15 Best Board Games and Card Games to Give as Gifts

Games can make awesome gifts because they're a good excuse for people to get together and have some fun. There's such a wide variety of games out there that there's something for everyone.

Some people might like fast-paced games while others prefer lengthy strategy games. Some might prefer games where the players can be creative while other people might enjoy games with clear-cut rules. Everyone has their own preferences for board and card games, which is why they're great for people of all ages and interests.

So, do you know someone who loves to have a game night? Below is a variety of games that make great gifts, so choose one that fits the person's preferences.

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1. Cat Chaos

This game's cat puns can pique most people's curiosity, but it's more than just a silly gag gift. It's a fast-paced card game that all ages can enjoy. Everyone plays at once instead of taking turns, so it quickly gets chaotic, as the name implies. The more you play it, the more competitive you'll get.

2. Ticket to Ride

Ticket to Ride is a strategy game that's perfect for a small group of people. While the rules may seem complex at first, it's easy to get the hang of it. After playing it once, most people are eager to play it over and over again to redeem themselves.

3. Sushi Go!

This card game features adorable sushi images, making it exciting right off the bat. It may take a few plays to master the point system and strategy of it, but it quickly becomes a go-to choice for game night.

4. Hitster

Hister is the perfect game for music lovers. It involves playing a song and then guessing where that song falls on a timeline of other songs. The more songs you add to your timeline, the harder the game gets.

5. Trial By Trolley

Trial By Trolley is a hilarious game for people who like to think creatively instead of following strict rules. In this game, players need to place people or things on railroad tracks, some of which are things most people would never run over while others are "bad" people and things. Then, your team has to argue why the other team's track should be run over instead of yours.

6. Mind the Gap

This trivia game is perfect for family game night because it has questions for people of all generations. The board is divided up into four generations (Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X, and Boomer) and you have to progress through each generation answering questions. It's the most fun if you play on teams with someone from a different generation than you.

7. Dutch Blitz

Dutch Blitz is a chaotic card game where players are placing cards down at the same time. It could also be described as a fast-paced solitaire with several people playing at once. At the end of each round, you could have negative points if you weren't fast enough, making it extremely competitive.

8. Secret Hitler

Secret Hitler's name might sound intimidating, but it's a fun game for large groups of people. One person is assigned the role of Hitler every round while the other players need to figure out who Hitler is as quickly as possible. During this game, you can't trust even your closest friends anymore.

9. Outsmarted

Outsmarted is a unique trivia game because the trivia questions are frequently updated. While playing it, you might get questions about things that happened only days ago. It's a board game that links to your devices, and you can choose the main trivia categories to ensure there are topics for everyone.

10. Block Party

Block Party is like Pictionary, but instead of drawing, you form shapes with colorful blocks. The concept seems easy enough, but you can add challenges, such as "use the most number of blocks" or "use the least colors," to make things interesting.

11. Red Flags

Red Flags is another great game for people who like to get creative. During this game, each person is creating a person to go on a date with using "green flags." But someone else can add a "red flag" to the person to make them less desirable. Then, players need to argue why their person would be better to date than the others.

12. Poetry for Neanderthals

This game is sure to get lots of laughs from those playing and anyone observing. You need to describe things using only single-syllable words. If you mess up, the other team gets to whack you with an inflatable stick. It's a lot harder than it seems.

13. Happy Salmon

If you have space to stand up and move around, Happy Salmon can be a great game for all ages. All at once, players are trying to find someone that has the same action card as them (such as "high five"). When they find someone, they complete that action and move on to the next card. The game keeps going until everyone is out of cards. It's a simple yet addicting game.

14. Codenames

Codenames is fun, but it requires more thought and strategy than many of the other games on this list. You need to get your teammates to guess which words on the board are yours by only giving a one-word clue at a time.

15. Moose Master

Moose Master is the perfect game for a group of silly friends. The rules are always changing, but they keep getting crazier and crazier. For example, some rule cards could be as simple as "don't point at anyone" while others could make you do something silly every time you play a card.

There's no shortage of board games and card games out there, so there's something for everyone to enjoy. If you know someone who loves games, consider getting them one of these fun games as a gift. It'll be a good excuse for you to hang out more often so you can play the game.