The Best Card Games For Adults
In the last two decades, there has been a resurgence of games of all types and varieties, with tabletop game cafes popping up in cities left and right. And many of these have been marketed specifically towards adults seeking more competitive content in their games. Card games specifically stand out these days for their portable, multiplayer designs, and we honestly can't get enough of them. So grab a few friends and some drinks and settle in for an evening of raunchy fun.
What to Look For
We take our game nights seriously, so we searched the market for the best card games for adults with some high standards. We looked for card games that were entertaining for groups, easy to learn, well-designed, well-made, and reasonably priced. That’s why Cards Against Humanity won our top spot, thanks to its fast setup and cleverly designed card set. But if you want something a little more challenging, we recommend checking out Incohearent. It’s a game that demands some brainwork. We love all these games, so read on for our in-depth reviews.
Cards Against Humanity
Crude classics
We really don’t think this game needs an introduction, but if you’re one of the few adults out there who hasn’t heard of it, we’ll give you a brief intro anyway. The game’s premise is that one player selects a prompting black card that begins a sentence, and everyone else has to select which white caption cards will best complete the sentence. The trick is to go for the funniest, most offensive pairing you can come up with. You can also discover shared inside jokes that only the judging player will understand. A guaranteed rowdy time, Cards Against Humanity is a household staple for good reason. Embrace your inner jerk.
Pros:
- Easy to learn
- 600 cards in total
- Virtually unlimited player capacity
- It comes with a booklet of alternate rules for more gameplay
Cons:
- The crude language and references are not for everyone
- Expansion packs are recommended for replay fun
Incohearent
Wordplay at its funniest
This clever game makes you and all your friends look pretty silly in front of one another as you attempt to decipher gibberish phrases. For example, “knit flick sand shill” is “Netflix and chill.” Whoever guesses the correct phrase first gets the card, and voila, it’s that simple. Phrases can be from one of three categories: party, pop culture, and kinky (so yeah, it’s recommended for ages 17 and up). And best of all, this easy-to-learn word game can have unlimited players, so you truly have no limit on how many of your friends and colleagues you can invite over for an evening of debauchery.
Pros:
- Great cost value
- Appropriate for ages 17 and up
- Comes with 500 cards, sand timer, and instructions
- You only need two participants to play, though there’s no upper player limit
Cons:
- The replay value is quite low since you can start to memorize the phrases over time
What Do You Meme?
For the pop culture connoisseurs
These days, it seems like memes communicate more about the current state of the world than news reports do. Intuitively capturing the zeitgeist moment through humor or self-reference, memes have become an ultimate form of expression. They’re also pretty darn entertaining. Thankfully, if you’re a self-proclaimed meme queen or king, you can show off your skills with your friends and family in What Do You Meme?. Pair the perfect caption with any of the 75 classic meme images and see if your meme can beat the rest. Whether you’re a weathered OC pro or someone who doesn’t even know how to pronounce the word, we expect there will be laughter around the dinner table when you whip this little picture game out.
Pros:
- Comes with 435 cards and bonus rules
- You can add your own pictures to the meme cards
- Includes a mini easel so everyone can see the card
- Compatible with different group sizes, as 3 to 20 people can play
Cons:
- Only includes 75 meme cards, so add-on packs are necessary for longer gameplay
Bad People
Spill the beans
If you’re not playing to win, then why are you really playing? This particular adult card game takes that twist one step further, as its name may imply. Imagine you come over to your buddy’s house for a few drinks and a chill game night, and suddenly you find out that everyone thinks that you’re the person of the group who will have the fewest people in attendance at your funeral. If you can handle the brutally personal questions and the brutally honest answers from your loved ones, this game is for you. I mean, we all kind of want to know what others think of us, right? Let’s just hope for your sake that you’re not friends with too many Bad People.
Pros:
- Up to 10 people can play, ages 17 and up
- Fun prompts and adult-themed questions
- With 290 cards in total, it stays fresh for a long time
Cons:
- Some of the prompts essentially ask the same questions but are worded differently
Exploding Kittens Card Game – NSFW Edition
Always a winner
If the name hasn’t already gotten you, then we think the card art surely will. With gruesome illustrations (especially in this particular NSFW edition) by the creators of the comic site, The Oatmeal, this card game is definitely not for the light of heart. With an ample mix of luck and strategy and a healthy amount of stepping on other players’ toes, Exploding Kittens is like an amped-up, cat-oriented variation on Russian roulette; draw an exploding kitten, and you’re out. But fret not, because between ‘defusing’ said felines and passing along the danger to others, you just may make out it alive. Put your thinking caps on, start thinking about which alliances to make, and steer clear of those deadly kittens.
Pros:
- Great cost value
- Quick gameplay
- Interesting card art
- Two to five people can play, so it’s perfect for small parties
Cons:
- Short-lived novelty (not a lot of card variation or expansions)
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I want to play some of these games with my family, including slightly younger teenagers?
We understand that going full in on a game that is meant for only those players 17 years of age and up is an investment, especially if you have people of varying age ranges around you (this also includes easily offended elderly relatives). If one of these games does get pulled out during an extended family dinner, we tend to quickly take them into the kitchen and just pull out some of the more raunchy cards, such as those with foul language or explicit sexual situations. Thus, considerate gameplay is easy, just with a bit of selective pruning beforehand.
A lot of these games seem to have expansion packs. Should I order one immediately when I order the main pack?
This is a great question and depends more on your budget and also if you’ve played the game before. If you’re diving into a new adult card game, we recommend just buying the main pack first and seeing if you like it off the bat. If you do, then don’t hesitate to order an add-on pack that same night. Or better yet – hint at how much you love it to your dear friends and hope that one of them brings more of the same fun next time.
About the Author
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With the constantly shifting landscape in the world of technology, GameRevolution seeks to provide gamers and tech-enthusiasts with the information they need to select the right products for their needs. Since 1996, our experts have used their knowledge on all the latest gadgets – everything from headphones to standing desks – to help millions of people navigate specs and answer common questions.