Top 5 Party Games

There are so many brilliant party games out there. Just search for “Party Games” here on WBG and you’ll find a treasure trove of fantastic titles we’ve reviewed over the years. But with so many options, how do you narrow it down to the right one for you?

To help, I have created a Top 5 list here. And rather than simply picking the “best” games overall, I’ve chosen ones that shine in different settings and with different groups. This isn’t a list of the five greatest party games ever made, it’s a list of the best games for specific occasions.

If any of these situations sound like your kind of preferred gathering, then there’s a very good chance these games will go down a storm at your next get-together.

So, let’s dive in. Here are my Top 5 Party Games. And one honourable mention at the end!

The One For Thinkers: Codenames

And the best to play if you a bit of silence!

Current BGG rank: 158

Published by: Czech Games Edition

Designed by: Vlaada Chvátil

WBG Rating: 8

Codenames is a simple idea that turns into a wonderfully thinky puzzle. You split into teams, lay out twenty five word cards, and let the spymasters give one word clues that link several cards at once. The magic is in that leap of logic. Every clue feels like a little risk, every guess feels like cracking a code, and the whole thing flows on lively table talk as everyone tries to piece together what the spymaster really meant. It is fast to teach, but the game instantly gives your brain something to chew on.

For more serious thinkers, Codenames is great because it rewards clever connections, group intuition, and those lovely moments where a clue makes sense to your team and you reveal multiple words at once. It feels satisfying when it lands and agonising when it doesn’t, in the best way. It’s not perfect for every crowd: if your group doesn’t enjoy silences whilst people think, or freezes under pressure, it can feel stressful, slow or a bit procedural. But with the right players, it stays sharp, funny, and endlessly replayable ten years on.

Check out our full review here

Or buy the game here

The One For Teams: Decrypto

And the best for playing with couples or good friends.

Current BGG rank: 115

Published by: Scorpion Masqué

Designed by: Thomas Dagenais-Lespérance

WBG Rating: 9

Decrypto shines when you play it in teams that know each other well. Couple versus couple is perfect because the game asks you to give clues that make sense to your partner without giving anything away to the other team. When you know how someone thinks, the clues suddenly flow and the table fills with those brilliant moments where everything just clicks. The guessing, the near misses, the quiet nods across the table as a clue lands are all part of what makes Decrypto feel so special.

The only real downside is that Decrypto needs the right group to come alive. You want at least four players, and six works even better, so it can be a little tricky to get it played as often as it deserves. It is specific about its ideal setting, but when you get that sweet spot of people around the table it absolutely sings. This is my personal favourite party game because when the stars align it becomes one of the best team guessing experiences ever made.

You can buy the game here

The One For Quick Thinkers: Sounds Fishy

And the best for trying with larger groups.

Current BGG rank: 3623

Published by: Big Potato Games

Designed by: Rob Piesse

WBG Rating: 8

Sounds Fishy works brilliantly in loud, high energy party groups because it rewards quick thinking and confident bluffing. Everyone throws out answers on the spot, and half the fun comes from watching people invent something believable at a moment’s notice. The format is simple, the pace is fast, and the questions are vague enough that no one feels out of their depth. If your group enjoys laughing over wild guesses, bold lies, and those surprising moments where a made up answer sounds more real than the truth, this game hits the sweet spot.

It does need a group that likes performing a little. People who freeze when put on the spot may struggle, but players who enjoy making things up and leaning into the chaos will have a brilliant time. When the energy is right, Sounds Fishy becomes a noisy, joyful guessing game packed with silly stories and clever bluffs. It is the kind of party experience that fills a room with laughter and turns a simple mechanic into a memorable night.

Check out our full review here

Or buy the game here

The One Big Laughs Just One

And the best to play with non-gamers.

Current BGG rank: 154

Published by: Repos Production

Designed by: Ludovic Roudy, Bruno Sautter

WBG Rating: 8

Just One is a cooperative word guessing game that shines when a table is full of chatty, quick thinking players. Everyone writes a single clue to help the active player guess a hidden word, but any matching clues cancel out, so the whole game becomes a fun balancing act between being helpful, not obvious and trying to be original.

The reveal moment is brilliant. Boards flip, someone groans, someone else shouts “what is that?” and half the table tries not to laugh as the guesser pieces together the strangest mix of clues imaginable. It is light, fast, and instantly understandable, which makes it ideal for game nights with mixed experience levels.

What really makes Just One work for louder party settings is the energy it creates around the table. People throw out ideas, second guess themselves, and cheer when a teammate lands a perfect guess from two obscure clues. It encourages quick thinking without ever feeling stressful, and the big reactions are a huge part of the fun. While it needs the right group to get the best experience, when everyone leans in, Just One becomes a wonderfully social, feel good game that keeps people laughing from one card to the next.

Check out our full review here

Or buy the game here

The One For Gamers: Night of The Ninja

And the best to play with fans of social deduction.

Current BGG rank: 2306

Published by: Brotherwise Games

Designed by: Justin Gary

WBG Rating: 9

Night of the Ninja takes social deduction and trims out all the faff. There is no app, no moderator, and no sitting silently while the game happens around you. Everyone drafts two action cards, reveals them in order, and tries to work out who is secretly on their side before blades start flying. Rounds take only a few minutes and the rules click almost instantly, so even big groups get up to speed fast. The card powers are clever, punchy, and full of great moments, from surprise counterstrike's to late-round abilities that feel risky to draft but amazing to pull off. It creates that perfect mix of tension and laughter that makes the whole table lean in.

What really makes it shine is how much fun it is when the room is lively. Players are talking, guessing, reacting, and trying to read each other with almost no downtime. The quick rounds keep everyone engaged and the drafting gives you just enough control to feel clever without slowing the game down. Even better, the papercut artwork gives every card a striking look that helps the game stand out on the table. If your group enjoys fast, social, back-and-forth games with big reveals and big laughs, Night of the Ninja delivers in style.

It always helps if your friends have played other games in this genre before. The whole experience feels smoother, faster, and a lot more fun when everyone already understands the basic rhythm of social deduction.

Check out our full review here

Or buy the game here

OK, I couldn't end there, lets do one honourable mention!

The One For Kids: 20 Second Showdown

And the best to play if you have "active" kids"!

Current BGG rank: 10,450

Published by: Big Potato Games

Designed by: Big Potato Games

WBG Rating: 9

This photo pretty much sums up the scene at my house one year just after Christmas. A stack of games everywhere, and 20 Second Showdown sitting in the middle looking completely worn out because we played it non-stop. It’s that kind of game.

You split into two teams, and one person reads the cards for both sides, flipping the timer as each team completes their task then immediately moving to the next team. That’s brilliant if someone wants to take part without being in the spotlight, because the rest of the players are about to go absolutely wild.

Each task is a race against the clock. Every one you complete burns precious seconds, so you want to knock them out as fast as humanly possible. If your time ever hits zero, the other team wins.

The tasks themselves are gloriously chaotic: quick maths, silly acting, charades-style guessing, running around collecting random objects, flipping cards and catching them mid-air. Honestly, it’s a full workout disguised as a party game.

You need the right group for it: people who don’t mind being loud, daft, and a little ridiculous. But when everyone leans in, 20 Second Showdown becomes an instant party starter. Kids especially love it. They throw themselves into the challenges with zero shame, and it’s a fantastic way to burn energy before bed. It's messy, frantic, and extremely fun, exactly what a post-Christmas game night should feel like.