Christmas is about spending quality time with friends and family. In between eating all the Christmas dinner we can and relaxing in front of classic Christmas films, the after-dinner board game is fast becoming a modern tradition. There is a huge selection of fun party games out there but, to save you time during this busy season, we have listed some great options to help you choose!
Anomia is all about memory recall under pressure! On your turn, flip a card, each card has a symbol and if this matches any other card in play with the same symbol, you then go head to head with the owner of that card. Each card will have a category, for example “zoo animals”, you will then need to give an answer for the other owners card before they can for yours! The pressure is on, can you think of an example before they do!? Special cards are also in play which can mix up the base rule, meaning sometimes you need to be watching out for other symbol combination. The game lends itself to some very funny answers under pressure!
A bluffing game where misdirection and fibbing is highly encouraged and necessary to win Cockroach Poker! Keep your poker face and pass off your cards to other player, until they have four of a kind and lose the game! On your turn, select one card and slide it over to another player. You will decide to either tell them the truth or lie based on what it is. The other player will need to decide if you statement is either true or false. If they are correct, you will have to take that card however, if they are wrong they will need to take it. The theming of this game is perfect with creepy crawlies ranging from stink bugs to scorpions! It takes the element of bluffing in Poker and elegantly streamlines it to a great and funny experience.
Become a Codebreaker in Decrypto! Split up into teams and correctly interpret the code words provided by your teammate. However, the opposing team will have the opportunity to intercept your code words and win the game for themselves! It has the ability to make you feel like an actual codebreaker, battling it out against another shady organisation. It makes you feel smart and highly encourages teamplay. This is a great one for groups with mixed experience players.
Happy Salmon is high energy chaos! Be the first to get rid of all your cards by performing actions with other players with the same card as you. These actions include fish bump, high five, switcheroo and of course the “happy salmon”! Make sure to be loud and quick as its all about making yourself heard and getting those actions done! From personal experience it is highly recommended to clear all furniture before playing….
The world championships for hula hooping are here and all sorts of unexpected animals are competing to show that they have what it takes to be the best! In Hula -Hoo! you play a card ranging from 1 to 13, and deciding to go higher or lower. The next person will need to play a card that meets the requirements or play a “wild card” however, there is a limited number of these cards. You can see some of the cards that your opponent has access to but not all of them, meaning you will need to be clever at deciding which cards to pick and whether you think your opponent can meet the requirements! The theme is fun and games are super quick, allowing your group to play a few round to determine the overall winner!
Sushi Go is a classic party game, with a number of different variants, and its not hard to see why! Thematic and cute the game is about set collecting, however, you have to pass your cards to another player once you have selected one, meaning its hard to know what you are going to get next! Being adaptive is key but also remember what could come back round, is an advantage. Do you hold out for another Sashimi for that sweet multiplier or stack up on some puddings for some end of game scoring? Constantly replayable, you can’t go wrong with Sushi Go!
Another wonderfully frantic, fast paced, card game is Ligretto. A deck of cards is split between players and the person to discard the most cards by quickly adding them to communal piles is declared the winner. These piles are built up in the centre of the table whilst everyone plays at the same time, causing chaos! Eyes, speed, and hand coordination are all equally important and the one who performs best on the day with all three will undoubtedly win the game. Ligretto is all inclusive and so addictive!
