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Genuinely Fun Adult Board and Card Games
22
items We've tested a lot of adult board and card games, literally there is a ClosetMaid shelving unit in our guest room closet just for games. Some were a hit, some were too complicated, and a few just weren't that fun. This list is the result of game nigh...
Sections
6
Strategy & Engine-Building
Puzzle, Tile & Spatial Games
Deduction & Logic
Card Games & Trick-Taking
High Stakes & Speed
Cooperative & Conversational
Strategy & Engine-Building
We come back to these when we want to sit with something and think it through. Nothing flashy. Just solid, layered games where you build momentum as you go. Some are heavier than others, but they all let us map out our own version of success, which i...
This is one of my all-time favorite board games. Wingspan is one of those surprise games. It's got depth of layers, but it's actually really peaceful, and surprisingly competitive. It rewards patience and planning without punishing casual players. Th...
Wingspan by Elizabeth Hargrave
This one’s not a light lift, but if you love long-form strategy and managing resources across multiple goals, it’s a favorite for a reason. You’re working to make Mars habitable, and every card you play adds to that world. It’s science-y, but not ove...
Terraforming Mars by Jacob Fryxelius
If you’re into Dune, deck-building, or both, this version adds more tension and tighter decision-making than the original. It’s cooperative and competitive. You're forming uneasy alliances while also gunning for control. It’s layered without dragging...
Dune Imperium Uprising by Paul Dennen
A tile-laying game that feels like Tetris meets colonizing the galaxy. Each turn is a little puzzle. I like that it’s strategic without being cutthroat, and the rotating tray mechanic makes you think two steps ahead without losing track of your own b...
Planet Unknown by Ryan Lambert and Adam Rehberg
We have a lot of the different versions of this game, we like it so much. A classic for a reason. It’s smooth, quick to learn, and deeply satisfying when you build a clean engine. We play this when we want something tactical that doesn’t take two hou...
Splendor by Marc André
I had to add this game, even though it's for the kiddos, and of course there is a squirrel game on my list! Bought to play with the little ones, this is a favorite of ours because it's fun AND educational. So much fun that the girls don't know they'r...
The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Color Matching Game
Puzzle, Tile & Spatial Games
These are the ones that scratch the same itch as a good puzzle. We’re not racing or bluffing. We’re placing tiles, building patterns, and figuring out how to make things fit. They’re calming in a way but still hold your attention. We play these when ...
This is one of the most peaceful games we’ve ever played. Until someone takes the tile you needed. It’s all about pattern-building, and the tactile feel of the pieces makes it especially satisfying. Beautiful and slightly competitive.
Azul Strategy Game by Michael Kiesling
Still one of the best tile-laying games out there. It’s simple enough for beginners but gets strategic fast. Each game feels different because the map unfolds based on your choices. We like playing this with a small group that wants a little rivalry,...
Carcassonne by Klaus-Jürgen Wrede
Deduction & Logic
We play these when we want to observe more than react. These games ask us to notice what’s missing, read people’s choices, and put small clues together into something that makes sense. There’s usually a little pressure, but not in a bad way. It’s the...
We have three different versions of this game—the original, Disney, and Harry Potter—because it's another one we like playing so much. We bring this one out when people want to talk and laugh more than strategize. It’s wordplay with just enough logic...
CODENAMES: Harry Potter
This is a short, sneaky little card game where nobody knows who to trust. One of us is the murderer, someone else is the victim, and the rest are just trying to figure it out before time runs out—or before we accidentally help the wrong person win. T...
There's Been A Murder - Collaborative Card Game
This one brings out the best and worst in all of us. We’re part of a rebel group trying to take down a corrupt government—but some of us are spies, and no one knows who. Each mission turns into a debate, every vote gets suspicious, and before long we...
The Resistance Card Game - Social Deduction
Card Games & Trick-Taking
Most of these are fast to set up but take a few rounds to figure out what works. We like them for nights when we’re chatting and still want to play something that keeps us thinking. Some twist old-school card mechanics. Others do something totally ne...
We adore this game, it's one of our favorites to play with our adult kids when we're hanging out together. It is so much fun and pure chaos in the best way. We’re evolving quirky little species while the world falls apart around us. Each round brings...
Doomlings
It’s dark humor done well. We’re playing rival executioners during the French Revolution, lining up nobles for the blade and trying to collect the “best” heads before the day ends. The art is cartoonish, the mechanics are simple, and the gameplay is ...
Wizards of the Coast Guillotine
This is a trick-taking game with a twist—your cards don’t have suits until you play them. It breaks your brain a little at first, then clicks into place in the most satisfying way. It’s smart, compact, and a little bit weird in the best way.
Cat in the Box Deluxe Edition
One of the best two-player games we’ve ever tried. It’s fast, sharp, and every decision feels important. You’re building your civilization and racing to get there first, but you’re always watching your opponent’s next move too.
7 Wonders Duel by Antoine Bauza and Bruno Cathala
High Stakes & Speed
Everything moves faster in these. We’re planning, reacting, and sometimes panicking, but in a way that feels energizing instead of chaotic. There’s usually a tight timeline or one shot to make the right call. We pull these out when we want something ...
This one feels like trivia’s overachieving cousin. It’s not just about what you know—it’s riddles, logic, sequences, odd connections that make you think harder than you planned to. We’ve played it with a mix of ages and backgrounds, and somehow every...
Wit's End - Smart Mind-Bending Trivia Game
This game is total nonsense in the best way. We get a stack of magnet words and have to respond to ridiculous prompts using only what’s in front of us—no full sentences, no do-overs, just whatever chaos we can piece together. It’s part word game, par...
Ransom Notes - Ridiculous Word Magnet Game
For Star Wars fans like us, this one feels more like an experience than a game. It’s the whole Star Wars galaxy on the table—epic battles, secret missions, slow-burn strategy. One of us takes the Empire, the other leads the Rebellion, and everything ...
Star Wars: Rebellion Board Game - Empire vs Rebels
The perfect gateway game, with so many different locations to play! It’s light, colorful, and just competitive enough to keep people engaged without scaring off new players. We pull this out when we want something easy to learn but still interesting ...
Ticket to Ride by Alan R. Moon
Cooperative & Conversational
These are less about winning and more about figuring things out together. We’re sharing ideas, solving problems, or just laughing at whatever ridiculous clue someone gave. Some are thoughtful. Some are loud. But they all let us stay on the same team,...
You and a partner are silently landing a plane together. Each of you has different controls—and limited communication. It’s tense, cooperative, and works surprisingly well for a quiet night in with just one other person.
Sky Team by Luc Rémond
Ridiculous and hilarious. Think charades, but with sound effects and random trivia. It’s one of the easiest games to pull out with a group that wants something low-pressure and fun. I’ve cried laughing while playing this.
That Sound Game
Smart and deeply thoughtful. It’s based on the women’s suffrage movement in the U.S., and every card is grounded in real history. If you like games with purpose, this one plays well and teaches without lecturing.
Fort Circle Games Votes for Women Board Game