40 Indoor Games for Adults: Board Games, Card Games, and Drinking Games


indoor games for adults

If you’re having a spot of bad weather or are simply having a night in, one of the best ways to entertain yourself and a couple of friends is with some games. Whether you’re having a party or a small get-together, these are the best indoor games for adults. From board games and card games to drinking games, we’ve got an indoor game for any occasion!

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INDOOR BOARD GAMES FOR ADULTS

indoor games for adults

If you love to play board games, you’ve got to check out these board games for adults—all of which you can play indoors.

Psst! Looking for games fit for kids? Here are the best indoor games for kids.

1. CODENAMES

Sale
CGE Czech Games Edition Codenames Boardgame
  • 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)

One of our favorite team games, Codenames is a classic board game you may already have in your closet. In this game, two teams play against each other, trying to guess all of their codewords before the other team! A spymaster from each team gives their team a single-word clue and a number corresponding to the number of codewords the clue applies to. The first team to guess all codewords without accidentally uncovering the assassin wins!

You can also play Codenames online or play Codenames: Duet, which is perfect for two people.

2. TABOO

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Hasbro Gaming Taboo Classic Game, Party Word...
  • FAN-FAVORITE TABOO BOARD GAME: It's the classic Taboo game of unspeakable fun...
  • AVOID TABOO WORDS: In the Taboo card game for adults, family and teens, race...
  • MODERN AND EXCITING CARD CONTENT: The Taboo word game features fresh cards...

Taboo is yet another super fun word game to play amongst friends when stuck indoors. This is also a team-based game in which players must try to guess a specific word. However, unlike Codenames, the person giving the clue can use as many words as they want. The twist? They can’t use any of the words on the card to describe the word their teammates need to guess. This game is a lot more frustrating and difficult than it looks.

3. CATAN

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CATAN Board Game - Embark on a Journey of...
  • 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...

Chances are, if you’re into board games, you’ve played Catan. Catan is the perfect indoor game for adults to play if you’ve got a small group of players, as this is playable for up to only 4. But this doesn’t make the game any less fun!

In Catan, players fight over territory and resources as they battle to be the first to reach 10 Victory Points by building settlements, gathering resources, and building roads. Prepare to be backstabbed by your friends with this one!

4. TICKET TO RIDE

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Ticket to Ride Board Game - A Cross-Country Train...
  • 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...

Ticket to Ride is a super fun, adventure-packed board game, perfect for adults to play indoors with friends or family. In this board game, players build railroad routes across a map. Throughout the game, players collect points by completing routes and connecting cities. Whoever manages to earn the most number of points wins the game!

5. RUMMIKUB

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Rummikub Six Player Edition - The Classic Rummy...
  • Now play Rummikub with even more players!
  • It's easy to learn, but packed with strategy
  • Players take turns placing numbered tiles in runs and groups rummy style

If you’ve got up to 6 players, one of the best board games to play is Rummikub. This game is fairly easy to get the hang of if you’re familiar with any rummy card games. However, instead of playing with cards, you play with tiles.

Rummikub tiles run from 1 to 13 + 2 joker tiles. Each of these tiles comes in four colors. And the objective is to create melds of sets or runs. The first player to get rid of all of their tiles wins.

6. EXPLODING KITTENS

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Exploding Kittens Party Pack - 2-10 Players - Ages...
  • 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...

Looking for a funny card game? Look no further than Exploding Kittens. This game has some of the most hilarious illustrations on the cards, so don’t miss looking at those while you play the game. The objective? Try your best not to explode by the exploding kittens cards! You’ll have cards in your hand that you can use to protect yourself every time you draw a card, but you never know what may happen! This is one of the most popular party games for adults for a reason!

7. CARDS AGAINST HUMANITY

Cards Against Humanity
  • A party game for horrible people.
  • Comes with 500 white cards and 100 black cards for eternal replayability.
  • Includes a booklet of sensible game rules and preposterous alternate rules.

There’s a reason Cards Against Humanity is now an absolute classic of a party game for adults around the world. It has a simple premise, but it’s absolutely hilarious! In this game, players take turns acting as the judge, who draws a black card. All other players must try their best to play the funniest, cutest, or most fitting white card, depending on the judge’s sense of humor. Prepare to laugh out loud with this one!

For more like this, check out other games like Cards Against Humanity.

8. COUP

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Coup - The Fast, Fun Bluffing Party Game for 2-6...
  • FUN FOR ADULTS, TEENS AND FAMILIES: An extremely fast-paced card game that is...
  • BLUFF? CHALLENGE? COUP?: Every turn you take an action, and you can take an...
  • EASY TO LEARN: Like all great family card games, it takes only minutes to learn...

A game we recently discovered and have been loving so much is Coup. In this game, all players have two political influences, both of whom are hidden face-down in front of each player. The goal of the game is to coup and assassinate the other players’ influences. Coup requires a lot of scheming and manipulating. You’ll never know who’s telling the truth and who’s lying about who their influences are, so be careful!

This is one of our favorite birthday party games for adults!

9. ONE NIGHT WEREWOLF

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One Night Ultimate Werewolf – Fun Party Game for...
  • Engaging and Deceptive: Immerse yourself in the strategic world of hidden...
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  • Thrilling and Inclusive: Play with 3-10 players, as you unravel the mystery of...

Werewolf is one of our favorite hidden role games of all time. And the best way to play this game is with One Night Werewolf. In this game, players are given a secret role at the beginning, which will either put them on the village team or the werewolf team. The objective? If you’re a villager, you’ve got to protect the village from the werewolves. If you’re a werewolf, you’ve got to lie as best as you can to avoid being killed while trying to outnumber the villages before it’s too late! There’s a lot of finger-pointing in this game that makes it so much fun!

10. TERRAFORMING MARS

Terraforming Mars Board Game-Award Winning...
  • Compete for different milestones and awards worth many VPS
  • In Terraforming Mars, players control a corporation and compete to transform...
  • Will lead the way into humanitys new era?

One of the more complicated board games on this list of indoor games for adults is Terraforming Mars. But if you’re up for a challenge, this is a good one. This is playable for 1 to 5 players, so this is also the perfect single-player or two-player board game. As you might be able to guess from the name of the game, players work together to terraform Mars. Although it’s technically a cooperative game, there are competitive elements to it, as you’ll still be gaining points for your contributions to humanity. This game can take hours to play, so only play if you’re ready to strap up!

11. PANDEMIC

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Pandemic Board Game (Base Game) - A Cooperative...
  • STRATEGY GAME: Players must work together playing to their characters' strengths...
  • COOPERATIVE BOARD GAME: Only through teamwork will you keep the world safe from...
  • WORK TOGETHER AND SAVE HUMANITY: Four diseases threaten the world, and your...

In Pandemic, players work together to stop deadly viruses from running amok and spreading across the entire world. To do this, you’ll move around the cities, test infections, and even build research stations. Throughout the game, new infections will crop up that you’ll need to tackle, so figure out how to work together to deal with several issues at once! It’s a lot more difficult than you think.

12. THE CREW

THAMES & KOSMOS The Crew - Quest for Planet Nine |...
  • Cooperative strategy game--win or lose together!
  • A new twist on classic trick-taking card games
  • Difficulty increases as the game progresses, making it a good choice for players...

The Crew is a game we’ve discovered fairly recently and absolutely love. This is yet another cooperative game you can play with your friends and family—perfect if you’re not entirely sure how you feel about competing against one another. But rest assured, you may still be raising your voice in frustration by the end of it.

In this game, players work together to complete the missions in the logbook. The Crew is a card trick-taking game, but you cannot communicate as you play, so you never know what cards each player has until they are being played! This makes completing the missions pretty difficult, especially as you get to the higher levels.

13. CARCASSONNE

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Carcassonne Board Game (BASE GAME) | Board Game...
  • INTRODUCTION TO STRATEGY: Experience the timeless allure of "Carcassonne," a...
  • SIMPLE YET ENGAGING: With intuitive rules—place tiles, deploy meeples, score...
  • BEAUTIFUL ILLUSTRATIONS: Immerse yourself in the game's enchanting world through...

One of the most popular board games in recent times, Carcassonne involves creating an ever-expanding topography by connecting tiles together. The game is simple: Place tiles, deploy meeples, and score points! This is a relatively simple board game that everyone will be able to understand, introducing them to the world of modern strategy games. The winner of the game? The player who establishes the best set of tiles to score the most points.

INDOOR CARD GAMES FOR ADULTS

indoor games for adults

If all you’ve got is a deck of cards or two, don’t worry. There are still plenty of super fun games you can play while inside. These are the best indoor card games for adults to play.

14. TEXAS HOLD’EM

Of course, among adults, one of the best types of indoor card games to play is poker. One of the most classic poker games of all time is Texas Hold’em. In this poker game, each player is dealt two cards (check out our post on how to deal in Texas Hold’em). Then, over a series of rounds, up to 5 community cards are revealed, during which players make bets or fold. The last player standing, or the player with the best poker hand, wins the pool of money in the middle of the table.

15. FIVE CARD DRAW

If you’re not too familiar with poker yet, an easier poker game to play is Five Card Draw. In this game, players are given 5 cards. Then, in the next round, they can decide to discard up to 3 cards and get new ones. Players bet money over two rounds. Then, all cards are revealed, with the player with the best hand winning the pot.

16. BLACKJACK

Another fun betting card game for adults to play indoors is Blackjack. But unlike poker, Blackjack doesn’t require too much strategy. In this gambling game, players play against the dealer. In other words, you have to simply beat the dealer. The objective of this game is to get as close to 21 in card value as possible without going over 21. This is one of our favorite dinner party games.

17. BULLSHIT

One of our favorite classic card games for adults to play indoors is Bullshit. In this hilarious card-shedding game, players try their best to get rid of all of their cards. To get rid of your cards, the first player starts the game by getting rid of one or more aces. The next player must get rid of one or more 2s, then 3s, then 4s, etc.

If, at any point, you believe someone is lying about the cards they are discarding face-down, call bullshit! If they did indeed lie, they must pick up all the discarded cards in the middle. However, if they were telling the truth, the person who called bullshit must pick up the cards! The first player to get rid of all the cards wins.

18. SHITHEAD

Another one of the best indoor card games for adults is Shithead. This game is a mixture of strategy and luck, and your luck can change literally in the last second, which makes this card game so much fun! The objective of the game? Get rid of all of your cards. But the twist is that you don’t know the final three cards of your game, so you play them blindly, which may or may not work out in your favor. We think this is one of those games everyone should learn how to play!

19. SPOONS

Looking for a fast-paced card game? Play Spoons! Place spoons in the middle of the table—one less than the number of players playing. During the game, players will always have four cards in their hand as they pick up a new card and discard another one. Continue picking up cards and discarding cards until you get four of a kind! Then, grab a spoon. The last player to grab a spoon loses that round. But be careful! If you grab a spoon and there is no four-of-a-kind, that makes you the loser of that round, too.

20. RUMMY

We absolutely love playing rummy games, and, of course, we had to add classic rummy to this list of the best indoor games for adults. In this game, players take turns creating melds of sets or runs. Once players create their first meld, they can also add to other players’ melds already on the table. The first player to get rid of all of their cards wins.

Beyond classic rummy, here are some of our other favorite rummy games:

21. HORSERACE

Horserace is a super fast-paced card game that you can easily turn into a drinking game as well if needed. In this card game for adults to play indoors, you’ll play the four aces of the four suits on one end of a table. These will be the “horses”. Then, players will bet on the horses as they move up one space at a time, depending on what suit of card is flipped over. Be prepared for a lot of yelling as everyone cheers on their “horse”! If you want to turn this into a drinking game, bet a number of drinks.

22. SLAPJACK

Want to play a super fast-paced card game with your friends or family of adults? Deal out an entire deck of cards evenly between all players. Then, to play Slapjack, players simply take turns flipping over the top card of their stack, face-up onto the middle of the table. If a Jack appears, everyone must race to slap it! The first person to slap the Jack wins the cards. Whoever wins all the cards wins the game—simple as that!

23. SPADES

Spades is a classic trick-taking card game you’ve got to play if you’ve got four players. While you can play with fewer or more players, this game is best played by four. Played in pairs, the goal is simple: be the first team to reach 500 (or a predetermined number) points.

To do this, players bid on how many tricks they think they can win. With this game, you’ve got to outsmart your opponents, back up your bids, and maybe even bluff a little.

24. OLD MAID

If you’re a big fan of card games, you’ve likely played Old Maid before. In this game, you’ll use a single deck of cards with both Jokers and three Queens removed from the deck. The remaining Queen in the deck is the Old Maid card.

Now, deal out all the cards evenly, and everybody sorts their cards into pairs. After that’s done, players take turns picking a random card from the hand of the player next to them. Continue making pairs whenever you can. And whoever is left with the Old Maid card by the end of the game is the loser.

25. HEARTS

Hearts is a classic card game that everyone should play at least once. The objective? Avoid points at all costs. In this trick-taking game, strategy is everything. You’ll be passing cards, dodging tricks, and trying to get your opponents to take all the point cards! This is one of those card games where a single round can change the entire game, making this game all the more addicting and perfect for some lighthearted rivalry.

26. BRIDGE

Bridge is a four-player game, perfect for adults who love strategy and logic. Two teams of two play against each other by bidding on how many tricks they think they can win and set a trump suit. Then, use a combination of skill, teamwork, and guesswork to play the cards and try to win the most points possible. You’ll likely play this game for hours on end once you get the hang of it!

INDOOR DRINKING GAMES FOR ADULTS

indoor games for adults new years eve party drinking games Drinking games with cups

If you are playing some games indoors with a group of adults, why not play some drinking games to make the games even more fun? Whether you’re playing with just a couple of other people or an entire party, here are the best indoor drinking games for adults to play.

27. WHO AM I?

Who Am I? is one of our favorite guessing games that you’ve got to play if you’re not sure how to entertain everyone. All you need to play is a stack of Post-It notes and a pen or marker. To play, everyone writes down a person, dead or alive, real or fictional, on a Post-It note and sticks it on the person next to them. Once everyone has a person on their forehead, they must try to guess who it is by asking yes or no questions. Every time the answer is “no”, they must drink!

28. NEVER HAVE I EVER

A classic drinking game that never gets old is Never Have I Ever. If you’re not familiar with this simple game, everyone starts with 5 or 10 fingers up. Then, everyone simply takes turns saying something they’ve never done. If someone in the group HAS done it, they must clap, put a finger down, and drink. If no one has done the thing mentioned, the person who said that statement must take a drink. Continue until someone runs out of fingers.

Check out these Never Have I Ever questions if you’re not sure where to start.

29. MOST LIKELY

In Most Likely, everybody sits in a circle. Then, players ask questions that begin with: “ Who is most likely to…”

Here are some examples to get you started:

  • Who is most likely to get blackout?
  • Who is most likely to go to jail?
  • Who is most likely to hook up with a stranger?

When a question is posed, everyone counts to three and points at the person they think the statement best applies to. Drink as many times as you have fingers pointed at you.

30. KING’S CUP

Whether you call it King’s Cup or Ring of Fire, there’s no denying that this is one of the most popular cup drinking games of all time. Place a large cup in the middle of the table and create a ring of cards around it. Players then take turns drawing a card from the middle, making sure not to break the circle. Each card value is associated with a specific rule. And whoever breaks the circle must take a drink!

31. FUZZY DUCK

One of the funniest indoor drinking games for adults of all time is Fuzzy Duck. In this game, everyone sits in a circle. The first player starts the game by saying, “Fuzzy duck.” The second player must say the same. At any point, someone can change the direction of the game by saying, “Does he?” When the direction changes, however, this also changes the wording of the phrase to: “Ducky Fuzz.” Confusing, right? Be prepared for some laughs with this one. And whoever messes up must drink, of course!

32. THUNDERSTRUCK

If you love music and drinking, boy, have we got the perfect indoor drinking game for adults for you. Play “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC while everyone sits in a circle with a drink or two in hand. Players take turns drinking, switching to the next player every time the song says, “Thunder.” Some people might get caught drinking for a lot longer than you think!

33. ATTACHED AT THE HIP

For a fun drinking game you can play while up and about is Attached At the Hip. In this game, divide everyone into pairs, with each pair writing down a random body part. Then, put these written body parts into a bowl. Each pair picks up a slip. Whatever body part is written on the slip must be the part of their bodies that must be touching the entire time!

With the designated body parts touching, every pair must complete various tasks, many of which will be drinking tasks.

34. VROOM

Vroom is a game similar to Fuzzy Duck, but instead of saying a phrase, people will be pretending to drive. The first player in a circle starts by saying, “Vroom” and moving the imaginary wheel in a certain direction. The next player either does the same or says, “Screech,” and turns the wheel in the opposite direction. This game can get very confusing very fast! Whoever messes up takes a drink and starts a new round.

35. PARANOIA

Paranoia is a drinking game for adults that will incite, you guessed it, paranoia. The first player whispers a question about the group to the player on their left. And that player must point at the person they think the question best applies to. The person who is pointed at now can decide whether or not they want to know what the question was. If they want to know the question, they must drink. Then, the person who pointed at them must either respond or avoid answering by taking a shot! Take turns asking questions and pointing.

Examples of Paranoia questions include:

  • Who do you have a crush on?
  • Who do you think is best dressed?
  • Who do you think is the worst dressed?
  • Who do you think is most likely to go to jail?

36. DRINK WHILE YOU THINK

Drink While You Think is a fun and fast-paced drinking game anyone can play. In this game, players pick a category and take turns saying something in that category. However, be sure not to think too long, as you’ll be drinking while you’re thinking! Keep listing things until someone messes up by not being able to think of anything or repeating something that’s already been said. Said person should take a shot as punishment and start a new category and round.

37. BEER PONG

If you don’t mind getting your floors a bit sticky, a fun but classic drinking game for adults is Beer Pong. In this game, two teams of two play against each other, trying to sink the other team’s cups. The first team that manages to sink all 10 cups of the opposing team by throwing a ping pong ball into the cups wins. Remember: each time a cup is sunk, that team must drink the contents of that cup before removing the cup from play and continuing the game. This game is a classic for a reason!

38. FLIP CUP

Flip Cup is yet another one of those drinking games you can play indoors if you don’t mind getting your floors a bit dirty during the process. In this game, two teams face against each other, like a relay. The first player of each team must down their drink before flipping their cup by flipping the bottom of the cup so that it lands face down. When the flip is successful, the next player in the team can do the same. The first team to complete the relay wins!

39. A PLUS B

One of our favorite ice breaker drinking games, A Plus B is a fun and daring game. Everyone sits in a circle. The first player closes their eyes. The player on their right selects random player A, and the player on their left selects random player B. Then, the player with their eyes closed must decide:

  • What A must do to B
  • What B must do to A
  • What A and B must do together

Now, with that player’s eyes opened, watch as chaos unfolds, as they don’t know who the players will be!

40. ASSUMPTIONS

To play Assumptions, one of the best indoor drinking games for adults, everyone sits in a circle. The first player points at a random player in the circle and makes a random assumption about them, such as:

  • I assume you get blackout when you’re drunk.
  • I assume you’re the youngest sibling.
  • I assume you’re an influencer.
  • I assume you’re an introvert.

If the assumption is correct, the person who is pointed at must drink. But if the assumption is incorrect, the player who made the assumption must drink. Continue playing with everyone making an assumption about someone in the group. This is a great game to play to get to know everyone!

Mia Kim
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