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If you’ve been hosting or going to family gatherings, it wouldn’t be complete without some fun games. From board games to yard games, we’ve seen it all come and go on our own game nights with family and friends. But once you run out of ideas, card games for family gatherings will always save the day.
The good thing about card games is that there’s always something for all ages. As long as you have a deck, there’s always a lot of possibilities to have fun.
In this post, we listed 10 of the best and most fun card games you can try on your next family gathering. From tweens, teens, and adults, there’s always something to bond and pass the time:
1. UNO Cards
In our opinion, nothing beats UNO Cards when it comes to card games for family gatherings. It’s a fun-filled game that everyone in the family can play. The best part is it can be played by up to 10 players at once.
Each UNO card player will be dealt with seven starting cards face down. The rest of the deck will be the Draw Pile where every player will pick cards later on. The first player to deal cards is usually the one sitting on the left side of the dealer.
The goal of the game is to be the first one to deal the last card. By the time you only have one card, you must shout Uno! to prevent being busted by another player. A variation of the game includes a rule that whoever scores 500 first is the winner.
Whatever version you follow, Uno cards will always be on the hall of fame of the most fun card games.
2. Blackjack
Do you have an uncle or aunt who loves to gamble on casinos? If so, the adults will surely have fun with a round of blackjack. For this game, you need several decks of cards depending on the type of blackjack you’re playing and the number of players. If blackjack is a regular game on your family gatherings, you might as well buy a set. We recommend the Brybelly Blackjack Combo. It already comes with 6 decks of cards, card shufflers, discard tray, 4 cut cards, and felt playing surface.
The goal of blackjack is to get a hand with an exact value of 21. Each player will be dealt two cards and if yours total to a 21, you got a blackjack. Those who have cards below 21 have the option to hit or stand. If you get two cards with the same value, you can split it into two hands, which will have two separate bets.
Take note that playing blackjack usually involves money, but you can always make it less competitive by using chips.
To know more about the rules of blackjack, here’s Colin Jones from Blackjack Apprenticeship:
3. Gin Rummy
Gin rummy is a card game that involves a deck of cards with the jokers removed. The goal of this game is to form combinations of at least three or more cards. Also, players aim to be the first one to have 100 points to win the game.
Each player will be dealt 10 cards (one card at a time). After that, the rest of the deck will be placed in the middle as a draw pile. The top card will be dealt face-up near the draw pile to serve as the discard pile.
The players will then deal cards until they form runs or sets in their hands. Runs are rows of cards of the same suit while sets are three or more cards of the same rank. Take note that each time a player draws and keeps a card, he or she has to discard one from the hand. Otherwise, the player can opt to discard the newly dealt card.
Do you want to know more about Gin Rummy, here’s a quick guide from GatherTogetherGames:
4. Sushi Go!
Sushi Go! is a fun card game where the playing cards have various sushis printed on it. There are 108 cards on the deck, some of which are 14 tempura cards, 14 sashimi cards, 12 dumpling cards, 12 maki roll cards, and so on.
This game has three rounds. To start the first round, the players will be dealt with 7 to 10 cards depending on the number of players. The rest of the deck will be faced down as the draw pile. Take note that you need a pen and paper to log the scores for this game.
After that, the players will deal their hands face up to calculate the points. Each type of sushi corresponds to a point while some cards allow you to multiply your score depending on its placement.
In this video, Jeff from The Dragon’s Tomb shows us how to play the fun Sushi Go! game:
5. Crazy Eights
Crazy eights is a game played on a regular deck of cards among two or more players. If you are to play this with more than 2 players, you should add another deck of cards.
Each player will be dealt seven cards at the start of the round, five if there are more than two players. After that, the rest would be the draw pile with card on top dealt face up to start the discard pile. Take note that if the card on top is an ‘8’, you should place it back randomly into the deck and deal another one.
After that, each player will start to deal cards to match either the suit or rank of the last card on the discard pile. If you don’t have any, you can draw an 8 anytime to change the suit of the game. If you don’t have an 8 either, keep drawing on the pile until you got one to match the suit or rank of the last card.
6. Cards Against Humanity
Cards Against Humanity is a fun game for adults. This can be a pretty nasty game so it’s not suitable for kids.
This game involves black and white cards. The white cards have random statements on it while the black cards have questions. The Card Czar, which can be any player in the round will deal a black card and read the question out loud. After that, the other players will deal white cards with statements they deem fit for the question. All the white cards will be given face down to the Card Czar who will shuffle it.
After that, the Card Czar will repeat the question and read each card out loud. The funniest pairing wins.
7. Family Feud Strikeout Card Game
You can now bring the fun game show to your family gatherings! The Family Feud Strikeout Card Game is perfect for ages ten and up as well as more than three players.
To play the game, the players will split into two teams. The game master will deal a card similar to the questions on the game show. After that, each team will blurt out an answer. The team with the answer that ranks higher gets the score. The winning team can guess more items on the card. If they guess something wrong, they get a strike. In the end, the team that gets three strikes loses.
This game can last for 30 minutes to an hour, depending on how many cards you’re going to deal. You can keep going as much as you like.
8. Exploding Kittens
If your family loves cats, the Exploding Kittens card game is the best deck to bring on your next gathering. The goal here is to become the last player standing. You’ll be kicked out of the game if you happen to draw an exploding kitten card.
Each player will be dealt four cards and one diffuse card. The number of exploding kittens should be one fewer than the number of players. Make sure that you remove the extra exploring kittens before starting the game.
After that, the first player will draw a card on the discard pile. The players will then follow the instructions written on the card. The player can keep playing cards as much as he or she wants. If the player wishes to end his or her turn, s/he has to draw one additional card to his or her hand.
To know more about the Exploding Kittens card game, here’s Triple S Games to guide you:
9. Apples to Apples Junior
Apples to Apples is a card game from Mattel. Each player will be dealt five to seven red apple cards. The ‘judge’ player will place a green card on the discard pile to choose which word to play. After that, the other players will pick a red apple card the best describes the word.
Once all the players have dealt a red apple card, the judge will choose which one is the most fitting. It could be the most accurate or the funniest. The winner takes the green apple card as a score. After that round, the player on the left would be the next judge.
It’s similar to Cards Against Humanity but more wholesome and can be played by kids.
10. Fluxx Card Game
The Fluxx Card Game is suitable for 2 to 6 players. However, there’s on catch: the rules are ever-changing.
This game has Goal and Keeper cards that you need to match in order to win. There are also New Rule cards that will shift the game’s rules at any time. With that, the game is in a constant state of flux, thus the name of the card game.
Fluxx has been around for about two decades. There are various versions of the market that your family can enjoy.
In this video, LooneyLabs show us how to play their Fluxx game:
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can a 5-year-old play UNO cards?
A: If you’re talking about the classic UNO cards, then no. Still, there’s a simplified version that 7-year-olds can enjoy called Uno Junior. It has child-sized playing cards with bright animal motifs and colors. This version of Uno will help ages three and up recognize colors, numbers, and animals.
Q: How many family members do card games often cater to?
A: It depends on the specific rules of the card game. Usually, players would be around 2 to 5, but it can also be as many as 7 if multiple decks are included. However, if you’re playing a card game with a specific card design, you’re stuck with the number of players indicated on the box.
Q: Are card games too competitive for family gatherings?
A: One of the common problems with family games is it can be unhealthily competitive. Nevertheless, you can choose card games that are focused on fun than winning. Also, you can tweak the rules so no one loses their cool during a match.
Q: How can I prevent cheating on card games?
A: To prevent cheating on card games, make sure that the players beside you don’t see your card. Also, make it a rule that all their hands are visible on the table. Aside from that, the traditional way of having everyone shuffle the cards will help foil any cheating attempts.
Q: How do I keep card games interesting during family gatherings?
A: To keep card games interesting, make sure that the game you chose matches the interest of your family members. If you have an uncle or aunt who loves playing in casinos, blackjack or poker might be a good idea. However, if there are more teens and tweens, Uno Cards or less competitive games might be better.
Final words
Card games for family gatherings make every meeting fun. It’s also a great way to bond with your family members and relatives instead of spending the entire time checking your phone. What do you think of these 10 card games? Have you ever played any of it before? Let us know in the comment section below!
