Top 5 Competitive Board Games for Adults

We all know game nights are no joke, especially with a competitive group of friends or the family. These epic nights of wit and will bring everyone together and test our skills, whether you are trying to outsmart, outwit, or just out-talk your competitors.

Choosing the right grown up board games can make all the difference between an ordinary night at home or an intensely entertaining games night of friendly clashes.

Ready for laughs, rivalries, and possibly plenty of shouting (the fun kind)? Then we’ll explore our best board games for adults.

In no particular order…  

1. The Traitors  

Inspired by the hit TV show, The Traitors is a mix between deduction and deception. Players are divided into two top secret groups: the Faithful and the Traitors. The Traitors’ main objective is to ensure each Faithful is eliminated one by one, while the Faithful must figure out who is betraying the group before it is too late.  

This game is perfect if your friends and family love bluffing and strategy and can be given an even greater feeling of authenticity if brought with you on weekends away. It’s a chaotic game filled with alliances, betrayals, and a lot of hilarious finger-pointing that will really stretch your ability to bluff alongside test how well you know one another.

How to Play: 

• Each round will consist of a different task to add gold to the collective pot. The Traitors will have a mission that works in opposition to the main objective. Players can then win immunity in the armoury round which is typically a one-on-one task.  
• After your tasks are done, players discuss and vote to “banish” a player they suspect to be a Traitor.  
• The game ends when all Traitors have been exposed or the Traitors outnumber the Faithful.

2. Monopoly

If you have those members in your family or friends’ group who constantly shout out ‘rent!’ or ‘go to jail’ then Monopoly might just be the board game you need for a night in. This classic game is filled with a mix of buying know how, property tycoon management and dodging the tax man! 

Collect the classic Park Lane and Mayfair or maybe introduce some tweaks to the rules – property exchange anyone?

How to Play:  

• Choose your marker and make sure the banker is ready to set everyone up with their funds.
• Roll the dice to move around the board and purchase your properties or take a Community Chest or Chance card – will it be your Birthday so you can collect gifts from each player?
• Don’t forget to collect $200 every time you pass go and be careful you don’t end up in trouble with the police!
• This game can go on for some time so it can be good to set a timer limit or goal to reach to tally up how much money and property each player had – the highest amount wins.

3. Scrabble

Would you consider yourself a wordsmith? Well, Scrabble might be the game for you! Combining strategy, luck, and vocabulary skills all in one, it’s simple to play and incredibly satisfying to gain points for the words you can come up with.

This competitive game will have you trying to outsmart your opponents as you try to think of the most obscure or simple words and then place them tactically to maximise their scoring potential. Our advice? Keep a dictionary to hand in case someone tries to make up a word… we all do it.

How to Play:  

• Perfect for 2 to 4 players, take turns forming words on the board, each letter tile will hold a different value, the same for the tiles on the board.  
• Use high-value letters like Q and Z strategically for big scores.  
• The game ends when all the tiles are used and the player with the highest score wins. 

4. Easy Peasy Lemon Squeaky

Classic trivia with a citrusy twist, Easy Peasy Lemon Squeaky Party Game is ideal for fast paced fun in short bursts. With games typically lasting around 15-minutes it’s perfect for pick-up and play party settings.

The easy-to-understand rules make it a simple game to get involved with, even for first timers, and it caters to various skillsets so everyone can have a great time.

How to Play:

• For 4 or more players, race to grab the squeaky lemon at the centre of the game if you think you know the trivia question.
• Players win a lemon wedge by answering questions correctly, but they lose a lemon wedge if they get it wrong. At the same time, they must be squeezing the squeaky lemon to add an extra challenge. First to assemble a whole lemon slice wins.
• Trivia cards are interspersed with jeopardy and challenge cards to shake things up.
• Some cards are special hazards, designed to disrupt and trip up opponents, others are physical challenges so you always have to be ready for unexpected moments.

5. Risk

An iconic board game of world domination, conquer and colonise different parts of the globe by building armies, forming alliances and outsmarting your opponents. Strategy and luck both play a part in the success or failure of your conquest with mission cards adding an extra element to gameplay.

For 2 – 5 players, use critical thinking and diplomacy as you roll dice to move troops, pick up cards that effect your campaign, and indulge in secret missions to get extra benefits.

How to Play:

• Assemble armies in set territories and then branch out from there by rolling dice to move troops and collecting risk cards to help your campaign.
• Attack other players by rolling dice and removing a number of their troops with a higher roll than them.
• Build bonds to negotiate your way around the board or go all out in a show of force.
• Conquer whole continents for bonus troops and more power or head off an opponent before they become too strong.

Whether you enjoy racing against the clock, bluffing your opponents, or testing your logic, these games can keep any family or group of friends entertained for hours on end. Games night should be about more than just winning, it’s about all the memories in between, the laughing, bonding, and competitiveness! So be sure to pile up those snacks and get ready for the next epic adult board games night.  

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