If you love a good game of Charades, you’re sure to love these other fun games like Charades that offer some variety in themes and mechanics. People play these games to enjoy fun and bonding experiences with family and friends. Each involves guessing answers on random topics and some form of visual clue-giving, and all are fun, fabulous, and loaded with heaps of silly possibilities. Grab a copy and get the party started!
Fun Party Games for All Ages
Fun party games are an excellent way to bring people together and create a sense of community. They can be played in various settings, including homes, parties, and social gatherings. Here are some fun party games that are suitable for all ages:
Charades: A classic game where players act out a word or phrase without speaking. It’s a timeless favorite that guarantees laughter and fun.
Pictionary: A drawing game where players guess what their teammates are drawing. This game is perfect for those who love to sketch and guess.
Scattergories: A creative game where players come up with words that fit certain categories. It’s a fantastic way to challenge your brain and think outside the box.
Taboo: A fast-paced game where players describe a word without using certain keywords. This game tests your ability to think quickly and creatively.
Trivial Pursuit: A trivia game where players answer questions on various topics. It’s ideal for those who enjoy testing their knowledge on a wide range of subjects.
These games are all easy to learn and can be played with a small group of people or a large crowd. They’re perfect for game night, parties, or social gatherings, ensuring everyone has a blast.
The Absolute Best 10 Games Like Charades
Time’s Up! Title Recall
Age: 12+ (Community 14+) Players: 4-18 Time: 60 minutes
In Time’s Up: Title Recall, players must guess the titles of pop culture topics like films, books, songs, albums, or TV shows. Of course, how clues are given is what matters most in this silly game. Players are split into teams and one player each round must use only 30 seconds to try to get their teammates to guess the correct answer. During round 1, almost any kind of clue may be given to teammates to solve. But then in round 2, no more than 1 word may be used to give clues – though players can use any number of sounds and gestures. Finally, in round 3, no words can be used at all. Whichever team successfully guesses their series of titles wins the game.
Of all the games on this list, Time’s Up! Title Recall is probably the most like Charades in a straight one-to-one comparison, though with slightly narrower guardrails on themes and topics available in the game. Each correct guess earns one point, adding a competitive edge to the fun.
Concept
Age: 10+ Players: 4-12 Time: 40 minutes
Suitable for players 10 and up, Concept is a fantastically fun word-guessing game like Charades. Instead of acting out clues, though, players use association icons and words in teams of 2 (for 4 to 12 players) to figure out what the secret word or phrase is. Each pair carefully places available icon pieces on the game board to help each other guess the word.
For example, if one player has the word “milk,” they might place the question mark icon to depict the main concept onto the liquid icon. They might then put cubes of this color on the icons for white or drink. For more complex phrases, like a famous person’s name, the player may opt to attach the main concept icon to its matching cubes to give their teammates hidden phrase clues. So, for example, if the clue is Leo DiCaprio, the other team member could lead them to actor or director, a sunken ship (Titanic), or similar to get their partner to guess from “movies” that it’s Leo they’re going for. The first person to guess the phrase or word earns 2 points – as does the team – and whoever winds up gaining the most points wins the game.
Reverse Charades
Age: 6+ Players: 6-99 Time: 30 minutes
For family-friendly fun for as many folks as you can squeeze into a room, grab a copy of Reverse Charades. The game flips the concept of Charades on its head by creating 2 teams of 3 or more people each and having all but one person know the clue. That is, one person on each team is the guesser, while the others give the clues. Each round takes place over 60 seconds, with teams trying to get that one person on their team to guess as many words as possible in that brief minute of play. The last person to guess a word in each round adds a layer of challenge, as the team scores 1 point for each correct guess – and, of course, the team that scores the most points wins.
Catchphrase
Age: 12+ (Community 8+) Players: 4-16 Time: 30 minutes
For a fast-paced, silly game of wild proportions, grab your Catchphrase, a word game a bit like Charades, only with a heftier speed component. To play, players pass the Catchphrase buzzer piece that gives the game clue. The player holding the buzzer piece must rattle off as many clues as possible (without using any part of the secret word) to get their teammates to guess the word. Hop up and get physical, if need be, acting out whatever the clue is – just get them to guess it! Keep going until they guess it, then pass on the buzzer to the next person.
The next person belongs to the opposing team and must repeat the turn actions. Whoever’s holding the buzzer when it goes off automatically sends a point to the other team. Then the timer is reset and the rounds begin again, passing around for as many rounds as the players want. Just keep track of those points – whichever team scores the most points by the end wins the game.
Guesstures
Age: 8+ (Community 6+) Players: 4-99 Time: 10 minutes
If you love silliness, then you’re going to love Guesstures, a game like Charades just on super-charge mode. To play, the active player starts out with four cards. Every card has 2 words – one difficult and one easy. The more difficult the word, the more point-worthy the word is. The active player can choose one word from each card and then load them into the timer device. They then have approximately one minute to communicate each word to their teammates without saying part of the words – while acting out, gesturing wildly, or whatever else they can think of. The other players must guess correctly to continue to the next word.
When a word is guessed correctly, the active player switches it out for the next card. If they don’t snatch it in time, though, the timer eats the card. Teams score points for all words or phrases successfully guessed and rescued from the timer. The timer passes back and forth between teams after 4 cards each, for as many rounds as teams decide to play. Whichever one team earns the most points wins the game.
Monikers
Age: 17+ (Community 14+) Players: 4-16 Time: 30-60 minutes
Another party game like Charades, Monikers actually used to be known as Celebrities, a public domain game. With this formalized option, Monikers adds some layers of intrigue in the silly fun, with a wider range of well-known folks from around the world.
The objective in Monikers is to figure out who the famous person acted out by the clue giver is. That is, the active player in the first round gives clues saying just about anything they want to offer suggestions for the other players to figure it out. Obviously, they can’t say the actual famous name! But, almost anything else is fair game. For the second round, though, the active player can act out whatever they want but only has one word that they can speak, similar to the last word game mechanic. In the final round, only gestures and charades can be offered for their teams to guess. And, like in most other games, whichever team gets the most answers correct wins the game.
Taboo
Age: 12+ (Community 10+) Players: 4-10 Time: 20 minutes
A fabulously fun, simple game like Charades, Taboo gives a twist on the word-guessing genre of board games. In Taboo, players are split into teams – and the active player for each round must get the rest of their team to guess the secret word. But the active player can’t say whatever they want – nope, some clues are absolutely off-limits! On the card held by the active player, the clue sits at the top, and all the Taboo clues are listed below. Someone from the other team watches over the game to ensure the active player doesn’t use Taboo words. If they do, they call the active player out on it.
For example, the active player may have the clue “bacon” but cannot say pig, eggs, breakfast, eat, or sausage. They can do just about anything else – act it out, make barnyard animal noises, or say a host of other words. If the active player goofs up, though, the opposing team buzzes you and then they score the point.
Balderdash
Age: 12+ Players: 2-6 Time: 60 minutes
Perhaps not a game like Charades as closely measured as say Guesstures, Balderdash is still a game worth considering for your Charades replacement. The game is sort of a conceptual reverse-engineering of Charades combined with a repackaging of the old parlor game Dictionary. The deck is loaded with cards that present real words that most folks have never heard before. To play, one of the players must read aloud one of these lesser-known vocabulary words and the other players must attempt to figure out the definition of the word through any etymology knowledge they may have, or random guessing. The goal is to at least come up with a plausible-sounding definition. Points are rewarded for every opponent player who guesses the definition, whether correct or not. And, of course, ultimately, whoever gains the most points wins this competitive game.
Of all the games on this list, Balderdash is your best bet for word nerds interested in Charades-style word games. It is one of the fun games that can be enjoyed with minimal materials, making it perfect for family bonding during quarantine or self-isolation.
Pictionary
Age: 12+ (Community 8+) Players: 3-16 Time: 90 minutes
Another classic game like Charades is the really fun party game of Pictionary. Instead of acting out your clues, though, players draw them out on a drawing pad the whole team can see. In this artistically challenging game (whether you can draw or not!), players are split into two or three teams. One active player from a team must draw clues on the board for their teammates to guess. To speed up the game, two or more artists may draw at the same time. But the catch is, that players from any team can potentially guess the clue on any board, trying to beat the other teams. You can also opt for consecutive play, allowing the active team to guess first, but it’s your call.
The most important thing in this game is imagination, not so much drawing skill. Get creative, draw out whatever you can manage and let your imagination run wild as you guess. Ultimately, whichever team guesses the most correct answers before the timer goes off each round wins the game.
Word Slam
Age: 12+ (Community 120+) Players: 3-99 Time: 45 minutes
The final game like Charades on our list is Word Slam. The game focuses heavily on the communication of hidden words and phrases and gets pretty darn silly. Players are split into 2 teams, and the active players for each team start out with a secret word they must get their team to guess. Gameplay turns run concurrently, so speed is of the essence, both in dropping clues and picking them up. To give clues, though, the active players have access to 105 explanatory cards. There’s no speaking or acting out allowed in this one – just those explanatory cards. So, drop a card for your team to see, then another and another, leading them through the idea until they guess the right answer.
Each card contains a noun, a preposition, or a verb – and the active player can use as many of these cards as they like to get their team to guess. Whichever team guesses correctly first scores a point, and then the play continues on to go as many rounds as desired. Whichever team earns the most points by the end wins the game, making it one of the most engaging fun games for family bonding.
Charades Variations
Charades is a classic game that can be played in various ways. Here are some fun charades variations to keep the excitement alive:
Team Charades: Divide players into two teams and have them take turns acting out words or phrases. This variation adds a competitive edge and encourages teamwork.
Time-Limited Charades: Set a timer for a certain amount of time, and players must act out as many words or phrases as possible before the timer runs out. This adds a sense of urgency and makes the game even more thrilling.
Charades with a Twist: Add a twist to the classic game by having players act out words or phrases that are related to a certain theme, such as movies or music. This variation can make the game more challenging and thematic.
Charades with Props: Use props to make the game more challenging and fun. For example, players can use a hat or a scarf to act out a word or phrase. Props add a new layer of creativity and hilarity to the game.
These variations can add a new level of excitement to the classic game of charades, ensuring that it never gets old.
Team-Based Party Games
Team-based party games are an excellent way to encourage teamwork and collaboration. Here are some fun team-based party games that are perfect for any gathering:
Team Trivia: Divide players into teams and have them answer trivia questions on various topics. This game is great for testing knowledge and fostering a competitive spirit.
Team Pictionary: Divide players into teams and have them take turns drawing and guessing words or phrases. This game combines creativity and teamwork, making it a hit at any party.
Team Charades: Divide players into teams and have them take turns acting out words or phrases. This variation of charades emphasizes collaboration and quick thinking.
Team Scavenger Hunt: Create a scavenger hunt that requires teams to work together to find and collect items. This game is perfect for getting everyone moving and working together.
These games are perfect for game night, parties, or social gatherings. They encourage teamwork and collaboration, and can be played with a small group of people or a large crowd, ensuring everyone has a great time.
Conclusion
There you have it – a collection of the 10 best games like Charades. Some are more kid-accessible, while others tend to be easiest for adults. You’ll find kiddos will do well with Concept, Reverse Charades, and Guesstures, while grownups can take on Time’s Up! Title Recall, Catchphrase, Monikers, Taboo, Pictionary, and Balderdash more easily. The key to choosing the right game for your crowd is considering their interests (like Time’s Up! Title Recall is great for geeks and Monikers is great for celebrity hounds and history buffs). So, get your gaming on and have a blast with these silly, wild, and strangely educational game options.
FAQ
1. What are some games similar to Charades?
Games like Time’s Up! Title Recall, Concept, Reverse Charades, Catchphrase, Guesstures, Monikers, Taboo, Balderdash, Pictionary, and Word Slam are similar to Charades. They all involve guessing words or phrases based on clues given through actions, drawings, or word associations.
2. What are good party games for adults that are like Charades?
For adults, games such as Time’s Up! Title Recall, Catchphrase, Monikers, Taboo, and Balderdash are excellent choices. These games offer more complex themes and mechanics, making them ideal for adult gatherings.
3. How does Reverse Charades differ from the classic Charades game?
In Reverse Charades, the roles are flipped; only one person on each team is the guesser, while all other team members give clues simultaneously. This twist adds a new level of fun and challenge to the game.
4. Can children play games like Charades?
Yes, children can enjoy games like Concept, Reverse Charades, and Guesstures. These games are designed to be family-friendly and are suitable for younger players.
5. What is the objective of the game Monikers?
In Monikers, the goal is to guess the identity of a famous person based on clues. The game progresses through rounds where players can initially say almost anything, then only one word, and finally, only gestures are allowed. The team with the most correct guesses wins.