The 15 Best Board Games for College Kids in 2021

Stellar Factory Werewolf: A Party Game for Devious People

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When searching for the perfect party game that everyone at your gathering can play together, look to Werewolf, which can accommodate up to 35 players in one round. In this take on the classic card game Mafia, each player gets a character card and must keep their identity a secret. The game moderator then instructs everyone to close their eyes except for the werewolf, who chooses a player to "kill." Then, through lies and deceit, the rest of the characters must come together to determine who the werewolf is, before any other casualties occur.

Catan Strategy Board Game: 5th Edition

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This classic strategy game will never go out of style and is equally fun for adults and kids over 10 years old. Players attempt to trade, build, and settle on the island of Catan in order to build their civilization and earn victory points. With a completely variable board, the possibilities for replay are endless and for a completely new experience, add on an expansion pack for new trials, elements, and ways to play. This game prioritizes player interaction, so it's perfect for family game nights or birthday parties.

Telestrations After Dark Adult Party Game

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The iconic combination of telephone and Pictionary get an adult upgrade with Telestrations After Dark. The rules are simple: One player draws what they see, and the next guesses what they saw for a hilarious repeating cycle each turn. Now, the 100 prompts are specifically designed for players aged 17 and older for a more mature, but still outrageous time. For even more ways to play, snag an expansion pack that has different themes suitable for the whole family.

Bicycle The Alpha

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Lead your wolf pack to claim territory, search for food, and hunt prey in this light strategy game from Bicycle. Players send their packs to various regions with the ultimate goal of becoming The Alpha. When encountering a rival pack, you can choose to fight or share, but only one pack will come out on top. One of the coolest touches of this game is the highly detailed illustrations done by a park ranger in an effort to be extremely accurate to wolves in nature. Thus, even when not in use, The Alpha makes a beautiful addition to any game collection.

Buffalo Games Chronology

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See if you can accurately build your own timeline with random historical events like the invention of mayonnaise, or the Gettysburg Address to claim victory in Buffalo Games' Chronology. Each player draws a card and tries to decide where that event fits within the timeline of their other cards. If they are correct, they keep the card and their timeline grows. The first timelines of 10 cards wins in this portable and historical card game.

Czech Games Codenames

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This top secret word game is a perfect choice for game nights as two rival teams compete to determine the identities of 25 agents known only by codenames. Two spymasters give one-word clues that could point to multiple words on the board while teammates try to guess words of the right color, while avoiding those on the opposite team. This game is quick, so you can play multiple rounds with different teams in one night and get a new high-energy experience each time.

Prospero Hall The Shining Board Game

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The beauty of this board game is that you don't even need to have seen the iconic horror movie to have fun playing it (of course, if you have watched the movie recently, it will be even more satisfying.) The design is refreshingly retro (down to the room 237 keychain), and teens will enjoy working together to survive the long winter months at the Overlook Hotel. To do so, they'll have to visit certain locations, perform specific actions, and, of course, avoid becoming corrupted by those pesky supernatural forces that took down Jack Nicholson in the film.

Monopoly: Black Panther Edition

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Grown weary of the classic Monopoly set? This version has the same rules and basic concepts, but with the exception of the original finger-pointing "Go to Jail" policeman, the design has gotten a Black-Panther–themed refresh. The tokens include a mask, helmet, blade, gauntlet, and spear, and Marvel fans will recognize movie locations such as the Warrior Falls' challenge pool and the Hall of Kings. The Chance and Community Chest cards have been replaced with Kimoyo Beads and Herb cards, but they will still force you to complete actions like handing over money or going to jail. Players will need to make alliances as they build villages and establish strongholds, and the object of the game is to finish flush with cash after everyone else has gone bankrupt.

Mattel Games Apples to Apples

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Apples to Apples is so beloved by the teen and 20-somethings–many families use it as the gold standard by which they judge all other board games. In this dorm-pleaser, players are dealt seven nouns—places, faces, or pop culture icons—and compete to pair them with an adjective card supplied by a highly subjective judge, who awards points based on entertainment value. The result is a hilarious, easy-to-learn game that quickly draws a crowd.

University Games Smart Ass

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For a trivia game that's fast-paced, fun, and educational, look no further than Smart Ass. This easy-to-follow game features four categories of cards (What Am I, Where Am I, Who Am I, and Hard Ass), and each card contains a clue that players must answer before anyone else. However, you don't have to wait your turn to yell out the answer! Whoever answers the question first can roll the dice and advance on the board. Rounds progress until someone lands on "The End" space. There's a nice mix of questions, so no one will feel excluded from the fun, and the content will appeal to a wide range of ages.

Jax Jumbo Sequence Game - Tube Edition

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If your kid loved playing Sequence when they were younger, they will likely realize that it's a game with serious staying power. This version comes in a tube, so it's easy to store, and the large, cushioned board game mat can be used either on a table or the floor. The mat is made from vinyl, so it's also easy to wipe down in case of spills during game night. Sequence mixes elements of dominoes and card games like rummy and poker, and the point is to create rows of five chips (called sequences) while blocking your fellow players and removing their pieces.

Half Truth: The Trivia Game That Makes You Feel Smart

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Unlike other trivia games where participants are expected to come up with a single answer spontaneously—which means you're out of luck if you know nothing about the particular subject—Half Truth is a more accessible option because each card offers a multiple choice question with six possible answers. Then, each person places bets on which answers are right, racking up points when they guess correctly. The game was created by Ken Jennings, who became famous for his 74-game winning streak on Jeopardy and knows a thing or two about the world of trivia.

Bob Ross: The Art of Chill Board Game

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Fans of the late and beloved artist and TV personality will love the chance to paint their own Happy Little Trees, Fluffy Clouds, and Almighty Mountains as they move through the game trying to rack up "chill points." Bob Ross is featured as a character who pops up on certain sides of the dice. When you "roll a Bob"—as a player, your goal is to try and finish the painting before he does—and strategizing is required as you complete actions such as using certain colors, adding paint to the palette, washing it off, or filling in parts of the picture.

Fantasy Flight Games Star Wars: Outer Rim

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The roles of this immersive game include eight iconic Star Wars scoundrel characters such as Boba Fett, Han Solo, Jyn Erso, and Doctor Aphra. Players will be expected to build their own new story as they deliver cargo, capture bounty, and travel across the outer rim of the galaxy. They'll need to avoid warring factions and, of course, their fellow players as they gather tokens and try to become the most famous outlaw in space. "Intuitive and easy to pick up... I genuinely felt like a true Outer Rim occupant doing whatever it took to get by," said one happy user.