18 Board Games Every Group Of Friends Needs

"If you're not prepared to lose every friend you have over a board game, you're not playing hard enough!"

Tenor / Via tenor.com

1. Settlers of Catan (₹2,699)

Mayfair Games / Via amazon.in, Gifer / Via gifer.com

A personal favourite of my friends, Catan is a super fun and addictive board game where you build settlements and trade resources with other players. It requires collaboration, though it can get competitive!

Players: 3-4 players or, if you have more, you can split into 3-4 teams too. You need at least 3 teams. An extension pack is also available.

Age:10+

Time: 60-120 minutes

Price: ₹2,699

2. Cards Against Humanity (₹1,799)

Cards Against Humanity / Via amazon.in

Described as "a party game for horrible people," Cards Against Humanity is an adults-only, provocative, and hilarious game of fill-in-the-blanks.

Players: 3 to 20+

Age: 17+

Time: 30-90 minutes

Price: ₹1,799

3. Social Humour (₹1,100)

Social Humour / Via amazon.in

Often described as the Indian version of Cards Against Humanity, Social Humour is an extremely adults-only, borderline offensive, always hilarious game of fill-in-the-blanks for your politically incorrect friends.

Players: 3 to 20+

Age: 17+

Time: 30-90 minutes

Price: ₹1,100

4. Mafia (₹2,570)

Mafia / Via amazon.in

Mafia is a game of "lying, bluffing, and deceit" where players are secretly assigned the role of Mafia or Civilians, and do their best to eliminate the other team. The Deluxe edition features 47 unique roles on 84 role cards.

Players: 7+

Age: 13+

Time: 15-30 minutes

Price: ₹2,570

5. Carrom (₹3,998)

Monex Carrom / Via amazon.in

This quintessentially Indian cue sport game will bring back many happy memories, and is a must-have for your home!

Players: 2-4

Age: 5+

Time: 15-60 minutes

Price: ₹3,998

6. Cluedo (₹447)

Funskool Cluedo / Via amazon.in

A classic whodunit murder mystery game where the players try to discover which of them is the murderer.

Players: 3-6

Age: 8+

Time: 15-60 minutes

Price: ₹447

7. Taboo (₹1,313)

Hasbro Taboo / Via amazon.in

Taboo is a fun game that challenges you to guess words and phrases.

Players: 2+

Age: 13+

Time: 5-15 minutes

Price: ₹1,313

8. Monopoly (₹506)

Frinkiac / Via frinkiac.com

This wheeling and dealing, property-trading board game will be a favourite with all your friends and family.

Players: 2-8

Age: 8+

Time: 60–240 minutes

Price: ₹506

9. Uno (₹129)

Mattel / Via amazon.in, Dorkly / Via dorkly.com

Uno is a simple, shedding-type card game where the goal is to get rid of all your cards before the other players. It's also a popular game to take with you while travelling.

Players: 2-10

Age: 7+

Time: 10 minutes

Price: ₹129

10. Codenames (₹1,595)

Czech Games Codenames / Via amazon.in

In Codenames, players are split into two rival spy teams, along with one assassin and one double agent. You only know the codenames of people on your team and have to figure out which spies belong on your team.

Players: 2-8+

Age: 14+

Time: 15 minutes

Price: ₹1,595

11. Tsuro: The Game of The Path (₹2,936)

Calliope Games / Via amazon.in

Tsuro is an Asian-themed tile-laying game with constantly changing paths. The goal is to stay on the board to win.

Players: 2-8

Age: 8+

Time: 15-20 minutes

Price: ₹2,936

12. Playing Cards (₹568)

Bicycle Playing Cards / Via amazon.in

A set of classic playing cards can be used to play a variety of games and is a must-have in your collection!

Price: ₹568

13. Jenga (₹530)

Funskool / Via amazon.in, Giphy / Via giphy.com

Jenga is a laid-back yet nail-biting stacking game where the goal is to stack the blocks into a tower without letting it fall.

Players: 1 or more

Age: 6+

Time: 5-15 minutes

Price: ₹530

14. Escape Room In A Box (₹3,479)

Mattel Escape Room In A Box / Via amazon.in

Escape Room In A Box is an immersive cooperation game where everyone in the game is after the same goal: to escape. This is done by solving mental and physical puzzles within a time frame, before a mad scientist turns you into werewolves. To enhance gameplay, players can also connect to Amazon Alexa.

Players: 2+

Age: 13+

Time: 60 minutes

Price: ₹3,479

15. Carcassonne (₹3,489)

Z-Man Games Carcassonne / Via amazon.in

In Carcassonne, players build the area surrounding a medieval city one tile at a time. This edition includes two expansions: the river and the abbot.

Players: 2-5

Age: 8+

Time: 45 minutes

Price: ₹3,489

16. The Resistance: Avalon (₹1,750)

Indie Boards and Cards Avalon / Via amazon.in

The Resistance: Avalon pits the forces of good and evil against each other in a battle to control the future of civilisation.

Players: 5-10

Age: 13+

Time: 30 minutes

Price: ₹1,750

17. Joking Hazard (₹1,400)

Joking Hazard / Via amazon.in

From the makers of the hit webcomic Cyanide & Happiness, Joking Hazard is a "not-for-kids" game where players compete to build funny and terrible comics about "friendship, violence, sex, and everything in between."

Players: 3-10

Age: 17+

Time: 30-90 minutes

Price: ₹1,400

18. Scrabble (₹575)

Mattel Scrabble / Via amazon.in

A game for literary friends and word lovers, where you use letter tiles to form words, flex your vocabulary, and score points.

Players: 2-4

Age: 8+

Time: 50 minutes

Price: ₹575

BONUS: Snakes and Ladders (₹169) and Ludo (₹399)

Funskool Snakes and Ladders / Via amazon.in, Mind Challenge Ludo / Via amazon.in

I know what you're thinking- "Snakes and Ladders? Ludo? Really?!" Both of these globally popular games originated in India (Snakes and Ladders is an ancient Indian board game known as Moksha Patam and Ludo is derived from Pachisi, a medieval game) so chances are you played them hundreds of times as a child. But the low strategy and familiarity are exactly what make them such good timepass to play as an adult. Plus, if you have young nieces and nephews, it's a perfect game to keep on hand!

Players: 2-4

Age: 4+

Time: 15-45 minutes for Snakes and Ladders, Under 90 minutes for Ludo.

Price: Snakes and Ladders, ₹169 and Ludo, ₹399. You can also get this combo pack with both games from ₹164.