A successful game night starts with the right games for your group. From card games to board games: learn how to choose and what you need.
Thursday evening: friends, snacks, and a good game. Not everyone likes the same games. Tired of cards? Board game not working out? Dice games? This article helps you choose the right games for your group.
Cards: The Universal Game
Almost everyone plays cards. A standard deck of cards (around €2) is affordable and offers endless possibilities: poker, rummy, solitaire. Do you have friends who like something funny? Bikini-themed cards (€10) or erotic KamaSutra cards (€5) work as icebreakers. They are funny without being childish, and the game is the same.
More serious? UNO (€7) is fast and works for all ages. No strategy needed, just quick thinking and laughter. Uno Flip (around €7) adds a layer: two sides to the same card.
Board Games: What Each Group Plays
With board games, pace is key. Fast games (30 to 45 minutes): everyone stays engaged. Long games (2 hours): some people lose interest. So start light.
For casual groups: games where you don't have to think too much. Dice games, simple racing games. Dice (around €5 for a set) are quick and endless: whoever rolls highest wins. Done.
For strategic types: games with deeper rules, but not for five hours. Handy: a card shuffler (around €13) feels professional and saves you two minutes per round.
For mixed groups: a game that nobody knows works well: everyone learns at the same time, no one has an advantage.
Drinks and Dice Games
Drinks are part of a good time. Drinking games (board game variants with alcohol) are popular, but not necessary. You can also make normal board games drink-friendly: the loser drinks. Easier.
Drinking dice games work like this: two dice, you roll, your score determines what you drink (the lower, the more). Fun, fast, and everyone participates.
Preparation: Table Ready
You don't need much:
A table (large enough for everyone)
Cards or board game (ready on the table)
Snacks in the middle (chips, nuts)
Drinking glasses (not one glass per person—no one wants to fetch water)
Dice or game pieces (if you've lost them, order new ones)
Set everything up before your friends arrive. Nothing is worse than spending 20 minutes searching for a game first.
What You Don't Need
A game master who knows all the rules (everyone learns at the same time). Many different games (3, 4 maximum). Crazy themed costumes (this is game night, not carnival). Electronic games if everyone is on their phone anyway.
Checklist: Game Night Ready
2 to 3 games ready (at least 1 card game)
Dice and game pieces tested (do all your dice have all the numbers?)
Table clean and large enough
Snacks and drinks ready
Music on (calm, no distracting podcast)
Phones away (no one playing games on their mobile)
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