as much amusement, like the classic Mexican Pinata. It's important to check the specifications for the recommended age group so you don't buy something kids might struggle to understand.
Games that cater for all ages mean the learning curve isn’t going to be too steep. If anyone does struggle to understand something, there will almost always be someone else on hand to quickly show them the ropes. That way, games aren’t being continually stopped. Everyone learns together!
Find your perfect family-friendly party game by checking out our guides on the best family board games and 2-player board games!
Almost any game, with a little ingenuity, can be transformed into a fun drinking game. But, there are great adult drinking games on the market created specifically for those wild nights, so you don't have to. Don't drink? Not to worry! All of the adult games on our list can make for some scandalous fun, even if it's a non-drinking event.
You might want to jump around and get physical with a dynamic, high-five inducing game like beer pong, or maybe you prefer to sit around and test your guests' brains. We've selected one of each for our top 10 list that we believe will tickle your fancy.
If the party gets a little lively, it can be quite funny to see each person's answers or reactions to game events. These games are designed to get sillier and sillier as the night draws on. Even for those that aren't drinking, this can be hilarious. Plus, you're at an advantage if everyone else is getting tipsy. Use this moment to rack up some points on the board.
You might remember opening your Christmas presents as a kid, filled with excitement, only to find out one of them required 2 AA batteries, and to make matters worse: they're not included, and there aren't any in the house. This is a worst-case scenario and one you don’t want happening, especially when you’ve already planned an entire evening.
The frustration doesn't change just because you age, which is why you need to check the specification and package to see if it requires batteries. If it does, find out if they're included. Our top tip is to keep spare batteries as it's a nightmare when the product dies mid-game!
Whilst they’re not currently very popular, there are battery charging packs that allow you to charge individual batteries. Next time you’re at the supermarket, pop a large pack of batteries on the till. That way, you’ll always have some in your cupboard.
Don’t wait until your stock depletes. When you’re getting low, buy another couple of packs. The box will say something along the lines of: ‘Batteries Not Included’, and this is usually marked clearly somewhere on the front or back of the box.
This ranking has been compiled by the writing team at mybest UK via careful evaluation of the points made in the buying guide and thorough research of each product and comparing multiple verified customer reviews across the EC sites used.
£24.99
Number of Players | 2-6 |
---|---|
Average Duration | 20 minutes |
Suitable for Kids | Yes |
Family-Friendly | Yes |
Age Recommendation | 7+ |
Batteries Required | No |
£24.99
Number of Players | 4-20 |
---|---|
Average Duration | 30 Minutes+ |
Suitable for Kids | No |
Family-Friendly | No |
Age Recommendation | 17+ |
Batteries Required | No |
£17.99
Number of Players | 2+ |
---|---|
Average Duration | 10 Minutes+ |
Suitable for Kids | No |
Family-Friendly | No |
Age Recommendation | 18+ |
Batteries Required | No |
£21.99
Number of Players | 4+ |
---|---|
Average Duration | 35 minutes + |
Suitable for Kids | No |
Family-Friendly | Yes |
Age Recommendation | 16+ |
Batteries Required | No |
£10.00
Number of Players | 1-4 |
---|---|
Average Duration | - |
Suitable for Kids | Yes |
Family-Friendly | Yes |
Age Recommendation | 6+ |
Batteries Required | No |
£22.99
Number of Players | Limitless |
---|---|
Average Duration | - |
Suitable for Kids | Yes |
Family-Friendly | Yes |
Age Recommendation | All Ages |
Batteries Required | No |
£27.99
Number of Players | 3+ |
---|---|
Average Duration | - |
Suitable for Kids | No |
Family-Friendly | Yes |
Age Recommendation | 17+ |
Batteries Required | No |
Volume 2
£8.99
Number of Players | 3-20+ |
---|---|
Average Duration | - |
Suitable for Kids | No |
Family-Friendly | No |
Age Recommendation | 18+ |
Batteries Required | No |
£16.99
Number of Players | 2-6 |
---|---|
Average Duration | - |
Suitable for Kids | Yes |
Family-Friendly | Yes |
Age Recommendation | 5+ |
Batteries Required | Yes (2 AA Batteries - included) |
£4.99
Number of Players | Up to 35 |
---|---|
Average Duration | - |
Suitable for Kids | Yes |
Family-Friendly | Yes |
Age Recommendation | All Ages |
Batteries Required | No |
Written and researched by Danny Mitchell
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