Whether you’re a social butterfly who hosts large-group game nights or prefer a more intimate setting with a couple of your besties, adult card games can elevate your friendships. Don’t worry if you have no friends—many games are great icebreakers! Order a pizza, pour your drink, and pull up a seat. From mindless entertainment to thought-provoking strategies, these are the 15 best games every card lover needs in their arsenal. 

Because there is no best way to have fun, my top 15 are categorized into games that take brain power and those that don’t. 

STRATEGIC - Fire up your brain power!

Unstable Unicorns

2-8 players

Build your Unicorn army with magic to help you destroy your opponents! Fill your stable with 7 Unicorns first to win the game! But beware of the Neigh Card because your stable might not be as full as you think. Cute, colorful, and silly - Unstable Unicorns is a must. 

How the game works:

• Each player starts with 5 cards; the rest are your deck
• Then, each player picks a Baby Unicorn from the Nursery and a Reference Card
• Whoever is wearing the most colorful outfit is clearly already a Unicorn Leader. You’re up first!
• Playing in rounds, there are four phases per turn: Beginning of Turn Phase, Draw Phase, Action Phase, End of Turn Phase
• At the Beginning of Turn Phase, all cards in your stable become active - you must use them BEFORE you draw a card, or you’re sucked into another dimension without Unicorns. Draw 1 card, then take 1 action (including play a Unicorn, Magic, Downgrade, etc.), then discard until you only have 7 cards
• Build your stable until you have an army of 7 Unicorns and all others bow down

Pro-player tip: This game is excellent for beginners who want to get into more complex strategy games.

Aura

2-4 players

Modern, casual, and strategic. Think Uno meets War with great colors and card graphics. You'll reign victorious if you’re clever and like to outwit opponents. Or will you? Once the cards are revealed, anything can happen.

How the game works:

• It comes with 4 decks with 52 cards and a rule book
• The goal is to get your opponent to discard all of their cards while protecting yours - the player with the most cards at the end of the game wins
• Each player begins with a deck of 52 cards split into five colors, numbers, and actions
• The Active Player lies down between 2 and 5 cards
• Opponents / Blocking Players place their cards in an attempt to block the Active Player with higher number colors of the same colored suit, specific colors that trump other colors, or with one of the action cards
• Discard unblocked cards. Blocked cards remain in the player's deck
• Rotate the Active Player

Pro-player tip: First-time strategic card games players can remove the action cards until they are more comfortable with the strategy. If you’re an experienced strategic card game player, play as is. 

Magic the Gathering - Collectable Trading

2-8 players

Wizards, get your libraries ready. It’s time to threaten your opponent! Magic The Gathering is a classic collectible, trading card game with spells and creatures awaiting! With more than one way to play, log in or shuffle for the Magic to begin.

How the game works: 

• On your Battlefield (the playing area) you have a Library: the drawing deck, a Graveyard: where discards go to die, Exile: cards that cannot be brought back from the dead, and Played Cards
• Score: download the Magic Companion app or a 20-sided spindown die
• Cards are either Permanent: Land, Creature, Artifact, Enchantment, or Non-permanent: Sorceries, Instants
• Each card has a specific set of rules laid out on the face. Permanent cards stay on the Battlefield, while Non-permanent cards go to the graveyard once their effect wears off. 
• Each player’s turn is broken up into 6 Phases, dictating what you do and when
• Beginning: activate cards by tapping (turning it sideways to activate the card), upkeep (your card will tell you if its upkeep), and draw
• First Main: play Land Cards and cast spells (you can’t cast spells without Land)
• Combat: start combat, attack with your creatures (don’t forget to tap), your Opponents/Blockers will choose their blockers, assess the damage, and cast your Instants if you’ve got ‘em!
• Second Main: activate/deactivate cards, upkeep, and draw
• Ending: your last chance to make moves
• Cleanup: discard until you only have 7 cards left
• Repeat until one victor emerges from the Battlefield

Pro-player tips: Understand your role and know when to mulligan. This game is about thinking ahead. Don’t lose focus, or you may not leave the Battlefield alive. 

Dark Souls The Card Game - COOPERATIVE DECK EVOLUTION

2-4 players

Explore dark encounters as you battle evil enemies for treasure and collect their souls as a reward. Defeat the Bosses before the Bonfire goes dark to win the game. Build your deck - it is your attack and your health. Beware because death lurks at every turn. Best prepare to die. 

How the game works: 

• Choose which side of the Boss Board you want to defeat, set out your Stamina Cards (soul-cost cards), and the Encounter and Enemy area (Encounter, Enemy, and Loot decks).
• Next, choose your player and place them on the Player Board - pick a random spot
• Each player gets their chosen player’s Class deck, a Bonfire deck, the Remnant of Humanity deck for shared Inventory, and a Reference card
• The first player chooses an Encounter space on the Boss Board, draws an Encounter Card, and places it on the space. These cards have emblems that tell you how much Loot, Enemies, Damage, etc. Then, each player draws 6 Class cards from their deck.
• Then, draw the amount of Enemy cards specified by your Encounter Card and place them on the Enemy Board in their designated spots. The first Encounter begins. 
• The Enemy attacks! If you’re hit, visit your hand to prepare for battle - either discard or defend against damage. Repeat until all Enemies on your Board have attacked. 
• Now it’s the player’s turn to act: choose one of several actions to complete (exchanging cards, moving your Player Piece, attacking, etc.)
• Once all enemies are defeated and the Encounter is over, collect your Soul Reward and Loot Cards for the Loot pile and rest at the Bonfire. 
• If you rest at the Bonfire, you must discard one Bonfire Card. If you skip the Bonfire and go directly into another Encounter, move the Rewards into the shared Inventory. Any new Encounter Rewards will go to the Loot pile, and you will save a Bonfire card.
• Repeat Encounters until you get to the Boss
• Each Boss has its own Encounter deck and rules, each working slightly different
• Defeat both Bosses without getting to the bottom of your Bonfire deck to win the game!

Pro-player tips: Utilize mulligan. Coming back from damage can be impossible without the right hand. Add Dark Soul expansion packs to play with more people. 

Coup - SOCIAL DEDUCTION

2-6 players, 5 recommended

Overthrowing governments and assassinating bureaucrats has never been so quick and dirty. Pit yourself against your friends in a fight for world domination! Don’t be afraid to lie, though. It’ll likely get you that WIN.

How the game works:

• Each player is dealt 2 Influence cards face down, 2 Coin Tokens from the Coin Supply, and 1 Summary card
• Your Influence cards represent the Characters you control, each with special abilities you use to destroy your opponents’ Influence cards. When you lose Influence, flip the card face up and lose your Character - once you lose both, you’re out!
• Once everyone is out, begin with the player who won last and take turns choosing an action from the Summary card: Income (collect a Coin), Foreign Aid (Collect 2 Coins), and Coup (pay 7 Coins and choose someone to lose Influence)
• Be deceitful - even if you don’t have the Duke as Influence, you can LIE and block someone’s ability to collect Foreign Aid (the Duke’s special ability). You’re in the clear unless someone challenges your block.
• You can challenge anyone about any action. Once you’re challenged, you can prove the challenger wrong by flipping over your card and showing your Duke, causing the accuser to lose 1 Influence. But if you don’t actually have the Duke…you lose the challenge, and you lose 1 Influence.

Pro-player tips: Pay attention to your opponent’s blocks - they are trying to deceive you! Add Coup extension packs to play with more of your lying, back-stabbing friends. 

The City - CITY BUILDING

3-4 players

A simple small-town-building drafting game that is great for beginners but fun for all. Make difficult and strategic decisions to try and build your town the fastest to win.

How the game works: 

• Remove the General Contractor Card and place it on the playing field - you can play this card when you have no other possible moves
• Every player is dealt 7 cards and discards 2. Each card has rules and emblems that indicate things like points, what cards you can play, and how many cards you can draw.
• Of the 5 cards left, everyone chooses a card to play face-down
• Once everyone has played, everyone flips their card, collects their points, and takes action by following the rules of the card they played (discard, draw, etc.)
• If you don’t want to play one of your cards, you can play the Contractor for no points and an additional draw
• After each player has taken action, everyone plays another card and then takes cumulative action on all their played cards
• Build momentum, but use strategy - the first person to 50 points wins!

Pro-player tip: if you like this game but want something more challenging, try Town Builder Coevorden or It’s a Wonderful World for a touch of Sci-Fi.

PARTY GAMES - Little to no brain power

What Do You Meme

3+ players, the more, the better

Bring social media off the screens and onto your tabletops - it’s time to connect face-to-face. Fun and hilarious, get ready to pair funny sayings with silly pictures. 

How the game works: 

• Each player starts with 7 Caption Cards from the deck
• Whoever has the most Instagram followers is the first Judge
• The Judge shifts through the Photo Cards, picks one from the stack, and places it on the Easel for everyone to see.
• Each player hands the Judge a Caption Card from their hand face down
• The Judge picks the funniest one
• Whoever played that card wins the round and collects the meme in their pile. 
• The first player with 7 photos wins!

Pro-player tip: Use photos of you and the group mixed in with the Meme Cards. If you have a Polaroid, take some silly snaps and throw those in the pile!

Dirty Minds

2+ players, 4-6 recommended

Do you like your games with a warning label? You have a clue that everyone needs to guess to win points. But the clues are suggestive, making it difficult and hilarious to decipher the unknown word/saying. Can you get your mind out of the gutter long enough to win? I doubt it.

How the game works: 

• Place the Letter Cards (black) in the center of the playing field
• Who has gone the longest without a shower? We can smell you from here. Your turn is up first, Dirty Player!
• The Dirty Player draws a Hint Card (red) and, starting with the person to their left, gives a hint from the card
• The Guessing Player has one free chance to guess. If correct, they get to draw 3 Letter Cards. If they are wrong, everyone else gets a chance to steal
• If the word isn’t guessed, the Dirty Player gives another clue 
• If the Guessing Player is correct this time, they only get 2 Letter Cards. If they are wrong, everyone else gets a chance to steal
• A third clue is read, and if guessed correctly, 1 Letter Card card is awarded, or everyone gets one last chance to steal
• Be the first to collect enough Letter Cards that spell D-I-R-T-Y to win! Then go shower. Please. 

Pro-player tip: if you want to add more elements to your play, shake this classic up with a Deluxe or Ultimate variation with a board and additional gameplay!

Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza

3-8 players, 4-6 recommended

At first glance, you might think this card game is for babies. But once you get going, things can get real adult, real fast. Simple and silly, this colorful game is all about defeating tongue-twisters. Can you take your turn without skipping a beat? You better, or this fast-paced game will leave you a loser in the dust. 

How the game works: 

• Deal all cards face down evenly to all players
• The person to the dealer’s left goes first, flipping a card into the center and must say the word TACO, regardless of what image is on the card (maybe the card has a picture of a taco, or maybe its a cat, or a narwhal)
• Without skipping a beat, the next person flips a card and says CAT, regardless of the image on the card. The following person says GOAT, the next says CHEESE, and the next says PIZZA - all regardless of the image on the card they flipped. 
• There are 3 Special cards; when they come up, you must complete actions for that card.
• If your word matches the image on the card you flip, all players rush to slap the deck. The last one to slap adds the center pile into their hand. Resume and begin from TACO. 
• If you slap the pile but you’re not supposed to…you collect the cards for your hand
• If you skip a beat or hesitate, pick up the cards from the center. You’re now closer to being a loser

Pro-player tips: Play at a steady pace, each round faster than the last, and anyone who lags picks up the cards. It’s also a fun and easy drinking or strip-card game if you drink or remove an article of clothing every time you have to pick up the pile. Add your flare to this easy, cute, fun game.

Heroes of Barcadia - DRINK THEMED

2-6 players, 4 recommended

Have you ever wanted to drink your way through a dungeon crawl? Then you’ll love this tile-based dungeon exploration game, in which your character’s life is represented by the liquid left in your cup. Battle monsters as you search for power-ups with mystical abilities - one of them might get you closer to the Drink Hoard. Sabotage your opponents, but be sure your Health Bar Cup doesn’t run out before you do! 

How the game works: 

• Step 1: fill up your Health Bar Cup with your beverage of choice - this is your character, playing piece, and HP
• Each player gets 3 Loot Cards, your share of the Tiles, and a Reference card
• Build your dungeon together by laying Tiles out from the starting point, face down
• Roll to see who goes first
• Select a Tile and flip it over - do what the Tile says. If you have to lower your Health Bar, flip the Tile back over and drink! If you don’t have to drink, leave the Tile face up and place your Health Bar on top. 
• Flip over Power-Ups to gain Loot Cards (special abilities) to sabotage your friends from getting to the Drink Hoard first! Whoever gets there first wins!

Pro-player tips: Don’t limit yourself to one area of Tiles. Use Portals to explore other dark corners of your dungeon. 

Exploding Kittens NSFW

2-5 players

Paws-itively dangerous - proceed at your own frisk. All you have to do is not draw the Exploding Kitten Card! Sounds deceptively simple? Well, it isn’t. And you better hope no one steals your Defuse Card, or you’re a goner.

How the game works: 

• Each player is given 1 Defuse Card - the most powerful against Explosive Kitties!
• The dealer then gives each player 7 more cards face down - make sure NO exploding kittens are dealt. Those sneaky suckers go in the deck 
• However many players, there should be 1 fewer Exploding Kitten card in the deck - remove any extra
• Whoever loves cats the most - you’re up first! 
• Choose a card from your hand and place it face up on the discard pile - do as the card says. Play as many cards as you like, but end your turn by drawing a card
• Evade the Exploding Kittens with the cards in your hand, or you’re out of the game! 

Pro-player tip: play with the extra exploding kittens to make things more exciting and add in expansion packs. Easy rules also pair well with drinking rules. Turn these cards into your next pre-game. 

Joking Hazard

3+ players, 4+ recommended

I’ve always wanted more Cyanide & Happiness comics. This game allows fans to create their own hilarious Blue Shirt and Green Shirt comics! Unlike other judging games, Joking Hazard has you tell a story. The comedy comes naturally. 

How the game works:

• The goal is to create a three-panel joke
• The Judge deals 7 cards face down to each player; the remainder is the center deck
• To begin, the Judge flips the top card from the deck into the center as the first panel
• Then, the Judge chooses a card from their hand to be the second panel
• Each player then chooses one of their 7 cards and places it face down in front of the judge as the potential third panel
• The judge will choose which card is funniest to complete the joke - whoever played that card wins the round
• If the card flipped from the deck has a RED border, the Judge does nothing, and each player chooses the first two panels of the comic. The red-bordered card will be the last panel. 

Pro-player tip: Keep the judge, but everyone creates the entire three-panel joke for a chance to be the most creative and funniest! Just draw 3 instead of 1. 

Tell Me Without Telling Me 

4+ players

If you love Taboo, meet the new and improved! Great for breaking the ice at parties or laughing with your usual game night crew. But don’t break the rules, or you don’t get the point. 

How the game works:

• First, split into 2 groups and shuffle the Deck
• Group 1 rolls the Rule Die and must play without breaking that rule during their 60-second turn
• You want to get your team to guess as many Cards as you can in 60 seconds. 
• Next team repeats. 
• Whichever team got the most points wins the round!

Pro-player tip: Buy the NSFW expansion pack for more adult-themed cards. Mix and match categories, or separate them and them round by round for indefinite replayability. 

If You Had Too…

3+ players, the more, the better

Picking the worst-case scenario has never been more fun - just ask my therapist. Play the card you think your friend would hate the most! Will you be the best at choosing the worst?

How the game works:

• Each player begins with 5 of the worst cards
• The Judge waits impatiently for you to slide your card toward them face down
• When the Judge finally has all the cards, you must convince them your card is the WORST
• The Judge picks the worst card, and whoever played it gets 1 point. Congrats. You’re the worst. 
• Be the first to 5 points to win!

Pro-player tip: play it like “Would You Rather” by selecting the top 2 cards as your options. Explain your decision, then move around in a circle. Let the debating ensue! Great for road trips.

Cards Against Humanity 

3+ players, the more, the better

Put the cards together to make jokes. The secret is to play your audience - what would the Card Czar find funniest? Get to know strangers, or call your friends out on their twisted humor. Cards Against Humanity is a sensational classic for any gamer’s arsenal. 

How the game works:

• Each player holds a hand of 10 white answer cards 
• The Card Czar flips a black prompt card
• Every player hands the Czar an answer card face down
• The Czar determines which answer is the funniest in the context of the question or fill-in-the-blank

Pro-player tip: Are you looking to shake up this card game classic? Try using the white answer cards as acting prompts instead of the Czar reading them. You can also draw the white answer card instead of reading it. Also, try Head Trip, a new game from the same creators, but this time with more engaging gameplay. 

You may also be interested in…

Top 50 Fantasy Board Games for Adults

Best Social Games to Play Online

Top 10 Fantasy Strategy Games for PC