13 Best Family Board Games for Friendly Competition

Get your game face on… It’s time to guess who! Play detective with this classic guessing game where players ask yes or no questions to uncover each other’s secret identity. It’s easy to learn, quick to play, and full of laughs—not to mention the nostalgia factor for parents who played as kids.

Welcome to the world of Catan! Dive into this cult-favorite strategy game where you have to trade, build, and settle your way across the island of Catan. It’s a great pick for families because it gets everyone talking, strategizing, and collaborating as they compete to become the island’s top settler.

Think you’re the smartest one in the house? Put your knowledge to the test with this live quiz show-style game featuring over 10,000 pop culture questions on everything from Harry Potter to Friends to Game of Thrones. With a clever app that lets up to six devices join from anywhere, it’s the ultimate pick for family trivia night.

We know Jonathan and Zooey love escape rooms, but this game puts a whole new twist on it! The whole premise guarantees your family won’t zone out on their smart devices on game night, because their phones will be under lock and key. Together, players solve riddles to reveal the code and get the phones out of jail. It’s a suspense-filled adventure that turns screen time into team time in the best way possible.

Your next trip just got way more fun with this classic. Match colors and numbers, play wild cards, and race to be the first to shout “UNO!” before your hand runs out. Whether you’re shopping for someone else or replacing your tattered, years-old deck, this travel-friendly edition is the perfect find. It’s fast, fun, and easy to pack for family getaways thanks to its durable travel tin.

Is your family group chat constantly being flooded with hilarious memes? Now you can share the laughter IRL with this fun family game that asks players to pair clever captions with eye-catching photos. It’s a quick, lighthearted game that highlights everyone’s sense of humor (and finally settles the debate over who’s the funniest).

Strategy meets excitement meets math in this game that will have the whole family putting on their thinking caps. Players will roll the dice, add up the totals, and flip down the numbered tiles to “shut the box” before running out of moves. It’s easy to learn—and even more fun to master.

Why pick just one game when you can take home nine? Players can switch between classics like chess, backgammon, Mancala, and dominoes—all in one beautifully crafted wooden box. It’s a timeless set that’s sure to keep the family entertained for years to come.

Just because you’re from different generations doesn’t mean you can’t hang! Family members can go head-to-head in this hilarious trivia game that tests who really knows more about the other. With over 200 questions covering pop culture, history, and slang, it’s a fun, fast-paced way to bridge the age gap—and maybe settle a few family debates once and for all.

Famously invented by a 7-year-old, this fast-moving card game is packed with kid- and parent-approved fun. Players build wild taco and burrito combinations while sabotaging their opponents’ plates to earn points. Sure, you can buy it on its own, but trust us, once you get your game on, you’ll want the expansion pack, too.

Family bonding disguised as competition? We’re in! Players will answer fun questions and complete silly challenges to see how well they really know each other. It’s a great bonding game that’s equal parts competition and connection.

This creative guessing game all comes down to one question: What am I? Players wear a mystery card on their headband and ask yes-or-no questions to figure out their identity. Amusement ensues as players shout clues to help each other guess the person, place, or thing displayed on their headbands. It’s fast, silly, and full of laugh-out-loud moments.

Classics are classics for a reason, and Jenga has been entertaining families, friends, and brewery-goers for decades. The game is simple: Take turns stacking and removing wooden blocks without toppling the tower. It’s simple, suspenseful, and always ends with laughter (and a crash!).