The goal of party games is to have a good time. Social interaction is emphasized over strategy and tactics; and the success of a game is measured more by how much you laugh than how well you do. These games should have you in stitches.
1. Time's Up!
R&R Games
Players compete over three rounds of increasing difficulty to identify the same set of celebrities. It's not as easy as it sounds, but it is hilarious. Time's Up won a Mensa Best Mind Games Award in 2000, but it doesn't require a lot of brain power -- just a willingness to look a little silly and have a good time.
2. Apples to Apples
Image courtesy of Out of the Box Publishing
Unusual matches of adjectives and nouns make this game wonderfully fun, as long as you don't take yourself too seriously. It was named Games magazine's Party Game of the Year for 2000. A Junior version is also available. Who knew that two decks of cards -- nouns and adjectives -- could be this much fun?
3. Balderdash / Beyond Balderdash
Image courtesy of Mattel
Making up definitions for unusual words is the basis for this game. Expanding on the original Balderdash, categories in the Beyond Balderdash edition include words, people, initials, dates, and movie plots. Best bluffer wins. If you can't find a copy of Beyond Balderdash, the original is still a fantastic game.
4. Barbarossa
Image courtesy of Mayfair Games
Using clay to create a sculpture which other players can identify is challenging enough. The fact that you don't want them to get it right too quickly or too slowly adds another layer of challenge.
