a gathering of creatures, three enchanted paths
Choose a court of creatures. Claim spaces, strengthen neighbours and win the highest total across three paths. Two consecutive passes end the match.
2 players
a harbour of words, two crews, one kraken
Your Lookout gives a one-word clue and a number; your crew finds your words on the board before the other crew does. Never wake the kraken.
4–12 players · 2 teams
four secret words, three-digit codes, two teams listening in
Each round your Encoder hints at a secret code with three clues about your team’s four keywords. Crack your own code; from round 2, crack theirs. Two intercepts win, two slips lose.
4–12 players · 2 teams
nobody knows the answer, so bet on who’s closest
Everyone secretly guesses a number; the guesses are laid out in order on the betting mat; then bet your two markers (and any chips) on the guess closest to the answer without going over. Long shots pay up to 6 to 1. Most chips after 7 questions wins.
2–10 players
draw something odd, then bluff the caption
Every player draws their own secret prompt each round. Everyone else writes a convincing caption, then guesses the real one. Spot the truth and fool your friends to score.
3–10 players
a strange fact and a room full of convincing lies
Write a believable answer to a real trivia question. Find the truth among the bluffs: 1,000 points for a correct guess and 500 for each friend fooled.
3–10 players
two answers, one prompt, your friends decide
Write two funny answers each round. Each goes head to head with another player’s answer. Everyone else votes for a favourite; win votes and sweep a matchup for bonus points.
3–10 players
a royal court of fibs and fairy tales
Two secret courtiers each. Claim to be anyone at court to tax, pilfer, swap or banish, and call out anyone you think is fibbing. Lose both courtiers and you leave the palace; the last one standing rules the kingdom.
2–6 players
seven tiles, one board, every word counts
Build words crossword-style from your rack of seven tiles. Premium squares double and triple; use all seven at once for 50 more. Highest score when the tiles run out wins.
2–4 players
a lantern-festival fireworks show, built together
Hold your cards backwards: only your friends can see them. Trade hints to light every colour’s fireworks from 1 to 5, in order, before the fuses burn out.
2–5 players
the classic trick-taking card game, partners across the table
Follow suit if you can; the highest trump, else the highest card of the suit led, takes the trick. Each trick over six scores a point for your side; first to 5 wins a game, two games take the rubber. German Whist for two, or Bid Whist: bid for the contract and name trumps. Short a player or two? Add bots.
2–4 players · 2 teams
bid your tricks, make them, mind your bags
Partners across the table each bid how many tricks they’ll take; spades are always trumps. Make your side’s bid for 10 a trick, miss it and lose that much. Nil: bet you take none. First side to 500 wins. Short a player? Add bots.
4 players · 2 teams
dodge every heart, and never get caught with the queen
Pass three cards, then play thirteen tricks. Every heart you take is a point and the queen of spades is thirteen; lowest score wins when someone reaches 100. Take them all and you shoot the moon. Four players; bots fill empty seats.
4 players
two secret cards, five shared cards, one good read
No-limit Texas Hold’em for 2–8 players. Make the best five-card hand, or win when everyone else folds. Play with virtual chips for this table only. Short a player? Add bots.
2–8 players
fifteen two, fifteen four… the old pub game on a peg board
Two to the crib, cut the starter, then play to 31 scoring fifteens, pairs and runs as you go. Count your hand, the dealer counts the crib; first round the board to 121 wins. Two players, or three. Short a player? Add a bot.
2–3 players
the royal game, against a friend or the computer
Checkmate the other king: attack it so it has no way out. Play a friend, or add a bot (five strengths, Pawn to Queen) with hints and take-backs to learn from. Up to three a side can play together: whoever moves first moves for the side.
2–6 players · 2 teams
American checkers, the classic: jump, jump again, get crowned
Move your men diagonally forward; jump to capture, and keep jumping while you can. Reach the far row to be crowned a king. Take every piece, or leave them no move, to win. Alone? Add a bot.
2 players · 2 teams
also known as Othello-style: flank, flip, take the corners
Place a disc so it traps a line of the other colour between it and one of yours; the trapped discs flip to you. No move? You pass. When neither can move, most discs wins. Alone? Add a bot.
2 players · 2 teams
the oldest race on the board, with a doubling cube
Roll two dice and race your fifteen checkers round the board and off it. Hit lone checkers to send them back, build walls to block, and double the stakes when you’re winning. Matches to 1, 3, 5 or 7 points, or money games. Alone? Add a bot.
2 players
two keeps, forty hidden pieces, one banner to capture
Arrange your pieces in secret, then take turns moving one. When two meet, both are shown and the higher rank wins. Capture the other keep’s Banner, and mind the Traps. Short a player? Add a bot.
2 players · 2 teams
two hidden fleets, one grid of sea each, cannons at dawn
Hide your five ships on your grid, then take turns calling shots at theirs: hit, miss, or “you sank my Cruiser!”. Sink the whole fleet first. Two players, or two crews sharing a fleet.
2–8 players · 2 teams
five dice, three rolls, thirteen boxes to fill
Roll five dice up to three times a turn, keeping any you like, then fill one box on your scorecard: a full house, a straight, a High Five… Thirteen rounds; the biggest total wins. Play alone for a high score, or with bots.
1–6 players