Tired of yelling "TeeKO!" at your phone screen? Craving the social chaos of a party game without the app fatigue? Look no further! This list is your ticket to board game nights that are as side-splitting and competitive as your favorite Jackbox Party Pack.
From creative doodlefests to deception-filled tabletop showdowns, get ready to ditch the controllers and phones and unleash the laughter with these board game gems for your table.
Ready? Let's dive in!
Just One
Best Cooperative Guessing Game $17 at WalmartCoup
Best Sci-Fi Board Game $17 at WalmartCodenames
Best Social Deduction Game $20 at WalmartRansom Notes - The Ridiculous Word Magnet Party Game
Best Party Game See at AmazonCash 'N Guns (Second Edition)
Best Heist-Themed Board Game $35 at Walmart- See More
Blank Slate
Best for Groups of All Sizes $23 at Walmart
Board Games To Play If You Like Jackbox
Best Cooperative Guessing GameJust One
Laughter and Teamwork in a Box
$17 $20 Save $3 Player Count 3 - 7 Age Recommendation 8+ Length per Game 20+ minutesJust One is a party game where you and your friends work together to guess secret words. It's like a collaborative charades - each person gives a one-word clue, but if someone else wrote the same thing, it gets tossed! It's simple, funny, and keeps everyone guessing.
Pros & Cons- Simple rules and easy to learn, perfect for players of all ages
- Encourages creativity and teamwork as players work together to guess the word
- Compact and portable, making it a great game for taking to gatherings
- Replayability can be slightly affected once players become familiar with the word list
Just One is a unique cooperative word board game that people just can't help but love. Why? This game plays like charades where everyone works together to decipher a secret word. It comes with a deck of cards filled with various words, and in each round, one player becomes the "guesser" while everyone else acts as their clue-giver.
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PostsEach clue-giver can only write down one word on a small wipe-off board to help the guesser identify the secret word. If any two players write the same clue, both those clues get eliminated! This adds a layer of strategic thinking (and comedy) as players try to craft unique hints that spark recognition without being too obvious.
Best Sci-Fi Board GameCoup
A Bluffer's Paradise in a Dystopian World
Type of Game Card, strategy Age Recommendation 13+ Game Duration 15 mins What's Included Game cards, instructions Number of Players 2-6 playersCoup is a fast-paced bluffing game where you play as powerful families vying for control. Take turns claiming powerful roles like Duke or Assassin, but if someone doubts you, you'll need to prove it or lose influence.
Pros & Cons- Fast-paced and easy to learn, perfect for casual gamers
- Bluffing is the core mechanic, demanding quick thinking and deception
- Direct player interaction keeps things tense and exciting
- Portable and highly replayable
- Losing all your influence (lives) can feel like a quick knockout
Coup transports you to a cutthroat sci-fi tabletop world where influence is the key to survival. Players take on hidden roles, each with unique abilities. The Duke can extort taxes, the Captain can steal from the treasury, and the Assassin can, well, eliminate opponents.
You only have two cards representing these roles, and there are only 15 cards in the entire deck! This means bluffing is key. On your turn, you can claim an ability associated with a role (like stealing coins or assassinating another player) – even if you don't actually have that card.
But beware! Other players can challenge your bluff, forcing you to reveal your card. If you're caught lying, you lose influence (represented by hidden cards). The last player standing with any influence wins!
Best Social Deduction GameCodenames
Let Your Words Become Your Weapons
Age Recommendation 10+ Game Duration 15 minutes Number of Players 2 - 8Codenames is a party game where teammates work together based on one-word clues! A spymaster secretly links words to their agents on a grid. Their teammates race to guess the right words, avoiding the other team's agents and the dreaded assassin!
Pros & Cons- Every game offers a new set of words and challenges
- Offers a unique social deduction element that keeps everyone engaged
- Encourages creative thinking and collaboration with teammates
- Managing turns and keeping track of clues might require some additional coordination
This social deduction game is perfect for groups of four or more and will have you working together with your teammates in a hilarious battle of wits. Your party is split into two teams—rival spy agencies battling it out. Each team has a spymaster who knows the secret identities of undercover agents hidden amongst a grid of random words.
The teammates, however, are clueless (pun intended) – they can only identify their agents based on one-word clues from their spymaster. The beauty (and challenge) lies in crafting clever clues that link multiple words on the grid to your team's agents.
Your teammates then race to guess the correct words, avoiding those belonging to the opposing team and the dreaded assassin card (guessing that one loses the game!). It's a collaborative charade where you use word association as your secret weapon.
Best Party GameRansom Notes - The Ridiculous Word Magnet Party Game
Crafting Hilarious Mayhem with Magnetic Words
Ransom Notes is a party game where players respond to outrageous prompts (like "apologize for spilling wine on your boss") using a wacky pool of words. Get ready for sidesplitting laughter and endless entertainment.
Pros & Cons- Great conversation starter and icebreaker at parties
- Magnetic word system encourages creative thinking and silly results
- Hilarious prompts and word combinations guarantee endless laughter
- Some prompts and words can be inappropriate for younger audiences
Ransom Notes is a game that injects laughter, creativity, and a dash of absurdity into your next game night. Players grab a handful of magnetic words and a metal tray. A prompt card is flipped over, revealing a hysterical scenario.
The challenge?
You must use your limited word pool to create the funniest possible response on your tray.
Think ransom notes gone hilariously wrong! A timer is set, and after it goes off, everyone shares their creations. The judge (a rotating role) then picks the most chuckle-worthy masterpiece.
Be warned, though – some prompt cards and words can be a bit on the spicy side. If you're playing with a family-friendly group, a quick card sort beforehand might be necessary.
Best Heist-Themed Board GameCash 'N Guns (Second Edition)
Point, Bluff, and Blast Your Way to Loot!
$35 $40 Save $5Cash 'N Guns 2nd Edition is a hilarious party game where you pretend to be bickering gangsters! Players bluff and foam-blast their way to the biggest share of the loot. It's like poker with pistols (well, foam ones) – perfect for a fun and chaotic game night.
Pros & Cons- Relatively quick playtime keeps the energy high
- Lighthearted cartoon theme with foam guns keeps the game light and silly
- Hilarious bluffing and negotiation mechanics create a chaotic and fun atmosphere
- Can be less enjoyable with only a few players - the more the merrier for maximum chaos
Are you a fan of heist-themed movies? Think you can do a better job than Danny Ocean? Well, Cash 'N Guns presents the perfect opportunity for you to live out your dream heist! In this game, you and your fellow players are bickering gangsters fresh off a heist. Now, everyone wants the lion's share of the loot.
Players take turns as the "godfather," overseeing the loot division. The real challenge? Bluffing your way to the biggest cut. You'll point foam pistols at each other, secretly holding cards that say "bang" or "click." The goal is to scare your opponents into backing down and leaving more loot for you.
But be careful – getting "shot" three times eliminates you from the round! It's like a hilarious poker game with foam pistols instead of chips.
Best for Groups of All SizesBlank Slate
A Party Game Where You Read Minds
Player Count 3 - 8 Age Recommendation 8+ Length per Game 20 - 35 minutesBlank Slate is a party game where you write secret answers and score points for matching what others think. It's like a social guessing game that's perfect for groups of all sizes!
Pros & Cons- Highly replayable with 250 double-sided cards
- Plays well with any group size ? from small gatherings to larger parties
- Focuses on shared experiences and lighthearted fun, not intense competition
Blank Slate is a fun and easy game where players secretly write down words that they think best complete a phrase. You score points for matching what others write, but not for being totally unique.
Players see a word prompt like "blank town." Maybe everyone thinks of a famous city, or perhaps an inside joke pops into someone's head. The key is to write down a word you think others will choose too!
The game is all about the laughter and unexpected connections that arise as players share their thought processes. It's a game that celebrates shared experiences and creates lasting memories.
FAQs
Is Jackbox a board game?
No, Jackbox games are not traditional board games. They are digital party games played on a video console or computer. Players use their phones or tablets as controllers to interact with the game.
Is Jackbox Party Pack appropriate for all ages?
The appropriateness of Jackbox Party Packs depends on the specific game and the age of the players. Some games have more mature content (including adult humor, language, or innuendo) than others. It's always best to review the content rating and description of each game before playing with younger audiences.
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