When you’ve got a crowd coming over for a night of fun, you’ve got to be prepared with the best board games for large groups. But who wants to play the same old games you’ve known for years? Why not try some new, exciting options with unique gameplay, twists on old classics, and even some new mechanics you’ve not tried before. These favorite games are perfect for engaging and entertaining social gatherings. If you’re ready to explore, the list below will get you to some exciting new game-boarding heights – just in time for your next game night.
What are The Best Party Games for Large Groups?
Brain Fart
Age: 14+ Players: 3-99 Time: Varies wildly
Brain Fart is a great party game where the goal is to name things from various categories before the time is over. Each time you take a turn, you roll 9 cubes which consist of 54 possible categories. When the dice stop rolling, the timer starts and you get a letter to begin guessing.
To add variance and excitement, the timer randomly goes off between 30 and 45 seconds. Every time a player has the timer go off during their turn, they get a chip. The game ends when there are no more chips to take and the person with the lowest number of chips wins.
This is a great game for large parties thanks to its simple rules that are easy to pick up. In addition, Brain Fart makes for an excellent icebreaker for introducing two groups of friends to each other. It is also suitable for multiple ages, making it ideal for gatherings with diverse age groups.
Rumplestiltskin!
Age: 12+ Players: 7-20 Time: 30-90 minutes
Looking for loads of fun and unique gameplay energy? Then Rumplestiltskin! is your go-to game for large groups. The play style borrows from the likes of Ultimate Werewolf, Mafia, and One Night Ultimate Werewolf, where each person takes on a secret role, promoting lively and engaging discussions.
The setting, though, drops you into a world where a huge disaster killed off all the heroes and left only the villains alive – and they’ve had to band together to save the day.
As the game progresses, players find dead villagers arise, and realize Rumplestiltskin is living among them. The game goal is to unearth Rumplestiltskin and identify him.
Accomplishing the goal is made even more complicated by the fact Rumplestiltskin can shape-shift and create clones of villagers he has killed.
Whoever is moderating the game divides the players into two teams. One team works with Rumplestiltskin, the other against him. One great game twist is that the second team is made up of fairy tale characters like The Little Mermaid, Red Riding Hood, and the Mad Hatter.
After a round of play, the villagers vote on who they feel is a monster in disguise… by burning them at the stake. Rumplestiltskin! is one of those games that works best with more players, with a minimum of seven players needed to help make the two teams and have one person act as moderator. You can have up to 20 people play. The number of people determines how long the game runs, but playing the game can last between half an hour and 90 minutes.
Poetry for Neanderthals
Age: 7+ (Community 8+) Players: 2-12 Time: 15 minutes
Ever wondered what a caveman-themed version of Taboo would look like? Well, whether you did or not, Poetry for Neanderthals is the game you never knew you needed.
Earn points by getting your teammates to guess phrases and words, but with one big caveat: In Poetry for Neanderthals, you can only communicate via single-syllable words, and everything you say must be said in a complete sentence. The game emphasizes teamwork and strategic communication, as your team guess the right answer to score points.
Each game begins with drawing a poetry card and 90 seconds on the clock. Your team must guess the right answer to score the points.
Another major twist on this format is that if you make the mistake of using words with more than a single syllable, the opposing team gets to bop you on the head with the included inflatable club. Besides bruising your ego, getting bopped by the inflatable club means that you lose points.
Like all the games on the list, Poetry for Neanderthals is improved by having more and more players join in – the bigger the crowd, the better!
The average game only lasts about 15 minutes, so it’s perfect for your game night for a “break” between longer games, to get the creative juices flowing, or as the center of attraction by itself.
- Easy to learn and quick to play
- Encourages creative thinking and vocabulary use
- Suitable for a wide range of ages
- May become repetitive after multiple plays
- Some players might find the NO! Stick concept uncomfortable
Two Rooms and a Boom
Age: 8+ (Community 12+) Players: 6-30 Time: 7-20 minutes
Uh-oh. Team Red’s Bomber is on the loose. Team Blue’s President needs protection. And it’s your job, as team members in Two Rooms and a Boom to make your way through five rounds of play – each ending with some players swapping spaces. And when we say spaces, we mean teams are split into two separate rooms – and players literally swap rooms. If the Bomber winds up in the same room as the President at the end of the game, the Red Team wins. If not, the Blue Team saves the day and scores the win.
In this nutty game, the rules say, “lying is encouraged.” So, set up the character deck – with even cards for each team – separate into two rooms, and play out your role as whatever character card you draw. But keep it a secret so no one knows who you are – you don’t want to give yourself away and lose it for the team! As the game continues, time speeds up and leaders have less time to decide how to swap players. Leaders choose those hostages, parley with each other, and dance around the truth until the timer runs out. But don’t get comfortable there – your role as leader could be usurped any time and you might get stuck in the wrong place at the wrong time… And then Boom!
Two Rooms and a Boom is one of the best large group games, suitable for various occasions.
Hive Mind
Age: 8+ Players: 3-12 Time: 30-90 minutes
Beloved by a large range of people from kids to adults, Hive Mind is the perfect party game for your next large group gathering. One perk of this game is that it works for any sized party, and everyone can play, even the younger kids. While the suggested number of players is 3 to 12, but many enjoy this game with much larger groups. Due to Hive Mind having such easy-to-read rules, children can easily play this game, even younger than 8 in many cases, as well. The average length of the game runs from 30-90 minutes, depending on how many players you have, and how long you want to keep it going.
One of the most enjoyable parts of Hive Mind is the unique game experience of needing to think like your fellow players, while not being afraid of giving a wrong answer. The goal isn’t to get trivia correct; the goal is to guess what everyone else will say. Wrong answers can lead to interesting and fun outcomes. This remarkable difference from other trivia games means your friends and family will never get bored playing this game, as every group is different and creates an entirely new Hive Mind.
Cards Against Humanity
Age: 17+ (Community 16+) Players: 4-30 Time: 30 minutes
When a card game has the tagline, “A party game for horrible people,” you know you’re in for some insanely devious fun. (But, of course, there’s always Cards Against Profanity if you need the family-friendly version.)
In this wildly wickedly fun card game for large groups, play starts out with one person dubbed the “Card Czar.” They’ll choose a black question or fill-in-the-blank card from the deck and show it to the other players.
The rest of the players have ten white cards at the beginning of each round, and they must pass one card (or two) to the Card Czar, face-down. These are their answers to the black card.
The Card Czar then decides whose card has the most ridiculous response to the question or blank and that player scores the black card. As each round progresses, the player to the left of the Card Czar becomes the new one.
The game continues this way until the crowd is ready to call it a night – and the person with the most question cards wins.
To make this ridiculously fun game even more enjoyable, you can check out the many expansion packs for varied play like the Season’s Greetings Pack, Everything Box, Hidden Gems Bundle, or, of course, the Absurd Box.
Geek Out! Family Edition
Age: 10+ Players: 2-99 Time: 30 minutes
In the family-friendly and utterly ridiculous game of Geek Out! Family Edition, your pop culture knowledge, bluffing skills, and wits get put to the test. You’ll find out who really is the most knowledgeable on geeky stuff.
During the game, players draw cards that list categories. Your goal? To name as many things that fit that category before time runs out. But the catch is, before you start naming things, other players can try to steal your points by estimating that they can list more things than the card requires. The bidding continues until one player is ready to top the pile with the most items – and, if they succeed, they win the points and bragging rights as the biggest geek. Play with 20 chips, a colored die, the gameboard, and over 740 topics that could get you to the title of Biggest Geek Ever.
Geek Out! Family Edition is a fantastic way for families to play games together and bond over shared interests.
30 Seconds
Age: 12+ (Community 10+) Players: 3-24 Time: 30 minutes
Set the timer and go! You’ve got 30 Seconds to guess as many words as possible in this fast-talking, quick-thinking trivia game for large groups. Every turn starts with a player taking one card with five famous names, and 30 seconds on the clock for their teammates to try and speed their way through the cards. This hilariously fun party game even wins over folks who generally hate party games, so it’s a definite winner for your game closet. Use your wits to describe the names on the cards, engage the brains to guess when it’s your turn – and beat the clock to do it.
Yes, this team game works with 2 to 4 teams and up to 24 people, so the package says – and the more people you’ve got, the more fun it is. Most folks say to play with 2 to 3 teams with higher player counts, but technically speaking, you can go with 4 or even more if you want to fiddle with additional makeshift team markers.
Roll the die, draw a card, and then have one member describe the card at lightning speed. The number rolled on the die gets subtracted from the number of correctly guessed words, and then the marker gets moved along the track on the board. The first team to make it to the end wins.
Monikers
Age: 17+ (Community 14+) Players: 4-16 Time: 30-60 minutes
Once upon a time, you probably played the base version of Monikers under the public domain name Celebrities. Well, this polished and published version of the game is so much better than just using paper and pen. Rolling Japan
With Monikers teams play against each other to guess the names of famous folks through describing or imitating those celebrities or famous folks from history.
During the first round, clue givers may say whatever they wish, well, except naming the celebrity! For the second round, only one word can be used. Then in the final round, clue givers can’t say a word – they’ve got to get their message out through charades.
This ridiculously fun party game is ideal for large groups with a super easy setup, simple rules, and two teams pitted against each other to beat the clock. Monikers is a good board game for large groups, providing an enjoyable and interactive experience./
Rolling Japan
Age: 8+ Players: 1-99 Time: 15 minutes
Described as a “light multiplayer solitaire dice game,” Rolling Japan makes for an excellent large-group game for quieter crowds. Every player gets a map of Japan, complete with its 47 prefectures, bundled together into 6 colored areas for easy distinction. Rolling Japan offers a quieter alternative to more chaotic games like One Night Ultimate Werewolf, making it suitable for large groups looking for a more relaxed experience.
In each turn, one player pulls 2 6-sided dice from a bag, blindly choosing between 7 dice, each of which matches the color of one cluster of prefectures or the one wild purple die. All players then write down the number rolled on a matching prefecture, or, if the wild die is rolled, players can snag that number for any prefecture they want.
The catch? You can only write that number down once per color, and if you can’t place a number without breaking the rule, you must place an ‘X’ on your map.
Eight rounds take players through this game, and the winner is decided by the least number of x-es on their map at the end.
Also Read: Top Board Games by Player Count for Every Group Size
Conclusion: Bring out a Party Game for your Next Big Board Game Night
Now, you’re ready for the crowd with these amazingly fun board games for large groups. They’re bound to keep the fun running all night, especially if you mix and match the gameplay styles and lengths for variety. You may want to use these games as icebreakers, fillers, end-of-the-night offerings before you call it, or as a stand-alone focus for your gathering. Most are loud and silly, with one or two on the quieter side, though, so be sure to gauge the room before you pull them out. Many of these games are suitable for multiple ages, making them ideal for family gatherings and events with diverse age groups.
FAQ
Q: What age groups are these games suitable for?
The games listed cater to multiple ages, making them ideal for gatherings and family events. For example, Geek Out! Family Edition is suitable for ages 10 and up, while Monikers is recommended for ages 17 and older. Always check the specific age recommendations on the packaging to ensure the game is appropriate for your group.
Q: How many players can participate in these games?
A: Most games are designed to accommodate a range of players. For instance, 30 Seconds can be played with 3 to 24 players, and Rolling Japan caters to 1 to 99 players. It’s advisable to review the specific player limits for each game to determine the best fit for your gathering.
Q: How long does each game typically take to play?
A: The duration for each game varies, with most games lasting between 15 minutes to an hour. For example, Rolling Japan takes about 15 minutes, while Monikers can last between 30 to 60 minutes. Be sure to consider this when planning your game night to accommodate the number of games you wish to play.
Q: Are these games suitable for larger groups?
A: Yes! Many of the games mentioned are specifically designed for larger groups, making them perfect for parties or family gatherings. Games like 30 Seconds and Geek Out! Family Edition allow for numerous participants, enhancing the overall fun and interaction.
Q: Can these games be played with mixed age groups?
A: Absolutely! Many of these games can be enjoyed by players of different ages, especially those labelled as family-friendly, like Geek Out! Family Edition. Just make sure to adjust the difficulty levels or rules to maintain inclusivity and enjoyment for everyone involved.