Some tabletop games are notoriously tough to teach to first-timers. Others are well known for being friendship enders or bringing out the worst in people. The good news is that for every friendship-ending, incredibly complex game, there are games that are genuinely hilarious to play. Here are five games that are sure to add a dose of humor to your gaming get-togethers:
Gloom
If you appreciate dark humor, this story telling card game will have you rollicking from the start. Not only are the characters themselves ridiculous–for instance, Lord Slogar is nothing more than a brain in a box–but since the point of the game is to kill off your characters after having them suffer through terrible, bizarre, and ridiculous tragedies, the cards you draw are often completely absurd, too. What really takes the hilarity up a notch, though, is playing with people who are keen to ham it up and create outlandish stories behind how their character was actually “Pierced by Porcupines” or “Shunned by Society.”
Telestrations
What makes Telestrations hilarious is how utterly confused you are during most of the game. Everyone is given a word to illustrate, and the illustrations are passed to the other players, who then take alternating turns guessing what the illustrations represent and drawing pictures based on what was written as the guess. Watching your friends attempt to understand your hurried drawings and make some sort of educated guess at the meaning behind your misshapen stick family is hilarious–plus, the ultimate reveal where you see how far everyone strayed is hilariously gratifying. Want something a little more NSFW (unless you work for Geek & Sundry, of course), Telestrations After Dark offers all the silliness of the original for a “more adult” crowd.
Monikers
This game is always a HOOT to play. The packaging itself is hilarious with images of Marie Antoinette losing her head when you open the box, and it’s one of those rare games that is so much fun to play that score keeping can be a distraction from the game itself. That’s right, it’s so much fun to play that it doesn’t really matter who wins. The game is played in three rounds where you have to get the other players to guess a person based on verbal cues. Then, using the same cards, you try to get the other players to guess the person using only one word. The final round uses the same cards, but this time you must mime everything. It’s utterly ridiculous, especially because the “people” you are having your friends guess aren’t always actual individuals. Some cards say things like “basic bitch” or “mall Santa”. It’s the best kind of ridiculous fun, and it only gets zanier as each round goes on.
Funemployed
If job hunting was like this game, it’d be a lot more fun to be job searching. In Funemployed, players draw cards that they use to build their “resume” for a job posting set out by the employer, the player who will be choosing the round’s winner. You must use your qualification cards to create a story explaining why you are the best applicant for the job. The employer then selects someone to hire based on who crafts the best story. Much like Gloom, the game leaves a lot of room for embellishment and ridiculous stories due to the creative thinking you’ll need to explain why you are best suited for jobs like “Valentine” or “Superhero.” Plus, you finally get to craft an actually interesting story for a faux-interview rather than trying to actually think of a humblebrag for your biggest weaknesses in real job interviews.
What are some tabletop games that always make you laugh? Tell us your faves in the comments!
Featured Image credit: Maria/Flickr.com
Image credits: Keith Baker, USAopoly, Palm Court, IronWall Games