5 Fun Games for Family Game Night

Few things are as much fun for a family as huddling around a board game or a card game to share some laughs, make some memories, and maybe coax out each other’s competitive side. One of the best things about games, too, is how economical they are. Whereas a night at the movies can cost your family the same fifty some-odd dollars every time, a game can be used night after night after fun-filled night. We took a look at a handful of popular games for families and why they might be a great addition to your shelf.

Sushi Go!
You don’t have to enjoy eating raw fish to appreciate the cute artwork on the cards in Sushi Go! In Sushi Go! players try to put together a hand of sushi cards that score the most points. Some cards require two of a kind to be worth anything, others three of a kind, and yet others increase in value the more you have. Pay close attention to what your neighbors are going for and try to block them while trying to build the best plate of sushi for yourself!

Dixit
Those who have played Apples to Apples will catch on to Dixit very quickly. It works similarly, but there are pictures on the cards instead of words. At the start of each turn, one player comes up with a clue connected to the illustration on a card put into play. Other players then try to find the card in their hand to play that is most likely to be connected to the clue that’s been given. You want to give clues that are clear enough that some people guess the card correctly, but vague enough that some guesses are wrong. Clues can be stories, songs, or even sound effects. In our opinion, sound effects are always the most fun.

Pandemic
Pandemic is what’s known as a cooperative game. That is, instead of competing against each other, players work together toward a common goal. The objective in Pandemic is to rid the world of deadly diseases and find cures for the diseases along the way. While the geography in Pandemic may not be exactly perfect, it does get players familiar with the general location of a handful of highly populated cities around the world. The best part is there is no one winner or loser. Everyone either wins together or loses together, so when it comes to family bonding time, Pandemic is hard to beat.

No Thanks!
No Thanks! is one of the easiest games in terms of number of rules to learn. On your turn you have two options: you can either take the card and the number of points that come with it or place a token on the card to avoid picking it up. Like golf, the lowest score wins, so it’s good to avoid taking cards worth a lot of points. However, you’re limited by the number of tokens you have. The box recommends players 13 years and older, but we’re sure younger kids can quickly catch on and play along. The better grasp of math and probability you have though, the better you’re likely to do.

Red7
In Red7, the rules are constantly changing based on which rule-changing card has been played most recently. Players are eliminated one by one as they must play cards from their hands to either win the current game or change the game to one they can win with the cards in front of them. Red7 is one of the trickier family games around and may not work well with kids under 10, but for puzzle-loving families looking for a brain-teasing challenge, it will easily become a hit.