The New Year is nearly here, and what better way is there to welcome 2018 than playing some of your favorite party games with friends and/or family? Here are five of our favorites in case you need some ideas:

Codenames

Codenames: Marvel Edition is a definite party hit.

A popular party game with multiple variations, Codenames will absolutely keep your guests entertained.

Two teams compete to see who can make contact with all of their agents first. Sounds easy, right? Perhaps.

It is up to the Spymasters to give a one-word, one-number clue that directs teammates to the proper agents. Each team takes turns guessing which word(s) or image(s) (dependent on which version you are playing) might correlate to the hint provided.

But beware! Choosing the wrong word can lead to innocent bystanders or spies from the other team getting involved, ending your turn, or even getting the attention of the assassin which results in the other side winning.

Codenames, 2-8 players, 30 minute playing time.

Happy Salmon

Can you do the Switcheroo?

Happy Salmon is super silly, super fun, and easy to play.

Players call out the action shown on their cards as fast as they can. When two players have a match, they celebrate by performing the action.

Actions include the classic High 5, Pound It, the frantic Switcheroo, and the entertaining and bizarre Happy Salmon. Each time a player celebrates a match, they quickly discard a card. The first person to get rid of all their cards wins.

This unique and rather interesting game makes the perfect party game for everybody to enjoy.

Happy Salmon, 2-6 players, 20 minute playing time.

Randomise

Will you become a ticklish turtle baking a cake, or a blushing robot scuba diving?

Randomise revolves around guessing random identities; it consists of 110 cards and plays with a minimum of four people in two teams.

The incredible thing about Randomise is that there is not a maximum amount of players meaning that this indeed is the ultimate party game.

Each turn, a player draws cards to get a random identity and must choose whether to draw, act or describe their identity to their teammates. They can also choose whether to take on an easy or hard identity. Of course, playing a hard identity will gain the player more points. With over a million identity combinations, Randomise is a game that is sure to provide hours of fun.

Randomise, 4-40 players, 30-60 minute playing time.

Fuji Flush

Fuji Flush is a fun, quick and perfect card game for occasional or non-gamers.

The deck consists of cards numbered from 2 all the way through to 20, with higher number cards being rare compared to the lower numbers.

Each player will start with six cards, and in clockwise order, players will play one card each. If the card that is played is higher than another card currently on the table, the lower card or cards are discarded, and the players who had played those lower cards must draw a new card.

However, if two or more players play the same number, the card values are added together. When it is a player’s turn and their card is still in front of them, they can discard it without redrawing.

How to win? Well, the first player to get rid of all of their cards wins.

Fuji Flush, 3- 8 players, 10-20 minute playing time.

Anomia

Can you handle the pressure of Anomia?

Want something high-energy and guaranteed to have your friends shouting and laughing out loud? Anomia might just be the game for you.

Anomia plays off the fact that our minds are positively brimming with all sorts of random information: things to eat, pop songs, websites, stuff that you will usually know, but you’ll find that your brain works a little differently under pressure.

To play, players will draw and reveal a card from the center pile. Does the symbol on your card match one on another player’s card? If so, you must quickly face-off with the other player by giving an example of the person, place, or thing on his card before he can do the same for yours. If you shout out a correct answer first, you win that player’s card, and the drawing continues.

It’s not as simple as it sounds though. There are wild cards that allow unlike symbols to match, increasing the number of things to which you must pay attention.

Amonia, 3-6 players, 30 minute playing time. 

Thank you for reading. Whatever games you choose, we hope you have a fun and safe New Year’s Eve.

Let us know in the comments what games you’re going to be playing.