Seven even more unique games for adults

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Written by dbelvoix01

No matter how old you may get, there is one thing that will always remain the same: playing games with family and friends is a great way to spend a social evening. There are classics like UNO and Cards Against Humanity which are great, but eventually, the same cards appear, the same rules apply, and the game can get a bit stale. Not to mention that not everyone has fun with drinking games, those can get pretty old too. No matter what day of the week you play, being able to drive home and function the next day is pretty important. There are so many distinctive games that I have played over the years, both new and old, that I can enjoy with various different audiences in various different environments. Here are seven even more unique and exciting games that can bring flair to your next gathering!

Mix Tape

  • Requirements
    • Large area to play/ Video chat service if you are playing digitally (i.e. Discord, Zoom, etc.)
    • Mix Tape card game
    • Device to play music (phone, tablet, etc.)
  • Optional, but useful
    • Large table
  • Summary: In this game, your taste in music speaks for itself. Each round has one player who pulls a scenario card (some are cute, some are sentimental, and some are flat out goofy) and each player has to find a song that matches or fits the scenario best. Players play clips of their songs are argue their case as to why they think their song fits best, and the group picks their favorite song (that isn’t their own) to award a point. You can also change the rules to include a “judge” each round vs leaving the vote to the group. This game is ages 12+, but depending on the song choices can cater to a more mature audience. You can play with any size group (3+ people) and experience the emotions, memories, and life experiences found with the power of music.
  • Buy it here!

Codenames

Throw Throw Burrito

  • Requirements
    • Big space to sit in a circle
    • Throw Throw Burrito game
  • Optional, but useful
    • Large table
  • Summary: From the creators of Exploding Kittens, Throw Throw Burrito is dodgeball meets burritos! Try to collect matching sets of cards faster than your opponents while simultaneously ducking, dodging, and throwing squishy airborne burritos. You earn points by collecting 3 of a kind of various cards, but getting hit by flying burritos makes you loses them. There are four different ways that burritos can be thrown and flung among the crowd: a burrito battle, a burrito brawl, a burrito war, and burrito duel. This is a game for those who love fast paced and action games, because you have think and act quickly! Even though the game is geared toward a child audience, things can get seriously extreme when adults get involved.
  • Buy it Here!

Henry Stickmin Series

  • Requirements
    • Computer
    • Steam account
    • Large area to play/ Video chat service if you are playing digitally (i.e. Discord, Zoom, etc.)
  • Optional, but useful
    • Couches/ chairs (for comfort)
  • Summary: The Henry Stickmin Collection is a collection of six choose-your-own-path games that contain endless one liners and classic video game references that are entertaining and nostalgic to all players. The plot is pretty complex to explain when you have to give an overview of the whole collection, but very easy to understand as you play. While this game is typically geared for a single player way of play, I have a group of friends who come together and we all make choices and create our own paths in the game together by group vote. Experiencing the references and results of the game in a group is a lot more fun than doing it solo if you ask me. This is a great game to play if you are looking for something entertaining, but also pretty low-key in effort and energy to play.
  • Buy it Here!

Jackbox Party Packs

  • Requirements
    • Computer & Steam account/ Xbox/ Nintendo Switch/ PS3/PS4
    • Copy of the game (physical or digital)
    • Location with accessible Wi-Fi
    • Smartphones
  • Optional, but useful
    • HDMI cord to plug the computer/laptop into a TV (vs everyone looking at a computer or laptop screen)
    • Video chat service that allows screen sharing, if you are playing digitally (i.e. Discord, Zoom, etc.)
  • Summary: These games are by far some of the most fun I have ever had with friends and family. They can be as clean or dirty as you want them to be, as many games require audience members to create their own answers/ prompts/ questions that are put to a vote. With the help of the Internet, everyone can play from their phones and have some serious fun. This may seem familiar since I brought up these games in my last two articles, but since posting them there are two more versions that have been released (and I think they are my favorites thus far)! There are multiple games in each pack that never leave you bored; every round of every game is always different. Games such as Trivia Murder Party 2, Joke Boat, Talking Points, Devils and the Details, and more will keep you and your party on their toes.
  • Buy it Here!

Among Us

  • Requirements
    • Computer/ Mobile device
    • Among Us game
    • Internet connection
    • Headset/ Headphones with a microphone (if your computer does not already have a microphone built in)
  • Summary: This game gained a lot of popularity during 2020 when everyone was under some kind of quarantine, and is a great way to be social with friends and have some fun while also staying in the comforts of your own home. In case you haven’t heard of it or played yourself, here is how it works: Play online or over local wifi with 4-10 players as you attempt to hold your spaceship together and return back to civilization. But as everyone completes tasks to win the game, there is an alien impostor or two aboard. While everyone is fixing up the ship, no one is allowed to speak until either a body is found or an emergency meeting is called. Once either of those happen, the surviving crew will openly debate who they think the Impostor is. The Impostor’s goal is to pretend that they are a member of the crew. If the Impostor is not voted off, everyone goes back to maintaining the ship until another body is found/ emergency meeting is called. If the Impostor/s are voted off and/ or all the tasks are completed, the crew wins! If there are the same amount of/ less crew members alive in the game than Imposters, the Imposters win!
  • Buy it Here!

Punishment UNO

  • Requirements
    • Deck of UNO cards
  • Optional, but useful
    • Method of displaying punishments:
      • sharpie to write in “tasks” on cards OR
  • Summary: It is the classic, fun game of UNO that everyone knows and loves… with a twist… Same rules of traditional UNO apply, as well as any house rules you choose to incorporate (0’s mean pass hands to the left, 7’s mean swap hands with another player, etc.), but each player runs the risk of altering their game play or having to perform a task. The “tasks” can either be written on the cards themselves, or you can mark a symbol on the cards to indicate that a wheel must be spun to choose the “task” and customize tasks each game by swapping out tasks each round. Tasks can be traditional (draw an obscene amount of cards), silly (play with only your knuckles for 3 rounds), or just plain weird (eat a foreign/ not popular snack). What is great about this is that you can customize the game to your liking by applying as many or as little “tasks” that you want throughout the deck on wilds, draw fours, draw twos, or even some random number cards. Plus, you can make the game as crazy or tame as you wish since you control the “tasks” at hand.
  • Buy it Here!

If you like these suggestions, check out my previous articles on fun games for adults to play: Seven unique games for adults and Seven more unique games for adults!

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