Family Games Night (for Grown Ups)

If there is one thing I love, it is Games Night. Particularly throughout 2020 and 2021 having regular game nights was something I eagerly looked forward to, even if the only other players were my partner and our cats! Even now Game Nights are still a big part of my social calendar, and something I really enjoy. As they only live around the corner, family game night with my partner’s family is a regular occurrence. However, one issue we frequently come across is finding games that aren’t too childish, but also aren’t completely risqué.. there’s only so much I need to know about my partner’s family.

Without further ado here are 5 games I think are perfect for family game night (with a grown up family).

Smart Ass Board Game

This was one of the first games we got for family games night that actually became a staple of our games nights going forward. I think it was something about the fast-paced nature of the game, and the fact you could shout out the answer as soon as you knew it, rather than waiting for your go. I found that actually being too competitive was sometimes a bad thing in this game. If you’re too quick to shout out the answer, you may get it wrong, and then you’ve forfeited your ability to move a step closer to the finish line! This game will continue to be a staple for our family games night because it has the right mix of fast-paced energy, but with some strategy and planning involved!

Stupid Deaths Board Game

I was desperate to try this game out, so when I brought it to a family games night, I was really hopeful for it to be a hit. Essentially Stupid Deaths is a game of True or False, but some of the truths are so unbelievable you will definitely be second guessing yourself! There is also another element of this game, you are being chased by death around the board, and it is ready to pick off players one by one until there’s no one left. The added suspense of death following players definitely adds a new dimension to this true or false game!

Sort it Out Board Game

I will always be an avid supporter of Sort it Out because it is, quite simply, a fantastic game. Whilst it is a trivia based game, it isn’t your average one. You are given a question card which asks you to sort 5 ‘things’ into a specified order – i.e. longest to shortest, or oldest to youngest. Based on how many answers you get in the right place, the more points you get, and the closer to winning you are! As I often like to ‘trust my gut’ with trivia (not a recommended strategy by any means) this game works perfectly to tap into my desire to use my instinct, because it is really unlikely I would know for certain exactly what order these 5 items go into! Sort it Out is of course a staple of family games night, and to be honest, every games night.

Anti-Monopoly Board Game

Everyone’s played Monopoly, maybe even over-played it... Originally created as a response to Monopoly, Anti-Monopoly aims to show there’s other ways to run business without monopolising an industry. At the start of the game players choose whether to play by monopolist or competitor rules and are restricted as such. Monopolists cannot start building until they own two or more streets but the competitors can start building as soon as they own a building. Whilst there is more to gain as a Monopolist, there is often also a lot more to lose. As this game turns such a familiar family classic on its head it is easy to see why we love it so much!

Coming Soon! Party Game Night Games Compendium

I have yet to play this game but have been lucky enough to get my hands on a sample and I can already tell it is going to be a hit for my games nights. With 4 different games that can be played separately or together there is always so much fun to be had! This game includes ‘Draw’, ‘Act’, ‘Bluff’, and ‘Guess’. Draw involves taking 3 cards – a where, a what, and a who. Then you have to try and draw what is on the cards for others to guess. This one is definitely going to be my favourite! Act is like charades, where your team have to guess what movie, show, book etc you are acting out. Bluff is a game of invention, you are given a word but your competitors have to guess if the description you give them is real or complete fiction! Last, but not least, Guess is a game all about celebrities – can you guess who is being described first?

I think the range of games covered in this one compendium means there is a game everyone will love. I also really like the fact you don’t have to play all of them, so if your games night is running short on time, or there’s one game you particularly love you have the freedom to make games night your own! I cannot wait to bring this one home for our next family game night!