Mel’s Holiday Gift Guide: Games, Games, Games!
I love playing games. I love talking about games. And I LOVE recommending the games we love most! These game gift guides are some of my favorite posts of all time (mostly because I love reading YOUR comments and getting new recommendations!). And I’m so excited for today!
Since I always get asked this question, let me preempt by saying: yes, we play ALL of the games that I recommend. I don’t accept sponsored products for my gift guides; all of these games are ones we’ve bought personally or been gifted by family/friends, and they are the tippity top of the ones we love. I have plenty of games that we buy and play and that don’t ever make the cut (some are just plain awful). The games below are our absolute favorites.
And in case you missed it, here’s proof that games are life around here (this was a before and after game closet overhaul a few months back). I wish it would stay this organized! I just tell myself it’s a very loved and appreciated game closet.
Here’s a quick link to all the gift guides I’ve posted over the years.
And here are past GAME gift guides:
Game Gift Guide 2015
Game Gift Guide 2016
Game Gift Guide 2017
Game Gift Guide 2018
Also, at the very bottom is a shout out to a few games that I’ve included in the past that are still going strong as favorites after all these years. The comment threads of these gift guides are golden, so make sure to leave any favorite game recommendations for the rest of us to see!
Disclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Most of the links below are Amazon affiliate links (where I’ve purchased these games), but feel free to shop around for the best deal!
1. Play Nine {aff. link}: this game, it might be one of my favorite games in the history of ever. We play it almost every Sunday night (and usually once during the week if we have time). If you’ve ever played “golf” with face cards, it’s basically the same premise (but with some fun twists). We’ve taught so many people this game…and they’ve all bought it for themselves. It’s easy to learn, SO fun to play, and can go as fast as you want (you don’t need to play all nine holes). Our whole family plays and loves it (even Cam, age 7). If the golf theme has you feeling kind of “meh” – just trust me on this one. I hate golf (sorry) but I love this game.
2. Skull King with Expansion {aff. link}: this game is another huge obsession, like unto Play Nine, around here. It’s basically the only game we play with my Aunt Marilyn and Uncle Dan anymore (this is huge – they take game playing to a whole new level). And we play it all the time as a family. I recommend learning the basic game before adding the expansion deck…but once you do, get ready for one of the best games ever. It’s frustratingly fun (if you’ve played it, you know exactly what I’m talking about, ahem, the kraken!).
3. Go Nuts for Donuts {aff. link}: this is one of Camryn’s favorite games…and none of us are mad when she chooses it. It’s really simple and kind of whimsical with the donuts, but don’t be fooled, it can get cutthroat when more than one person is going after the same variety of donut! We super love this one and plan to keep it around for a long time.
4. Skull {aff. link}: this game couldn’t be simpler, which makes it a good option for when you want to teach friends and/or family members a game really quickly. And it is great fun (and really fast to play)! I’m kind of inwardly cringing just thinking about this game – in a good, excited way. There’s a huge surprise element that makes this game awesome, and our whole family loves playing it. (Plus the artwork on the cards is super cool.)
5 + 6. Qwinto and Qwingo {aff. links}: Fun, fun, fun. These small, simple dice/number games are staples in our game closet because they are clever, easy to learn, and a great change up to some of our other oft-played card games. If you’ve played the popular Qwixx game {aff. link}, these two are similar…but different enough it’s worth keeping all three of them around. I always throw these ones in our game bag when we go on road trips (or all day wrestling tournaments).
7. Nuts about Mutts {aff. link}: If you are looking for a really simple, great card game for younger kids (but fun enough for the whole family), this cute game is perfect. Also, sidenote, how much do I love all of Grandpa Beck’s games? Seriously, the best card games. I’ve gifted this game many, many times to younger nieces and nephews. It’s really quick and easy to learn and fun to play.
8. Clue {aff. link}: throwing it back to the old school days, I had to include this one because my boys are obsessed with Clue. They found an old, old version at my family’s cabin a couple years ago and promptly came home and pooled their dollars together to buy their own game to play at home. They regularly pull this game out to play with their friends and very, very often can be found playing it on Sunday afternoons together. It’s one of their all-time favorites. (Full disclosure: I don’t play it with them, but I DO usually beg the to play Play Nine or Skull Kings with me after they are done.)
9. 3 Up 3 Down {aff. link}: clearly I have a thing for card games. And simple, fast card games are even better. This 3 up 3 down game is just that. It has a skipbo-type vibe to it; we love it because it is a speedy game (the faster you get rid of your cards the better). And it’s awesome because it isn’t complex at all. It is straightforward and actually kind of addicting to play.
10. Skyjo {aff. link}: ok, so if you are already a fan of Play Nine, you are going to LOVE Skyjo. It ranks right up there with Play Nine for us and is a Sunday night staple. The premise is pretty similar to Play Nine except there are more cards on your grid and there are some surprise rules that make it different and exciting. This is one of Camryn’s favorites and she giggles the whole time because she always, and I mean always, ends up with all the -2 cards somehow. It’s weird. We love this card game a whole lot.
11. Tiki Topple {aff. link}: I guess I’ll take a break from card games to say that this Tiki Topple board game is really, really, really fun. The last time we pulled it out, Brian and my brother-in-law, Bart, kept doing the whole “ok, just one more round” thing and before we knew it, we’d been playing for over an hour. It’s such a clever game – and even though it makes me stinking frustrated (my front-running tikis always get toppled, dang it!), I can’t stay away.
12. Super Fight {aff. link}: chalk this game up to another recommendation from my boys. They’d be devastated if I didn’t include it. They think this game is the best thing to ever come into their lives (aside from when I surprise them with a loaf of white bread instead of the boring old wheat bread we always have). This game gets a little loud and slightly feisty (the idea is to convince everyone to choose your mismatched, zany superhero as the winner based on your logic and arguments), but it always, always ends up in a ton of laughter. There are a lot of expansion decks. We have yellow, green and orange. It is a great game for teenagers/tweens to play with friends.
Past Favorites
It would be impossible to detail all of our past favorites that we still play (I can’t think of many games from past gift guides we don’t still play and love), but here are a few that come to mind as ones that we can’t live without (affiliate links included for all the games below):
Bears and the Bees (I actually don’t think I’ve included this in a gift guide before, but I play it with Cam all the time; super fun)
Code Names (I know I recommend this every year but it is one of my all-time faves)
6 Nimmt (a card game that has made our Sunday rotation for years)
Double Ditto (one of the best group games ever)
Ticket to Ride (such a classic)
Labyrinth (this clever, maze game is different every time you play; we love it!)
Forbidden Island (a fantastic cooperative game – we always really get into this one when we play)
Cover Your Assets (never, ever gets old)
*too many more to mention – so don’t forget to check out all the other past gift guides!*
Disclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
204 Comments on “Mel’s Holiday Gift Guide: Games, Games, Games!”
Thanks for these suggestions. We just played play Nine and everyone really enjoyed it. My 13 year old groaned when I said it came from Mel. She thinks I turn to you for everything but she loved the game and the dinner..
Loved having your game guide at Christmas this year. I always buy everyone a gift for our Secret Santa Exchange. With such a wide range of ages with our four generations, it gets more difficult every year. I used your list for all fourteen gifts and everyone is loving the game they chose. This will be my new tradition. I have already started my list for next year from suggestions on your older game lists, Thank you so much!
P.S. My family would love to visit your game closet!
I got Play Nine on your recommendation (hadn’t heard of it before) and I can’t tell you how many times we played it over the holidays. It was so much fun, easy to learn and quick to play. Thanks for the recommendation! I also got Cover Your Assets but we never played it since we played Play Nine so much.
I love hearing this – thank you, Terri! We play it almost every Sunday night!
Ha, never mind! I’m just re-reading the post and you’ve already done a good job of convincing me of Play Nine and Skull King xoxo
Alright friend, I need your serious help. We are “staying in” on Christmas day, not going anywhere! YAY so I need a great family game to play off and on during the relaxing festivities. I already have Play Nine wrapped and waiting, thanks to your recommendation, and have bought others in the past that you highlighted. What’s you absolutely favorite family game for a teen and adults to play? xoxox
What game did y’all play the most when your kids were toddlers? I have one 3.5 year old and really want to incorporate games for him this Christmas.
Thank you for this! I had 3 nieces and a nephew left to buy gifts for and purchased all 4 different games from your list. Yay Mel & Amazon!
I’ve purchased games you recommend every year and I’m never disappointed. Last year I bought Skull King and we love it! This year we added Skyjo and Code Names. All great games! I also end up buying at least one thing from your other lists every year. Thank you for your recommendations. Wish I could buy them through your link, but I’m in the UK so I can’t. Thanks again!
I’m so happy you love the recommendations, Kari – thank you!
One of our favorites is Bang! It’s a little complicated at first but so much fun with a group of friends. It’s more for older kids/adults, I’d say 12+. There are a few different versions but we have the one that comes in a metal bullet container which I think is the best one to get.
I love games and I’m so excited to try your recommendations! Already started with Codenames!
Our in-laws gifted that to us a year or so ago but the instructions are all in Spanish so we haven’t figured out how to play yet…haha.
Oh, Mel! We love Bang! It’s a fun one. We’ve played it successfully with kids from about 7 up. You can find English instructions here: https://www.ultraboardgames.com/bang/game-rules.php Or you can download them here: http://www.masqueoca.com/tienda/docs/Bang!_2nd_ed_rules.pdf
The first time you play, really the first two or three, it will seem complicated. But then you’ll get it and it’ll be fun. It’s not super complicated, but your audience depends on how quickly they catch on to the roles and what the cards do.
I bought CODENAMES on your recommendation a couple of years ago. I assumed that if I loved your recipes, I’d love your game suggestions. It is a big hit!
We also discover the game Qwixx this year. We might need to try the two similar games you posted 6th on here.
Happy Holidays to Mel, and her sister who helps her keep up with the comments!
Thanks so much, Jamie!
You inspired me to try putting my games on the shelves like books instead of flat. Do you have any problems with them coming open and losing the pieces?
We’ve loved Bohnanza, Code Names, and Cover Your Assets this year. Thank you for the recommendations.
Some game recommendations for you to try: Tsuro – a fun path building game that even my 8 year old enjoys, Suspicions – sent to me by my sister-in-law it’s sort of more sophisticated Clue, and Oh Snap – this one is a classic from my childhood, and when I saw it at Target on vacation in California I had to buy it. It’s still just as much fun pulling the pegs and hoping the game board doesn’t snap closed.
Hey Tamara! For some of the games that open easily, I slip a rubberband across the middle and that seems to help. Thanks for the game suggestions!
Best games or activities for long car rides?
My family loves loves loves Skull King and was wondering if you have tried Grandpa Becks Antiquity Quest and if so, what you thought about it.
Hey Dana, great question. We’ve played it once but we had too many little kids wanting to play and the rules are a bit more complex so we haven’t given it a good chance yet.
Can’t remember if you included banana grams last year, but it’s addictive. Thanks for the list!
The Quacks of Quedlinburg is our current favourite! We teach it to pretty well everyone we invite to our home and every single person we have played it with has loved it. It is probably the most well received game we’ve ever had.
I’m excited to check that one out! I’ve never heard of it!
Love the game lists. I add them all to my amazon cart and order a new one every month or so. We love Code Names. Rat-a-tat-cat is fun and can be played with younger kids.
So, this is SUPER old school, but – my husband’s grandpa taught us to play Cribbage and that has become a family favorite. We got Code Names last year on your recommendation and that one gets a lot of play too. I’m excited to look into some of these games – we are trying to make our house more teenager-friendly (our oldest two are boys, so they’re the audience we’re catering to most right now, but we’ve got girls growing up fast too) – so thanks for mentioning the ones your teens and pre-teens in particular like, that is helpful.
Thanks, Anna! I just read your comment about 11 waffle irons and about died.
It was a little bit ridiculous. After about the 4th or 5th one it just turned into a big joke – and then they just kept coming! I guess we just look like waffle people? We ended up keeping the one full-size (four square) one we got, and we’ve used and loved it for 16 years. Still going strong. 🙂
Bananagrams! This word building game is GREAT because you’re building words onto your own grid (don’t know what to call it)….you don’t have to sit and watch other people think (which is my pet peeve with Scrabble and Chess) before you can make your next move. They’ve made it interesting by having banana related words that helps keep the game moving (“peel” – when you’ve used your letter tiles up and everyone has to pick one up). Keeps tend to go with simple words but as they get better they start looking for larger words. The tiles aren’t “locked” in either……if you need a u to use with a q, you can change a previous word and use it! It’s a great game that’s fast paced and great for all ages as they race to be the Top Banana!
We love bananagrams and need to play it more often. Thanks for the reminder!
I just ordered Double Ditto for our family! I can’t wait to play it! thank you for putting these guides out!
I’m so excited for you! It’s so fun!
Any suggestions for family games for a little bit younger kids? 12, 9 and 5 We can’t seem to find a game that everyone enjoys. Also, how do you deal with super competitive kids? Every time we play a game someone ends up crying!! Help!!
Hi Alisa – I have kids mostly those ages and we play most of the games on this list together. A few of them might be tough for your 5 year old, but most of them are pretty family friendly (especially if you team up in pairs). I have one child who is really competitive – he doesn’t cry but he gets really upset and sometimes says not-so-nice things if he loses or his partner doesn’t do well. I try to pre-empt it by giving a little pep talk at the beginning of the game playing that any unkindness will mean that person leaves the game immediately – and then if there is a lot of crying or contention, I’ll walk away and leave the game unfinished and my kids hate that – so it’s actually helped a few of them with a little bit of self-control. Otherwise, I just try to ignore it and focus on the fun we’re having?? 🙂
Once your youngest can read, our favorite family game that wasn’t too hard for the youngest and still entertaining to adults is WHO NU? by Cranium. Start looking at thrift stores because they don’t make it anymore! I have found at least 8 copies barely used to give to family friends. It was a lifesaver when my girls were 6,, 11, 14. It’s a great game to play with grandparents and cousins.
It is a lot like Apples to Apples, except you are choosing a card from your hand that the Whozit? will like. Each round goes quickly. Each person takes a turn being “it” and then it is over.
Alisa- we have this problem too, with similar aged kids- the cooperative games that Mel has recommended over the years have been good for us- forbidden island for the older ones and race to the treasure or outfoxed for the younger ones! Hope that helps!
I look forward to your gift guides and holiday meal plans every year, thank you!! 🙂 -From the non-planner
🙂 Thanks, Julie!
Play nine is my all-time favorite. We picked it up at the hospital when I knew we were in for a very long wait in the ER. 5 years later and we still play it regularly!
It really is so fun!!
Excited to check some of these out! We got Tiki Topple for Christmas last year, and while it is fun, someone in our family usually ends up in frustrated tears! Thanks for the recommendations!
You’re definitely not alone in that!
Colt Express is our current favorite game. Our kids are only 3 and 6 so they haven’t played but we’ve introduced lots of adult family members to it over holiday and summer vacations and everyone loves it!
Colt Express https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OZTUQWE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_dk10DbBQN3CTN
Sounds super fun!
Superfight is my husband’s favorite game. He plays it with other (dorky) dad friends, as well as my teenage nephews. We even pulled it out in a pinch at an awkward dinner party last week;-)
Would any of these games work well for a family with 6 & 4 year olds? I think my niece and nephew would enjoy the donut or tiki themes, but would those be too advanced for these ages?
Thank you so much for publishing these guides! Our whole family loves games and this list is super helpful every year!
I think the donut game and tiki game might be slightly too advanced for a 6 and 4 year old…but Nuts About Mutts is a great card game for that age. Some of my other favorites for that age are Sleeping Queens, Sequence Jr., Race to the Roof, Enchanted Forest, Hoot Owl Hoot.
Thanks for the fun suggestions! We have found several from previous posts that we have tried and loved. A few games that we love that I don’t see in your closet or on your previous lists are Shifty Eyed Spies (hilarious!) Dominion, Seven Wonders, Ticket to Ride Europe (at least twice as much fun as the original), Suspicion. There are others that we play often such as Nertz (Double Dizzy), Nines, and Scum that we just use face cards, Rook cards, or Skipbo cards to play but that aren’t the actual games outlined in the rules for those games 🙂
Thank you for all the suggestions, Shannon! A couple of those are new to me and I’m excited to check out!
We love the game Bubble Talk. So hilarious and very easy to play.
I’ve heard that one is pretty fun!
We love your game suggestions! Thank you for putting this together for us to enjoy every year. We even received 3 games from ‘Mel’s game post’ from a family gift exchange last year. Best gift ever ❤️❤️!
Haha, that’s awesome!! 🙂
I love your gift guides! Santa always leaves a new game for the family under the tree. We’ve been playing UNO Flip. It is a super fun variation on the classic UNO game.
Thanks for the recommendation, Kris! I love Uno variations but haven’t played this one.
What is a game you recommend to play with a group of adults?
There are so many! It really depends on the personalities of the group, I think. Are you looking for an interactive game or more like a board or card game?
Secret Hitler!
I have Play Nine on my Amazon list! I am ordering it for sure now. If you haven’t played Five Crowns, you need to give it a try. We love camping and seemed to be cursed with rain whenever we go. Five Crowns has been our favorite (and the poor families we are camping with) during the rain days.
Love Five Crowns and a little disappointed in myself that I haven’t put it on a gift guide yet…
Thank you! I always look forward to this post. My parents have been asking for two-player games. Any suggestions? Nothing too complicated.
Lost Cities is one of my favorite two player games…so are Hive and Jaipur (although they are a little more strategic, slightly complicated). 6 Nimmt can be played two players and so can Play Nine. Someone in the thread mentioned Patchwork as a super fun two-person game and the reviews seem to match that sentiment. Cover Your Assets is a great two player card game, too.
This is so fun. I look forward to your recommendations!! I would LOVE to hear how you structure time to play- I know you have a busy family- so what do you do to get this to happen each week?
Hey Danielle, great question. We don’t really plan in structured game playing time – usually Sunday nights when we have a little more family time (no outside school/music/sports activities) someone will pull out a game. Also for my younger kids who are less busy, evenings right before bed is a go to game playing time. The key for us is that it’s hardly ever hours and hours – sometimes it’s just 15-20 minutes here and there. But it’s almost always in the evening timeframe.
Hi everyone! I need some help finding games that my blind daughter can play. I’ve purchased several of the highly recommended games (like Ticket to Ride) only to find that it’s 100% visual! So I’m really hoping to get some advice from you experts! 🙂 small adjustments can be made like making something tactile or adding Braille, but I don’t really want to have to create a whole new game. I just keep thinking there must be some out there but I haven’t found them yet! I really appreciate any suggestions you can give. We have four children ages 5, 8, 9, 11; the 11- year old is the blind one. Thank you!
Hey Kristina – I’m hoping some of these fabulous game players and commenters can chime in and help you out! I’ve been thinking and thinking about games to suggest but so many of the ones we play have are reliant on sight. I’m sure you’ve done a ton of google searching already but I came across these two threads that might be helpful?
https://www.mastersofgames.com/cat/guide/games-for-blind-people.htm
https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/158411/games-sighted-people-play-blind-people-wo-modifyin
Thank you so much for taking the time to look into blind-friendly games for us! There were many games mentioned in the link you gave that I plan to look into further. Thanks again!
What about Snorta or Scattergories?
Mel, your gift guides are so fun! I look forward to them every year and give a whoop when I see them. Especially the games! We have a large game closet, too. In this digital age I think it’s important for families to take the time to play games together. Thanks for your time and effort!!
I agree with that sentiment, Jacqui! (Although I think my kids, many times, wish we had as many video games as we did board games, haha).
If you had to pick between Play Nine or Skyjo, which would you suggest? We haven’t played either and I’d love to get one of them for Christmas for my family.
Probably Play Nine (although it is a tough choice!)
Mel I have bought so many games on your recommendation. The latest being Play Nine and we are loving it too. Thank you for sharing. I use your ideas for gifts and Christmas.
Thanks, Susanne!
I bought the card game Karma King on a whim from the clearance section in Target. I bought a few months ago, and there is rarely a day that goes by that it’s not played. It’s quick enough that we can do it while waiting for dinner to finish up, but addicting that you can’t play just one game. Highly recommend it.
My husband and I were just looking at game last night. I’m curious about Evolution and Dixi. Oh, and Villainous by Disney. If you’ve played these, I’d love to hear a review on them.
Thanks for the recommendation! I actually haven’t played those other games…sound interesting!
Thanks Mel! I have been using your games list for family gifts for a couple of years. My nieces and nephews LOVE cover your assets and I bought my kids Enchanted Forest this year (age 6&7). Do you have any suggestions for good games that can be played with 2 adults?
Lost Cities is a super fun 2 person adult game! So is 6 Nimmt, Hive, and Jaipur. Those are the ones that come to mind – someone else in the comment thread suggested Patchwork as their favorite game for 2 players and I’m excited to look into it!
Lost Cities the card game or the board game??! Looking on amazon it looks like both are popular so I’d love to know which you like more 🙂
We have the 2-player card game (although ours is a much older edition; we’ve had it 10 years or so but it looks the same).
Sorry, forgot to include this link with that last comment:
https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Cities-Card-Game-Expedition/dp/B07KLWPHFF/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=lost+cities&qid=1574097613&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzUVgwNlJOQTlZMENKJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUExMDAzOTExVVFTNUJRVjJTUjc0JmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA1MjAyNTEzN1lDT0JMUjlHTjlZJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==
I use your game gift list EVERY year and love checking our family game list against yours. We discovered 3 Up 3 Down a few years ago and bring it everywhere – because it is so fast and easy to learn and strangely addicting! Code Names belongs on a list every year because it is just that good. A game we really love is called Survive: Escape from Atlantis. It’s a bit of a role-playing game, but basically you need to get your explorers off the island before the volcano explodes, dodging sea serpents, sharks and whales along the way. My boys, ages 9 & 12, do very well with this!
Thanks for the recommendation, Judy – sounds super fun!
I’m not sure who looks forward to this list each year more, me or my 11 year old!
A new super fun game that friends brought to the campground this year was The Chameleon. In this game, everyone knows the secret word except the person that gets the chameleon card. Everyone goes around and gives a one word description of the secret word and the chameleon has to try to blend in by giving a word that they think goes along with the theme based on the words other players have given. After each player has given their word, at once everyone points to who they think the chameleon is. The whole group loved it.
We regularly play Qwixx, so I’m excited to try Qwingo and Qwinto. Thanks for the recommendations!
We love Chameleon! It’s our go-to group game for family reunions. I’m glad you guys love it, too!
I’ve found many great games because of your gift guides! A few we love that I don’t think I’ve heard you mention: Anomia, That’s Life, Viticulture (especially the Tuscany expansion), Sushi Go Party (the Party is a must!), Kingsburg and Seven Wonders. We just bought 6 nimmt and are really enjoying it, and I have Enchanted Forest waiting for Christmas. Thanks!
Thanks for the recommendations, Ciana! We really like Sushi Go and Seven Wonders but the others are new!
We also love Play Nine! Would also suggest Wizard card game. Our entire family plays cribbage, the kids are taught at young age and usually beat the adults. There are amazing board and peg design options online and they make great personalized gifts for young adults as they leave home. I appreciate your suggestions and always look forward to reading your emails! Blessings be yours!
Thank you, Lisa!
If your boys like Clue, then try 221B Baker St. It’s an up level mystery game that I love even more!!!
Thanks, Janelle! I’ll definitely look into that!
Love these lists every years! Some my boys’ favorites over the past few months have been 5-Minute Dungeon, Zombie Kidz, Castle Panic, and King of Tokyo!
Thanks for the recommendations, Danielle!
We learned about Play Nine from a post of yours and we just LOVE it. Looking into Skyjo!
If you like Play Nine, I think you’ll LOVE Skyjo!
Always love your game recommendations! Added a few to my cart for Christmas. We love Ticket to Ride and Enchanted Forrest. We’ve been on a big puzzling kick lately, so I’m excited to try some new games!
And I’m excited to break out the puzzles!! Enchanted Forest is still a huge hit around here. I think it is one of my personal favorites.
Awesome! Thank you. Anyone have a recommendation for a girls tween party? Age 12-ish. Easy to learn but fun for a crowd…
What about a game like reverse charades or tapple? Also telestrations is a hit with that age!
Thank you!!
You are the best!! I just ordered three of these for my daughter’s birthday and will def order more for Christmas gifts. Thank you for some awesome suggestions!
Thanks, Traci!
Our current favorites are Cover Your Assets and Skull King. We also love Wig Out for my littles…….but everyone loves to play it! We also love Sleeping Queens.
I’ve never heard of Wig Out! Thanks for the recommendation! The other ones are super fun, I agree!
Thanks Mel. Just ordered 2 of these. Another game with cards that we really like is “that’s it” from Gamewright. You all shout answers to the question read from a card but it has to be the answer listed to win a token. Really makes you rack your brain for the specific answer sometimes.
Oooh, that one sounds fun! Thank you!
Can’t wait to check these out. I look forward to your gift guides each holiday!
My 6 and 4 year olds are currently OBSESSED with Sum Swamp. It’s great addition/subtraction practice for them and I don’t hate it (like I hate Chutes and Ladders). Just thought I’d throw out this name because they beg to play it daily and it can be hard to find games for the sub 7 age group.
Haha, I get it. There are some games I absolutely LOATHE. (Like, Monopoly) Thanks for the recommendation!!
While a bit more genre-specific, Betrayal at House on the Hill has been popular in my family. You all start out exploring a haunted house, and at some point someone turns traitor. There are 50 different horror-trope betrayals, so it has lots of replay value. There are a fair number of components, so not good for small kids, but still lots of fun, especially if you like horror movies.
Another game that gets lots of play is Fluxx, mainly because the rules keep changing, and there are lots of different themed sets (like Marvel Universe, or Zombies, or Pirates, or Chemistry . . . it’s a long list). Game on!
Those are the two favs at my house right now! My kids always cross their fingers they’ll get to be the traitor.
Thanks for the recommendations! Love new ideas!
Yes, we love Betrayal at the House on the Hill, but actually as a game we play for ‘adult’ game night. We haven’t introduced it to our boys (9 & 12) yet because it’s pretty deep and even as adults we’re constantly flipping through the book to make sure we’re doing everything right. Still a great game!!
I’ve been waiting all year for this post!!! Because of your gift guide, we’ve fallen in love with Enchanted Forest, Dragonwood, and Forbidden Island. And classics we all love to play are Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, and Pit!!
As a side note, these games are what keep my kids from begging to watch tv or play on a screen on Sunday afternoons/evenings. Long live family game time!!
I love this, Lacy! And I agree, games are what keep us generally united around here (and avoiding screen time in the evenings and especially on Sundays). Having said that, game time also sometimes ends up in tears. Haha. We experience the full range of emotions.
Thank you Mel. I look forward to your recommendations every year. All your games have been big hits with my Grandboys.
Thanks, Bonnie!
Thanks, Mel! Love your game recommendations! I’m wondering if you are going to do an additional gift guide or if this is the only one–I’m actually on top of things and getting a lot of shopping done now. 🙂 I love your gift guides and usually get a few things you suggest.
Yes! I’m hoping to post the others this weekend but if not, it’ll be next week! I have two other gift guides planned – a kid one and then an “everything else” one. 🙂
I love your gift guides and buy from your suggestions every year! We also love Skull and Skull King! If you love the beauty of Skull you would love the game Azul!
Thanks for the recommendation! I’ve never heard of that one!
Just wanted to let you know that your aff link for Super Fight actually leads to an expansion pack rather than the original game. How do I know this? I’ve clicked on nearly all of your links because my family always loves your game recommendations! Thanks so much for sharing!
Oh serious, Diane?? Sorry about that! I’ll fix it! (Thanks for letting me know)
Actually I just checked and I think the link is correct – the black box is the core deck and then you can get expansions beyond that.
Well I noticed that the box didn’t match the one in your picture. Both black and white, but slightly different. Then the description on Amazon says this ” 100 new cards to add to your SUPERFIGHT deck.” However, when I tried to search for the original, can’t seem to find it on Amazon. So I dunno.
Ok nevermind I did finally find it. But it’s sadly not amazon prime. =(
https://www.amazon.com/Superfight-Absurd-Arguments-Friendly-Problems/dp/B081FKB277/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=33DNMTD0N3W8N&keywords=superfight+game&qid=1574058646&s=toys-and-games&sprefix=superfight%2Ctoys-and-games%2C270&sr=1-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE3UlZRMFVKRFBDQzQmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAwOTg5OTYyRDlZMk1SVzlEVTZEJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTEwMTcyNjQxQkZRWkFXS1FDUjg4JndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==
Oh shoot, that’s my fault then for not getting the correct link. Sorry about that.
I’ve been looking forward to this! We love games too and I always buy several of your new recommendations each year! (We have 4 boys similar ages to yours). I think we have all of the past favorites you listed! Just wanted to say thank you. I love everything you post!
Thank you so much!!
We love Cheaty Mages. And we’ve just discovered one called WereWords that is super fun. By the same makers of One Night Werewolf if anyone knows that game. I keep hearing good things about Exploding Kittens but we’ve yet to play it.
Thanks for the recommendations!
I look forward to this list every year! I was so excited to see it in my inbox this morning! Every year I buy a game from your list and we have loved them all. Cover Your Assets is our favorite right now. The whole family loves it! While at physical therapy earlier this week it was the talk of the office along with Skull King, so I think I’ll promptly add that to my Amazon shopping cart!
Thank you, Lisa! I love hearing that! Skull King is definitely worth it!
Yay! I love love your gift guides. I just ordered Cover Your Assets for a family gift grab, and am asking for play nine for myself. We love Ticket to Ride, Carcassonne, and Code Names. Another long time family favorite is Scattergories.
My favorite post of the year! I’ve getting one or two new games each year now, thank you for the list.
Funny story- 6 nimmt is a German game and only comes with instructions in German! If you have the instructions in English send them my way!
I printed them in English online! Just search “Instructions for 6 nimmt in English”
Ok, that’s super odd because our version of 6 Nimmt has instructions in English?? Hmmmm. Strange! I just did a quick google search: https://www.ultraboardgames.com/6-nimmt/game-rules.php
I am not sure if you have mentioned Wacky 6 on your gift guides before but it is one of our favorites. It is kind of like Skipbo and Rummikub (another all time favorite) mixed but there are no turns and everyone just plays as fast as they can. It is easy to learn and so much fun!
Yes, we love that one!!
Yay! Love love all of your gift guides. I just ordered Cover Your Assets for a family gift grab and am asking for Play 9 for myself. We love Ticket to Ride, Code Names, and Carcassonne. Another easy family favorite is Scattergories!
Scattergories is such a classic! We have the version that I had growing up (it’s probably 20 years old) and my kids love it although the time is on its last leg. I hope you love Play Nine!
I love games and play them with my kids a lot. My husband tricked me by playing games with me when we were dating and then telling me after we were married that he doesn’t like games! Diabolical… anyway, my kids got the game loving gene from me so I still get to play 🙂 I bought play nine for my daughter’s ninth bday this year after you had mentioned it on your blog and we love it. Another game that is one of my family’s favorites and I don’t know if you have ever had it on one of your lists or not, is Sushi Go Party. One of our all time favorites and it has lots of combos with the “menu” so you can make it easier or harder and have variety for many many rounds to come!
Haha, that made me laugh although I’m sorry your husband doesn’t like to play games anymore. Brian says I tricked him about a lot of things. Ha. You know…we have Sushi Go but don’t play it that often. I’m going to dig it out now that you suggested it again!
Awkward family photos is a good one but maybe should only be played for older kids- humor is adult. Some cards can be thrown out though!
Good to know!
We recently found a card game you should try! It’s called Low Down and is fast, easy to learn, and involves some strategy which I love! It’s become a hit with our whole family!
Thanks for the recommendation, Jamie! Excited to check it out.
Have you ever played Family Business? We love it, even my 8 year old!
Thanks, Kellie! I’ve never played that one!
I love your game lists! We own over 50% of your recommendations over the years. Our favorite new ones this year have been Sagrada (beautiful pieces and so fun and different every time- I really think your family would love this!) And corsari (hard to find but boardgamegeek has alternate titles that may be easier to find) and eye to eye that sounds a lot like double ditto. We have laughed so hard over this!
Love these recs, Amy! I think we tried Sagrada once (unless I’m thinking of another game)…maybe we need to give it another go!
I just voiced that I can’t wait for your gift guides this year since we are trying to shop early! Woo hoo! Spent the day at a board game cafe and we were introduced to Drop It. It’s for younger kids I think but we just loved it.
Yay! Thanks for the recommendation!!
My sister introduced me to Castles of Mad King Ludwig this past summer. It’s a tile-laying game where you’re building a castle (each tile is a different room). You tally up your points at the end to see who has the best castle. I’d say the game play is kind of similar to Carcassonne (though a little more complicated), but I love the artwork of the castle rooms. I’m planning on getting it for my husband this Christmas!
Awesome! I haven’t heard of that one but love the idea of it.
Love your recipes!!! Love your Holiday Gift guides! Play Nine and Skull King are two of our favorites, along with Five Crowns. Fun story – I introduced Play Nine to some friends this summer. We had tickets to attend an outdoor concert and decided to take Play Nine to play while we waited for the concert to begin (first come – lawn seating). We arrived at the venue two hours early when a torrential rainstorm descended on the area. We huddled in the car, set out a flat surface, and played Play Nine for the next hour and 45 minutes waiting for the rain to stop!
Haha, that is a great story, Sally! And good thing you came prepared so you had a game to play (inside OR outside) instead of just sitting around and staring at each other. I could think of far less terrible things than playing Play Nine for that long. I love it!
Two of our favorite games are Spite And Malice (card game) and Farkle (dice game). I don’t think they make the Spite And Malice decks anymore but you can find instructions for the game using regular cards on the internet. The Farkle game is fun and you can still get that game plus score pads at places like Walmart. Last year I put together little travel game boxes for each of my kids and grandkids for Christmas. I included two regular decks of cards, a set of dice for Farkle, a Farkle score pad, a pencil and a plain notepad for keeping score,. I also included and instructions for Farkle on one side of a 4×6 index card and rules for the game on the back side of the same card. I laminated the cards to keep them clean and dry when playing. Each person can have their own laminated card or you can place one between every two players, depending on how many are playing. I put all of this in a little metal boxes that I got at Michael’s and my husband glued felt to the inside of the box top so it could be used to roll the dice and they wouldn’t fly all over the place. Can you tell we love game too??
Oh yes, we love Farkle! I’m not sure how it hasn’t made it onto a gift guide yet! I’ll have to look up the other game you suggested. Your travel game boxes sound AWESOME. I love that idea so much. Thanks for including all the details here!! You are amazing.
I’ve been hoping for this post! I think we will order one of the dice games! We got Go nuts for donuts last Christmas and my kids ages 10 and 7 have loved it ALL year! When my 14 yr old plays, he doesn’t care about winning….he just choses cards he thinks I will choose, thus preventing me from winning!
Oh my gosh, Andrea, I think your 14-year old and my 14-year old are twins. Haha.
Have you ever tried spicy farkle? Once we discovered it we never went back to the original. I just read about twisted farkle and I think we’re going to try that next.
you can find Spite And Malice on Amazon.com
I absolutely love your annual game posts! We are also a family that loves to play games together and every year I add to our collection with your suggestions. Now that my kids are older, I give family gifts rather than individual gifts at Christmas, therefore these games are perfect!
Question: My parents (in their 80s) love dice and card games. Which of your favorites would you recommend as a very easy to learn, fun to play, for all ages game that they might enjoy?
Hi Diane – what about a game like Qwixx or Qwinto for your parents? Both of those are fun and easy to learn. Skyjo, Skipbo or 3 up 3 down would be great card games! (I’m pretty sure my mom plays a few of those with my 90-year old grandpa.) Actually now that I typed that out loud, have your parents played Racko or Rummikub? Those are two of my grandpa’s favorite games (we all love them!).
They are experts at Rummikub! That and domino games are their current favorites. Thanks for all the suggestions! Christmas shopping can now commence!
Diane, Herbaceous and Schotten Totten are card games they might enjoy, too!
Thanks for your recommendations! Every year I look forward to them and order several games! I’ve already ordered one game and sent it! Thank you!
Yay! Thanks, Sandy!
Yay! Just last night I was wondering “when is Mel’s game guide going to come out for this year?” We have a tradition of opening a new game or two on Christmas Eve to play and always choose from your list! My boys are obsessed with SuperFight as well. We’ll have to get Skull King. Another favorite of ours is Snake Oil for parties or Castle Panic is a fun coop game. Thanks for the great ideas!
My kids love Snake Oil! Haven’t played Castle Panic, though – love new recommendations!
Your game gift guides are my go-to for gift ideas for my boys! I can’t remember if you’ve ever talked about this one, but we were recently introduced to Think ‘N Sync by friends. We all love it and tend to grab it often to play a few rounds just for the fun of it, not to keep score or have a winner. I will say, my 10 yr old is borderline too young for it because it relies on some cultural and other general knowledge that younger kids might not have yet.
Thanks for the recommendation, Marla! I haven’t heard of that one but it sounds fun. I’ll definitely check it out!
My husband and I also adore card games. Our faves are Skyjo, Play Nine, Qwixx, and Skip-Bo. A couple others that are in our standard rotation are Monopoly Deal (SO fun and I loathe the board game – this one is much quicker and with cards) and then a new card game that is creatively titled The Game. It’s a work-together/everyone wins type game where you’re trying to build up piles of cards from 1-99 and also from 99 down to 1 – and you aren’t supposed to talk or give hints about what cards you can play. I found it at Target (not on Amazon, strangely enough.) It’s a challenge but also really fun!
Sounds like we have a few favorite crossovers – I haven’t played Monopoly Deal (although lots of people recommend it; I think I have bad memories from having to play the Monopoly board game as a kids and I hated it) or The Game. Thanks for the recommendations!
This is my favorite gift guide of the year. Thank you for compiling it. Also thank you for getting it out in mid-November.
Thanks, Rebecca!
Wahoo! I have looked forward to your game list every year since you began doing it. So many great suggestions! New games show up under the Christmas tree each year thanks to your lists.
Splendor is a huge hit at our house. I can’t remember if that was on your list in the last couple of years. Also, Kings and Wilds. We play it with a deck of face cards. It makes it into our Sunday rotation pretty regularly.
Thanks again Mel!!!
Yes, Splendor was from a few years ago but I haven’t played Kings and Wilds. Sounds right up our alley!
Your gift guides are my absolute favorite! Thank you for doing them year after year!
Thanks, Michelle!
Cant wait to check out many of these games! When we get together with my husbands family, Werewolves of Millers’ Hollow is always a favorite.
I think that’s similar to the mafia game we play (and everyone tries to convince everyone else they are innocent while we expose the murderer)?? Super fun.
We love Werewolves, too! Like Mafia but way more fun!
I was hoping this was coming out soon! We love quixx (have played it so many times we had to buy a new pad four months after we got the game), labyrinth, quirkle, sleeping queens, and code names. One of our old favorites is dominion.
All of those are such great games! Glad we have the same good taste. Haha. 🙂
Yasssss!!! I love your holiday game guide and have loved every game you’ve recommended that we’ve bought. I can’t wait to check these new games out!
When my husband and I got married last year, we didn’t need much to set up house because I was already living on my own, so we decided to stock our game closet because we have 21 nieces and nephews and love being the fun aunt and uncle. Your past game guides were such a huge help. I think 90% of the games we got came from your lists!
That is awesome!! Seriously, if I could do it all over again, I probably would have just registered for games when I got married all those years ago. Haha. Love it.
Truth. My husband & I DID register for board games when we got married 17 years ago. Started with the basics – Cribbage, Dominoes, Rummikub, Scattergories. Plus a gas grill, garbage cans, rakes, shovels… we registered at a store called Fleet Farm because we’re so darn practical!! 🙂
I LOVE Fleet Farm and totally miss it from our years living in the midwest!
We registered for lots of games and camping gear and everyone ignored our registry and got us practical stuff like towels and waffle irons (we got 11 waffle irons, no joke). So we had to buy our own games. We bought Boggle way back then and it’s still a favorite – we just play it together, though, not with our kids (too many littles, it isn’t fun for them).
Oh my gosh, you’ve got to be kidding…11 waffle irons? That made me giggle and then not so much giggling as I thought about all the returns. Yikes. And I agree about Boggle! I have a 20-year old version sitting in my game closet that we need to play more. Thanks for the reminder!
Thanks Mel, I always use your gift guides when I plan my Christmas shopping!! Have you ever played Quiplash? It’s for a large group and you play on a TV screen with everyone participating on their phones. It’s is hilarious and SO FUN!
I’ve never played that one, Lindsay! I’m excited to check it out!
I look forward to these posts every year!
My five year old has recently gotten into games in a big way and we’re looking for some family game ideas we can get for Christmas – specifically ones that we can all pay together without the adults’ brains turning to sawdust. Any suggestions??
He loves Battleship – we have the low tech version and every loves it!
My boys love the old-fashioned, non-electronic Battleship (I don’t think they’ve played the electronic version so don’t know how that one compares)! It’s such a fun classic.
Are you looking for a family board game or a card game? How old are your kids? A few games that come to mind are: Ticket to Ride, Telestrations, Carcassonne, Tiki Topple, Skyjo or Play Nine…that’s just a start!
Yeeeeeesssssssssssssssssssss!
I love your recipes but this is the post I look forward to all year. Thank you so much! The only family favorites at my house not on one of your lists are Lost Cities and exploding kittens. For the older kids and adults Wizard is our favorite.
Hey Bridget – Lost Cities and Exploding Kittens made it into last year’s gift guide (I think? Maybe the year before, haha, it’s all running together) but Wizard is a new one. I’m excited to check it out!
So fun to see what other games people enjoy.
Some games we love:
Ice Cool is a flicking penguin game
Wingspan is our top favorite right now and our 6 year old is able to play it
Tobago is a treasure hunting game where you play cards to discover the location of the treasure
Five Tribes little bit of a Mancala aspect to this game which is fun
Asking For Trobils our 6 year old loves this game
Star Realms is also a great card game
Escape: The Curse of the Temple
Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island is a really fun cooperative game
Biblios
Bruges
So many fun games out there.
Thanks for the recommendations, Keri! Someone else recommended Wingspan to me in the last little while (was it you in another comment??). Anyway, excited to look into these, some are familiar and others are completely new.
I’ve been hoping you would come out with this soon as my son’s 12th birthday is this weekend and our most favorite thing to do together is play games. I have bought so many of your suggestions over the years and they have provided countless hours of entertainment for our family. The ones that are on a constant rotation for us are Quixx, Ticket to Ride, Banangrams, Five Crowns, and the all time favorite- Cover your Assets. I just ordered Play Nine and Qwingo, and thanks to Amazon’s speedy delivery they will be here in time for his birthday.
Yay, Gilliane!! You picked two of my personal favorites from the list. I hope he loves them! Sounds like he already has a pretty good lineup of favorites (Cover Your Assets never gets old around here either!)
I love five crowns!
So many new to me games, I love it!! Semi-unrelated to the games you mentioned, but still on topic….my 7 year old wants Battleship for Christmas. Would you recommend the old fashioned one or the electronic version of Battleship?!
My kids LOVE the old fashioned Battleship. We haven’t played the electronic version but I highly recommend the older one.
Play Nine has been a family favorite since you recommended it earlier this year! Seriously, thanks for that. We also love Avocado Smash. It is a card game for all ages sort of like War but even simpler. My kids brought it to Jr High play practice for down time and stole the show!
That’s awesome!