If you’ve ever had friends and family over, you know how much work goes into hosting the perfect game night. If you have some teens in your family or friend group, getting them involved in board games can be difficult. Now that most games are available on mobile devices, asking them to put their phones down and be present in the game can feel daunting.
I’ve compiled a list of the best board games any teen will love, whether they’re 13 or 19. I included some classic games as well as a few more obscure ones. These are sure to keep everyone entertained for hours.
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1. EXPLODING KITTENS
- HOW TO PLAY: Dive into the fun of Exploding Kittens: Party Pack Edition, a...
- WHAT’S INCLUDED: The Party Pack Edition features 120 cards with hilarious...
- WHO’S IT FOR? Designed for 2-10 players, ages 7 and up, this card game is...
- PLAYERS: 2-5
- AGE RANGE: 7+
- DURATION: 15 mins
Exploding Kittens is one of my favorite games of all time. It’s easy to learn and gets going extremely quickly. You can buy many expansion packs to suit any age range or number of players.
The game is basically a game of Russian Roulette with kittens that explode. You get one chance to diffuse the kitten if you draw it. Each card has an action and an even better picture. Play this at the night’s beginning to prepare everyone for the fun ahead.
2. WHAT DO YOU MEME
- Fresh Memes Pt. 1: Treat yo’self to more memes to keep game night fresh —...
- Don't Forget the original: Requires the What Do You Meme? core game to play.
- Designed for 17+: This expansion pack contains mature content and is designed...
- PLAYERS: 2+
- AGE RANGE: 17+
- DURATION: 30-90 mins
What do you Meme has a concept similar to cards against humanity. One player plays a caption card. Then all the other players choose a funny meme to add to the caption. The player who played the caption is the judge and chooses which meme they think is the funniest. This is a board game your teen will love because it is so much fun to play. And for a fun twist, you can even add your own photos to create new memes for the game.
3. CARDS AGAINST HUMANITY: FAMILY EDITION
- Our first expansion to Cards Against Humanity: Family Edition, with 300...
- The box literally glows in the dark, making it easy to find in a cave.
- Also includes bonus glow-in-the-dark stickers!
- PLAYERS: 4+
- AGE RANGE: 8+
- DURATION: 30 mins
If you’ve ever played Cards Against Humanity, you know it is not appropriate for teens. Luckily, there’s a family edition. This version has much more family-friendly cards, so everyone can get involved.
To play this game, choose one card czar to pick one of their cards that will have a statement or question with a fill-in-the-blank. Now, the rest of the players can choose one of their cards to fill in that blank. Finally, the card czar chooses the card he thinks is the funniest, and that player keeps both cards. The player with the most cards at the end of the game is the winner.
4. THROW THROW BURRITO
- Rave reviews from NY Magazine, National Geographic + More: This is a party game...
- Perfect for Easter baskets - This funny party game comes with 120 vibrant Game...
- Duck, dodge, and dive into the fun: This outdoor game is perfect for encouraging...
- PLAYERS: 2-6
- AGE RANGE: 7+
- DURATION: 15 mins
Throw Throw Burrito is a super fun game from the creators of Exploding Kittens. These guys really know how to make fun board games for teens and adults alike.
Throw Throw Burrito is a combination of a card game and dodgeball. You take turns drawing cards, and try to create sets of three cards in your hand. Once you get a set you can play it on the table. Each set has its own rules such as a burrito brawl, where everyone at the table has to try and take a burrito from the table and throw it at another player. Don’t worry, though; the burritos are plushy and quite soft, so they won’t hurt.
5. CLUE
- Ditch the TV, and re-ignite family night with the get-together amusement of a...
- Party it up, and surprise guests at your next event with laugh-out-loud game...
- Nostalgic tabletop gameplay meets interactive digital content for an immersive...
- PLAYERS: 3-6
- AGE RANGE: 8+
- DURATION: 55 mins
Clue is a game I played for the first time quite recently, and I absolutely fell in love with it. If you or your teen are a fan of murder mysteries, then this is the board game for you.
Start by choosing a random weapon, murderer, and location. Next players take turns rolling dice and going from room to room, making accusations. You take notes and try to narrow down the suspects until you can guess who the real murderer is.
6. MONOPOLY
- FAST-DEALING PROPERTY TRADING GAME: It’s a Family Game Night staple! Players...
- BUY, SELL, AND TRADE TO WIN: Players compete to buy out neighborhoods, sell...
- BUILD HOUSES AND HOTELS: Love that feeling when an opponent lands on an owned...
- PLAYERS: 2-8
- AGE RANGE: 8+
- DURATION: 30-180 mins
Monopoly is a great classic board game any teen or adult will enjoy. Take turns rolling the dice and buying up properties in order to make more money. Every time someone lands on your property, they must pay you rent. The goal is to try to bankrupt all the other players in the game. Sore losers beware! Monopoly has been the start of many arguments and can even end friendships.
7. SCRABBLE
- PLAYERS: 2-4
- AGE RANGE: 8+
- DURATION: 50-60 mins
Now that we’re on the subject of classic games, we couldn’t leave out Scrabble. There are many digital versions available now, but there’s something so fun about playing the actual board game and holding the tiles in your hand.
Each player gets a set of tiles with letters on them. Now, you take turns creating words on the gameboard, either by creating a new word or adding to an existing one. Each letter gives you a certain number of points, and some squares on the board double or triple your points.
8. WEREWOLF
- Engaging and Deceptive: Immerse yourself in the strategic world of hidden...
- App-Guided Gameplay: Enjoy a free app that seamlessly guides each game, ensuring...
- Thrilling and Inclusive: Play with 3-10 players, as you unravel the mystery of...
- PLAYERS: 3-10
- AGE RANGE:8+
- DURATION: 10-30 mins
Werewolf has inspired many different versions of the game. Most teens will have at least heard of Among Us, which has the same concept as this board game.
In Werewolf, you first need a moderator to narrate the game. The narrator will have everyone close their eyes and choose one or two werewolves. Other players will be assigned other special roles, or they will simply be villagers.
The game goes in rounds of day and night. At night, the werewolves wake up and kill villagers. During the day, everyone wakes up and discusses who they think the werewolves are and whether they should be killed. The best part about this game is that both the werewolves and the villagers have an equal chance of winning the game.
9. UNO
- UNO is the classic family card game that's easy to learn and so much fun to...
- In a race to deplete your hand, match one of your cards with the current card...
- Strategize to defeat your competition with special action cards like Skips,...
- PLAYERS: 2-10
- AGE RANGE: 7+
- DURATION: 5-10 mins
I think it’s pretty safe to say everyone has played Uno. I always say it’s a game that can make or break friendships. Teens and adults alike can play this epic board game.
Players take turns lying down cards of the same color or number on a center pile. If they can’t play a card, they must draw. The fun part about Uno is the action cards. There are skip-a-turn cards, reverse cards, and the dreaded draw four cards. Players can stack the same card on these, so they can really give one player a bad day. The player to play their last card is the winner in this game.
10. CATAN
- EXPLORE CATAN: Set sail to the uncharted island of Catan and compete with other...
- RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: Strategically gather and trade resources like ore, brick,...
- BUILD AND UPGRADE: Use your resources to build roads, settlements, and cities to...
- PLAYERS: 2-4
- AGE RANGE: 10+
- DURATION: 1-2 hours
Now, if you’re looking for a game that requires a bit more strategy, look no further than Catan. I always say it is one of the best board games for those who are trying to get into more complex games but are still beginners.
In Catan, you build settlements, roads, and cities across a gameboard with various terrains. Each terrain allows you to produce resources, which in turn allows you to build more settlements. The goal of the game is to earn 10 Victory points.
You earn these by using different strategies, such as having the longest road or the biggest army or by forming alliances with other players. Once your teens get the hang of it, they will absolutely love this board game.
11. APPLES TO APPLES
- Apples To Apples is the hilarious comparison game where players are free to be...
- Features two types of cards: Red Apple, which contains a noun phrase, and Green...
- Players select the Red Apple card from their hand that they think is most like a...
- PLAYERS: 4-10
- AGE RANGE:
- DURATION: 30-75 mins
Apples to Apples is arguably the original Cards Against Humanity. The concept of the game is pretty much the same. Each player gets some red apple cards depending on the number of players. Now, one player will be the judge, and they will draw one green apple card and place it face up. Now, the other players race to play one of the cards that they think is best described by the green one.
The judge chooses the one they think is the closest and gives the player who played it the green apple card. The player with the most green apple cards is the winner.
12. TWISTER
- TYING PLAYERS UP IN KNOTS FOR GENERATIONS: Who doesn’t remember playing...
- WHO’S GOT THE MOVES: Classic Twister gameplay challenges players to place...
- SPINNER, SPINNER, SPINNER!: Left foot blue, right foot yellow, keep it up if you...
- PLAYERS: 2-4
- AGE RANGE: 6+
- DURATION: 5-15 mins
Now, we’re getting into simpler board games for teens who have trouble staying interested. Twister is more physical than the rest, but it is guaranteed to be fun. Start by laying down the game mat. That’s right, there’s a mat instead of a game board.
Players will take turns spinning a spinner that will land on a body part and a color. They must place that body part on a spot on the game mat. The more you play, the more twisted you get with the other players. Once you cannot place a body part down where it says, or if you lose your balance, you are out.
13. CODENAMES
- Work together to contact all of your agents before the other team
- A perfect party game experience for game nights
- 2-8+ player (in two teams)
- PLAYERS: 4-8
- AGE RANGE: 14+
- DURATION: 15-30 mins
I just bought myself a Codenames game because I could not get enough of it. It’s a game you can play all night without getting bored.
First, split into two equal teams and choose one player from each team to be the spymaster. Then, set up the cards in a 5×5 grid. The spymasters have a key that will let them know which words they need their team to guess.
Finally, the spymasters can give one clue and one number that tells their team how many words their clue corresponds to. The spymaster can’t give any additional clues, verbal or nonverbal, and their teammates must discuss and choose the words they think are correct. The team that guesses all their cards is the winner. However, if either team chooses the assassin, they automatically lose.
14. AZUL
- AWARD-WINNING STRATEGY GAME: Azul is an award-winning board game that challenges...
- BEAUTIFUL TILE ARTWORK: Featuring beautifully crafted, colorful tiles, Azul...
- EASY TO LEARN, CHALLENGING TO MASTER: With simple rules and deep strategic...
- PLAYERS: 2-4
- AGE RANGE: 8+
- DURATION: 30-45 mins
Azul is the perfect board game for teens who are more on the creative side. The goal of the game is to lay down tiles and create a beautiful mosaic. You take turns taking and placing tiles and try to fill up your board to earn points. The player with the most points is the winner. The game is actually much more strategic than it sounds. My favorite part about Azul is the beautifully made tiles.
15. TICKET TO RIDE
- FAST-PACED STRATEGY: Race to build your train routes across iconic American...
- COMPETITIVE FUN: Challenge friends and family in a 2-5 player game, where every...
- COLLECT TRAIN CARDS: Strategically gather train cards to claim routes and earn...
- PLAYERS: 2-5
- AGE RANGE: 8+
- DURATION: 30-60 mins
If your teen enjoys the more strategy-based games, then Ticket to Ride is the board game you need. At its core, you need to build train routes between cities on a map.
As simple as it sounds, there is much more strategy involved. You need to take turns drawing train cards, claiming routes by playing matching train cards or drawing more destination tickets. You earn points by having longer routes and by completing your destination tickets. The player with the most points at the end is the winner.
16. RUMMIKUB
- Form runs and sets as you try to play all of your tiles
- Easy to learn, fast-paced game kids and adults can enjoy together
- Develops STEM and STEAM skills like sequencing, pattern recognition, and...
- PLAYERS: 2-4
- AGE RANGE: 8+
- DURATION: 20-40mins
Love rummy games but can’t be bothered to look for playing cards? Rummikub has you covered. It’s one of my favorite rummy games of all time.
The tiles in Rummikub are numbered from one to 13 and come in four colors. There are also two wild tiles. Each player starts with 14 tiles. The goal is to set down melds of sets or runs to get rid of all your tiles. A set is three or more tiles of the same color and different colors, and a run is three tiles in ascending order of the same color. My favorite part about Rummikub is that you can manipulate other players’ tiles and lay off your tiles onto their melds.
17. TAKE 5
- TWO CLASSICS IN ONE BOX: Enjoy the timeless fun of Take 5 & Take a Number in one...
- SIMPLE YET STRATEGIC: In Take 5, pick a card from your hand & play it on one of...
- ADVANCED GAMEPLAY: Experience an extreme “Take” adventure with Take a...
- PLAYERS: 2-10
- AGE RANGE: 8+
- DURATION:30-45 mins
Take 5 was originally called 6 Nimmt. It’s a really fun game that requires some strategy, but that strategy can easily be messed up by another player.
You lay out four cards and face them up in the center of the table. Now, each player must choose one card from their hand, and all players play their card at the same time. You must place the cards on the decks in ascending order, starting with the lowest card played. If your card makes a row go over five cards, you must place it down and take the five cards. Keep playing until all the cards have been played, and the player with the fewest penalty points is the winner.
18. JENGA
- THE ORIGINAL WOOD BLOCK GAME: Dare to risk it? Pull out a block, place it on...
- FAST, EXCITING, ANYTIME FUN: With a simple set up, easy-to-learn rules, and just...
- GREAT KIDS PARTY GAMES: Suspense, surprises, laughs! Liven up a party by taking...
- PLAYERS: 1-5
- AGE RANGE: 6+
- DURATION: 5-15 mins
Jenga is another classic for you and your teen during your board game night. Simply set up the blocks crisscrossed in groups of three. Once the tower is built, each player takes a turn, taking one single block from anywhere on the tower and placing it back on top. Once someone knocks the tower down, the game is over. This is a perfect icebreaker game to get everyone in the competitive spirit.
19. PICTIONARY
- Celebrate 40 years of the original classic family drawing game Pictionary!
- Sketch and guess your way to the finish line with this board game for family...
- Features 3 levels of clues, including Learn to Draw clues for younger players...
- PLAYERS: 3-16
- AGE RANGE: 12 +
- DURATION: 90 mins
Pictionary is another one for your artistic teens. The goal of the game is to get your team’s marker to the other side of the board by guessing what the artist is drawing. Where your marker lands will determine what the artists will draw. Each symbol has a different meaning. If you guess the word correctly, you get to go again, if you don’t then it is the next player’s turn.
20. CANDYLAND
- CLASSIC BEGINNER GAME: Do you remember playing Candy Land when you were a kid....
- RACE TO THE CASTLE: Players encounter all kinds of "delicious" surprises as they...
- NO READING REQUIRED TO PLAY: For kids ages 3 and up, Candy Land can be a great...
- PLAYERS: 2-4
- AGE RANGE: 3-6
- DURATION: 30 mins
I had to include Candyland even though it is technically a kid’s game. It was the first board game I ever played, and there is such a sense of nostalgia whenever you play it.
The goal of Candyland is to get your piece to the end on the colorful game board. Now, each player draws a card and moves their piece to many colored spaces. Some spots on the board can send you forward through a shortcut or make you skip your turn. The first player to make it to the end wins. Play this game to get everyone’s mood back up after a monopoly loss.
21. SUSHI GO PARTY
- It's a party! This party platter of Mega make, super sashimi, and endless...
- Sushi go! For larger appetites! You still earn points by picking winning sushi...
- Customize your difficulty level! This deluxe edition features opportunities to...
- PLAYERS: 2-8
- AGE RANGE: 8+
- DURATION: 20 mins
Sushi Go Party has been gaining popularity lately after the success of Sushi Go. It’s a drafting game in which each player packs a card to keep and passes the rest of the deck to the next player. The cards have awesome sushi illustrations on them, as well as the number of points each card is worth. Players can combine cards to gain more points and craft the correct sushi platter.
22. TIME’S UP
- The hottest party game just got hotter!
- Minutes to learn, Easy to Play in Groups. For 3+
- Winner of over 20 awards including Mensa select and game of the year
- PLAYERS: 4+
- AGE RANGE: 7+
- DURATION: 60 mins
Anytime I write a list like this, I always include Time’s Up. It’s one of my all-time favorite games, and I play it at least once a week with friends. You play the game in three rounds, and it is a guessing game, half charades.
First, you need to choose 40 cards with random characters on them. Now, split up into teams. Next, each team gets 30 seconds to try and get their teammates to guess as many of the names as possible using any words except the words on the card. IF you guess correctly your team keeps the card. Add up the cards for each team at the end of the first round.
The next round is the same, except you can only use one word. Then, in the third round, you can not talk; you must simply use gestures. This board game will have you and your teens laughing out loud.
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