10. Poetry for Neanderthals, Time Bomb, Spyfall 9. In Vino Morte, Stay Cool, Wits and Wagers 8. Stella, Guess Club, Telestrations 7. 3 Second Try, Bluff, When i Dream 6. Stay Cool, One Key, Wavelength 5. Doodle Dash, So Clover, Just One 4. 25 Words or Less, Dixit, Dixit 3. Insider, Just One, Balderdash 2. Telestration, Wink, Times Up 1. So Clover, Compatibly, Detective Club
brought wavelength to a party in Hollywood hills. it was quiet when I arrived and within minutes of opening the game, about 20 people were in the kitchen surrounding the dial. we played as an entire group trying to figure out the answer. I had never seen a game go over so well with a room full of people drinking. the party was just starting so that helped lol
I watched a how to play video on wavelength, and while I understand the mechanics of it, I couldn't wrap my head around why it would be fun. Maybe have to find some gameplay footage.
So IMHO there actually IS a way to overcome the 'fragility' of Spyfall (Tom's #10 game) where the spy has to ask the first question. It's through use of a variant that we've found to be a worthwhile change of pace in its own right every now and then. And it''s really simple: you add a scenario element to the game. At the start of each round, a scenario is revealed to everyone at the table, spy included, which occurs at the (still) unspoken location. Some examples: a bomb scare, or a class reunion, or a murder, or a 'bring your kids to work day.' The list of possible scenarios is endless. This provides a frame of reference for constructing questions, which in itself can provide another benefit - it makes it easier to come up with interesting and different questions for those who might struggle a little with this. Admittedly, this change can skew the game a little in favor of the spy, as it's easier for him/her to come up with less suspicious questions even if they're going first. But that in itself might be a good thing for those groups who might have found that playing the spy role was more of a challenge. In any event, I'd suggest at least trying out this variant for a change of pace.
10. Concept 9. BANG! the Dice Game 8. Say Anything 7. Ca$h N' Guns: Second Edition 6. Codenames 5. Telestrations 4. Captain Sonar 3. Balderdash 2. Time's Up 1. Deception: Murder in Hong Kong
I am jealous of the attention span of your party goers, lol. Game night, sure. But I could never pull out most if these at a normal party after the first round of cocktails.
If you guys haven’t played it, one of my absolute favorite party games is *Wise or Otherwise* . It came out back when Settlers of Catan came out and is very *Dixit like* but instead of it being pictures it is “old sayings” and everyone has to pick the real one, but also write a fake one and put it in the mix. The real sayings are HILARIOUS and it makes it easy to write an absurd plausible old saying. It is so much fun.
Anomia is still our favorite party game. Definitely have to have the right group for it. My niece and nephew love Snorta(OOTB version). Also Funemployed, Concept. Great video guys!! Thanks!!
One of my favorites that wasn’t mentioned is MonsDRAWsity. I laugh nonstop and it’s not a bad game to play with kids too. Party adjacent games is a good list for sure. Take 5 and Kites are my faves. Jungle Speed is awesome. Pictomania is a total blast. Incan Gold feels like one to me. I’d love to see this list
You guys kinda said it, but to me, a party game is any game where “winning” or “losing” take a backseat to the atmosphere of fun being created around the table (or around the living room, commonly). You guys mentioned how in Balderdash or Just One, you eventually stop keeping score and just have fun, or you never even START keeping score in Telestrations (my friends and I used to just do the activity at parties with paper and pencil) That’s also why, to me, some games can be party games to SOME groups and not others. Codenames might be too thinky and competitive for some groups to be a party game. Dixit might be too ethereal and “heady”. On the other hand, The Resistance might function as an icebreaker at a party for a very casual group where everyone just loves calling everyone else a spy. It really depends on the atmosphere. I’m proud I also called the party-adjacent thing (before you guys mentioned it)! For me, games like Dice Town, Sheriff of Nottingham, Camel Up, Mission Red Planet, Deception, other racing and dexterity games like you mentioned, really fit the bill. High player count, higher rules overhead, but still emphasize goofy fun more than ultra-serious gamer-y gaming. I’m excited you guys are doing that list :)
I can't recommend having multiple copies of so Clover enough. I have three, and when we get together in a large group we just break up into groups of four, and play it competitively. Each group totals their scores and plays against one another. The score still doesn't matter a lot, but it does give you a good way to get a lot of people to the table on a relatively small game.
Werewolf/Blood on the Clocktower are "party" games that you have to build the party around. If you have 15-20 people at your house, it's a party, but the theme of the party is the game you are playing.
Monikers is amazing. Played so many times. Have no idea rules or the round versions Tom is talking about. But i love the cards way more plus the extra info on them and wider range of cards all is better and more updated.
I really enjoyed Chris list of games. Tom made me laugh when he called Chris's picks weird little game. Some of my favorite party games are fake artists, Tapple, and shifty eyed spies. The game wink is so impossible to find but shifty eyed spies is close enough. Thank you guys for a great top 10. I never get tired of recommend list for party games.
I've found Dixit doesn't hold up to repeat play, unfortunately. Over time players start using references more (like from shows or songs) that basically guarantee similar fans get it but others don't.
Absolute favourite for me is Secret Identity. You get fits of laughter as much as you get confused looks. "How did you get Joan of Arc from a dress and an eye?" or "A picture of stairs in the 'not' section - that has to be Stephen Hawkings". :D
I love Spyfall! One of my favorite deduction games that doesn't require you to defend yourself from the first second haha. I'll probably cover it soon!
Agreed with Poetry for Neanderthals. It actually has a card pack expansion so that it has ultimate replayability which is the one thing I wish more party games would do. Give us double the cards! I would say other party games not mentioned that I love are Pictures, Blank Slate, Herd Mentality (but needs more cards).
Just one is great with 2 sets combined! You can definitely fit them in the box. And it self-balances well at higher player counts because more clues means more clues get duplicated and eliminated.
The way to get around a communal inflatable stick for a library version of Poetry for Neanderthal is to replace it with a foam club. Just get a thin pvc tube (1/4" or so), grab a block of foam (upholstery foam should be easy to find), insert the pvc stick, shape the foam with a knife and glue the opening you made for the pipe so it doesn't fall off.
Even though I don’t think it’s really a “game”, rather than activity… I can honestly say that we were DYING of laughter playing TELESTRATIONS (After Dark Edition).
"Wavelength always works!" Meanwhile my family despised it from the very first question and simply could not wrap their minds around how to give clues. We couldn't even make it through a full game before I added it to my BGG trade list. 😂
So many of these are my favorites (though I don’t love pure social deduction games). I have and love Compatibility, but don’t love the images. I am a HUGE fan of Dixit-type cards. I wish there was a version of Compatibility that used more abstract artwork. I guess you could buy multiple copies of Dixit expansions or Muse or something and give identical decks to players, but that seems like a $$$ way to do it.
I wonder if some of mine would be 'party adjacent'. But I don't know, I've always played these at 'parties'. I love Sushi Go Party, Sheriff of Nottingham, and Tumblin' Dice, for instance.
Tumbling dice would work great for people drinking. The others...I like those games fir game night. Not for a party where people hist can't be expected to sit for that long ir pay that much attention. For my people anyway.
I know Tom hates Watch Ya' Mouth (and to be fair, I got rid of mine after COVID), but I do still have a soft spot for Hearing Things. Works great as long as you have an even number of people, and is definitely one of those that's just as much fun to watch people play as to play it yourself.
I just started watching this video as I went on a quick Walgreens run. As Chris was talking about Poetry for Neanderthals, there it was sitting on the Walgreens shelf next to the playing cards…(I did not buy it 😂)
Sushi Go party is something I would put on my list, codenames. Also would add Bang the Dice game, but indeed it has more rules in there. Perhaps that will be on a top 10 list for 6 or more people.
Hey Tom - Just get a pool noodle for Poetry for Neanderthals. You can even store it in the racks with the playmats. I’ll be happy to teach/play this with you and Zee. It’s a hoot, and harder than you’d think. Lots of laughs guaranteed. And the really funny thing is, after the game is over, you find yourself thinking and talking in single syllable words. 😄
I loaded up the print-to-play version of Monikers and went through and changed out all the dirty ones as well as some I just didn't like. Plus it lets you put in people who means something to your group. I put in all the Bible figures and a lot of more specific MCU and Star Wars characters. We also put in cards for each one of us, where (ahead of time) we let everyone write in a clue for each person on their card.
Yi's list no match at all with me. 😂😂 Just One is great. Dixit is not as great but always can make people laughs. Telestrations is my go to for Party Game with more than 6 people.
My local game group has been on a Phantom Ink kick lately as an opener, having moved on from Decripto, and I honestly find both games to be a chore. Party games should not last 40 minutes. They also use some sort of app for Phantom Ink, which is another turn off, I just assumed the game was at based until I actually looked it up and it's supposed to use a piece of paper.
In the UK Poetry For Neanderthals is in non hobby stores. Its mainstream. Surprised that Tom and Zee have not played it. Like most party games I think its funnier the worse someone is. It can be a little too easy to game imo
Our rule with Telestrations is if you don’t know what it is you should describe what you see in detail. From that we got a pelican going through a mid-life crisis as our favorite moment.
Strongly disagree with "Wavelength always works" because I introduced it to 2 different groups and it fell completely flat (which was obviously disappointing to me as I was the one who was excited to introduce it). I give Wavelength points for being one of the few games I could play over Zoom during the pandemic (and it was *fine*) but it wouldn't be anywhere near my Top 10 party games.
1 So Clover 2 Monikers 3 Cross Clues - great game. Like speed-So Clover 4 Just One 5 WINK 6 Fun Facts 7 Telestrations 8 A Fake Artist Goes to New York 9 Wavelength 10 Medium
The Insider just didn’t work at all for my group. The five minute timer is so long that the insider doesn’t need to say a single word and you’ll still reach the correct answer in 90 seconds.
No one ever mentions the more challenging house rule for So Clover. Maybe it hasn't gotten around. If your scores are near perfect every time, place the tiles randomly. I prefer it that way, but the scores are lower - who cares, it's fun.
Place the tiles randomly where? I always randomly place it on the clover, and I also shuffle in the extra one and randomly place it too when everyone else is guessing.
@@5ammy13 Edit: I just read the rulebook. It does say to randomly place them. No wonder the "easy mode" was so easy. We were making adjustments when we were not allowed. Oops.
Honestly, in terms of Poetry for Neanderthals, the bonking isn't the best part of the game so you can literally just yell "bonk!" and get a similar experience. To me, it just makes no difference. You could just bash the club on the table. The fun part, at least for me, is hearing people try to speak. Telestrations works fine with just some index cards or a pack of stick it notes. I wouldn't have put it on this list either, though I still think it's one of the best activities to do with a crowd.
