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.
Mel I think your family would absolutely love the card game called, ” Mantis, also Labrinth, Just One.” These are some of our go to games and so much fun.
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==