Card games are often quick, easy, and accessible to everyone. While you are stuck at home it can be a great way to pass the time and get the whole family involved. We’ve compiled a list of some of the best card games to have kept us playing into the wee hours of the morning. There is a little something for everyone on our list, even for those who don’t like card games.
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5 Crowns
5 Crowns is a fast game that is easy to pick up for just about anyone. Recommended for ages 8 and up, this game can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to complete. However, time flies by fast when you are calculating your next move. The game is 11 rounds long and each round has a wild card. For the first round, your wild card is 3, and you are trying to get 3 of the same card or 3 cards in succession (such as 4,5,6 – however, they must be the same suit). Each round the wild card rotates. For round 4 the wild card is 4, same for 5, and so on. This makes the game simple yet complex as each round gives you a new chance with multiple wild cards. As you move up the levels, the difficulty increases and things get wild! This is a great card game for family night and is easy to pick up.
Uno
If you don’t already have this card game in your house, now is the time to add it. Match colors and numbers to keep the game going. The entire game can be learned in minutes. Each player starts with seven cards and the goal is to run out of cards as fast as you can and then scream “UNO!”. Players can get competitive by hitting others with a “Draw Four,” “Skip,” “Reverse,” and “Draw Two” cards. More importantly, this is the perfect card came to pick up and play with kids for a family game night.
Cards Against Humanity or Apples To Apples
Cards Against Humanity(CAH) is a game for grown-ups. Well…the content is for an older audience. That doesn’t mean it’s necessarily mature. CAH is foul-mouthed and as dirty as it gets. There is a deck of white cards and black cards. Players will draw 5 cards and play one of those cards each round. A rotating judge then picks a black card which will usually have a phrase like “My mother loves it when I do ______”. Players will then play one white card to fill in the blank. The player’s card that makes the judge laugh the most wins the round. The player with the most cards at the end of the game wins. If you are looking to up the game a notch, some people have even made a drinking game out of Cards Against Humanity. This card game is foul and raunchy and is sure to elicit laughs from even your most pious players. Just make sure everyone understands the point of the game is to be taboo.
Apples To Apples is essentially the same thing except for a more kid-friendly audience. Instead of cursing or sexual jokes, you’ll make light of famous celebrities and funny phrasing. If you want the same type of game but for a different audience, Apples To Apples is for you
Spoons
This card game is about speed, and being sneaky. If you already have a deck of cards, you are ready to go. Before the game starts, count how many players you have. Let’s say you have 6 players. You would then put out 5 spoons. Always put out one less spoon than you have players. The goal of the game is to get four of the same kind and grab a spoon, or grab a spoon as soon as someone does. The suit doesn’t matter. Each player gets four cards, and the dealer will have a draw pile to pull from. You are looking for 4 Kings, 4 Jacks, 4 Fives, 4 of any kind. The dealer will pick up a card from the draw and either keep it or discard it. You can only have four cards in your hand at a time.
Once a player has four of a kind they will grab a spoon. Even if you don’t have four of a kind, now you can grab a spoon, too. Once all spoons have been grabbed the round is over, and whoever does not have a spoon is out until the game is over. Keep playing until you have two players left. That is the final round. It’s a card game that relies on quick thinking and quicker reflexes. Just try not to get too mad when someone also grabs your spoon.
Munchkin
Munchkin is both a card game and a board game. You move up the board to get to through the finish line, but on your way, you’ll battle monsters and other creatures. Fun for ages 10 and up, Munchkin is both a fun romp and a strategy game. It can get a little complex and takes a little bit of time to adjust to the learning curve. It can be played with 3-6 players and the goal is to reach level 10 in the game. Each player starts their character on level one and works their way up by helping players, defeating monsters, or defeating players. Its a fun game and makes RPG elements easy and accessible for just about everyone. Players beware, you will get angry when someone backstabs you, but that’s part of the fun! Make sure you have a full night to play as a game can last more than an hour if people are being active enough.
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