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Amazon Reviewers Agree: These Are The Best Card Games To Have On-Deck For Game Night

by Rachel Cavanaugh
Shutterstock/Prostock-studio

Whether it's a Friday game night with friends or a rainy day with the family, breaking out a deck of cards is a great way to liven things up. The best fun card games usually have a few things in common, so aim for the following qualities when you start shopping around:

  1. Easy to learn: Playing games is fun. Staring at directions until you have a headache is not. Look for games with simple instructions that don't take too long to explain to your group.
  2. Age appropriate: Think about who will be playing. If your group includes kids, you'll want to make sure the subject matter is appropriate for young ears. If you're playing with friends, on the other hand, feel free to be as NSFW as you like.
  3. Numbers appropriate: If you're playing with a big group, you don't want a game that's intended for two to four players. Conversely, if you only have a few people, you don't want a game that's designed for a big crowd. This may seem obvious, but you'd be amazed at how many people don't consider this when buying card games.
  4. Caters to your interests: There's a huge range of topics out there — word games, logic, strategy, sci-fi, role-playing, memory games, and more. Find one that fits your personality.

To help you find the perfect choice, I've made a list of the best fun card games below. Scroll through to discover the best option to add to your game collection.

1The Best Overall

Ages: 7 and up

Number of players: 2 to 5

What's great about it: With an impressive 12,000-plus reviews, Exploding Kittens is one of the most popular card games on Amazon. It's ridiculous enough to shake things up at parties but wholesome enough to play with kids, too (well, as wholesome as the notion of exploding cats can be). The idea is that you draw cards while trying to stop your kittens from blowing up. The cards feature silly illustrations from the artist behind The Oatmeal, and it's super easy to learn. Just make sure you select the regular version because there's a NSFW option on the page, too.

What fans say: "This game was so much fun! It's not rude, but it is funny. There is sarcastic humor, but not the crude kind even though the name would suggest something else. We played it with my 8 year old nephew and it was easy to learn ... The cards also have the instructions on them, so getting the basics down was the only essential."

2The Best Adults-Only Game

Ages: 17 and up

Number of players: 3 to 10

What's great about it: If you want the opposite of wholesome, this entirely NSFW adult card game is just that. It's chock-full of completely ridiculous questions that will reveal what your friends really think of you (whether you want to know or not!). Questions range from "Most likely to join a cult?" to "Least likely to be a target for identity theft?" All players will vote for the friend who they think most fits the prompt (often leading to outrageous stories and lots of laughs). It can be played with or without grown-up beverages — either way hilarity will ensue.

What fans say: "I LOVE THIS GAME! Just when you think you know your friends, you realize you don't. I bought this game because I played it at a friend's house. I jumped right in and realized what all my friends thought of me and it was HILARIOUS. Half the fun is playing the game and the other half are the stories that come about from playing the game. I was laughing the entire time."

3The Best For Families With Kids

Ages: 8 and up

Number of players: 2 or more

What's great about it: This game may not be the right choice for a party with friends, but for game night with the kids, it's one of the most fun family card games out there. It's loud and fast-paced but not in a raunchy way — the topics of the cards, as the name implies, are all things like pickles, penguins, seashells, and other PG objects. The goal is to connect your cards to the photos quickly and before anyone else can. You have to use critical thinking skills, which makes it not just great for kids but fun for parents, too.

What fans say: "This game is a lot of fun and it's dramatically different from the typical board games that I grew up on. I'm a big fan of a lot of the word based games out there but this is one of my favorites. It gets people laughing and saying the weirdest things."

4The Best For Two People

Ages: 5 and up

Number of players: 2

What's great about it: If you're looking for fun card games to play with two people, Scrimish is a great option. The simple card game requires almost no time to learn — it's essentially just taking turns drawing cards. However, it involves a lot of strategy and critical thinking. The goal is to find the other person's "Crowd Card" and destroy it. When you do, you win. It's fun, challenging, and fast-paced (in fact, each game only takes about 10 minutes). It's also versatile because you can play multiple rounds or add more decks to play longer or with more people.

What fans say: "This is such a fun, great game perfect for card loving families and couples. It's not difficult to learn, but it's still engaging! I was really impressed with their customer service. They are committed to this great product."

5The Best For Couples

Ages: Not specified

Number of players: 2

What's great about it: When it comes to spicing up date night, this card game for couples is an exciting way to have fun while getting to know each other better (even if you've been partners for years). The game comes with three different decks full of questions and prompts: "Talk," "Flirt," and "Dare." What makes this game different than others of its kind is that it's not 100 percent sex-related; many of the cards are designed to spark genuine conversation. As a bonus, it can be played as three separate games, so you can leave out the "Dare" deck to make it a game that's suitable for friends.

What fans say: "My wife and I had a kid-free weekend away. It was a two hour drive to our destination and this game was a GREAT traveling companion. The "FLIRT" and "TALK" cards really spark some great conversation and discussions. The "DARE" are not easy to pull off in the car, however, if you save them for once you arrive at your destination ... I'll leave that open to your interpretation."

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