2025 Holiday GAME Gift Guide
This year, my annual holiday gift guides are new and improved to make them more helpful than ever!
The gift guide includes the following sections:
- New 2025 Game Recommendations
- All-Time Favorite Board/Card Games (for older kids, teens and adults)
- All-Time Favorite Games for Younger Kids
- All-Time Favorite Outdoor games
This means that you don’t have to go clicking through 15 years of gift guide links…all the recommendations are right here in one spot!
Remember that none of the items on my gift guides are sponsored. I’ve bought or been gifted by friends/family everything on this list – these are all games we genuinely love and play often! Affiliate links are included which means I earn a small commission if you click on the link to buy; but as always, feel free to shop around for the best deal.
New 2025 Game Recommendations
Lost Cities Dice: This has become one of our all-time favorite games ever. It’s great for two players (or up to five players)!
Guess in 10: There are a lot of versions of this game (space, sports, Disney, etc) – and it is such a great group game, team game or 2-player game. Camryn and Brian played this for over two hours last Sunday.
Mount Cleverest: This is a true or false trivia game, and we love it! It’s a great change up from other trivia games.
Think ‘N Sync: Such a fun group/party game. You shout answers at the same time to see if you can match answers. Love this one!
Uno Mercy: My son gave this game to me on my birthday this year, and it has quickly become a favorite. I love it AND hate it. You can accumulate a shocking amount of cards in one turn. 😜
Flip 7: Love, love, love this new game. We’ve been playing it all year! My oldest son loves to play it when he comes home to visit. Super easy to learn!
Trio: Another favorite that we’ve kept out pretty much full-time – this game is quick to learn and different than any other card game we have. Part memory, part luck, part skill. Love this one!
Shifting Stones: My BIL introduced us to this game, and it is great! Each player has a board where you move stones around to match cards (with varying point levels). Very fun!
Rapid Rumble: This fast-paced game requires quickly shouting answers to match categories and finish your cards first. It’s great for ages 6 and up!
Piles: If you like fast-paced, free-for-all, everyone-for-themself type games, you’ll love this one. It has quickly become a family favorite (especially since we’re already fans of games like Dutch Blitz!).
Six Second Scribbles: Cam begs to play this all the time – it is one of her and her 12-year old cousin’s favorites. I’m a terrible artist, and I still get a kick out of this one. Draw fast! Match answers! Win points!
Silver and Gold: This game is easy to learn and different than other games we have, which makes it very fun to play!
Archduke: This is a sneaky game of trying to be the first one to go “out” and have the lowest points. We play this one often! It’s similar to Rat-a-Tat-Cat with a few scoring twists (recommended next).
Rat-A-Tat-Cat: This is one of our all-time favorite games that I’m not sure I’ve recommended before. The premise is so simple – you try to be the first one to go out with the lowest points. It’s very fun! If I had to choose between this and Archduke, I’d probably get this one.
Gnoming Around: This game is similar to Play Nine or Golf (often played with face cards) with a few different rules. We LOVE it for a change up, and we play it often (especially with my sister’s family who love it, too).
All-Time Favorite Games
This list includes board games, card games, puzzles, brain games and more. And if you’re wondering if we really own all these games – yes, yes we do! (But don’t ask to see my game closet…it’s pretty much the chaotic mess you’d picture it to be.)
Play Nine: Literally one of our favorite games of all time. Easy to learn and fun to play (quick, too, if you don’t play all nine rounds – it’s easy to cut shorter).
Skull King: I recommend learning the basic game before adding the expansion deck…but once you do, get ready for one of the best games ever.
Skull: This game is fast to learn and there is a huge surprise element that makes this game extra fun.
Sequence Stacks: This game has a Skip-Bo vibe with a few different unique twists. We pull this one out to play a lot!
Genius Square: Makes my brain hurt in a good way…it’s a great game for all ages.
Popdarts: This is an interactive game that is perfect for active teenagers and fun for the whole family! My teens love challening Brian and their uncle at this game.
Qwixx: One of the greatest games of all time…and one of our most oft-played game.
3 Up 3 Down: A very fast, fun, easy-to-learn card game! The goal is to get rid of all of your cards (best played with age 7 and older).
Tiki Topple: This is such a clever game – and even though it makes me frustrated, I can’t stop playing it!
Skyjo: The premise of this game is pretty similar to Play Nine except there are more cards on your grid and there are some surprise rules that make it different and exciting. We play this often on Sunday nights.
Double Ditto: Easily one of our favorite group games EVER. Great for ages 10+ (or even younger if you play on teams).
Chameleon: Another great group game, this has been the hit of many a family reunion. There are also expansion packs for more fun. This is best played with mid-teens and older.
Stomple Marble Game: We love this simple marble game because it is easy to learn and fast to play! It’s the perfect game when short on time but we want to play a quick game.
Bamboozled: This game is fun for the whole family (ages 10-45). It’s a bluffing dice game, so it is best for kids old enough to think fast.
Five Crowns: This game quick-paced, a little frustrating at times 😂 and easy to learn. It’s a fun 2-player game but can be played with up to 6-7.
Dragonwood: This game is clever and strategic but easy enough to play for kids about 7+.
Gravity Maze: We’ve had this building/thinking activity game for years, and it’s still played with often. It’s a great summer or holiday vacation boredom buster.
Happy Salmmon: A fast paced, super easy game, the biggest disclaimer with this game is that it’s loud and chaotic. Needless to say, my kids love it! It is also pretty easy for all ages in our family to play and have fun.
Tapple: Such a fun, fun group game! Everyone ages 5 and up plays this game – we give younger kids more “strikes” before they are out.
Qbitz: This game is great for all ages, but it’s a bit more competitive if everyone is about age 10 and up.
Take 5/6 Nimmt: We have the classic 6 Nimmt game (which is hard to find, but it’s the same as Take 5). This card game is VERY fun, and one of our top-played games of all time.
Wits End: this might be my favorite trivia-ish game ever! The questions aren’t just trivia – there are brain teasers and riddles, and the trivia questions seem much more approachable than the Trivial Pursuit games. It is probably best for 14/16 and up.
Brain Bolt: this is a one-person memory, problem-solving game that is great for kids (6+), teens and adults!
Domino Maze: twe love Thinkfun games, and this is one of our favorites (enough that we’ve gifted it to several friends for birthdays this year).
Chronology: I LOVE this game. It is extremely simple to learn, and even though we are far from world history experts, it is really fun trying to figure out the correct timeline. Highly recommend!
Color Brain: I think we played this every night for two months straight (got through all the questions!). The Disney version is also very fun!
Trekking the National Parks: This is a personal favorite! Not only do I love visiting National Parks in person, but having all of them on a fun board game with a bit of strategy is like the perfect combination. Love this game!
Qwirkle: This has been a favorite for years, because it is so quick to learn and simple to play. Every time you play, it is different based on the tiles in your hand.
Boggle: Such a classic! This is one of my favorites because I love word games. Cam and I actually have a running tally on who is winning (spoiler alert: it’s not me). Like, we’ve played this HUNDREDS of times. We also have Big Boggle to sometimes change things up.
Rummikub: I grew up playing this game, and the tradition continues with my kids. We love this classic game! (And in our world, it’s pronounced Rummy-Cube 😉).
Brain Box: We have at least three of these Brain Box sets (world, animals, and sports). It’s the simplest memory game and very fun to play (especially for two people).
Catch Phrase: This is such a classic and a really fun group/team game! Same with another classic: Taboo.
Cover Your Kingdom: It’s like Cover Your Assets {aff. link} with a clever twist (and the artwork is phenomenal as always).
Kendama: My teenage boys are obsessed with these and are constantly having competitions about who can complete some intricate circuit of tricks with it.
Battle of the UFOs: I cannot recommend this custom-built game enough. I included it on a gift guide years ago, and hundreds of you bought one from this small mom and pop shop. We STILL pull this game out when we have people over. It is unique, fun, and the best gift.
Azul: This is one of my personal favorite strategy games. It’s great for players ages 8 and up – and takes just a minute to learn, but the instructions are robust, and it is such a fun game.
Enchanted Forest: We’ve had the original version of this game for over 10 years, and we STILL pull it out to play. It’s great for ages 4 and above (so technically it could go in the section below with Younger Kid Games, but we still play it so often, I’m including it here).
Bohnanza: This game takes a bit of time to learn…but once you do, it is intensely fun. There are add-ons, but we still have just the basic version and still love it (been playing it for years).
Wits and Wagers: A great group game of guesstimation! This is great for all ages (especially if you play on teams with younger players).
Uno Flip: We love this version of Uno! We’ve introduced this game to several families, too – a hit every time!
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza: SUPER simple, this game is fabulous for big groups (older kids and teens, especially). My daughter’s friend brings this to school and they play it almost every day at lunch.
Goat Lords: This is similar to Cover Your Assets (stacking sets) with a few different rules, which makes it interesting and unique enough to keep it around! This is a quick card game that is super fun to play.
Shocktato: This game is wild and fun…it’s exactly what it sounds like. Hot potato with a toy potato that will shock you (more like a strong buzz) if you’re left holding on to it. Super easy, fun group game.
Yamslam: This is a fast game, and we pull it out often on weeknights for a quick game sesh.
Scattergories Categories: This twist on the original Scattergories is very, very fun (best played with tweens and older).
Ticket to Ride: This game will never get old! We’ve been playing it for years. The European version is a fun variation, too!
Labyrinth: This is a classic and one I would highly, highly recommend. This maze-like game is different each time you play; it’s so fun!
Blink: A super fast-paced card game for two players – this game has over 14,000 five-star reviews for good reason!
Herd Mentality: This fun game reminds me of Double Ditto (and Listography down below) where you try and match answers with the group.
Card Shuffler: We have this card shuffler and use it constantly.
Exploding Kittens: Unbelievably ridiculous and weirdly fun, this card game is hilarious, and we love it (it has over 100,000 five-star reviews).
Taboo: This game pretty much defines my teen years. It’s been around FOREVER. I recently re-introduced it to my own teens, and they loved it.
Magnetic Chess: We’ve had several wooden and homemade chess sets over the years, but this magnetic one takes the cake. It’s sturdy and well-made.
Sushi Go: Such a fun, easy-to-learn card game. It’s great for ages 8+ (but even younger if they have played a lot of card games).
Magic Puzzle: These are unlike any puzzle you’ve ever experienced! For a more classic puzzle, we love Ravensburger and White Mountain Puzzles.
Puzzle Board: This large puzzle board is a lifesaver – we can keep ongoing puzzles intact and move them around as needed. (FYI: the magic puzzles don’t work well on these puzzle boards because of the moving “nature” of the puzzles.)
Cover Your Assets: One of the greatest games of all time. It gets quite competitive around here! (We also love the Cover Your Cookies variation!)
It’s In the Bag: This game is SO FUN and one of my favorite games on this list! You play it in teams, so I think it helps to have at least six players (three on a team) for optimal fun.
Listography: This is one of our favorite group games to play when people are over. My only caveat is that the game board is pretty flimsy and the pieces don’t stay on well. Otherwise, I highly recommend it!
Skipbo + Phase 10: Absolute classics! These games will always be part of our game closet. We play them all the time.
Ten: This is a relatively simple sequence card game with an auction-like twist. I love this one! It took me a few games to get behind it, but now it’s an all-time favorite.
Fire Tower: This is a fun, strategic game that doesn’t take hours to play – it’s relatively quick! I think it’s best for 12 and up. Every time we play it, I wonder why we don’t play it more often. Super fun!
Beard Wizards: This game is quick to play, easy to learn, and really fun! It’s a hilarious game to play (it might seem confusing at first, but it’s a quick learn!).
Splendor Duel: I love the original Splendor game, but I think this 2-player version is even better. If you’re familiar with the original Splendor game, it’s easy to catch on. Otherwise, google a few how-to-play videos and you’ll pick up on it in no time.
Ubongo: A bit like Tetris on a board game, we love this one because you can play for a short time or a long time…and it’s fun either way! It can be played with 2 to 4 players.
Mantis: One of the funnest card games ever! (And the artwork is spectacular.) This game is very easy to learn.
Uzzle: This is an easy-to-learn puzzle game where you race to complete the puzzle the fastest. It makes my brain hurt in the best way (also, I never win 😂).
Dutch Blitz with Expansion: This is just such a classic game – we take it on camping trips, and we play it a lot as a family. It’s frustratingly fun. (The expansion doesn’t change the game rules – it’s just extra cards to play with more people.)
Priorities: This is a cooperative-style game – and it’s probably my 13-year old daughter’s favorite. She plays it all the time when friends come over.
Poetry for Neanderthals: this game is hilarious. Another really great group game. (I did have to steal the club and tuck it away from my rowdy teenage boys. 😉)
Tapped Four: We keep this game out almost nonstop, because it is a fun one to play if we only have time for a quick game or a few rounds. Easy to learn, fast-paced, and a huge favorite!
Anomia: A fun group game (you need at least 3 people, you don’t form teams), this is a quick-paced game where you face off with other players to spout an answer the fastest.
P for Pizza: Great for playing with just 2-players, this game can also be played with up to 4 people. Super fast, super fun.
Wavelength: This is a great group game (you form teams). It is incredibly easy to learn, and it can be played endlessly, because no round is ever the same based on the spinning wheel. This is one of my personal favorites!
Stratego: If you enjoy 2-player strategy games, this one is fun! We pull this one out a lot on Sunday afternoons.
Monopoly Deal: I am not a fan of the board game Monopoly (sorry), but this quick, card-game version is incredibly fun! It’s quick to learn and quick to play.
LCR: This is an incredibly fast dice game (a round takes just a couple minutes). It’s quick and super fun!
Jokers and Marbles: I think this is Brian’s all-time favorite game ever. This version (linked) is expensive because it is custom-made, but it’s the version we have so I wanted to include it. You can search for other versions online. It’s a bit like the games Sorry and Trouble played with cards and marbles!
Mastermind: I had this game growing up, and it’s still around! My kids love playing this one (and we pull it out a lot when grandparents come to town).
Codenames: This game is a viral favorite for a reason. It’s brilliantly fun. And there are a lot of variations (Disney, 2-person, etc). It’s played with teams, so it works best with at least four players.
Telestrations: This group game never gets old (especially for goofy kids). It’s like the old school telephone game where you whisper the phrase…except you draw it in notebooks. Hilarious!
Patchwork: Good 2-player games are hard to find, and this game is at the top of the favorites list. It’s SO FUN! We’ve had it for over ten years, and it’s still one of my favorite games to play.
Decrypto: I love Codenames (above) but I love this crack-the-code game even more. It is probably one of my all-time favorite games. It’s definitely best played with teens and older.
Best Games for Younger Kids
Hoot Owl Hoot: We played this game hundreds of times when my kids were little. It’s a favorite!
Sleeping Queens: This is one of the best card games for younger kids! It’s another game we played endlessly when my kids were little.
Sequence for Kids: I love the adult and junior versions of sequence, and this younger version is exceptionally fun as well.
Don’t Break the Ice: My kids played this game nonstop when they were little (and we still have it tucked away in our game closet). It is a classic and such a fun, interactive game for kids (and adults!).
Ocean Raiders Math Game: Games that are so fun you don’t realize you are learning math are the best kind of games! This is a cooperative game. Best for ages 4 to 5 and up.
Count Your Chickens: This adorable game gets rave reviews from my friends who have kids in the 3 to 6 age range. I’m a fan simply because: chickens!
Sneaky Snacky Squirrel: The most recommended game on this “younger kid” list, this game is perfect for preschoolers (it’s kind of like Hi Ho Cherry-o with colors instead of counting). It also has over 10,000 5-star reviews on Amazon!
Hi Ho Cherry-O: Another classic for our family, I played this hundreds of times with my kids when they were little. It got quite competitive! (haha, simmer down, momma!)
Yeti in My Spaghetti: This game is fun for the whole family and can be played with kids even younger than 4 (like the box suggests).
Outfoxed: This cooperative-style game is great for younger kids (even my teens get in on it when playing with younger nieces and nephews).
Nuts About Mutts: Great card game for younger kids! I’ve gifted this game many, many times to younger nieces and nephews. It’s really quick and easy to learn and fun to play.
Pancake Pile-Up: This is a super fun relay-race type game (so it is active!) that also teaches kids patterns.
Best Outdoor Games
Spikeball: My kids (all of them) are obsessed with Spikeball. It’s easy to pack up and take on the road and play other places.
BattleChip: A unique cross between cornhole and golf, we got Brian this game for Father’s Day and highly recommend it as a great game to add to outdoor game playing.
RampShot: This game is like a combination of corn hole and spike ball (both favorites of ours). Highly recommend!
Kubb: We have a homemade version of this game, but we’ve gifted this version to several friends (and our parents). It is hands down one of our favorite back yard games!
RampShot: This is such a fun, simple outdoor game great for all ages. We’ve had this for years, and it’s always fun to play.
Slingball: A fun variation of playing “catch” with a partner! Great for all ages with modifications, but the most fun for kids and adults that can catch a ball easily (haha, not me).
Hi Mel! Do you have the 1000 piece puzzle board with the tilt or 1500 with the spin? Trying to decide! Thanks!!!
I have the 1,000 piece puzzle board – it has worked great for all our puzzles…but there are some that absolutely max out every inch of space. I think if I bought one again, I’d get one slightly bigger (but I really do love the 1,000 piecer).
Do you have some favorite single-player games? I saw a few on the list, but there might be others that can function as single-player. My daughter is ending up with a fair amount of time after school to entertain herself and she is a big fan of games. She’s 9, but can handle 12+ rated games. (We order games from this list basically every year, so I know I can trust your recs…) THANK YOU!
Hi Krista – that’s a good question. Our best 1-person games/activities are more of the brain game or building activities, like the foldology book or games like this one (Camryn LOVES this and plays it alot by herself on Sundays): https://amzn.to/4p9LQMk
Thanks! We have the dog version of cat stax and it’s a winner! Appreciate the response!
We just borrowed the Dragonwood game from our local library and we loved it! Buying it for Christmas. Thank you!
What a great idea to see if a library has the game to try before buying!
I bought Mystic market for our now 13 year old a couple years ago and my husband and son all really like it.
Thanks for the recommendation!
Yay, yay, yay!! I love your gift guides Mel!! Yours are the best, I’ve gotten so many games from your guides. Thank you for all the time I’m sure you put in to create these. Know how much you are appreciated!
Thank you so much, Josie!
We bought Battle of the UFO’s years ago on your recommendation. The BEST investment! It regularly entertained a houseful of teenagers. We still pull it out with my now adult children. Neighborhood kids will ask to come over just to play it. It is so fun! And so well made. It’s held up perfectly to years of use. Cannot recommend it enough!
I’m so happy to hear that, Julie – I feel the same way about it. Such a great icebreaker for teenage get togethers or when anyone is over!
Excellent list of games- only game I would add is a cooperative game called “Max (the cat)” sold by Familypasttimes.com. I have now purchased 3 of these games over the years- one for my kids, grandkids, and elementary classroom. It is very fun to try to get all the little critters home before max the cat catches and eats them.
Thank you for this recommendation, Wendy!
Have you tried Hitster yet? It was quite popular at our family reunion this summer! Also Mulkky for an outdoor game that all ages can play – we have ages spanning 4-51 and we were able to include the young kids as well as the teens and adults!
Is that the music game, Kelly? Do you have the original version or one of the special versions (like the summer edition)? And we love Molkky! My SIL gifted that to us a couple years ago and I forgot to add it! Will update the list.
Thanks for all the great ideas. Also, love that you can see all of them together now, super helpful! You’re the best. This is one of my favorite posts, but your food is amazing too!
Thank you for these gift guides! Play Nine and Skull King are ones we play a lot!
But…I groan out loud every time my five year old brings me Sneaky Snacky Squirrel.
Hahaha, thanks for the honesty, Jill. 🙂 I actually feel that way about a few of the games in our closet…but only because we’ve played them SO MUCH.
Thank you so much, Tara!
I own and love so many of these (which gives you a clue as to how long I’ve been a Friend of Mel)! The Lost Cities Dice game is probably my favorite (we just laminated some score sheets so we never run out). Flip 7 is great for a group (kind of like the Bank app but with cards instead of dice) and then I totally agree with you about Splendor Duel – love the little differences between it and the original. Can’t wait to try more of your recommendations!
Oh, BRILLIANT idea to laminate the score sheets! Cam and I were just playing that the other night and I wondered what we would do if we ran out of score sheets. Thanks, Jeanelle!
We laminated our Qwixx sheets!
Mel – I very much appreciate all the 2 player games you recommend. It’s usually just my husband & me these days (kids moved out!). THANK YOU for all the time you spend to put these lists together. I know you hear it all the time, but your efforts are appreciated more than we can say!
Such kindness, thank you, Darlene! I also really love 2-player games as our family continues to get smaller at home.
I wait for this to come out every year! This is my favorite gift guide. We have so many of these games you’ve recommended over the years. You’re the best!
Thanks for letting me know that, Alli!
Always love your recommendations! We’ve been playing “Killer Uno” for over 30 years, sounds a lot like show them no mercy Uno! Our son introduced us to Flip 7 this summer and we LOVE it! I’ve gifted it to several grandchildren for their birthdays and we’re all addicted now! Thanks for such a comprehensive and fun list! You never fail us!
That Flip 7 game is such a winner!
LOVE LOVE LOVE this list every year! After cleaning out our game closet (please don’t look inside), we still have 40-50 games left. I keep telling myself not to buy new ones because we don’t play that often, but then EVERY year you put this out and every year I buy 2-5 more!
Haha, your game closet and my chaotic game closet sound like they could be friends!
These are perfect recommendations! You have really outdone yourself. The best games are listed. Well done.
That means a lot coming from the Game Queen!
So excited to see this new list. All your suggestions in the past have given our family so many hours of fun and laughter. I see a few I will have to add to my collection before our next family gathering. Thank you.
So happy to hear that – thank you!!
This is the best post EVER!!!!!
Should I be getting my kids ready for school? Yes.
Am I? No obvi, Mel’s gift guides are out. Priorities.
Haha, that made me laugh!!
Perhaps you’ve addressed this before, but how do you store all your games? My game closet is downright embarrassing.
Hi Sandee, we have a lot of games, so we dedicated a closet upstairs in the hallway (that was used for linens by the people who owned the home before us) and we store our games and puzzles there.
But to be clear, my closet is also chaotic and embarrassing. I try to organize it, but it becomes a disaster quickly. Someone once told me to store games on their sides (like books) vs flat…and that helps…until everyone starts just shoving them back in there without caring about the direction!