I am an avid board game player. Some of my favorite times are from hosting couples game night. Who doesn’t love a night of hanging out with family and friends playing board games while sipping on cocktails and eating good food? We have also been known to head to a local dive bar with game board in hand, ready to set up for an afternoon of drinks and strategic game plan.
Over the years, my game collection has expanded from a simple deck of cards to a wide variety of board games. Thus, I have created a list of my favorite board games for multiple occasions.
1. Settlers of Catan
Catan is one of my absolute favorite games. Catan is designed for four players, but with the expansion pack can be played with 5-6 people. Figuring out how to play Settlers of Catan can be a bit of information overload. Playing with someone who has played the game before or watching a Youtube tutorial is a great way to help navigate all of the rules. I promise you that once you and your friends get the rules down you will play this game on repeat for weeks to come.
When you get the original Settlers of Catan down, check out the different expansion games and variants that are available to spice up the original base game!
2. Otrio Game
Otrio is a game that is easy to understand and difficult to win, resulting in a fun board game that never gets old. Otrio is played with up to four people and is basically tic-tac-toe on steroids. This colorful game is a great coffee table topper, due to its wooden base and bright colors. We have had multiple guests ask about it and of course, we always end up playing!
3. Ticket To Ride
Ticket To Ride is one of the newer games in my game cupboard, but I have been playing it on my iPhone for a while now. My boyfriend and friends have actually refused to play it with me because I almost always win the app version against the computer. I have developed a pretty sound Ticket To Ride strategy so if you are looking for a challenge, hit me up!
4. Codenames
FAVORITE GAME ALERT! This game is not as strategic as some of the other games on this list but is currently my favorite game to play on couples game night. The game is super easy to understand and creates a fun atmosphere with the team dynamic. There are several other versions you can purchase once you have the original game down. Personally, I am excited to try Codenames Deep Undercover (adults only version) and Harry Potter Codenames!
5. Bananagrams
If you like Scrabble, you are going to love Bananagrams. Bananagrams is a fun game where you create your own scrabble board, trying to complete it before your friends. This is a fun game to play at family get-togethers because it is a new spin on a classic board game. Also, keep in mind that it can also prove to be quite difficult after a few adult beverages!
6. 7 Wonders Duel
The most recent addition to my list of favorite games, 7 Wonders Duel is a strategic game perfect for gamers that like to be challenged. This game is only made for 2 players, making it a perfect selection for a couples game date night. Like Catan, this game has a lot of rules so I recommend watching a Youtube tutorial. My boyfriend and I have really enjoyed adding this game into our repertoire of gameplay.
7. Telestrations After Dark
Telestrations is probably the most fun game to play with a large group of friends on game night. This game allows up to eight players and lots of laughs. Couples game nights can get a little heated, especially when you have a competitive group of friends. This is the perfect game to lighten the mood because there is no winner, just strictly fun! I would compare this game to the classic childhood game, telephone, but with pictures. The After Dark version is for adults only, but the original would be fun to play with people of all ages!
8. Exploding Kittens
My boyfriend and I discovered this game a few years ago at a brewery while on vacation in Colorado. We purchased the NSFW version which is the same as the original but just with funnier pictures as well as the Imploding Kittens expansion pack. The expansion pack has additional action cards that bring a fun element to the game. Whatever you do, don’t explode!
It looks like the creators of Exploding Kittens have created another expansion pack, Streaking Kittens!
9. Bears Vs. Babies
From the same creators of Exploding Kittens, Bears Vs. Babies is another perfect game for couples game night. Again, this game can be a little difficult to understand so check out a Youtube tutorial for an easy game explanation. Play with up to 5 people or purchase the expansion pack to make it more conducive to couples game night!
10. You’ve Got Crabs
One of the next games on my list to purchase is You’ve Got Crabs. From the creators of Exploding Kittens and Bears Vs. Babies, You’ve Got Crabs looks like another fun, interactive game to add to your game night line up! Make sure to check out the expansion pack, Imitation Crab, which appears to include two huge, rubber crab claws that one player must wear when they hold an advantageous card.