The Best Party Board Games for Big Groups
Got a crowd coming over for the holidays? These party board games handle big groups, need almost no explaining and get everyone laughing.
Christmas, New Year’s Eve, a name day with half the family: at some point this season you’ll have ten people in your living room and nothing to do after dinner. This is where party games come in.
A good party game has a short explanation, works with a big group, and gets people talking (or shouting). It shouldn’t matter who’s played before, and nobody should be stuck waiting for their turn. These are the ones that never fail us.
At Nyx’s family gatherings, the game that always comes out is Codenames. Grandparents, teenagers and cousins who never play board games all join in, and every year someone gives a clue so strange that it becomes a family in-joke until the next Christmas.
1. Codenames
Players: 4 to 8+ · Time: 15 minutes · Age: 14+
Two teams, 25 words on the table and a spymaster on each side giving one-word clues to help their team find the right words. It’s simple, quick and works with as many people as you can fit around the table, since the teams can be any size. The arguments after each round are half the fun.
Where to get it: Czech Games
2. Just One
Players: 3 to 7 · Time: 20 minutes · Age: 8+
A cooperative word game that won the Spiel des Jahres in 2019. One player has to guess a mystery word, and everyone else secretly writes a one-word clue on a little easel. The twist: any clues that match are cancelled before the guesser sees them. So if everyone writes “Santa” for “Christmas”, the guesser gets nothing. You’ll find yourself trying to be helpful and original, which is harder than it sounds.
Where to get it: Repos Production
3. Wavelength
Players: 2 to 12 · Time: 30 to 45 minutes · Age: 14+
One player sees where a hidden target sits on a dial between two opposites, like “hot” and “cold” or “overrated” and “underrated”. They give a clue (“a sauna”, “pineapple on pizza”) and their team turns the dial to where they think the target is. It’s a game about how differently people think, and it leads to some fantastic debates. Perfect for groups that like to argue (so, most Greek families).
Where to get it: Wavelength
4. Telestrations
Players: 4 to 8 (party edition up to 12) · Time: 30 minutes · Age: 12+
The telephone game with drawings. Everyone writes a word, passes their little booklet, the next person draws it, the next guesses what the drawing is, and so on. At the end you flip through the booklets and watch “reindeer” turn into “dog with a hat stand”. You don’t need to be able to draw. Actually, it’s funnier if you can’t.
Where to get it: The Op
5. Dixit
Players: 3 to 8 · Time: 30 minutes · Age: 8+
The storyteller picks a card with a dreamy illustration and gives a clue. Everyone else secretly plays a card from their hand that fits it, then all players try to find the original. Clues that are too obvious score nothing, so you have to be just mysterious enough. It’s gentle, creative and great for mixed groups with kids and grandparents. It’s also available in a Greek edition.
Where to get it: Libellud
6. Decrypto
Players: 3 to 8 · Time: 15 to 45 minutes · Age: 12+
Two teams each have four secret words. Each round, one player gives clues to point their team toward a three-digit code (“3-1-4”), while the other team listens in and tries to crack the pattern. Clues that are too clear get intercepted. Too vague and your own team gets it wrong. It’s more of a thinker than the others, so it suits groups who already liked Codenames.
Where to get it: Le Scorpion Masqué
7. Skull
Players: 3 to 6 · Time: 15 to 45 minutes · Age: 10+
Each player has four discs: three flowers and one skull. Place them face down, then start bidding on how many flowers you can flip without hitting a skull. It’s pure bluffing, the rules fit on a napkin, and it’s brutally fun. It also comes in a tiny box, so it’s ideal for taking to someone else’s house.
Where to get it: Space Cowboys
8. One Night Ultimate Werewolf
Players: 3 to 10 · Time: 10 minutes · Age: 9+
The classic party game of hidden roles, squeezed into ten minutes. Everyone gets a secret role, there’s one “night” where some roles act with their eyes open, then everyone has a few minutes to argue about who the werewolf is before voting. The free app runs the night for you, so nobody has to sit out as the narrator.
9. Exploding Kittens
Players: 2 to 5 (party pack up to 10) · Time: 15 minutes · Age: 7+
A card game that’s basically Russian roulette with cats. Draw a card, hope it’s not an exploding kitten, and use the cards in your hand to skip turns, peek at the deck or make someone else draw. It’s silly and fast, with very little strategy, which is exactly why it works for big mixed groups. Kids love it.
Where to get it: Exploding Kittens
10. The Resistance: Avalon
Players: 5 to 10 · Time: 30 minutes · Age: 13+
Loyal knights of King Arthur against a few hidden servants of Mordred. Each round a leader picks a team to go on a quest, and everyone votes on whether to approve it. On the quest, the bad guys can secretly sabotage it. It’s all about suspicion, accusation and lying through your teeth to your friends. Best with seven or more, and not recommended if anyone at the table takes betrayal personally.
Where to get it: Indie Boards & Cards
How to choose a party game for your group
- Lots of first-timers? Codenames, Just One or Telestrations.
- Kids and grandparents together? Dixit or Exploding Kittens.
- Competitive friends who like to argue? Wavelength or Decrypto.
- A group that loves bluffing? Skull, Avalon or One Night Ultimate Werewolf.
Tips for a great party game night
- Pick the game before people arrive. Have it out of the box and ready, so you’re not reading rules while everyone waits.
- Play a practice round. Most party games make sense after one quick round, much faster than after a long explanation.
- Stop while it’s still fun. Two or three short games beat one that drags on.
- Have a backup. If a game isn’t landing with the group, switch. No shame in it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best board game for 10 people?
Codenames, Wavelength and Telestrations (party edition) all handle ten easily. For hidden-role fans, Avalon and One Night Ultimate Werewolf go up to ten as well.
What party game works for kids and adults together?
Dixit and Just One are the best mixed-age choices on this list. Telestrations works too, as long as the youngest can write a few words.
Are any of these available in Greek?
Dixit and Codenames: Pictures have Greek editions from Kaissa, which matters a lot for word and clue games. We list more in Best Board Games Available in Greek.
