Party games for adults

Last checked 7 November 2026

Quick answer: Skull and Coup are short bluffing games that suit a pub table. The Chameleon and Colourbrain work for a bigger flat party. Herd Mentality and Match Me If You Can are about thinking alike. That's Not a Hat and Exploding Kittens keep rounds short when people keep arriving.

Party games for adults means a different energy from a family birthday. Think office drinks, a pub corner, a flatwarming. You want short rounds, light rules and a bit of bluff or banter, without leaning on kids' party energy. These eight sit in that space. Check the age on each card (a few are 13+ or 14+). Our main party page covers mixed ages and families; this one is aimed at grown-up tables.

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Skull box: a pink box with a white skull decorated with flowers

1. Skull

Everyone has three flowers and one skull. Place discs face down, then bid on how many you can flip without finding a skull. Pure bluffing.

Players: 3 to 6 players
Age: 10+
Play time: about 30 minutes
Our teaching rating: Very easy to teach

Why it suits this: Hervé Marly's bluffing classic. Four discs each: three flowers and one skull. Place them face down, then bid on how many you can flip without hitting a skull. That's the whole game, which suits a table that's past its first drink. Space Cowboys lists it for 3 to 6 players, 10 and up, about 30 minutes, and it's very easy to teach.

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Details last checked 2 November 2026.

That's Not a Hat box: a bright pink box with a white traffic cone under the title

2. That's Not a Hat

A memory and bluffing card game about regifting. Pass a face-down gift on and say what it is. The next player accepts or calls you out, and a wrong call costs a penalty point. Lowest score wins.

Players: 3 to 8 players
Age: 8+
Play time: about 10 minutes
Our teaching rating: Very easy to teach

Why it suits this: A memory and bluffing card game about regifting. Pass a face-down gift on and say what it is. The next player accepts or calls you out, and a wrong call costs a point. Rounds take about 10 minutes, so late arrivals can jump in. Ravensburger lists it for 3 to 8 players, 8 and up, and it's very easy to teach.

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Details last checked 26 October 2026.

Exploding Kittens box: a red box with yellow title lettering and a small black cartoon cat

3. Exploding Kittens

Draw cards and hope it isn't an Exploding Kitten. Skip, attack, shuffle or defuse your way to being the last one standing.

Players: 2 to 5 players
Age: 7+
Play time: about 15 minutes
Our teaching rating: Very easy to teach

Why it suits this: Draw cards and hope it isn't an Exploding Kitten. Skip, attack, shuffle or defuse your way to being last standing. Chaotic, silly art, about 15 minutes a round. Exploding Kittens lists it for 2 to 5 players, 7 and up, and it's very easy to teach.

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Details last checked 19 October 2026.

Herd Mentality box in black-and-white cow print, with the pink cow token beside it

4. Herd Mentality

Everyone secretly writes an answer to a daft question. Match the most popular answer and you win a cow.

Players: 4 to 20 players
Age: 10+
Play time: about 20 minutes
Our teaching rating: Very easy to teach

Why it suits this: Someone reads a daft question, everyone writes an answer, and matching the most popular one wins you a cow. Nobody needs to be good at games, which is why it works at office parties. Big Potato Games lists it for 4 to 20 players, 10 and up, about 20 minutes, and it's very easy to teach.

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Details last checked 17 October 2026.

Colourbrain box: a white box with the Colourbrain title in rainbow letters

5. Colourbrain

A quiz where every answer is a colour, or a few. Teams lay down the colour cards they think fit the question and only score if they get every colour right. Works in teams for big groups.

Players: 2 to 20 players
Age: 12+
Play time: about 30 minutes
Our teaching rating: Very easy to teach

Why it suits this: A team colour quiz where every answer is a colour, or a few. Teams lay down the colour cards they think fit and only score if they get every colour right. You don't need trivia knowledge, just a feel for what colour things are. Big Potato Games lists it for 2 to 20 players, 12 and up, about 30 minutes, and it's very easy to teach.

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Details last checked 20 October 2026.

Match Me If You Can box: rows of cartoon toasters with googly eyes and a speech bubble title

6. Match Me If You Can

A daft party game about thinking alike. Everyone secretly answers an odd question, like the best soup according to a soup bowl, and you score by matching someone. Bet on the others when you don't.

Players: 3 to 8 players
Age: 8+
Play time: 20 to 30 minutes
Our teaching rating: Very easy to teach

Why it suits this: A daft party game about thinking alike. Everyone secretly answers an odd question and you score by matching someone else. You can also bet on the others when you don't. It keeps the table chatting without turning into a quiz. Ravensburger lists it for 3 to 8 players, 8 and up, 20 to 30 minutes, and it's very easy to teach.

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Details last checked 27 October 2026.

Coup box: a portrait of a stern woman in a red Renaissance gown with a high collar

7. Coup

Bluffing in a tiny box. You hold two face-down characters and can claim to be anyone to use their power. Get caught lying and you lose a card; lose both and you're out, so games are short.

Players: 2 to 6 players
Age: 13+
Play time: about 15 minutes
Our teaching rating: Easy to teach

Why it suits this: Bluffing in a tiny box. You hold two face-down characters and can claim to be anyone to use their power. Get caught lying and you lose a card; lose both and you're out, so games stay short. Indie Boards & Cards lists it for 2 to 6 players, 13 and up, about 15 minutes, and it's easy to teach.

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Details last checked 2 November 2026.

8. The Chameleon

Everyone but one player knows the secret word. Each of you says one word linked to it, then you vote on who's faking. Catch the Chameleon and they can still escape by guessing the word.

Players: 3 to 8 players
Age: 14+
Play time: about 15 minutes
Our teaching rating: Easy to teach

Why it suits this: Everyone but one player knows the secret word. Each of you says one word linked to it, then you vote on who's faking. Catch the Chameleon and they can still escape by guessing the word. Big Potato Games lists it for 3 to 8 players, 14 and up, about 15 minutes, and it's easy to teach.

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Details last checked 2 November 2026.

For mixed ages and families, see party board games. Want a deck with more decisions than banter? See card games for adults. A sit-down friends night with gateway games is on board games for a games night with friends. Seasonal gatherings: Christmas party games for families, board games for New Year’s Eve and dinner party board games. Bigger crowds sit on board games for large groups. Worn out Exploding Kittens? Try games like Exploding Kittens.

How we choose and check

We pick games for the situation, and ignore hobby rankings and hype. Player counts, ages and play times come from the publisher's own page or the box. If we can't confirm a detail there, we leave it off the card. The teaching rating is our own view from reading the rules, not a publisher figure. Nobody pays us to include a game. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. See how we make money.