Board game
Recommendations

When I first started playing this I could not get enough. I wanted to play it with everyone. You need a group of at least 5, though 6 or 7 is better, and everyone has to be willing to dive in. If people are only half invested it will go nowhere, because you don't play the game you play each other.

Essentially, a couple of players are lying about being on the same team as everyone else. The goal is to get away with it, or discover who is lying. It's fun, it's social, and it can get heated. Each game is quick, and it usually picks up and goes on a bit of a journey as people get bolder and pick up on how other people try and deceive.

A fun game about honesty and bluffing. 3 - 5 players, better at 4 or 5.

Everyone takes turns being the Sheriff who the other players are handing a bag of goods (cards) to. The contents of the goods is declared, "Three cheese!" say. However, the player could be lying and actually trying to smuggle contraband passed the Sheriff. The Sheriff can question the players and decides who to let pass, perhaps for a small fee. You win or lose based on how well you can lie and detect the lies of others.

The great thing about this game is that sitting round a table rolling the dice feels like being in a Western saloon. Best for 5 - 8 players.

Everyone has a character. Everyone has a role: Sheriff, deputy, outlaw, or renegade. Players take turns rolling the dice, which enables shooting other players, giving or taking lives, and trying to be the last team standing.

This is best played in a dark room with only a small light illuminating the playing space. 4 - 10 players. It can be quite addictive.

Characters are dealt to everyone: different village folk such as the Seer, Troublemaker, or Insomniac, and the Werewolves. In general, no one knows who anyone is except for the Werewolves. The whole game plays out via discussion. Players question each other about who they are. The werewolves have to lie. Eventually, everyone feels they have enough info to 'shoot' the Werewolves. The game can take 15 - 20 minutes and takes more shape as more games are played over the night.

A lot of people can play this. Best up to 20, but 30 can play. It's fairly quick, so it can easily be played multiple times.

Essentially, everyone is secretly given one of two teams. One of the blue team is 'President', one of the red team is the 'Bomb.'' Players are randomly split into two rooms. At the end of each of three short rounds both groups have to trade a player to the other room. At the end of the final round the blue team need to have their 'President' in the opposite room as the red team's 'Bomb'. The red team, needless to say, have the opposite objective.

What makes this fun for a lot of people are all the different objectives which mean some people are working to win by doing something other than the main objective.

Simple and pleasurable little game that plays best for 4.

All players have one of 8 characters in hand. On their turn, they draw a new card and have to play one of the two cards. Each card has a specific action. Whoever is left standing at the end of each round wins the round. First to so many rounds wins the game.

What I love about this game is how simple and interactive it is. Everyone gets quite invested and everyone has a decent chance of winning. It's mostly luck, but it's fun when someone's choice pays off.

If you want to go all in on trying board games this is a fantastic place to start. Like most games, the rules feel a lot more complex than they actually are. The cute characters and beautiful design help ease some of that pain. It is fun for 2 players, but it is best for 3 or 4.

Essentially, you play one of four different characters that are vying for territory in a woodland. Each of the characters have a different, somewhat political, strategy for gaining power. It may not sound that interesting, but it's an incredibly well constructed game. It's like Redwall meets Game of Thrones. Actually, the box says it's like Redwall meets Risk.

This is almost the opposite of Root. It's very much a board game only you are on a journey through Japan. You collect paintings, go shopping, meet people, go to temple, and eat food. The competition is in the limited availability of all the things you can do. I've never cared if I win though.

It can be played at 2 but gets better at 3 or 4.

Another game that I play for the enjoyment and not the win. Good for 2 - 4 players.

This game is kind of like Choose Your Own Adventure. You are building out your patch with buildings, people, and various items which all give you points. The Choose Your Own Adventure part is what makes it fun. You can go exploring where another player reads a little story passage, and you get to choose what to do. It's all quite wholesome.

Great little 2 player game that up to 4 can play.

The game is fairly simple. You collect gems which enable you to buy cards, which enable you to buy more gems that give you points. First to 15 wins. The randomness of what cards come out makes it unpredictable, so you never quite know if what you are collecting will pay off. Otherwise, it's a bit like shopping.