Everyone enjoys a good laugh. Unless they have an issue with their Ventromedial prefrontal cortex…which is very unfortunate and I’m sure rare, but most people genuinely do like to laugh. There’s nothing better than spending time with friends or family and doing something fun, especially if you’ve not had a great day. Laughter is not only the best medicine for turning a frown upside down but is infectious and those who laugh together tend to stay together and create plenty of fond memories. Having a game night with friends can elevate the fun and entertainment, making the evening even more enjoyable.
Board games in general are a great social activity, some putting more emphasis on player interaction than others. Additionally, there are a diverse mix of board games available with some offering a fun and enjoyable experience. Humor is of course subjective and everyone has their preferences, but below is an eclectic group of games and at least a couple should appeal to everyone. Personally, some of the games have either made me chuckle endlessly or left me in hysterics, so I can attest to the fact that most of these should generate some kind of positive reaction! These funny board games are accessible and enjoyable for diverse age groups, making it easy for anyone to play board games.
What Are the Best Funny Board Games for Game Night?
Cards Against Humanity
Players: 4-30 Time: 30 minutes Age: 17+
Not a card game for the feint of heart and certainly not one for kids, Cards Against Humanity asks you to put your conscious and morals aside in this depraved card game. The game comes with a series of black question or statement cards, and white cards that players use to answer them with. Each turn, a player will read aloud the black card they pick from the top of the draw pile and the other players must pick what they think is the best (or actually the worst) answer they can give from the cards in their hand. The player that read the black card chooses the best answer from the cards provided and the player who owns the card receives the point for that round. The card reader alternates each round and when players are thoroughly mortified and call the game off, the person with the most points wins.
One of the most hilarious card games I’ve ever played, Cards Against Humanity comes with tons of cards that range from seemingly innocent to downright disturbing. When paired together, the black and white cards create terribly funny combinations that will have the whole group laughing out loud. There are tons of expansions to add to the hilarity and the potential pairings are endless. An excellent party game for any occasion. Except maybe baby showers, christenings, and funerals.
What Do You Meme?
Players: 3-20 Time: 30 minutes Age: 17+
A slightly safer take on Cards Against Humanity, players match phrases to pictures to create the funniest memes possible. Although the game is still recommended for those over seventeen, it doesn’t provide quite as many answers you’re embarrassed to read out loud in front of your parents. Each turn, a player will take a photo card that represents a classic meme whilst the rest of the players choose a card from their hand that they think provides the best caption. The player who played the photo decides the best caption to go with it, and the owner of the card receives a point. Play continues in this way, with the person playing the photo card changing each round, until the end of the game with the player with the most points being declared the winner.
A simple game that matches Cards Against Humanity in play style almost perfectly, but is better suited for those with a sensitive disposition. Offering plenty of hilarious combinations, What Do You Meme is a great game that promotes interaction and engagement among players, making it a great party game that most people should enjoy.
Smash Up
Players: 2-4 Time: 45 minutes Age: 12+
If you’ve ever wanted to play a card game where your deck consists of ninja-cats or robot-pirates, then Smash Up is the game for you. Smash Up comes with eight ready to play decks, all with specific mechanics and play styles. Each player picks two of these to create a unique combination of cards made up of two factions. Players will then battle each other for control over several bases with their own unique properties, effects, and power limits. Once players have played cards equal to or more than a bases power, that base is destroyed. Players will then receive victory points based on who had the most, second, and third most power at that base. The first player to earn fifteen victory points wins the game.
Smash Up offers a fun experience for both novice and experienced card game players. There’s no faffing with deck construction and the strategies with most decks are straight forward which makes the game less intimidating than some others out there. The game is simple to learn and offers plenty of deck combinations, especially when the expansions are involved, and provides plenty of replay value and endless fun. The chaotic and energetic atmosphere of the game ensures good fun for everyone involved.
Unstable Unicorns
Players: 2-8 Time: 30-45 minutes Age: 8+
We all knew unicorns were cute and cuddly…but who knew they could be so mean? The aim of the game is simple, the first person to round up seven unicorns into their stable wins. In reality, however, it’s not so easy. Players draw from a central deck of cards and can take one of several actions each turn. This could be playing a unicorn from their hand, playing an upgrade or downgrade card, or one of several magic cards to help themselves or hinder their opponents. Some unicorns are extra special and trigger abilities when played, but there are also ‘neigh’ cards that interrupt any card being played at any time. You can’t be afraid to get your hands dirty with this game, there will be plenty of opportunities to betray your friends in order to achieve victory. Just be prepared when they come seeking revenge!
Surprisingly deep with strategy yet not overly complicated, Unstable Unicorns comes with tremendous and usually hilarious artwork and text. They tend to use the term ‘unicorn’ generously with this game, but that only adds to the hilarity. The key to winning is knowing when to chain cards and play certain spells, but as you play more often you’ll develop your own strategy. With plenty of expansions to add to the experience, this super fun game has quick playtime and easy rules, making it ideal for group settings.
Check out our full review of Unstable Unicorns here.
Snake Oil
Players: 3-10 Time: 20-30 minutes Age: 10+
Have you ever been sold something you were dubious about but just couldn’t say no to? Well, now it’s your turn to create your own crazy inventions and sell them to your fellow players. Just like snake oil salesmen of old, you’ll have to use your wits, imagination, and persuasive skills to encourage others that what you’re selling is worth it, when in actual fact it probably isn’t! Each turn one player takes on the role of the customer and picks up a customer role card, giving the other players an idea of who it is they’re selling to.
Players then take two cards from their hand, each with a word on it, and combine them to create something brand new. They’ll then have thirty seconds to pitch it to the customer as best they can. The customer decides which of the pitches was best, and hands the customer card to that player to signify they won the round. Once everyone has had at least one turn as the customer, the player who has the most customer cards at the end of the game is the winner.
A super simple game with minimal rules but lots of laughs, Snake Oil is a game that almost anyone can play. Relying heavily on player interactions, this social party game gets players thinking and acting in a way that few other games can. There are plenty of crazy card combinations, and even crazier explanations, that will keep players coming back for more. The random acts dictated by the cards lead to unpredictable and often humorous situations, adding to the overall fun and chaos of gameplay. Unlike most of the products in this game, it’s not hard to sell how good Snake Oil to gamers!
Exploding Kittens
Players: 2-5 Time: 25 minutes Age: 7+
Exploding Kittens is a card game version of Russian roulette, with the pistol being replaced by a cat with a bomb strapped to it! Gameplay is simple: players take turns to take cards from a central deck, then play cards. There are plenty of cards with different effects and playing them strategically makes all the difference with winning and losing. Some cards will let you peek at the top of the deck, shuffle the deck entirely, skip your draw phase, and make a player draw twice. The winner is the last person standing…literally. If a player uncovers an exploding kitten and cannot defuse it, they die and are out of the game.
A simple concept and mechanics make Exploding Kittens a nice quick game to play through with plenty of laughs along the way. The game can be played in three rounds, each with distinct rules for how players can communicate clues. It’s packed with hilarious cards with humorous artwork, with the numerous expansions providing plenty more laughs too. Although it’s the type of game that generates more stress the longer it goes on for, it also provides plenty of entertaining moments too.
Check out our full review of Exploding Kittens here.
Munchkin
Players: 3-6 Time: 60-120 minutes Age: 10+
Kick down the door, search the room, find the treasure, and level up. A classic card game that takes a satirical look at countless fantasy tropes in this dungeon-crawling adventure. Each player chooses a character with unique abilities and starts at level one. On their turn, they’ll kick down the door leading deeper into the dungeon by drawing a card from the main deck. They’ll encounter monsters and adversaries along the way, and as long as their level is higher than their opponents they’ll beat it and level up, gaining loot and treasure as a prize. Players can backstab and sabotage each other, or offer to help in return for some of the treasure. The first player to reach level 10 is the winner.
Munchkin is packed with funny cards full of puns, double entendres, and self-deprecating humour that makes light of the fantasy genre as a whole. Created by the legendary Steve Jackson, you’ve not only got a quality game, but one that’s guaranteed to make you laugh along the way. There’s plenty of expansions to add more crazy cards to your collection, as well as a bunch of different versions like Marvel and Cthulu, just in case classic fantasy isn’t your style. Its lasting appeal and enjoyment over time have cemented Munchkin as a modern classic in the world of party games.
Happy Little Dinos
Players: 2-4 Time: 30-60 minutes Age: 8+
Ignorance really is bliss! This probably explains why these dinos keep smiling even in the face of impending doom! Each player takes on the role of one of four dinosaurs and must try and dodge all kinds of disasters, ranging from a broken heart to a meteor crashing down on them. Every turn a disaster card is flipped over and players must use a card from their hand to defend themselves. These cards all have a power value associated with them and the player with the lowest score is struck by disaster and must take the card.
Players can use cards to power themselves up or make their opponents weaker, and there is a ‘rock, paper, scissors’ dynamic that can affect the outcome of the scores too. If a player receives three of the same type or one of each of the three types of disasters, then they are out of the game. The other players get to move their adorable dino figure up their tracker a number of spaces equal to the power of the item they played. Whoever gets to the end of their tracker first is the winner.
Happy Little Dinos is an enjoyable and cute strategic game. Like most Unstable Games products, they’ve done an amazing job with the artwork and each of the disaster and item cards is brilliantly hilarious. The game also features word cards that add an interactive component, engaging players in creative and communication-based challenges. It doesn’t take long to play through or learn and makes for a fun gameplay experience for all ages.
Conclusion
Those are a handful of funny board games that we think are particularly funny for one reason or another but by no means a definitive list. If there are any games not listed that you’ve had a ton of fun playing and left you with your sides aching, we’d love to hear about your experiences!
FAQ
What age range are these games suitable for?
The games listed vary in age suitability, with most being appropriate for ages 7 and up. It’s best to check the specific recommendations for each game to ensure it aligns with the players’ ages.
How many players can join in these games?
Each game accommodates a different number of players. For instance, Snake Oil is designed for 3-10 players, while Happy Little Dinos is suitable for 2-4 players. Always refer to the specific game’s player count to ensure a good fit for your group.
How long does a typical game take to play?
Game duration can vary widely. Exploding Kittens can be played in about 25 minutes, while Munchkin may take anywhere from 60 to 120 minutes. Players should factor in their own group’s pace when planning game nights.
Are expansions available for these games?
Yes, many of the games mentioned, including Exploding Kittens and Munchkin, have expansions that add new cards and mechanics to enhance gameplay, providing even more fun and variety.
Can these games be played with family?
Absolutely! Many of these games, such as Happy Little Dinos and Munchkin, are designed to be family-friendly, making them great choices for game nights with loved ones.