Party board games
Last checked 17 October 2026 · Prices from United Kingdom (UK) shops
A good party game is quick to explain, keeps everyone playing at once and gets people laughing. You can teach most of these while someone's still pouring the drinks, and several handle big groups. Check each card for the exact player range.
1. Herd Mentality
Everyone secretly writes an answer to a daft question. Match the most popular answer and you win a cow.
- Players
- 4 to 20 players
- Age
- 10+
- Play time
- about 20 minutes
- How easy to teach
- Explain in 2 minutes
Why it suits this: The easiest big-group game we know. Write down an answer and hope everyone else thinks the same. It plays with up to 20, so nobody's left out.
£20.28 at Magic Madhouse, stock not confirmed
Only one UK price checked so far; the publisher also sells direct.
Prices and details last checked 17 October 2026. Prices change often.
2. Codenames
Two teams race to find their secret agents in a grid of words, working from one-word clues given by their team's spymaster.
- Players
- 4+ players
- Age
- 10+
- Play time
- about 15 minutes
- How easy to teach
- Explain in 5 minutes
Why it suits this: Vlaada Chvátil's team word game won the Spiel des Jahres (Germany's big game of the year award) in 2016. Split into two teams and it stretches to however many people can crowd round the table. Great for groups who like a bit of clever wordplay.
£17.99 at Firestorm Games (2025 edition), in stock
Prices and details last checked 17 October 2026. Prices change often.
3. Wavelength
One player gives a clue and the team turns a dial to guess where it sits between two opposites, like “hot” and “cold”.
- Players
- 2 to 12 players
- Age
- 14+
- Play time
- 30 to 45 minutes
- How easy to teach
- Explain in 2 minutes
Why it suits this: Played in two teams, with up to 12 people. One person gives a clue and the team argues over where it sits on a dial between two opposites. The arguments about whether a hot dog's a sandwich are half the fun.
Some details (players, age or time) still need checking against the publisher. Players, age and time are from a UK retailer listing; publisher page not yet checked.
£25.99 at Magic Madhouse, stock not confirmed
Prices and details last checked 17 October 2026. Prices change often.
4. Telestrations
Chinese whispers with drawing. Sketch a word, pass it on, guess the next sketch, and enjoy watching it all go wrong.
- Players
- 4 to 12 players
- Age
- 12+
- Play time
- about 30 minutes
- How easy to teach
- Explain in 2 minutes
Why it suits this: No drawing skill needed. Bad drawings actually make it funnier. It plays with up to 12, and everyone draws at the same time, so there's no waiting about.
Some details (players, age or time) still need checking against the publisher. Players, age and time are from a UK retailer listing; publisher page not yet checked.
£21.24 at Firestorm Games (2025 Refresh edition), in stock
Prices and details last checked 17 October 2026. Prices change often.
5. Dixit
Describe one of your dreamlike picture cards with a word or phrase, then everyone else tries to spot yours among their own picks.
- Players
- 3 to 8 players
- Age
- 8+
- Play time
- about 30 minutes
- How easy to teach
- Explain in 2 minutes
Why it suits this: A gentler pick for mixed ages. It plays up to eight, and the dreamy art on the cards gets people telling stories and laughing more than competing.
£25.49 at Firestorm Games, in stock
Prices and details last checked 17 October 2026. Prices change often.
6. Just One
Everyone writes a one-word clue to help one player guess a mystery word, but any clues that match get cancelled out.
- Players
- 3 to 7 players
- Age
- 8+
- Play time
- about 20 minutes
- How easy to teach
- Explain in 2 minutes
Why it suits this: A co-op (the whole table is on one team). Write a one-word clue to help one guesser, but matching clues get cancelled. Barely any rules, and it plays with up to seven.
Some details (players, age or time) still need checking against the publisher. Players, age and time are from a UK retailer listing; publisher page not yet checked.
£16.99 at Firestorm Games (Refresh edition), in stock
Prices and details last checked 17 October 2026. Prices change often.
How we choose and check
We pick games for the situation, and ignore hobby rankings and hype. Player counts, ages and play times come from the publisher's own page or the box wherever we can get them. If we haven't confirmed something yet, the card says so. Prices are checked by hand at UK shops on the date shown, and nobody pays us to include a game. See how we make money.