The 10 Best Games Like Taboo for Alternative Wordplay Fun

Looking for a fantastic word game for the crowd? These games like Taboo will bring fun to your next game night, whether your crowd is fellow word nerds or just into gaming together. The wide range of mechanics and themes will help keep things fresh, too, for all the gameplay you could want.

The 10 Best Alternative Games Like Taboo

Types of Word Games

Word games are a beloved genre that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. They come in various forms, each offering a unique way to challenge your vocabulary and quick thinking. Here are some popular types of word games:

• Word Association Games: These games involve guessing words based on their association with other words. For example, in Codenames, players try to identify words based on one-word clues given by their teammate. Similarly, in Taboo, players describe a secret word without using certain “taboo” words, making it a thrilling challenge.

• Word Guessing Games: These games revolve around guessing a secret word or phrase. Word Chain and Word Scramble are classic examples where players must deduce the correct word from a series of clues or jumbled letters.

• Word Creation Games: In these games, players create words from a set of letters or tiles. Scrabble and Boggle are iconic examples, where players form words to score points, testing their vocabulary and strategic thinking.

• Word Puzzle Games: These games involve solving word-based puzzles, such as crosswords and word searches. They are perfect for those who enjoy a mental workout and love the satisfaction of finding the right word.

Whether you prefer guessing, creating, or solving, there’s a word game out there to suit your taste and keep you entertained.

Scattergories

Age: 12+ (Community 10+) Players: 2-6 Time: 30 minutes

A familiar game for folks 12 and up (10+ according to the board game community) and just 2 to 6 players (or teams) in 30 minutes, Scattergories remains one of the “oldie but goodies” in games like Taboo. The game engages the imagination and memory a bit more, too, asking players to recall all the things possible that fit the categories in play – without looking them up on their smartphones.

To play, a letter is chosen at the start of each round, then a set of categories is distributed. Every player or team then attempts to come up with as many words in that category as possible, beginning with the chosen first letter. So, if “c” is the letter, then “birds” might be chosen as crow or chickadee, “sports” could be curling or cricket, and “mammals” might be caribou or camel. The trick, though, is choosing less common words to avoid other players selecting the same option. Every duplicate choice is eliminated – so only distinctive answers earn points. That is, if two people choose “camel” neither gets a point. But if only one person chooses “caracal” they get a point.

Scattergories plays out over three rounds, set on a timer. At the end of the game, whoever has come up with the most unique answers (and therefore scores the most points) wins the game.

Buzz Word

Age: 10+ (Community 12+) Players: 4-12 Time: 45 minutes

Another fabulously fun game like Taboo, Buzz Words will send your game night into giggles as teams compete to guess words accurately without getting buzzed. To play, divide the group of 4 to 12 people into 2 teams. Then, each team elects a member to be the clue giver. Each clue giver is then handed 10 words they must get their teams to guess without using the Buzz Words. The challenge revolves around giving clues that guide team members towards correct guesses without revealing too much. The teams must solve the clue, say the buzzword, and earn points. While each team takes turns, the opposing team tracks any missed clues and keeps the timer. You only have 45 seconds to complete the quest, though, so players must be speedy with their clue-giving. When the turn is over, the clue giver reads the missed to the other team and they then get a chance to score. If they guess the answers, they get the points. Whichever team first scores 50 points wins.

Werewords

Age: 8+ Players: 4-10 Time: 10 minutes

Werewords offers not only word play, but hidden identity fun, unlike other games like Taboo you might pick. Players take on specific roles, including villagers, the Seer, the Werewolf, and others, and then work together to guess the secret word while also uncovering the werewolf’s identity – all in just 10 minutes! Werewords accommodates between 4 and 10 players, aged 8 and up.

Players are given their identities at the start of the game and then must beat the timer to guess the secret word by asking “yes” and “no” questions. Two players know the secret word: the werewolf and the Seer. The werewolf actively works against the rest of the players to prevent them from guessing the correct word, while the Seer does their best to give straightforward clues through their answers without obviously giving away their identity. But there’s good news: even if the players can’t guess the secret word, they can still win by identifying the werewolf. Of course, the werewolf can also identify the Seer and take the win instead.

To add extra play and thousands of words and categories at varying difficulty levels, download the free iOS/Android app.

Trapwords

Age: 8+ (Community 10+) Players: 4-8 Time: 30-45 minutes

Grab a copy of Trapwords for a super fun game night of wordplay fun. Between 4 and 8 players, aged 8 and up (many say 10+ is more “fair” for players to have a larger vocabulary) are divided into 2 teams. This game like Taboo uses many of the same mechanics, but with a special twist: the opposing team chooses the banned words that players cannot use. Players have no idea what those Trapwords are, though, so there’s an extra layer of trickiness.

Teams take on the role of adventuring fellowships searching a fantasy dungeon full of traps and curses. Players must successfully wend their way through this minefield of Trapwords and successfully guess a secret word one team member must describe carefully without triggering the “traps.” At the start of each turn, the opposite team learns the secret word and sets those traps, then pays attention as the clue giver attempts to describe the secret word.

Just One

Age: 8+ Players: 3-7 Time: 20-60 minutes

Just One works for 3 to 7 players, and has a fairly broad playing time between 20 and 60 minutes, all depending on how many players, how long you decide to play, and how the guessing goes. The cooperative party game has players working together to guess as many mystery words as possible through unique clues – and every identical clue is canceled out. The gameplay involves 13 cards with the goal of guessing as many of those 13 words as possible. For every correctly guessed word, 1 point is scored. For every wrong answer, 1 of the current cards and the top card of the deck are lost – meaning the team loses 2 points. With no answer given, only 1 point is lost. Ultimately, whoever scores the most points wins.

Facts in Five

Age: 8+ (Community 14+) Players: 1-5 Time: 30 minutes

An older game like Taboo that’s less commonly known is Facts in Five, an intriguing game of memory, knowledge, and wordplay. Each card in the game contains a topic and a collection of categories. 5 of these cards are drawn at the outset of the game and a category for each topic is selected to start gameplay. Then 5 letter tiles are drawn for the table. Players then have 5 minutes to come up with one item from each topic and category that starts with each of the five words from the tiles. (It’s a bit like Scattergories in this.)

The game includes variations to provide varying levels of difficulty to suit the ages of those participating. These variations may be given to the whole group for play, or easier rules may be given to those new to the game or needing less challenging categories. The game includes 56 cards, and 56 letter tiles, with duplicates of most letters (and only 1 of I, K, O, Q, U, V, X, Y, and Z – the most difficult letters to assign to topics), a score pad, individual player score sheets, and a sand timer that tracks 5 minutes. The game leans towards mostly pop culture topics, according to many players.

Decrypto

Age: 12+ (Community 10+) Players: 3-8 Time: 15-45 minutes

Decrypto earns its place on the list of games like Taboo because of its unique communication and wordplay mechanics that are similar – yet different enough to be fun for the whole crowd looking for something a little different. The game works best for 3 to 8 players aged 10 and up. The game has more of a puzzle aspect to it than Taboo and winds up being different enough that a lot of folks enjoy keeping both in their board game collections.

Two teams compete to correctly interpret the coded clues before the opposing team decodes theirs. Each team is given a screen with numbered pockets in it. Four cards are tucked into these pockets, revealing the words only to the team and not the opposition. During round one, a team member takes a code card that shows three of the digits (between 1 and 4) in a random order (such as 2, 1, 4). They must then give a coded message to their teammates to help them guess the number code. Teams then receive a white mark for correct answers and black marks for incorrect answers. During the second round, a team member gives a clue about their words to match the numbered code, and the opposing team attempts to decode the clues. Players work in teams to guess things based on these coded clues, adding a collaborative and strategic element to the game. Correct guesses receive a white mark and incorrect guesses send the code to the other team to work through. If they guess correctly, they earn a point; if they answer incorrectly, they receive a black mark. This back-and-forth continues until one team collects the second white mark and wins the game or its second black mark and loses the game.

Players say most games take between 4 and 7 rounds, but if it lasts into 8 rounds, then each team attempts to guess the other team’s word, and whoever successfully does wins.

So Clover!

Age: 10+ Players: 3-6 Time: 30 minutes

A highly interactive word game, So Clover! makes for a super fun, fast family game night option. The cooperative word association game puts players on teams (with 3 to 6 players total) and takes about 30 minutes to play. Players are given keywords and, in secret, write down the common features on their clover board to create clues for their teammates. Then, as a team, players must work together to try to guess what keyword the clues lead to. The game includes 880 different keywords, so replayability is nearly unending, too, so play the game on repeat as often as you like – or as many times in a single night as you wish.

Overall, the game is super easy to learn, works great for kids as young as 10, and because it’s a team-played game, it helps kids not only expand their vocabulary and critical thinking skills, but it helps them learn cooperative gameplay while having a blast. Whichever team guesses the most correct keywords wins the game.

For even more fun, record the score in the Record of Legends and keep trying to beat that score every time you play.

Word on the Street

Games with a Game Board

Games with a game board add a tactile element to the fun, making them a staple for many game nights. Here are some fantastic examples of games that use a game board to enhance the experience:

• Codenames: This word-guessing game involves players trying to identify words based on one-word clues given by their teammate. The game board consists of a grid of words, and players must use their wits to connect the clues to the correct words without revealing the opposing team’s words.

• Taboo: In this classic game, players try to describe a secret word without using certain “taboo” words or phrases. The game board includes a timer and a cardholder, adding to the excitement as players race against the clock to give the best clues.

• Scattergories: A creative-thinking category-based party game, Scattergories challenges players to come up with unique words that fit certain criteria, all starting with the same letter. The game board includes a list of categories and a timer, making each round a test of quick thinking and originality.

• Pictionary: This drawing game has players sketching clues for their teammates to guess. The game board features a path that players move along as they correctly guess the drawings, adding a competitive edge to the fun.

These games with a game board offer a hands-on experience that can make your game night even more engaging and interactive.

Word Game Age: 12+ (Community 10+) Players: 2-10 Time: 20 minutes

Play as individuals or teams in Word on the Street for some outrageous wordplay fun in this game like Taboo. Set up the game with seventeen letter tiles (consonants in English, minus J, Q, X, and Z) in a strip down the center of the board. This functions as the “median strip” on the street of play where players are moving in opposite directions. On each turn, one team (or individual) is given a category, like types of vegetables, and then has 30 seconds to come up with an answer in that category. They then move the letters toward their side of the board.

For example: cucumber = C moves twice, and M, B, and R each move once. Any letters not used are left where they stand. If the team manages to move a letter all the way in their direction and then off the edge of the board on their side, they claim that letter tile. The goal is to claim as many letters this way as possible. The team that collects 8 letter tiles first wins.

Password

Age: 10+ (Community 8+) Players: 3-4 Time: 30 minutes

Look for the latest edition of Password for some classically relevant fun times with a smaller crowd aged 8 and up. The wordplay game uses the original game’s mechanics with updates like new sets of words (or mixes of old and new) to encourage players to discover the secret words. One player must get their teammate to say the Password given via a one-word clue (for 10 points). Every time a clue is given, the other player can guess the secret word, and if they get it correct, their team scores. If the guess is incorrect, the other team aims to guess the word. If they do, they earn 9 points. This pattern repeats though each clue is worth one less point until the word is guessed.

A word may also be thrown out if ten clues go without correct answers, or the clue-giver accidentally says the Password. Rounds continue until one team scores a determined number of points and wins the game. For 3-player games, one person functions as the clue-giver for each round, and may either opt to remain in the role for the whole game or take turns throughout.

Party Games with a Twist

If you’re looking to spice up your game night, party games with a twist are the way to go. These games add unique elements to the traditional party game format, making them exciting and unpredictable:

• Decrypto: In this word-guessing game, players try to decode messages from their teammate. The twist lies in the coded clues, which require careful interpretation to avoid giving away too much to the opposing team.

• Time’s Up: A fast-paced word-guessing game where players try to guess a word based on a one-word clue given by their teammate. The twist is that the clues get shorter and more challenging as the game progresses, keeping everyone on their toes.

• Just One: This cooperative word-guessing game has players trying to guess a word based on a one-word clue given by their teammate. The twist? If multiple players give the same clue, it is eliminated, making it crucial to think creatively and uniquely.

• Word Slam: In this game, players try to guess a word based on a one-word clue given by their teammate. The twist is that players can remove cards and change the order of cards played to help their teammate guess the word, adding a dynamic and strategic layer to the gameplay.

These party games with a twist offer fresh and exciting ways to enjoy wordplay, ensuring that your game night is anything but ordinary.

Also Read: The 8 Best Party Games for Unforgettable Nights

Conclusion

There you have it – the 10 best games like Taboo for some wordplay game night fun! Be sure to grab copies of a few different options to keep things interesting and rotate them as filler games or the central focus, depending on your theme or mood.

FAQ: Games Like Taboo