The 20 Best Adult Party Games That'll Make Any Game Night

Swirling wine around in a glass and talking about the stock market is fun and all, but when I find myself in the midst of a stuffy get-together, I can’t help but wish that someone had brought along one of the best adult party games. Since there are hundreds of options on the market right now, there really isn't any excuse to party without one — but some games are definitely better than others, so it pays to do your research in order to find ones that are both easy to learn and have tons of replay value.

If you, like me, prefer a more lively hangout, these hilarious adult party games can get things rolling. You'll want to choose one that will subtly help people to loosen up, talk to each other, laugh with each other, and break down the barriers that make them feel awkward. In order to zero in on the best one for you and your party, consider the crowd and genre. You’ll find a range here from a NSFW drawing game to a goofy word game even kids can play, with plenty of twists on card games, trivia games, and charades in between.

They’re also guaranteed to make you the MVP of someone else’s party when you bring them along, because who doesn’t appreciate a little ice breaking? For hours of laughter, bonding, and fun, here’s a list of some of the best adult party games, both appropriate and inappropriate (but, let’s be real, mostly inappropriate).

1. A Game For People Who Like Trivia: Smart Ass

Is trivia night at your local bar the highlight of your week? Bring the fun home with Smart Ass, a game for all those out there who think fast on their feet and are quick with an answer. Each who, what, or where question features ten clues that the card reader says aloud – until Miss Smartypants over there shouts out the answer the second she knows it. Sort of like Jeopardy without the manners, this game will have everyone racing to answer the question first, and hey, it's basically educational, so play as often as you like. It's fast-paced, easy to follow, and can be played with individuals or teams.

One reviewer wrote: "My family loves trivia games — really any type of competition — and this game is one of the funnest we have ever played.”

2. The Writer Favorite: Puns Of Anarchy

Puns of Anarchy is my new go-to game for any event (dinner parties, family reunions, small hangouts), but especially for adult parties. Much like Cards Against Humanity, there’s a category card and a judge — but unlike most other card games, these cards are actually mini whiteboards. Add letters, cross things out, throw some words in there, or change them however you see fit in order to fit the category and appeal to the judge. The objective is to create the funniest or most accurate pun at the table, and using the included dry-erase markers, up to six people can play at once.

One reviewer wrote: “I found this game over a Facebook ad and wanted it immediately. I played it for the first time two nights ago and my friends had a blast! I hope they come out with expansion packs because this game is addicting. We played at least 40 rounds in one sitting.”

3. A "Better Version" Of Cards Against Humanity: That's What She Said

According to reviewers, That's What She Said is a fresher, dare they say "better" version of Cards Against Humanity. It's also a great choice for parties with larger groups, because it's fast-paced, designed for four or more, can be adjusted to suit your time frame, and even has expansions to keep things fresh and increase the number of players. Essentially, this game has 400 phrase cards and 58 setup cards. The judge throws down a setup, and everyone plays their best phrase. The winner is entirely dependent on the judge's sense of humor — but since the judge changes every round, it pays to know what each of your friends find funny. Every single card has a hilarious, mostly sexual theme, and reviewers call it an "absolute must-have" for inappropriate friend groups.

One reviewer wrote: “What a fun game, a better version of Cards Against Humanity for sure and that was agreed from all the 8 people were playing yesterday. I will never look to my boss as before”

4. A Drawing Game For Adults: Draw What?!

If you’re a fan of R-rated games, and have the general mentality of “the cruder, the better,” this one’s for you. The board game features 375 twisted words and phrases, which you then have to draw on the white board. If your teammates can guess what you’re drawing, you can all move ahead along the colored squares — but be sure not to land on the wrong space! If you’ve got a group of friends that’s perfectly okay with swearing and raunchy drawings (a bachelorette party, perhaps?) this game will definitely go over well.

One reviewer wrote: “This game is one of our favorites. It's raunchy and hysterical. We've had to use urban dictionary to find out what some of them even mean. Totally hysterical. If you like NSFW themed games... this is the MOTHERLOAD!”

5. An Adult Update On High School Superlatives: Drunk Stoned Or Stupid

"There are no winners in this game...only losers," according to the Drunk Stoned or Stupid product description. In each round, one player will act as the judge, and the others will start by drawing a card. Your job is to decide which player is most likely to do the action on the card — things like "never make it past pregame" or "watch Planet Earth for five hours" are all game. Argue your point to the judge using the accused's past, stories, or their personality against them. Whoever gets seven cards first loses. This is one you'll be playing into the wee hours of morning with your closest pals time and time again.

One reviewer wrote: "Drunk, Stoned, or Stupid is not just a game to bring to a party. It is the life of the party! Each card is perfect for someone in the group, and you get to hear your friends tell hilarious stories as they battle to be the one not to keep the card. But the best part about playing this game is the personal element that it adds to game night, which is unlike any other game I have played. Everyone is engaged as they think about the different people sitting around them and, better yet, creatively defend themselves from racking up too many cards that might strike a little too close to home."

6. The Raunchier Version Of Scattergories: Nasty Things

This one’s a little like Scattergories, except the themes aren't so PG. Nasty Things comes with 250 hilarious prompts, like “things a proctologist names his finger,” and, “things zombies do when they’re not eating people.” Then everyone takes turns writing down their responses, and points are doled out when someone can correctly guess who wrote what. Some reviewers prefer it to other card games, as it requires quick-thinking and wit, and it can be toned down or up based on who’s sitting around the table. It comes with cards, a notepad, and pencils, and because this game has a great sense of flow and simple-to-understand instructions, it’s an awesome jump-right-in game for just about any type of party.

One reviewer wrote: “We spent hours playing this game over the summer with more people than the game suggests. I think we had 15 people playing it at one point during the family reunion. It was a great hit with everyone. I plan on giving it as a gift to fellow game lovers.”

7. The Adult Version Of The Cult Favorite: Exploding Kittens

Like the box says, the NSFW-edition of Exploding Kittens is a game for "people who are into kittens and explosions [...] and sometimes butts," which might possibly describe a good percentage of people. Think of this as a fast-paced, kitten-fueled version of Russian Roulette: You take turns drawing cards with the hopes of avoiding the Exploding Kitten cards. When someone invariably draws one, they're dead — exploding kittens are dangerous, after all — unless they have a Defuse card to distract the kitty from blowing up (think: laser pointers, catnip, and belly rubs). Looking for something a little less risqué? Check out the suitable-for-work and kids version, which is one of the most backed Kickstarter projects of all time. Impressive, right?

One reviewer wrote: "Exploding Kittens NSFW version is really fun to have in your game arsenal. It doesn't take long to learn and its quite enjoyable. My and my friend play this at least once a week when we get together for game night. I like the graphics that are on the cards."

8. The Game For Very Online People: What Do You Meme?

If memes crack you up, you'll seriously love this game. It comes with Photo Cards from popular memes as well as Caption Cards. Each player gets seven Caption Cards and everyone competes to make the funniest combination. Players take turns being the judge, and the person who creates the highest number of winning combinations wins the game. While this game is loads of fun, it isn't recommended to play around children.

One reviewer wrote: "We literally couldn’t stop playing and didn’t end up quitting until we had exhausted every single meme in the stack, 2.5 hours later. There were many times the judge couldn’t finish reading a card because we couldn’t breathe from laughing so hard! Definitely recommend."

9. A Game Where You Build A Comic: Joking Hazard

The only true hazard you're going to run up against with this game is how long you'll want to keep playing it. In Joking Hazard, you compete along with the rest of your party to finish truly awful comics and see who can one up the other.

Each box comes with 360 cards. It's similar to Apples to Apples and Cards Against Humanity, except you're building out a story instead of a phrase. Unlike other card games, the rules for this are pretty flexible, and for a reason. With this game, you have total creative control with how the story progresses. Since each comic is designed to work as a small story, you're really able to control the flow of the game as you go.

One reviewer wrote: "The cards are so well written and balanced, that nearly any combination results in beyond colorfully off beat hilarity.” Another raved, "A game night headliner [...] I picked this up because I followed the comic and the animated internet cartoon for years now. I don't think I had laughed as hard during a board game before."

10. A Goofy Game The Whole Family Can Play: Speak Out

This is basically like Win, Lose, or Draw, but with your mouth. Grab a group of friends, pop in a mouthpiece, and try to say silly phrases to your teammates (e.g., "slow down, you careless clown!"). If they can understand you – through both the mouthpiece and your incessant laughter – your team earns a point. This is good, goofy fun you can have with everyone, from your friends for a wine-fueled game night or with your family. Yes, you'll look ridiculous, but that's the point!

One reviewer wrote: "Love this game.... Used it on game night New Years Eve & we had a blast:) We couldn't stop laughing!! If you leave the mouth piece in too long it does start to hurt your lips & while your talking a lot of drool leaks out so make sure you have a wash cloth or small towel in your hand!”

11. A Competitive Game With 14,000+ 5-Star Reviews: Unstable Unicorns

One of the most-backed Kickstarter projects of all time, Unstable Unicorns is a fun card game that'll pit you against your friends. How it works: Up to eight people play specific cards with the goal of getting seven unicorns in their stable (the area in front of you). Each player will also have a few cards they can use to hinder their competition, cards like a magic cards to enhance your own chances of winning, and upgrade and downgrade cards to increase your defenses against your friends, or halt their progress.

One reviewer wrote: "The cards themselves are hilarious and you never know what is coming your way. I love the unpredictability during game play so it doesn't get boring, even after several rounds of play."

12. The Best For A Pregame: Sotally Tober

For those who love the drinking game Kings, Sotally Tober is a similar but more streamlined version that’ll still get you and your guests adequately drunk. Each card color belongs to a different category: Orange cards are actions you have to perform, green cards give you special abilities, blue cards curse the cardholder, yellow cards are hidden tricks, and red cards affect everyone in the game. Everyone takes turns drawing one and doing what it says, so gameplay is quick and easy to follow right off the bat.

One reviewer wrote: “I played this with my friends this past weekend and loved it. None of us could stop laughing and while we had initially intended for it to be a pregame activity before the bar, nobody wanted to stop playing and next thing we know, it was too late to actually go to the bar anyways.”

13. A Card Game With Dodgeball-Like Elements: Throw Throw Burrito

Keep guests on their feet (literally) with this game from the same people who created Exploding Kittens: Throw Throw Burrito combines card-play with a dodgeball-like element, since it comes with squishy burritos that you actually get to hurl at your friends. Rack up points when you collect three of the same type of card, but when someone plays a battle card, you get to steal points from people by hitting them with a burrito. This game was a finalist in 2020’s Toy Of The Year Awards, and it currently has more than 22,000 reviews and a 4.7-star overall rating.

One reviewer wrote: “We tried this game for the first time at a work party, with eight adults spanning four decades in age. Needless to say the ensuing play was hilariously funny and after playing six rounds of the game we were coming up with crazy ideas as to how we could turn it into an all day office game or even take it outside and play across larger distances.”

14. Jenga, But For Drinking: Buzzed Blocks

Yeah, the overall objective is to pull blocks out and place them on top without upsetting the stack — but Buzzed Blocks has so much more to offer than traditional Jenga. That’s because each block has some kind of dare or alcohol-related instruction that keeps everyone drinking. It also comes with 14 blank blocks so you can write your own instructions, and you can opt for black, green, or natural-wood blocks.

One reviewer wrote: “Bought this game and played it at a family BBQ! We had so much fun even the younger kids played with water/juice of course! The laughter it created is worth the money!”

15. An Updated Version Of Charades: It’s In The Bag!

It’s In The Bag is a newer, quicker-paced take on charades, because the cards are written out for you and there are clear-cut directions for each round: For the first round, you describe the card. For the second, you define it using only one word, and for the third, you physically act it out. It’s suitable for four or more players at once, and since the topics are inherently clean, you can play it with any age group. The game also comes with a sand timer, and over 2,000 reviewers have given it a 4.6-star rating.

One reviewer wrote: “We had a blast with this game over the Fourth of July weekend! Six adults played this game and we all laughed and really enjoyed it! Fun game for parties!”

16. The Adult Version Of Telephone: Telestrations After Dark

Telestrations is hands down one of the funniest games I’ve ever played because the final result always strays so far from the initial topic — and according to reviewers, the After Dark version is even better. Each player starts out with a phrase and has to draw it to the best of their ability on their whiteboard notebook; when the notebooks are all passed to the next person, that player needs to interpret the phrase using just the drawing. It goes from drawing to phrase and back again until it reaches the original person, and then you read them all out loud and showcase everyone’s artwork. Like Telephone, the end result is never anywhere close, so hilarity ensues.

One reviewer wrote: “This game is awesome and hilarious. It has provided hours of fun at parties I've gone to and people always ask why this isn't as well known as Cards Against Humanity, which would be a comparable game.”

17. A Game Of Words & Gibberish: Incohearent

In Incohearent, a rotating judge flips the timer and holds one of the cards up; on their side, they see the answer, but everyone else at the table sees gibberish, phonetic words that, when said a certain way, mimic a well-known phrase or name. (For example: “Mocks suck curb berk” translates to “Mark Zuckerberg.”) Whoever gets it first gets to keep the card, and that’s how you keep score. This one is simple, fast-paced, funny, and a must-have, according to reviewers. It also has plenty of NSFW themes for people who appreciate games that are rougher around the edges.

One reviewer wrote: “Whether you are with your family or with your friends, Incohearent has to be on the table if you want a good laugh. This game is going to be the next fad as it is hilarious and also gets your mind going.”

18. A Texting-Based Update On Apples To Apples: New Phone, Who Dis?

Since New Phone, Who Dis? is a rotating judge-based card game, the instructions are similar to Cards Against Humanity and Apples To Apples. That said, since both category cards and player cards are laid out like a text message conversation, it’s a hilarious, updated take on the standard go-to party games. The category card serves as the initial text, and all the players need to respond using a return text from their hand. Then the judge chooses a winner. Combined, the deck comes with over 500 cards, and most of them feature mature content for NSFW fun.

One reviewer wrote: “In a huge group, especially with a couple drinks involved it was perfect, relatable, and easy to join in during any part. It was a hit at a friend gathering.”

19. The NSFW Version Of A Classic: Catch Phrase Uncensored

Especially if there’s drinking involved, a big party isn’t always the best place to break out the complicated games with ample rules and tons of pieces. That’s where Catchphrase Uncensored comes in. Like the original, it comes with just one piece: An electronic handheld game that provides the categories and automatically keeps track of time and points. This version, however, features adult words and phrases to keep things extra interesting. Just grab it, explain the catchphrase using any other words, and award a point to the team who guesses it before the timer runs out. Then pass it to the next person.

One reviewer wrote: “Our favorite game! We love Catchphrase and have the original version but the adult version brings it to a whole new level of fun. It’s portable and easy to throw in my bag to bring to parties.”

20. A Word Game That’s So Easy To Learn: Off Topic

Roll the dice to decide on a letter of the alphabet. Then everyone has to think of unique answers that fit the prompts on the player cards and start with the assigned letter, all before the timer runs out. Easy as that. You don’t get points unless the answers are accepted and unique, though — so be prepared to debate, explain, and get the creative juices flowing. According to reviewers, Off Topic is a lot like Scattergories and will leave you laughing “until you’re in tears,” assuming everyone at the table has a good sense of humor.

One reviewer wrote: “Make sure to bring your quick wit and lots of laughter will ensue. Off topic is easy to learn, and your group will be having fun in no time. Perfect game to add to game night rotation!”