travel game 2023

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The 27 Best Travel-sized Games of 2024

Our list has brainy word teasers, multiplayer party games, and everything in between.

Best Card Games

Best board games, best word games, best party games, best for little travelers.

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Travel + Leisure / Marcus Millan

Whether you’re in need of kid-friendly games for a long road trip or some cheeky party activities to break the ice with a new group of hostel friends, it’s always worth having a couple of tried-and-true games up your sleeve while on the road.

The following travel-sized games are the best options in our book. These compact card and board games are designed to take up minimal space in luggage, while still offering maximum fun during the inevitable downtime that comes with most adventures (think layovers, long hours on a train, or rainy evenings on vacation). Here are our top picks for all types of travelers.

Mattel Games World's Smallest UNO Card Game

Why We Love It: This teeny card game will fit into the smallest of handbags.

What to Consider: The ultra-compact size might not work for those with vision problems or arthritic hands.

Uno is one of those card games that everybody already knows how to play — and, if they don’t, it takes about ten seconds to learn. That makes this game an excellent addition when backpacking abroad or vacationing with family members of all ages. This option in particular stands out as it’s the “world’s smallest” version of the popular game. The tiny cards are less than three inches tall — that’s smaller than a credit card! – and can easily fit into handbags or luggage without adding any bulk, so you’ll always have an icebreaker at the ready.

The Details : 2-10 players | Ages 7+ | 0.79 x 1.97 x 2.99 inches

Monopoly Deal

Hasbro gaming monopoly deal card game.

Why We Love It: This rendition allows you to play your favorite board game sans tabletop. 

What to Consider: It can be a bit tricky to catch on at first as there’s a lot of fast-paced action.

Monopoly night at home with friends and family can take you through a serious spectrum of emotions, especially if it’s been dragging on for hours. Then there’s Monopoly Deal. The travel-friendly version of Monopoly is cards only and much faster paced than the traditional board game. You’ll still buy and sell property, collect rent, and pass go as you do in classic Monopoly, but the compact card game can be completed in as little as 15 minutes. It’s also easier to play while at the airport or on a long train journey.

The Details : 2-5 players | Ages 8+ | 15 minutes | 0.75 x 3.62 x 5.63 inches

Mattel Games Skip-bo Card Game

Why We Love It: This family-friendly game is both easy to learn and quick to play.

What to Consider: The cards are a bit flimsy and could be more wear-resistant.

Is it just us or will Skip-bo always evoke childhood memories? The classic number sequencing game was huge in elementary school but was also in major rotation on our grandmother’s kitchen table. Not much has changed since then: the fast-paced card game is just as fun and easy to pick up and play now. It’s also relatively small which makes it great for popping into your carry-on or handbag. Note that although this game is designed for those ages 7 and up, it’s a ton of fun for adults as well as kids.

The Details: 2-6 players | Ages 7+ | 0.98 x 8.46 x 6 inches

Wild Card Games Backpacker: The Ultimate Travel Game

Why We Love It: It helps improve your skills as a traveler while learning about the world.

What to Consider: The instructions are quite long and tedious.

If you’re looking for a travel-themed game (and who doesn’t love a good theme?), then you’ll want to consider checking out Backpacker. The quick-moving travel card game is designed to mimic what it’s like to be on the road and all the potential triumphs and roadblocks that come with traversing the globe. We love that this game comes with actual fun facts about each destination so you still learn about the world around you even while playing close to home. The colorful cards are also visually appealing thanks to the high-quality photography and drawings on each one.

The Details : 2-6 players | Ages 12+ | 5.1 x 0.8 x 3.7 inches

Rubberneckers Everyone's Favorite Travel Game

Why We Love It: This game was specifically designed to be played during a road trip.

What to Consider: It’s not as exciting to play in rural areas.

Road trips are, in theory, a nonstop adventure — but, in practice, they can be long and exhausting. Rubberneckers was designed to put the fun back into long drives. The card game is essentially a game of reverse I Spy with prompts like “credit card logo” and “more than three people in a vehicle” designed to get everyone in the car looking out the window to earn points and win the title of the ultimate rubbernecker. We also appreciate the simple and easy-to-read language so younger kids can participate just as easily as older passengers.

The Details: 2 or more players | Ages 8+ | 3.5 x 1.5 x 5.5 inches

Catan Studio Catan Board Game

Why We Love It: This modern classic is a fan favorite — and, although layered, it’s easy to teach to new players.

What to Consider: There are a fair bit of pieces to keep together while on the go.

Catan is one of those games that seems complicated at first glance, but once you get it, you get it. The strategy board game takes about an hour to play out, but can go for longer — so you’ll want to budget that time while traveling. It’s also important to keep in mind that, even though this is relatively compact and travel-friendly, it still comes with several small pieces so it’s better for playing at your hotel or Airbnb rather than on a train or at the airport.

The Details: 3-4 players | Ages 10+ | 60 minutes | 11.63 x 9.5 x 3 inches

MindWare Travel Qwirkle Game

Why We Love It: This game requires smart strategy but it’s very easy to pick up and run with.

What to Consider: Some of the colors are very similar and can be hard to decipher.

We love the travel-sized Qwirkle game: not only is it super easy to learn but it’s also relatively easy to play while on the go. We love that this option is intuitive for everyone and can easily become a go-to for families with younger kids. The colorful tiles and convenient carrying case make this one great for playing while in transit — but you’ll want to keep in mind that some of the colors (especially orange and red) are very similar and can be a bit tricky to tell apart if you’re not playing in great lighting.

The Details: 2-4 players | Ages 6+ | 30-60 minutes | 5.5 x 6 x 2 inches

Hasbro Gaming Guess Who? Grab and Go Game

Why We Love It: There are only a few pieces to this classic board game.

What to Consider: The plastic is a bit flimsy and will require careful handling.

We’ll always have a soft spot for Guess Who? considering we’ve been playing it pretty much forever. The beloved guessing game requires strategic and creative thinking, but makes a particularly good travel game because there are only a few pieces to keep track of which makes it great for playing on the go, especially on a train or plane, or even while waiting to depart. We also like that the Grab and Go size is super compact and can easily fit in a backpack or carry-on without taking up too much space.

The Details: 2 players | Ages 6+ | 1.89 x 6.26 x 9.25 inches

Sorry! Road Trip Series

Why We Love It: This tiny board game is easy to set up and play on road trips or even flights.

What to Consider: Its extremely compact size is not ideal for bumpy roads or those with arthritis.

Who said you can’t play a whole darn board game while in the car? The road trip edition of Sorry! is super simple to set up and play whether you’re in an airplane cabin or the back seat of a car. The little game is designed to fold out into a full playing board on the go and doubles as its own folding carrying case when all is said and done. We love how easy it is to put together and start playing — but keep in mind, the super tiny pieces might be tricky to play with on particularly bumpy roads. 

The Details : 2-4 players | Ages 6+ | 1.00 x 11.90 x 5.85 inches

Hasbro Gaming Travel Battleship

Why We Love It: This game is quiet and slow-paced which makes it great for playing on a plane or at the airport.

What to Consider: The numerous pieces to keep track of are somewhat inconvenient.

The Grab and Go version of Battleship is small enough to throw into your carry-on bag but large enough to engage in a comfortable game without having to squint or deal with too-small game pieces. The boards and pieces are relatively simplistic compared to the full-sized Battleship, but the idea is the same. We also like that this game is pretty slow-paced which makes it a great option for playing in more quiet spaces like on the airplane or while waiting in a lounge.

The Details : 2 players | Ages 7+ | 1.89 x 6.26 x 9.25 inches

FanVince Magnetic Folding Chess Set

Why We Love It: This sturdy, magnetic game board is perfect for playing on bumpy roads and through turbulence.

What to Consider: The individual pieces feel a little flimsy in hand.

You can’t go wrong with a classic magnetic folding chess board — it’s a travel-sized game staple, afterall. The magnetic design means you don’t have to worry about your pieces falling over while going over bumpy roads or through turbulence, which is a major plus. It’s also super convenient that the board folds into its own carrying case when not in use. Keep in mind that chess is also a very quiet game, so this is absolutely perfect for bringing on a flight with you.

The Details : 2 players | Ages 8+ | 20+ minutes | 9.45 x 9.45 x 0.69 inches

Bananagrams Duel: Ultimate 2 Player Travel Game

Why We Love It: This new take on classic Bananagrams is even more portable than the original.

What to Consider: It’s sort of a watered down version of the grid game.

Bananagrams has always been one of our favorite travel games — like a real banana, it comes with its own carrying case! — but Bananagrams Duel makes it even more travel-friendly. The quick-paced dueling edition is themed and the letter pieces are die-like rather than tile-like, so you won’t see that sprawling word grid from the original edition. But this just means the game requires way less table space to play so you can easily play this one on an airplane tray table without running out of room.

The Details : 2 or more players | Ages 7+ | 10 minutes | 1.18 x 4.72 x 6.69 inches

Winning Moves Games Scrabble To-go Board Game

Why We Love It: The tiny version of Scrabble has snap-in letters that stay in place.

What to Consider: The scaled-down board isn’t as comfortable to use.

Nothing can really compare to Scrabble when it comes to group-friendly word games, but bringing the full-sized board on the road just isn’t practical. That’s why we’re huge fans of the Scrabble To-go board. The compact size makes it easy to throw in your bag while the snap-in letters mean you won’t have to worry about them flying off if you hit a pothole on the road or turbulence in the air. We also love that this one comes with its own carrying case to protect the board and pieces while traveling.

The Details : 2-4 players | Ages 8+ | 30-60 minutes | 10.75 x 10.25 x 6.88 inches

Mad Libs on the Road World's Greatest Word Game

Why We Love It: It’s easy, hilarious, and super portable to play in transit.

What to Consider: The paperback game pages aren’t reusable.

Whether you’re seven years old or 37, Mad Libs will never not be laugh-out-loud funny. Mad Libs on the Road in particular makes for a great travel-friendly option. The silly fill-in-the-blank stories are all about traveling, road trips, and summertime adventures. It’s especially convenient that Mad Libs are about the size of a paperback novel, meaning they won’t take up any space in your luggage. All you need is a pen and a couple of grammar-focused friends and you have all the makings for hours of laughs in the car and beyond.

The Details: 1 player or more | Ages 8+ | 5.25 x 0.2 x 8.38 inches

Ransom Notes The Ridiculous Word Magnet Party Game

Why We Love It: This game combines somewhat crude humor with strategy.

What to Consider: It’s definitely on the raunchy side.

Think of Ransom Notes as a somewhat crude hybrid between those poetry fridge magnets and Cards Against Humanity. You’ll get a prompt and your goal is to create a phrase using only magnets that’ll make some kind of sense to the reader. This ends up being downright hilarious in most cases — and we give the game major bonus points for being magnetic. All the pieces stay firmly in place, making it much easier to use en route to your destination.

The Details : 3 players or more | Ages 17+ | 30-90 minutes | 5.25 x 4 x 4 inches

Hasbro Gaming Classic Boggle Word Search Game

Why We Love It: This word game can even be enjoyed by only one player.

What to Consider: The secure travel lid can be tough to get on and off.

Boggle is going to be a major win in the eyes of Spelling Bee or Wordle fans (so watch out if you’re playing against them). The basic word game requires fast spelling and deduction skills; all you have to do to win is write down as many words as possible from the assortment of letters on the dice to earn the number one spot. It’s a whole lot of fun and takes up minimal space while in transit, too.

The Details : 1 player or more | Ages 8+ | 2.01 x 4.29 x 4.29 inches

Brass Monkey Bin-go Get Some Drinks Bingo Book

Brass Monkey

Why We Love It: This is great for introverts and anyone who would rather observe a party a bit removed.

What to Consider: It might be awkward to whip this out in an actual bar or restaurant.

Bin-go Get Some Drinks makes any kind of night out even more interesting, especially if you’re someone who tends to observe human behavior in social settings. The somewhat snarky bingo card is packed with the weird things you’ll see in a bar (like witnessing an obvious first date or someone taking a photo of their drink for social media) and is the perfect way for people watchers to spend the night — especially if you find yourself alone in a new city and prefer to observe the crowd over fostering friends right away.

The Details: 1 player or more | Ages 21+ 

Cards Against Humanity Tiny Cards Against Humanity Game

Why We Love It: It’s a great icebreaker in a compact and cute format.

What to Consider: These cards are tiny and might be hard for some to read.

Cards Against Humanity provides instant fun, even at the most dull parties or awkward social events, since there’s just something about dirty words in absurd contexts. That’s why the miniaturized Tiny Cards Against Humanity is such a great game to keep in your back pocket while traveling, especially if you intend on staying in hostels. (Hey, you just never know when you’ll need to pull the ultimate icebreaker out of a pocket!)

The Details : 2 players or more | Ages 17+ | 30 minutes or more | 4.44 x 2.66 x 1.97 inches

All Things Equal, Inc. Loaded Questions On The Go Card Game

Why We Love It: This card game gets conversations going while still providing friendly competition.

What to Consider: There are only so many questions, so you’ll eventually run into duplicates.

All Things Equal: Loaded Questions is one of those card games that can lead to side tangents and deeper conversation if you let it — but it’s also a great way to see how well you know your friends' minds by guessing each other’s answers to given sets of questions. This game is super travel-friendly (all you need is a few pads of paper and pens) and it’s guaranteed to evoke some serious laughs and possible side conversations as well.

The Details : 4-6 players | Ages 8+ | 3.6 x 0.8 x 5.5 inches

Exploding Kittens Card Game

Why We Love It: This card game is fast, fun, and easy to learn.

What to Consider: The rules and concepts of the game are a bit basic.

Exploding Kittens garnered a lot of attention when it was first released and it’s easy to see why. The eye-catching title and cheeky illustrations make this game instantly intriguing. As it turns out, the game is a whole lot of fun for all age groups and it can be played in fifteen minutes or less which makes it a great option for waiting at your airport gate or sneaking a quick game in before heading out to dinner.

The Details : 2-5 players | Ages 7+ | 15 minutes | 4.41 x 6.38 x 1.5 inches

What Do You Meme? Shotgun!: The Card Game for Road Trips

Why We Love It: Everyone can play in the car — even the driver.

What to Consider: It’s not quite as funny as the original What Do You Meme?.

Shotgun! was conceptualized by the same folks who gave us What Do You Meme?, which means you can expect the same level of (somewhat) boundary-pushing humor. The road trip-focused card game doesn’t come with memes or visual cues, but instead uses the sights and sounds on the road as prompts. Card prompts like “first person to say which side the gas tank is on wins a point” and “first person who gets a wave from another car wins two points” will keep everyone in the car on their toes for the drive.

The Details: 2 players or more | Ages 12+ | 1-2 hours | 1.5 x 4.5 x 6.5 inches

Singing Machine Carpool Karaoke The Mic 2.0

Why We Love It: Who wouldn’t want to pretend they’re starring in an episode of Carpool Karaoke?

What to Consider: The Bluetooth setting could be higher quality.

The Carpool Karaoke Machine was designed to make road trips a whole lot more fun. The karaoke microphone pairs with your car’s Bluetooth in order to provide a surround sound experience for all passengers involved (whether that’s good or bad, we’re not sure). The microphone can also be used with your smartphone for DIY karaoke parties at your Airbnb or hotel room — you’ll just want to be mindful of the noise levels.

The Details : 1 player or more | 3.6 x 2.1 x 10.6 inches

Hasbro Gaming Connect 4

Why We Love It: This game is simple to pick up on.

What to Consider: There are a ton of little pieces involved.

We love Connect Four — it’s a classic for a reason! The simple game is great for little ones who are still practicing spatial recognition, but honestly, it’s just as fun for adults as well. The game is relatively small (it’s less than 12 inches in length) which is enough room for little fingers to easily use but still small enough to pop into a backpack. Keep in mind, though: there are a number of little coin-sized pieces that come with this game, and they can get messy in the car.

The Details : 2 players | Ages 6+ | 20 minutes | 1.6 x 10.51 x 10.984 inches

Winning Moves Games Pass the Pigs

Why We Love It: This cheeky game is all about tumbling — it was essentially made for turbulence.

What to Consider: The game might become repetitive in smaller groups.

Pass the Pigs is hilariously simple, but there’s something about it that is so much fun. The game includes two pig dice, a dice cup, and a pig scoring guide with a scorepad. The aim of the game is to get as many points as possible by rolling the pigs into different positions like the “snouter” or the “sider.” The best part is that this game was literally made to be thrown around so even if you’re dealing with turbulence you don’t have to worry about your pieces tumbling over.

The Details : 2-7 players | Ages 7+ | 1.75 x 4 x 8.5 inches

Briarpatch I Spy Travel Card Game

Why We Love It: This game is a quiet option to play on the plane.

What to Consider: The game is somewhat solitary; not the best for groups of kids.

The travel-sized version of the classic I Spy children’s book provides endless hours of concentration and focus. The stunning visuals are entertaining in and of themselves but having to hunt for the hidden images makes it even more enjoyable. We also like that it can be played solitary and offers something relatively quiet to play while on the airplane or in other spaces where gameplay banter might not be appropriate.

The Details : 1 player or more | Ages 4+ | 0.75 x 3.75 x 5.75 inches

Taco vs. Burrito LLC Taco vs. Burrito Card Game

Why We Love It: This game was created by a kid for other kids.

What to Consider: The instructions on some cards are a little confusing.

Cheeky graphic-focused card games have become pretty popular over the past few years, but we’re still major fans of Taco vs. Burrito. It’s worth noting that the colorful (and super successful) card game was created by a seven-year-old boy with other kids in mind, but it’s just as fun for adults. The basic gameplay is easy to learn and games can be played within 15 minutes — but the action cards are quick to spice things up and add a strategic layer to the game.

The Details : 2-4 players | Ages 6+ | 15 minutes | 7 x 5 x 2 inches

Tricky Riddles for Smart Kids: 333 Difficult But Fun Riddles And Brain Teasers For Kids And Families

Why We Love It: This pack of riddles creates conversation and fosters further curiosity.

What to Consider: There are only about 300 riddles, so the deck might eventually become repetitive.

Kids who love brain teasers will get a kick out of this colorful collection of riddles designed to stump and foster curiosity. The deck is small and easy to transport (it’s about the size of a novel), but it’s packed with hundreds of riddles for kids to work through. The only thing we don’t love is that, while the deck does include lots of options, kids who are keen to work through one after another may deplete them rather quickly.

The Details : 1 player or more | 8-12 | 6 x 0.3 x 9 inches

Tips for Buying Travel-sized Games

Factor in the needed space.

You’ll want to consider the space required for your chosen game(s) and decide how much luggage space you’re able to offer up. This is where miniature grab-and-go board games and card games will come in handy. Prioritizing card games and smaller games that don’t require a board means you can more easily play your games on the move. If you need a table or flat surface for your game, playing while seated at the terminal or on a train may not be practical.

Figure out the game time

You’ll want an idea of how much time a game takes before deciding to pack it. Card games tend to be faster-paced than board games, and most can be completed in 15-30 minutes. Board games and party games can last a lot longer, continuing for up to two hours in certain cases. This can be great for lazy days at the hotel or Airbnb, but might not be the most practical for passing time at the train station.

Consider player ages

Think of the ages of the players you anticipate sharing games with. If you’re planning a backpacking trip and plan to spend time playing games at your hostel, you’ll probably be safe with just about any card or board game. If you’re meeting up with your family for a vacation, you might want to choose games that are suitable for all ages. Note that some games can be altered to be more PG by removing certain cards or phrases, but it’s best to double-check to ensure everyone in your group can participate.

What games are ideal for traveling?

The right games for your travels will greatly depend on what kind of travel you’re doing (road trip games vary greatly from late-night adult-only games, for example). But, no matter what style of travel you’re up to, you’ll want to look for games that are small enough to easily fit in your luggage without being imposing. Opt for games that don’t have many loose pieces or take up too much space when in use. Card games are your best bet if you anticipate playing on the road frequently, but travel-sized board games can also work (especially if they come in a magnetic format).

Are there travel-sized board games?

Yes! There are plenty of travel-sized board games available and many come with their own carrying case or magnetic material that further simplifies the overall travel experience. You won’t find every single board game available in a travel size, but you’ll definitely be able to find the classics from Hasbro like Clue , Monopoly , and more .

Why Trust Travel + Leisure

For this article, Travel + Leisure contributor Kaitlyn McInnis used her experience as a travel writer and former lifestyle editor as well as her own research to curate a list of the best travel-sized games available.

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27 Best Travel Games for everyone

Board games are a great way to spend meaningful time with family and friends, especially when traveling. We’ve assembled a list of the 27 Best Travel Games for 2023 and beyond including several new travel games, fun travel games for kids, travel-sized games, travel games for teens, the best travel games for adults, and some throwbacks to the classic games to play when traveling. Prepare to have fun!

The Definitive List of the Best Travel Games (updated for 2023)

In this guide to the best games for travel, we’ve selected a variety of games that make for good fun when traveling. Games are grouped into different categories including:

Best New Travel Games

Best travel games for kids.

• Travel Games for Teens

Best Travel Games for Adults

• Best Travel Games

Travel Size Games

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. We may also earn commissions from other affiliate programs as applicable. Click here to read our privacy & disclosure page .

What makes a good travel game?

There are a lot of games out there, but what is a good travel game? This requires a little more thought and is somewhat subjective, but there are a few things we can probably all agree that a top travel game should have:

• It should be fun! If the game isn’t fun, why play?
• It should be portable! No sense in bringing the Jenga game with you because it doesn’t travel well, right? Imagine playing Jenga on an airplane. Nope!
• It should be for multiple players (no solo games here). Sure, solo travelers need to have fun too, but for our list of great travel games, we’ve focused on games that are at least 2-player travel games and up.

This top list of games to play when traveling is based on these 3 important criteria, and yes, what’s fun to us, may not be fun to you…but that’s ok: you just aren’t as fun as us. Just Kidding.. .

Summary of the Games for Travel

We’ve summarized our list of the greatest games for traveling for you, below. Following this list readers will find an explanation and discussion of each game’s merits, why it’s a good game for travel and where to buy it. Happy gaming, everyone!

Coup (The Dystopian Universe)

• Monopoly Deal [All the good and none of the bad from Monopoly]
• Exploding Kittens [Fan Favorite!]

Travel Blurt

• Our Moments

Bananagrams

• What do you meme? [Good for Teens!]

Kids against Maturity

Unstable unicorns, pun intended, awkward family photos.

• Cards Against Humanity [Best Travel Game for Adults!]
• Catch Phrase Uncensored

Disturbed Friends

• Uno [The Classic Travel Game!]

Apples to Apples

• Tile-Lock Travel Scrabble

Travel Catan

• Travel sized Cribbage
• Travel Chess board

Travel Checkers

Plus a bonus game at the end!

In this section, we highlight 3 new travel games that folks are finding quite fun and enjoyable.

This spy-themed new travel game pits players against each other in a race to identify and make contact with spies using only their codenames and color-based clues. Be sure to avoid the assassin. The bigger the teams the better!

• Players : 2 teams of 4+ work best
• Why this game is fun : Enough strategy to really challenge players but fun enough to get lots of laughs.

Heads up game!

This new travel game takes a page out of Ellen’s popular game show. Players take turns guessing the words strapped to their heads based on clues from their teammates.

• Players : 2-6
• Why this game is fun : Clues can only be done in sounds…no words or gestures!

As the head of an Italian city-state try to outlast your competitors by gaining influence and clouts. It’s all about greed as you rise to power in this newly released travel game.

• Why this game is fun : “Manipulate, bluff and bribe” your way to power, the game says. How can that not be fun!?

In this section, we highlight the best travel games for kids, specifically younger kids ages 5-13. In the following section, we highlight some travel games designed for teens.

This travel game is best suited for younger travelers, but it’s easy, fun, and can be played just about anywhere. Comes with a handy tin making portability a breeze.

• Ages : 7-11 years (although we’ve played it with kids as young as 5 with no issues)
• Players : 2-8
• Why this game is fun : Simple, easy game, easy to learn, and great for kids who are usually better than the adults at this game!

Kids love this game and most adults do too (even if they don’t admit it). This game is exactly what you think it is: ask players to name random words to complete a story and then read it back to everyone while trying not to snort your soda through your nose.

• Ages : 8+ (but 5+ works too)
• Players : Any, but 2-4 works best.
• Why this game is fun : Silly words? What could go wrong? Nothing! This game brings out some hilarity and is a perfect game for a road trip or flight.

Monopoly Deal

In what is arguably the most clever take on this classic game, Monopoly Deal takes a game that’s probably too long, to begin with, and simplifies it into a 15-minute game that still retains the fun and thematic elements that make Monopoly a good game.

Pro Tip: Buy 3 packs of cards, combine them all and play super Monopoly Deal…game goes on a little longer, but it makes it even more fun!

• Players : 2-5
• Why this game is fun : This game is truly one of the best new travel games created in recent history. It makes Monopoly a much more casual experience. And the ability to steal sets from another place adds an element of zaniness that keeps the family laughing.

Exploding Kittens

With a name like Exploding Kittens, this game is either going to be horrible or amazing. Fortunately, it’s the latter. This wildly popular game has blown up (see what I did there) in popularity and it makes for a fun addition to your next trip.

• Players : from 2 all the way up to 10 players (but 5 is best)
• Why this game is fun : “It’s like UNO, except there are goats, magical enchiladas and kittens that can kill you.” – CNN

A great travel game for kids that also teaches them along the way. Hold up. Yeah, this is a pretty sweet game and perfect for traveling with kiddos. The premise of this game is simple. Someone reads out clues and people blurt out answers. Keep score on the magnetic scoreboard and let the fun begin.

• Players : 3-4
• Why this game is fun : The quick associations that kids make when they blurt things out is kinda funny!

OUR MOMENTS Kids Edition

Put the cell phones away and really get to know your kids by asking thought-provoking questions. Create listening, bonding, and teaching opportunities with your kids and really get to know them. Perfect conversation starters for long trips.

• Players : One-one-one is best (Parent w/ Kid), but you can play with a few kids at a time.
• Why this game is fun : You really get to know your kids and it’s fun to see where they are at with different ideas and concepts.

If Scrabble and a crossword puzzle had a baby, its cousin would be Bananagrams. This is a fun game though and we are big fans of any game featuring wordplay. Perfect for travel. Cooped up in a hotel? Banangram it.

• Players : 1-8
• Why this game is fun : Easy to learn and kids will have a hoot playing!

Best Travel Games for Teens

Teens are a hard bunch to please. Want to get them off TikTok for a while? It’s going to be harder than you think but here’s a few of the best travel games for teens that might just be right up their alley. Don’t worry, you are still going to have to deal with sarcasm. Can’t help you there!

What do you Meme?

To be clear, this game is for the more mature teens. It features some mature words and themes. It also features hilarity. Buy the game for your teen and then don’t play it with them. It’s a win-win all around.

• Ages : 17+ (older teens); also good game for adult travelers
• Players : 3+
• Why this game is fun : It is memes, man. And memes are probably the greatest part of the Internet!

If you like mildly inappropriate humor (silly fart jokes, etc) this game is perfect. You know, the stuff that kids actually laugh at when you aren’t around. This game is fun for older children through younger teen years.

• Ages : 8+ (but it’s best for younger teens…12-14ish.)
• Players : 4+
• Why this game is fun : The warning on the box states, “This game is not suitable for over-protective, humorless, hover-parents.” Haha…I’m in.

I am so confused. Why are there unicorns? And why are they are unstable? Should I be worried? You may not get it, but your teens will. This fun travel game for teens is an easy sell. Just buy the game and leave them alone.

• Why this game is fun : Because you get to build a Unicorn Army! Duh!

Dad Jokes make our teens roll their eyes, but I have a theory. I think they secretly enjoy them. You can prove that theory with Pun Intended which has its players guessing puns and scoring points.

• Players : 2 minimum (but 4 is a better minimum to start with for the most fun)
• Why this game is fun : This game is super punny. Too soon?

Every photo with a teenager is awkward. At least we can acknowledge that. This particular iteration of the game ties funny, embarrassing photos of random people with movie lines. Players must think on their feet and match the caption with the pic.

• Players : 4-8
• Why this game is fun : Because funny pictures of old people is funny. Oh, wait, are we going to be in a game someday?? Sigh…

It’s time for the grown-ups to play! Grab your wine glass and pick one of these best travel games for adults and get ready. Pro tip: if you use Zoom, Facetime, or Hangouts and you each have your own copy of the game you can still play many of these games even if you are not in the same room together.

Cards against Humanity

The grown-up version of Apples to Apples. Be prepared to be offended on multiple levels. Also, be prepared to laugh your butt off. Perfect for a grown-up vacation or road trip with a fellow couple who’s also got a dark sense of humor. It’s our opinion that this is one of the best travel board games for adults.

• Ages : Adults
• Players : at least 4, but 6-8 is the sweet spot
• Why this game is fun : Dark humor is the best!

Bullshit Game

The bluffing game: how good is your poker face? If you suspect your fellow player hit the bullshit button.

• Players : 4-6
• Why this game is fun : Hitting a button that announces bullshit is great. Plus you could use it in other parts of your life like when your kids start BS’ng you…just saying.

Catchphrase uncensored!

This game stresses people out! Grab it, guess it, and pass it the heck on to the next person. This version, however, has some adult themes…uncensored. Awesome.

• Why this game is fun : Uncensored stress? What could go wrong?

This is the worst game ever made. It literally says that in their marketing. 250 disturbing questions…what could possibly go wrong!?!

• Players : Up to 10
• Why this game is fun : The best humor is found in offense and this game has a bundle of it.

Best Travel Board Games – the rest including some old favorites

What would we do without the classics? Those tried and true games we played growing up. Maybe it was in a hotel on your Texas road trip, or at the airport gate as you waited to board the plane for your trip to Hawaii. These travel games are the go-to travel games that are always fun for all ages, all the time.

How many times have you seen a family huddled around an airport gate waiting for a flight and playing Uno? Probably a lot because Uno is the perfect travel game for kids, families, adults, teens, etc. It’s simple, portable, easy to learn, easy to play, and just enough fun to not bore the hardcore gamers.

• Ages : 12+ (but honestly this is like 6 and up)
• Why this game is fun : Draw 4 baby!

This is a classic family game that travels pretty well too. It’s easy for most ages to play and can help teach the young ones some strategy and math along the way.

• Players : 2+
• Why this game is fun : Math, dice, luck, strategy, etc.

This classic game is a family-friendly travel game that is easy to learn, easy to play, and a bushel of fun. Take it on the road with you and let the good times roll.

• Why this game is fun : The fun is really in figuring out what the picker is likely to pick based on what you know about them NOT what the right answer to the prompt is.

Ever played a game of magnetic chess on a chessboard so small it fits in your back pocket? Travel size games are a hugely popular niche and we’ve highlighted a few of them here for you. These games include magnetic travel games, compact board games, small board games for travel, and more.

Travel Scrabble – your pieces won’t be a mess when you travel!

Bring this fun game on the road with you without having to worry about losing tiles. This travel Scrabble set includes magnetic tiles and easily fits into your carry-on.

• Ages : 8+ (but 10+ is better as they have a much deeper grasp of vocabulary).
• Players : 2
• Why this game is fun : Scabble is always fun. Who doesn’t like impressing your friends and family with your vast knowledge of big words (and small words too!)?

Before there was Age of Empires there was Catan. The world-building and resource-hoarding board game is possibly the best travel game ever created. Here it is in all its glory but in the perfect travel size format.

• Players : 2-4
• Why this game is fun : Trade, build, settle! The Catan slogan says it all. This is a longer game, but definitely, a strategic thought-provoking game and perfect for travel.

Travel Sized Cribbage Game

Cribbage is one of the most fun games you can play and if you choose to play cuthroat style it’s even more fun. Use this travel-sized cribbage game to feed your cribbage habit.

• Why this game is fun : It’s cribbage! A classic game for math-inclined card experts. Strategy, math, and fun.

Travel Chess

This portable travel chess set is the perfect thinking game for your next trip. A tried and true game, chess is always a great game for slightly older kids and up.

• Why this game is fun : A thinking game!

Here is your classic checkers game, in travel-sized format. Comes with magnetic checkers that are perfect for using during a trip. Magnetic travel games are a throwback to a different era too. Cheap, yet fun, they help us reminisce about a different time in our lives. This set, however, isn’t too bad.

• Why this game is fun : It’s checkers! Who doesn’t love this fun game?

Last but not least…a deck of cards is arguably the best game for traveling because you can take it anywhere with you!

Some people suggest there’s an infinite number of games you can play with a deck of cards . Perhaps that’s true, perhaps not, but with a deck of cards, your travel game options are pretty close to unlimited. Here are 40 games to play with a deck of cards while traveling .

More Games to Play while Traveling (including in a car)

If board games are not your cup of team, here are a few more fun games to play while traveling that don’t involve boards. Remember the alphabet game? Here are a few other ideas with links on how to play:

• Name the Most – Pick a category (say fast food companies) and challenge someone: “I can name 9 fast food companies” Then see if you can beat that score. See the full rules here .
• The Alphabet Game – You know how to play this game…which is why it’s probably one of the top travel games of all time. We’ve all played it and it’s fun…for a while anyway.
• I Spy – A fun game to play in a car or on an airplane that can eat up some time!

What’s your favorite road trip game? Drop us a comment or tweet us!

Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I may also earn commissions from other affiliate programs as applicable.

Jeremy Ballou is the editor of the CBoardingGroup.com and a long-time writer in both the travel and tech industry. Most days he's in thinking about travel or writing about it.

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I am gonna play a few of them. I just love to travel. I kinda get bore, so I hope these games add some spice to my free time.

wow! I love playing a game while traveling and its relive our stress .

https://www.expresscouriercars.co.uk/

I love playing games while travelling. it makes travel enjoyable and fun. thanks for suggesting these fantastic games.

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Home » Gear » best travel games

Best Travel Games – Entertainment on the Go

Travel inherently means downtime. There’s waiting for transport to depart, the relocating bit, and a myriad of other periods of time when you can’t do much more than wait. How do you fill this time? You could impatiently look at your watch, stare into space, read a book – or enjoy your time by playing a travel game!

There are a whole host of travel games out there, and whatever your tastes you’re sure to find one that meets your needs! Whether you’re looking for the top travel size games for adults or maybe something for the kids, we’ve got it all covered.

Want to find out then? Simple – read on!

Quick Answer: The Best Travel Games

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• Best pick travel game – Bananagrams
• Best travel board game – Travel Monopoly
• Best travel card game – Exploding Kittens
• Best travel games for adults – Cards Against Humanity
• Best travel game for couples – The Date Game That’s Actually Fun
• Best travel games for flights – Boggle
• Best travel games for road trips – Battleship Grab & Go
• Best travel games for families – Dobble
• Best travel game for kids – Pass the Pigs
• Best travel game for pre-schoolers – Buckle Toy Bizzy
• Best travel game for 2 people – Connect 4 Grab & Go
• Best travel game for groups – Farkle

Bananagrams

• > Lightweight
• > Needs just 2 players

Travel Monopoly

• > Self-adhesive board
• > Up to six players

Exploding Kittens

• > Easy to understand rules
• > Small to pack

Cards Against Humanity

• > Strictly for adults
• > 4-20 players

The Date Game That’s Actually Fun

• > Includes all you need to play
• > Best played as a couple

• > All the parts kept in a carry case
• > Can be played for just 3 minutes

Battleship Grab & Go

• > No need to pass tokens between players
• > Travel friendly

• > Game for almost all ages
• > Metal carry tin

Pass the Pigs

• > Doesn’t require adult supervision
• > Simple to understand

Buckle Toy Bizzy

• > Specifically designed for pre-school children
• > Educational

Connect 4 Grab & Go

• > Easy to set up

• > Perfect for large groups
• > Games can be varied in length

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Bananagrams is a firm favorite for those in the know, is easy to set up and play anywhere, and adds little weight to your kid’s backpack . A word-based game, it consists of 144 Scrabble-like letter tiles, with some doled out to players and the rest left in a central ‘bunch’. The aim of the game is to use up all your tiles in creating interconnecting words – rather like a crossword grid. There are no turns to be taken, but each player working on their own grid as quickly as possible, making it a fast-paced and very addictive game. Requiring just two players, it’s also possible to play with anyone from reading age upwards.

• Lightweight
• Needs just 2 players
• From reading age upwards
• Tiles could get lost
• Can’t be played alone
• Not for pre-schoolers

Is Bananagrams for me?

If you’re looking for a travel game that’s going to keep you entertained without needing a large amount of baggage space, Bananagrams could be for you! Scrabble fans and lovers of word games will definitely enjoy games, which at a minimum of five minutes in length, can be played at almost any time!

Our team swear by Bananagrams for their trips as they find it to be super fun, engaging, educational and most importantly, it weighs hardly anything and takes up no room at all in their bags. They also love how simple the game is to play and pick up too.

Travel Monopoly plays in exactly the same way as standard Monopoly, and the world’s favorite board game needs very little introduction! The small board folds in half so that the entire game takes up not much more space than a paperback book, and doesn’t weigh much more either (just 300g in fact), while a ‘self-adhesive’ board ensure counters don’t fall about the place at the first elbow nudge or spot of turbulence on an aircraft. With enough miniature versions of the traditional player pieces to make this a six-player game (with a minimum of two), it’s ideal for families, while the average game time of 45 minutes makes it a great distraction for airport waits.

• Self-adhesive board
• Up to six players
• Playing time of around 45 minutes
• Minimum 2 players
• Small cards/pieces could get lost
• Age range of 8+

Is Travel Monopoly for me?

Long waits and long journeys don’t need to feel like purgatory with Travel Monopoly in hand. Its 45-minute average playing time will see the time pass all the quicker, while the self-adhesive board helps the counters stay in place however bumpy the journey might be!

Our team are split on whether Monopoly is a good idea on a trip or not! They love the mini set up which plays pretty much the same as the bigger version and packs down pretty light. Some of them just wonder if it might cause a mid-flight emergency landing if things kick off!

Adored by those who have played it, Exploding Kittens is as whimsical as its name might suggest. A rapid-fire card game, the aim is to avoid picking an exploding kitten from the stack of face-down cards, while action cards add to the peril by giving sneak peeks and mixing up the pack in various ways. No bigger than a pack of playing cards (out of the box), Exploding Kittens is perhaps one of the easiest games to take traveling. It’s suitable for 2-5 players of more or less any age, with each individual game lasting around 15 minutes.

• Quick to play
• Easy to understand rules
• Small to pack
• Family-friendly
• Not for single players
• Maximum 5 players
• Cards could get lost
• Games last 15 minutes

Is Exploding Kittens for me?

A quick action family-friendly card game if ever there was one, Exploding Kittens so wonderfully bizarre, kids will love it, while the easy-to-understand rules mean even grandma and granddad can get involved! Small and lightweight too, this is an easy travel game to slip into a pocket for those times you need a little entertainment.

Exploding Kittens is a big hit amongst the team and they love how fun and easy to play it is. The game is also super light and portable meaning it can fit into pretty much any backpack without adding any extra weight. They also like how the playing area for the game is really compact too meaning you could play it on train or plane trays.

Certainly not a travel game for the kiddos, Cards Against Humanity at its best is rude, offensive, and potentially libellous too. So how’s it work? It’s simple really. The dealer reads out an incomplete phrase, which each player tries to complete in turn using words found on cards they’ve been dealt in a hand. It’s the dealer who decides the winner of each round, meaning the winner can be the most outrageous, most poetical, or most polite. A game for up to 20 players, it soon develops a party atmosphere! It’s one of the best adult travel games for sure.

• Strictly for adults
• Simple rules
• 4-20 players
• Easy to pack
• Requires a minimum 4 players
• Not for the easily offended!
• Not for public areas either!
• Game time of around 45 minutes

Is Cards Against Humanity for me?

Definitely not if you’re under 18 or easily offended, but taking that into account, Cards Against Humanity is what could be defined as a right-rollicking travel game, made all the better by the fact you can get up to 20 people playing at the same time.

Our team loves Cards Against Humanity and rate it as one of their best travel games for adults. The game is perfect for getting out at the hostel and breaking the ice. The only drawback is that the game is a little heavier compared to some of the others on the list. But it’s probably the most fun!

The premise of The Date Game That’s Actually Fun is pretty simple – the 330 questions are intended to test how well you know your partner! Though we can see how this could well lead to an argument or two, it’s also a great way of getting to know your other half better and passing the dead time of travel.

The Date Game That’s Actually Fun comes with everything you need to play the game on the move, with 2 dice and 75 prompt cards, across six different categories so you can really get to know your other half.

• Get to know your partner better
• Includes all you need to play
• Best played as a couple
• Number of questions limits playability
• Good for couples getting to know each other
• Compact and lightweight
• Could lead to arguments!

Is The Date Game That’s Actually Fun for me?

Certainly a travel game given its pocket size and weight, The Date Game That’s Actually Fun is a fun way for a couple to pass the time, or for hen/bachelorette groups, in particular, to get the party started. Hopefully, you know your partner well enough that it doesn’t lead to angry recriminations!

Our team felt this was also one of their favourite travel games for adults and kids alike with the addition of the different categories questions. They felt it was perfect for a bit of fun on the road especially when there is only the two of you.

The travel version of this word game is just as easy to play on an aircraft as the original is to play at home. Give the box a quick shake to mix up and settle the letter-inscribed dice within, open up the box, and turn over the sand timer. Each player must then create as many words as they can from the revealed letters, akin to a word search. Obscure words are best, since (infuriatingly) any word spotted by more than one player doesn’t count! But what’s great about this game is that you can play it for as little or as much time as you like (each round lasts just two minutes or so), and can even play alone!

• All the parts kept in a carry case
• Can be played for just 3 minutes
• Can be played with one player
• Infinite number of players
• Dice shaking could irritate other passengers
• Carry case lid isn’t hinged
• No note paper included

Is Boggle for me?

If you enjoy word searches or other travel games such as Bananagrams, you’re going to enjoy Boggle too! Ideal for a flight because of its compact size and simple gameplay, it also has an almost infinite number of letter combinations, that will keep you busy for hours!

Our team feel this is their best game for travel if the size is one of your main concerns. They love how compact and light the game is with all the parts also being super hard-wearing. They also love that the game itself takes up hardly any room in use and uses the box as its playing area.

Battleship Grab & Go

What makes Battleship Grab & Go so good for road trips? Well, it one of the few travel games that don’t require either a communal aspect (a deck of cards or bag of letter tiles) or the need to pass tokens between players. For anyone who doesn’t already know, this two-player (or two-team) game links guesswork with skill to track down the coordinates of each ship in the other player’s navy. The two playing trays are designed in such a way that pegs are firmly placed and can’t get shaken out of place whatever road obstacles you might come across!

• No ‘communal aspect’
• No need to pass tokens between players
• Travel-friendly
• Easy to play
• For two players/teams
• For ages 7+
• Pegs a little fiddly

Is Battleship Grab & Go for me?

Road trips mean plenty of time in the confines of a vehicle where it’s difficult to reach a communal pile of cards or letters, and can be hard to pass tokens between players too! Battleship Grab & Go has no need for these game aspects, and is specifically designed for use on the road!

Battleship is an absolute classic and our team loves it! Many of them have fond memories of playing it as kids. The team liked that this edition was made from durable materials and included two self-enclosed playing boards that keep all the pieces organised.

A card-based travel game aimed at children but still very playable by adults, there’s little to have to carry with Dobble, making it a great option for families who already have more than enough baggage with them! Essentially a version of ‘snap’ built for the twenty-first century, five different games can be played with the 55 card Dobble pack. The most basic sees players reveal one card at a time, in an attempt to match images between cards – each one has 8 different images of various sizes to make it extra tricky! The player with the most cards at the end of the pack wins!

• Game for almost all ages
• 2-8 players
• Metal carry tin
• Not suitable for pre-schoolers
• Cannot be played alone
• Game time of 10 minutes
• Won’t help teach literacy

Is Dobble for me?

This fun, fast, and sometimes raucous travel game can be played by anyone in the family old enough to be able to recognize different images (with another version available for younger children too). Educational and enjoyable to play, Dobble is a marvellous way of having fun as a family!

Our team are big fans of Dobble, especially for games nights in the hostel. They love that it comes in a metal box that keeps the cards safe when it’s thrown in their packs. The only thing they did say is that this game can get pretty energetic and rowdy, so maybe not ideal for enclosed spaces!

If you’re after a game that the kids can play on their own without the supervision or input of a tired-out adult, reach for Pass the Pigs! Based on the traditional game of ‘pigs’ that uses the roll of a pair of dice to determine points, this version sees kids drop small model pigs (that they’ll love in any case) onto the playing board, which is made up of several squares which can take or give points. The trick is knowing when to stop or play on (all down to luck of course), which keeps the game fresh and risky time after time!

• Doesn’t require adult supervision
• Simple to understand
• Very small to pack
• 2-4 players
• For reading age kids
• Game time of 30 minutes
• Pigs could get lost

Is Pass the Pigs for me?

The lack of a skill requirement means Pass the Pigs is suitable for a child of just about any age (although the board does include some writing). It’s also one of those games where you can leave them to it for a few minutes without supervision. It’s also small to pack and weighs very little, making it a good choice for traveling families!

The team felt this was a super fun game, especially for kids. They like that the pieces are made from durable and hard-wearing material and their box is strong enough to cope with the rigours of travel. They did feel it could get a bit tedious for the adults after a while though.

Specifically designed to be attractive to pre-schoolers, the upper side of the Buckle Toy Bizzle is decorated with a bright and cheerful face, while the underside has tabs for numbers 1 to 5 which lift up to reveal a series of stitched animals. Stretching out from this soft central section are 6 colorful child-friendly buckles of different sorts to help develop a pre-schoolers motor, cognitive, and problem-solving skills without even realizing it. A zip pocket gives a further reason why the child would love to have this around, while its 6 x 6 inch size and fabric construction makes it very easy to travel with, however far you’re heading.

• Specifically designed for pre-school children
• Brightly colored
• Educational
• Small in size
• For 1-4 years of age
• For one player
• No alternate games to play
• Small danger of catching skin in clips

Is Buckle Toy Bizzy for me?

Good, educational travel toys for pre-schoolers are difficult to come by, and let’s face it, if you intend on traveling you definitely need something to keep these young minds occupied! Brightly colored, and with little extras such as the hidden animals, Bizzy could be your child’s favorite for months to come.

The team felt this toy was super well made, which is essential when it comes to something designed for toddlers! The game is small and light enough to fit easily inside a backpack whilst offering a surprising amount of different colours, numbers, textures and noises to keep the little ones distracted! They also love that you can attach it to a backpack or the back of a seat too.

Connect 4 Grab & Go

Even if the name of Connect 4 doesn’t ring a bell right away, we suspect you’ll soon recognize its bright blue plastic frame and red and yellow counters. Connect 4 Grab & Go is the same as the original game, but smaller in size and with handy attached trays in which to place the counters. If you don’t immediately remember how to play, you’re simply trying to drop the counters into the frame in such a way that the result is a line of four consecutive counters of the same color – a little like an expanded version of noughts and crosses.

• Smaller version of a favourite
• Simple to play
• Easy to set up
• For just two players
• Counters can get lost
• Little variation in the game
• Playing time of 10 minutes

Is Connect 4 Grab & Go for me?

This simple, near vintage, travel game is easy to set up and perhaps even easier to play. With an average playing time of 10 minutes, it can be brought out even during short waits, while you’ll be surprised how addictive a game it can become!

Our team felt this was one of the best travel games for 2 adults or kids. This classic game is easy to get the hang of and offers hours of fun! The travel edition is super small and being plastic it’s both light and hard-wearing.

Finding a travel game suitable for a larger group would be difficult if it wasn’t for Farkle. Best described as the dice game Yahtzee built into a larger game, it can be played by an almost limitless number of players due to the fact each person takes turns shaking the six dice. With only specific dice combinations giving a player points nothing is guaranteed, while everything can be lost if you hit the Farkle combination. The winner is simply the person who reaches the winning points margin first – and as this can be as large or as small as you want, games can fit into whatever time you have free!

• Perfect for large groups
• Made in the UK
• Games can be varied in length
• Dice can get lost
• For ages 8+
• No skill required
• Dice quite small

Is Farkle for me?

If you’re looking for a game that can absorb almost any number of players (simply use more than one score sheet for larger groups – or draw your own) and doesn’t require skill or any complicated rules (we’re looking at you, Monopoly) Farkle is probably the game for you!

The team rate this game highly for travelling with it being so small and light. Another bonus for solo travellers or couples is that it works well with one or two people which is pretty rare, even rarer is that equally, you can play it with a big group. The team also feel the replayability is much bigger than many other games on the list.

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Reading the instructions and you might think Codenames is the most complicated travel game ever invented, but get stuck in and you’ll soon realize it’s not as difficult as it at first sounds! The aim of the game is to uncover all of each team’s secret agents, hidden within a field of possibles that includes ordinary bystanders and a very deadly assassin. But really, this is a game of word association, with clues given by a spymaster to their team linked in some way to the agents they are looking for. With so many combinations possible, you can play this game almost endlessly, with different combinations of team members making for very different results!

• Simple at heart
• Close to a traditional board game (without the board)
• Can be played almost endlessly
• Better with 4+ players

Is Codenames for me?

If you’re looking for a travel game that involves a little more skill and thought than the simple chance of something like Farkle, go for Codenames! This competitive and fun travel game will have you second-guessing every word given by your spymaster in the attempt to identify your undercover agents.

Codenames is one of my personal favourite games, I love how frustrating and fun it is anticipating your partners answer or trying to find a tenuous link between the cards! The game consists of just cards so it’s easy to take out of the box as we have and throw it in a sandwich bag for your travels. It lays flat and weight almost nothing. However, the game does need more room than a plane tray usually affords.

The traditional stylings of the box might not look much, but bear with us, for Catan is a big hit with everyone that plays it! Credited with igniting the recent craze for board games, Catan requires skill, strategy, and a little bit of cooperation between players too. The ultimate aim is to reach ten victory points and to do this each player begins building their own settlement through farming, trading, and other choices. Along the way, each player needs to watch out for the robber, who stops development of the settlements he’s landed on!

• Almost infinite playing board
• Suitable for all the family
• Games last around an hour
• Not simply luck
• Requires space for the board
• Just 3-4 players
• Lots of small parts

Is Catan for me?

Want something more than a travel game of chance and luck? Catan meets this need, with its requirement for careful consideration and strategy. It also emphasizes the need for cooperation, which is great for children and has an almost infinite playing board thanks to its jigsaw-like setup.

Catan is a classic and it’s one of my favourite games. The full-sized edition, whilst a surefire hit in the hostels, might just be a little on the large and heavy side unless you’re travelling in a car or campervan. However, there are smaller versions available where two players can play too.

Sequence Travel Edition

Made for travel, Sequence Travel Edition combines the basic premise of a number of games including Connect4 and poker into one large board-based travel game. The board has cleverly been placed within the lid of the plastic carry case of this travel edition and pegs that slot into holes replace the traditional chips used so that players don’t lose their place. Even the cards used in a miniature pack for travel, while the game itself is simple enough that children will be readily able to play. So what’s it all about? Fundamentally, it’s about connecting up a sequence of 5 cards in various ways that will keep your mind busy over and over again!

• Special travel edition
• Can be played by children
• Pegs can be a little fiddly
• Two-player version

Is Sequence Travel Edition for me?

Those who have played the full-sized version of Sequence might be a little unimpressed by the Travel Edition, however, for a game that will keep children and adults entertained for half an hour or more, we still rate Sequence Travel Edition as a fine travel game!

Our team felt this was a pretty fun little game that impressed them with its clever design where it was played inside its own plastic container. It meant it was compact and light and keeping all the various parts together wasn’t an issue. Most importantly, it could also be played easily on a plane, train or bus tray table.

Qwirkle Travel

The colorful playing pieces of Qwirkle Travel play rather like dominoes on steroids. The aim is to place connecting tiles next to each other, but instead of tiles comprising numbers, they are of various shapes and colors. An orange square can be placed next to a red square, which can be followed by a red circle, for instance. And to make it slightly more complicated, each color can only appear in a row once! The winner of each round is the player that has put down the most tiles, in the most rows, so some strategy is needed too.

• Travel version of the popular game
• Good for children and adults to play together
• One of the heavier games on our list
• For just 2-4 players
• Lots of small pieces to lose

Is Qwirkle Travel for me?

Easy to understand, but requiring enough strategy to keep players entertained, Qwirkle Travel is family fun at its very best. Though it can be a rapid-fire game, the thought required also means a game can last 45 minutes – an ideal length of time for many travel experiences.

Our team loves that this is one of those simple yet complex games where you can really get stuck in and engaged in the game. It really passes the time well on long trips with the level of concentration needed! They also feel that the bag and pieces are pretty robust too and like that it can be played with 2 people.

Top Trumps Wonders of the World

If you don’t already know how Top Trumps works, where have you been? Nothing to do with the 45 th president of the United States (that we know of), the Top Trumps deck of cards is divided among the players, who try and beat the other players by besting them on one of the card’s selected categories. What makes the Wonders of the World version particularly relevant to travel is its world theme, with plenty of intriguing facts to keep everyone paying attention while the game goes on. And that game goes on right up until the time when one player holds all the cards!

• Games can last as little as 2 minutes
• Easy to travel with
• Great for kids
• Travel themed
• Limited number of cards
• Best with 4 players

Is Top Trumps Wonders of the World for me?

A particularly good choice if you’re looking to drill some useful facts about the world into your children without them realizing it (such as the height of Mount Everest), Top Trumps Wonders of the World is also easy to travel with, and argument free – since all the facts are written down! Perfect!

Top Trumps has been a hit with me and my partner since we first met each other as teenagers! We’ve collected heaps of different versions but of course, as avid travellers, this version is a firm favourite. The game is simple, filled with interesting facts and fun to play. The cards take up hardly any room and the plastic case keeps them in good condition on the road.

Unstable Unicorns

The Exploding Kittens for the millennial age, Unstable Unicorns is as barmy a card-based game as they come! How does a player go about winning? By building up a powerful unicorn army of course! And you can’t do this without a little bit (alright, a lot) of friendly betrayal of the other players, seeing to the destruction of their own unicorn armies. With wonderfully vibrant imagery and an unpredictability no other travel game can match, Unstable Unicorns definitely belongs to the ‘once tried never forgotten’ list of travel games!

• Great design
• Ridiculously unpredictable
• Up to 8 can play
• 30-45 minutes playing time
• For ages 14+
• Higher price point
• Requires table space

Is Unstable Unicorns for me?

A great way to spend some quality time with your teens, or just a group of friends, Unstable Unicorns is like no other card-based game you will ever have come across. Quirky, cute, and evilly vicious in equal turn, up to 8 can play, with games lasting right up to 45 minutes.

Our team absolutely loves this game from the hilarious illustrations to the cunning gameplay, it’s got it all! It’s a huge hit at the hostel and really gets everyone interacting and having fun from the off. They also like that there are various different versions and expansion packs too so the game has huge replayability.

Mille Bornes

With a strapline of ‘the classic racing game,’ you can know a little of what to expect from this card-based travel game. A Monopoly for cars, players need to fill up on petrol, avoid accidents, and block the progress of other players to reach the end of the 1000-mile journey. Ironically perhaps, this is actually an incredibly fast-paced game, so pay attention! It’s also very easy to learn the rules, so you’ll be up to speed (pardon the pun) and playing before you know it!

• Travel version of a classic travel game
• Easy to understand
• Cards can be lost
• High price point

Is Mille Bornes for me?

Looking for an alternative to Monopoly? Mille Bornes fills that niche, without the need for a board. The resulting card-based game is a classic, particularly in its birthplace of France. Nothing gets classic status without reason, so why not splash out and try Mille Bornes for yourself?

Our team love the unique premise of this game and felt it offered something pretty different compared to most card games out there. The retro metal packaging was also great for travellers because it was still pretty light but made sure all the pieces stayed together and undamaged whilst in their backpacks.

Another classic travel game is Uno. Developed in the early 1970s, it is as fresh today as when it was first invented, which says a lot about the simple elegance of this card game. Using a specially printed pack of 108 cards, the majority of which comprise a color and number, the basic aim is to be the first player to shed all their cards through picking up and putting down cards based on what’s face up in a central pile. It’s a little more complex than that, with skips and wild cards among other features, and the need to shout ‘Uno!’ not when you’ve won, but when you have a single card left in your hand!

• A classic game
• 2-10 players
• 45 minute game time

Is Uno for me?

Uno rapidly becomes addictive, which is exactly what you should be looking for in a travel game when you have a lot of dead time to fill up without getting bored! Lightweight and easy to pack, and suitable for everyone from the age of seven upwards, your career as an Uno champion could start today!

Uno! What can we say, it’s a classic and a game all of our team needed no introduction to! I think we’ve all got a traumatic Uno story, ending up with a stack of cards just a few rounds after forgetting to shout “Uno”! But no one can deny the fun of this simple but tactical game that packs down super small and light.

An award-winning family strategy game, OK Play is durable, waterproof (being plastic), and a good size for travel, although the small counters might be troublesome for some families to keep hold of. Once you’ve chosen your particular color of tiles – held neatly on their own stack until they are needed – it’s simply a matter of placing down one tile at a time until one of the players manages to sneak in a row of five counters in the horizonal, vertical, or diagonal. Recommended for children from the age of 8 upwards, four different color stacks of counters make it suitable for 2-4 players.

• Award-winning
• Designed for travel
• Counters could get lost
• Requires a playing table
• For only 2-4 players
• Slightly awkward shape for packing

Is OK Play for me?

This counter game is so easy to play you won’t bore children with a long list of rules and regulations, yet at the same time is flexible enough to allow continued development of the skills and strategies required to make it a success as a player. Its durability and waterproof nature also help to make it an all-around good family travel game!

This game was new to most of our testers but they really loved how simple, fast-paced and addictive it was. They also felt when it came to travel games, this one was probably the most perfectly designed. It was super compact, so light and really hard to break!

Now, you  could spend a fat chunk of $$$ on the WRONG present for someone. Wrong size hiking boots, wrong fit backpack, wrong shape sleeping bag… As any adventurer will tell you, gear is a personal choice.

So give the adventurer in your life the gift of convenience: buy them an REI Co-op gift card!  REI is The Broke Backpacker’s retailer of choice for ALL things outdoors, and an REI gift card is the perfect present you can buy from them. And then you won’t have to keep the receipt. 😉

What makes a game the best travel game for you, your family, and your friends? Here are some helpful hints and tips to guide you!

Packability

You’re probably already struggling to fit everything you want to take into your baggage, particularly if traveling as a family, so you don’t want to be carrying around a travel game that is either large in size, or overly heavy. Thankfully, these days the manufacturers have caught the hint, producing dedicated travel versions of many popular games, with Monopoly one of them.

Are you looking for a travel game that will entertain just a couple of people, have a group of adults enthralled, keep children busy during dead time, or maybe one that’s suitable for families? We’ve highlighted the age range each game is aimed at in our reviews, to make this really obvious for you!

Number of players

There’s no point getting a travel game that’s at its best with six players if there are only ever going to be two or you! Likewise, don’t get a game for two if you know the average number of players is going to be greater than this. Follow these simple rules together with our reviews, and you’ll find the best travel game for you!

There is no perfect or exact science when it comes to testing out travel gear, but when it comes to picking the best travel games, we’ve got plenty of experience between us!

Whenever we test a piece of gear, one of our team takes it out for a spin and puts it through its paces. When it came to travel games things were no different in our eyes, we just added in a few extra details.

So, we looked initially at how well-made the game is and whether it would stand up to the rigours of being thrown into a backpack every day. Then we accessed things like weight, size, packability as well as ease of set up and most importantly, gameplay!

Finally, we also take into account how much each item costs – when it came to picking out the best games for traveling, we also weighted up whether we felt each one was worth the price. We judged the more expensive items more harshly than the cheaper games as we expected to get more for our money.

Still have some questions about the best games for travel? No problem! We’ve listed and answered the most commonly asked questions below. Here’s what people usually want to know:

What are the best travel games for long car-rides?

Battleship Grab & Go is a great option for long car rides or road trips. The two playing trays are designed in such a way that pegs are firmly placed and can’t get shaken out of place whatever road obstacles you might come across!

What is the best board travel game?

Travel Monopoly might cause one or the other family war, but it’s the best board game on the market.

What are the best games for families or a group of friends?

There are many great group travel games, but Farkle and Dobble are the best ones. They’re perfect for all ages and all types of travelling.

What is the easiest travel game?

Connect 4 Grab & Go is simple and fast to learn, however, it requires one or the other brain cells.

Our GREATEST Travel Secrets…

Pop your email here & get the original Broke Backpacker Bible for FREE.

Forget hours of boring waiting at train stations , airports, and on road trips with our selection of the best travel games! Whether it’s a classic like Uno or a new kid on the block such as Unstable Unicorns, or something for adults or kids (or both), we’ve got you covered with our review! Hopefully, you’ve found some good travel games for your next trip.

And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links . That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!

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Thanks for this kind of blog about travel. I wonder if you tried to go on baguio cafes in the philippines?

Just an FYI…. Bananagrams can be played with one person. Bananagram solitaire is extremely popular and is a great way for school-age children to build their vocabulary.

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The Best Travel Games In 2024

W hen you’re on the go and think you might have some downtime, packing a few board games can be the perfect way to kill some of that spare time. Doesn’t matter if you’re in an airport, on a bus, or stuck in a hotel room, bringing along a board game or two is a fantastic way to unwind and possibly make some new friends.

These board games bring a healthy mix of strategy, social deduction, and resource management play styles without making you carry around massive boxes or keep track of tons of cards, dice, and miniatures. Check out our picks for the best games to take with you when you travel!

Updated on February 20, 2024 by Vaspaan Dastoor: March is just around the corner, which means you're probably making your travel plans for the summer. While booking flights and searching for hotels is important, it's just as important to keep yourself entertained during those long waits for, or during flights. With that in mind, we've added a few more tabletop games to take along when you're travelling.

Unstable Unicorns Card Game

Pick your poison card game, fox in the forest, 7 wonders duel, one night ultimate werewolf, love letter, the great dalmuti, monopoly deal card game, exploding kittens, ravensburger push family card game, cthulhu fluxx.

An army like no other.

Unstable Unicorns not only gives you the power to build a unicorn army, but the strategic thinking and planning will help pass the time on those long flights and airport lounges. The adorable art may also help lighten your mood when your flight gets delayed for a third time.

• Great artwork.
• Features multiple expansions.
• Can be paused and continued during travel.

Unstable Unicorns is a great card game to deal with the frustrations of travel. When the airline delays your flight for the fourth successive time, you can just imagine unleashing your unicorn army upon it. Hopefully, the art and deck-building gameplay will make the time fly by.

All good things come with a catch.

Pick Your Poison comes from ther creators of Cards Against Humanity and builds on the formula of its predecessor. Instead of merely pairing cards to see which one is the funniest, Pick Your Poison makes you use a bit of logic as well. Of course, the pairing which creates the darkest scenario has the best chance of winning.

• Classic Cards Against Humanity formula with a twist.
• Highly replayable.

Pick Your Poison takes a simple and popular gameplay formula and adds a bit of a twist to it. This one is great for people who love Cards Against Humanity but are bored of the same old cards. Now you're going to have to do more than just play the card that's funniest.

Foxes aren't the only tricksters in these woods.

Take tricks from your opponents in this two-player game but watch out! Greedy players won't be rewarded so try not to win too hard.

• Beautiful woodland-themed artwork
• A great starting point for more difficult games
• Slightly more rigid box than other travel games
• Trick-taking might take some time to learn

Easy to learn and difficult to master, The Fox In The Forest is a trick-taking card game meant for two players with a fairy tale twist. The game works by playing cards of a certain suite to try and win the round with the cards in your hand. You don’t want to win too much though, as earning too many points can actually set you back in the game.

A deck-building game that has players drafting sushi-based cards to earn as many points as they can. Each game is only three rounds making it quick and easy to learn.

• Fast rounds are perfect if you're short on time
• Randomization means no two games are the same
• Easy to pick up and learn
• Not a lot of fun with just two players
• Limited card strategies can feel repetitive after a while

A fantastic drafting game for players of all ages, Sushi Go is a fast-paced strategy game where players must choose cards that match or work together to earn the most amount of points at the end of the round. The artwork is adorable, and the randomness keeps games interesting even though there’s a fixed number of cards.

Related: The Best Board Games For Families

Sushi Go gets even more creative when you start introducing score modifiers, letting you take your best sushi cards and double or even triple the amount of points you would earn. Most rules are printed on the cards themselves, keeping the game easy to pick up and learn.

More fun than a barrel full of beans.

Bean farming has never been more exciting than in Bohnanza. Earn money by growing beans and trade with players under wacky conditions to get the most beans.

• A surprisingly intense game that requires careful planning
• Creates very silly interactions with your friends
• Unconventional rules might take some getting used to.

A classic board game where anything goes, Bohnanza has players bartering for beans to try and earn as many points as they can. The gameplay is simple, players can choose to plant beans by playing them from their hands into fields. Players can then harvest the beans for points, clearing up the field for more beans.

In the meantime, players can negotiate with other players to try and get their beans. Anything goes in this game, from letting players promise future bean trades for beans now, to organizing complex trade negotiations between all players to come out on top.

The 7 wonders have never been so intense.

A strategy game that takes the fantastic gameplay of the main game and streamlines it for two players. Draft your ancient empire to earn victory points.

• Perfect for couples traveling together
• Quick, 30-minute games with plenty of strategy
• Great for experienced board game players
• Slightly larger box makes it difficult to travel with

Build the wonders of the ancient world in this two-player variant of the classic drafting game. You and your opponent are racing to build your wonders or win through other means in this bite-sized version of 7 Wonders. Games are much shorter, lasting around 20-25 minutes, making it a great way to pass a short layover or if you’re looking for a quick game at the end of the night.

Related: The Best Tabletop Party Games

Don't Trust Your Friends

The classic social deduction game boiled down to be played with anywhere between 3-10 players. No need for a moderator so no one is left out!

• Everyone gets to play with the free narrator app
• Great for late nights and can be played anywhere
• Easy to learn and great for making new friends
• Games can get rowdy

The perfect social deduction game for small groups, One Night Ultimate Werewolf is for three to ten players, with no need for a moderator thanks to a free app that narrates the roles players receive.

Part of what makes this version of the game so great is being able to invite other players into your games while still keeping rounds quick. It's also quick to pick up, so players of all ages can jump in and start accusing townsfolk.

Love is in the air

Compete against your friends to deliver a love letter to the princess. Keep your hand close and your enemies closer in this fast-paced game.

• Great for short downtimes.
• Endlessly replayable.
• Small packaging means you can take it anywhere you go.
• Small pieces can be easy to lose

Easy to learn but hard to master, Love Letter is an incredibly fast game where you are trying to get your love letter to reach the princess. Everyone starts with one card in hand and draws a new one on their turn. If you ever run out of cards, you’re out of the game.

Best played with three or four players, playing Love Letter requires equal amounts of skill and luck, but is always an enjoyable time every round. The small packaging also makes it the perfect game to slip into a carry-on bag or even into your pocket.

Only the greatest can sit on the throne.

Rule above your opponents as The Great Dalmuti while you try and empty your hand before your opponents do. If not, be prepared to swap seats with your new Dalmuti.

• Fast paced and energetic game
• Great for players of all ages
• Play with as many friends as you are traveling with
• The player on top can sometimes stay winning for a while

A fantastic game for 4-8 players where the goal is to get rid of all the cards in your hand before everyone else. If you do, you become The Great Dalmuti, the best player in the game with all the best cards, and if you’re last, you’re a lowly peon, who has to give up their best card to The Great Dalmuti.

Players deal out the 80-card deck and swap positions based on their rank, with each shake-up having players swap chairs to their proper roles. The Great Dalmuti leads the game, playing any number of cards of the same value from their hand, and making each other player play the same number of card but of a lower value. Great for small groups and for players of all ages, making it an incredibly fun game to take on the road.

Can't go wrong with the classics

If you're really dedicated, you could bring out an entire Monopoly board on the plane. But if you don't want to attract t0o much attention, then Monopoly Deal will do just fine. Built on the same fundamentals as the original game, but with completely different gameplay, you can't go wrong by packing a deck of Monopoly Deal on your next trip.

• Classic formula with different gameplay.
• Still as engaging with just two players.
• Can be played with a medium sized group too.

Monopoly Deal has two bonuses over the original when it comes to travelling. Firstly, it's way more portable, as it's just a deck of cards; but the second, and more important reason is that the gameplay ensures that there are fewer reasons to get into an argument on the plane, at the waiting lounge, or by the poolside.

Just remember to yell Uno

Considering that Uno is one of the most popular card games ion the world, you could end up playing with even an absolute stranger. It's a great way of passing time while you're jetlagged and your flight has been delayed, because you don't have to think too hard. Just decide upon what the Draw 4 rule is before starting an international incident.

• Almost everybody knows the rules.
• No need to think too hard while jetlagged,
• Has a wide player count.

When all other games fail you, you can always go back to the ol' reliable Uno. The beauty of this game is that since it's so popular and everybody knows the rules, so you could even strike up a game with an absolute stranger while you travel.

Best travel buddies

Another quick and easy game to play while on your travels, Exploding Kittens will keep you entertained while you while away the time in a waiting lounge. The art may even make you smile a bit through al that jet lag. Just don't talk about explosions too much, unless you want a fandom security search.

• Adorable artwork.
• Simple ruleset.
• Features an NSFW add-on if you want to add a bit of spice.

While it's not as popular as Monopoly Deal and Uno, Exploding Kittens has its own, younger audience that swears by it. It could mostly be due to the cats, but the simple gameplay loop also has a hand in making this game popular. That, and the fact that it can be played anywhere.

Don't push yourself.

While Push doesn't have the most complex gameplay, that's precisely why it makes for a perfect travel game. You don't want to be making strategic decisions when you're tired and waiting at the aiport lounge or during a long haul flight.

• Can be played by the whole family.
• Doesn't require to much space.

Push is simple enough to play at 2AM in a packed airport lounge, after your flight has been delayed for the fourth time. At times like that you don't want to be playing something that requires strategic thinking, but something with simple gameplay, that will pass the time.

Break the monotony

OIne of the most common problems with tabletop games while you're travelling is that they might get a bit repetitive. The Fluxx series is perfect for situations like this, as the rules keepo changing, keeping you on your toes at all times.

• Features numerous editions.

Cthulhu Fluxx, or any other game from the Fluxx series, constantly changes the rules, making sure that you're still paying attention. So, if you're worried about a game getting boring, this series is definitely worth checking out.

What games we can play while traveling?

There are tons of games you can play while traveling but board games provide a great way to pass the time with friends that doesn't rely on electricity or an internet signal. These games are some of the best to take with you since they pack up nicely and are quick and easy to learn.

What are fun things to bring on a trip?

Each trip is different, but you can never go wrong with a good board game. Most board games are too large and bulky to take on a trip, but games like Love Letter or Sushi Go, where they have small packaging but provide tons of fun are a great choice.

What are party board games?

Party board games are those that you can play with friends or even a group of strangers. Some of the best games are those that are easy to pick up and play with rules that don't take much explaining.

Best Board Games From The '80s

41 Best Travel Games 2024: Tried & Tested

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We always make sure we carry a couple of our best travel games with us no matter what trip we’re on. Because travel isn’t all about beautiful beaches and exciting adventure.

Sometimes we need a bit of downtime and relaxation. Other times we want to get the party started. And believe it or not there are plenty of situations where we even get pretty bored (think travel delays).

We’ve always loved playing games. So for us they’re the perfect way to pass away a few hours in an airport, entertain ourselves after a long day of exploring and even make new friends.

If you’re wondering which ones should make it into your backpack, we’ve put together a list of the best travel games on the market right now.

How We Chose the Best Travel Games

The main considerations we have for choosing a game to take on the road are the game’s size, weight and portability. All of these mini travel games tick those boxes.

But most of all, to be considered one of the best travel games, they have to be awesome fun to play!

This list is broken down into helpful categories depending on what you’re looking for. It covers the best travel board games, the best travel card games, the best dice games, and the best car games for adults.

Some are self contained mini travel games. Others require a standard deck of cards. But many just need some willing players with a bit of imagination who are up for a laugh.

Our Top 5 Best Travel Games

After being taught Dobble by our young nephew, we absolutely fell in love with it!

Okay, so this one is technically a kids card game. But once you play it you’ll understand why it’s also one of the best travel games for adults.

Basic premise

Everyone has played snap as a child and Dobble takes its basic premise and elevates it to a.whole.nother.level. It’s like “snap” on steroids.

There are five different travel card games within Dobble, all of them as simple as it gets. Every card has 8 pictures on it, each with one symbol in common with every other card.

Players all go at the same time to try and spot the matching symbols and either accumulate or pass cards on to opponents depending on which game you’re playing.

You can have up to 8 players involved at a time, but it’s also one of the best travel games for 2 adults. Dobble is a good one to break down language barriers as well because it’s so simple to get.

What makes it awesome

Dobble gets pretty raucous. Shouting, snatching and even hand slapping are all unavoidable as you get swept up in the excitement. Undoubtedly one of the best mini travel games available.

Players: 2-8

Expect: rip roaring fun

Game Time: 10 minutes

Size & Weight: 2.1 x 2 x 1.2 inches, 7.4 ounces

Rules: Read here

Click Here to Check Prices and Reviews

2. Monopoly Deal

The traditional Monopoly isn’t really a practical game to carry with you when you travel. And let’s be honest, no one actually enjoys it do they.

Come on, strip away the nostalgia and you’re left with a pretty ridiculous, never ending snorefest that could be renamed Monotony (I’m prepared for the backlash).

But the clever guys at Hasbro have reimagined one of the most iconic board games ever made as a wicked card game.

Basic premise:

It retains the fun bits of traditional Monopoly so you still play as a real estate tycoon trying to collect sets of properties.

You still have to come up with a kickass strategy, treading the line between boosting your bank balance and building your empire. And you can still go from kingpin to down and out in one swift turn of fate.

But that’s where the similarities end.

Collect property cards to complete sets and money cards to build your fortune while swapping and stealing your way to glory.

Monopoly Deal is one of the best travel card games out there. It’s fast paced, exciting and we’ve met people of various nationalities who love playing it all over the world.

Players: 2-5

Expect: rapid gameplay

Game Time: 15 minutes

Size & Weight: 0.8 x 3.6 x 5.6 inches, 4 ounces

Monopoly Deal

Alternatively known as Skull and Roses, it’s like a picture version of poker played with beautifully designed components. After one game you’ll be hooked, we guarantee it.

Each player has three circular cards with a rose on and one with a skull as well as an individual double sided game board.

Players take it in turns to place a card of their choice on the game card face down, this continues until one player decides to make a challenge.

They do that by making a guess at how many roses they can flip before hitting a skull. If you get it correct then you turn your game board over and you have to turn your game board twice to win.

You have to kid and calculate your way to victory in this straightforward game of bluff. It involves a mixture of skill, memory and luck.

This is one of the best travel games adults everywhere will enjoy playing on their adventures.

Players: 3-6

Game Time: 30 minutes

Size & Weight: 2.1 x 5.2 x 5.2 inches, 1.01 pounds

4. Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza

This simple game is bound to get your tongue in a twist and the party started. Anyone can play, but it hurts to win.

Cards are distributed evenly among all of the players, face down without anyone looking at them. There are 5 different cards, taco, cat, goat, cheese, and pizza – hence the game´s name.

The first player takes the first card from the top of their deck, turns it over while saying “taco”. The next player follows suit but says “cat”, the third player does the same but says “goat” and so on.

Play continues like this until the card laid matches what the person playing it says. At which point everyone tries to avoid being the last person to slap their hand down on it.

If you´re too slow your hand will end up on top of the pile of everyone else´s hands. This means you must take all of the cards underneath and put them into your deck.

But there’s a twist – the deck contains three special cards. If you pull a gorilla, you must beat your chest before slapping the pile. If you draw a groundhog card you need to tap the tabletop with both hands before slapping the pile. And if you get a narwhal you need to make a horn above your head with your hands before slapping the pile.

Any mess ups or mistakes result in the player taking the pile, so no flinching or pretending or even pausing. The winner is the first person to get rid of all their cards and then win another round with no cards in their deck.

If the name itself doesn´t make you smile then you´re dead inside. This is the simplest of games but will keep you entertained for hours. Or until your knuckles are raw from them being repeatedly slapped. This could get rowdy.

Players: 3-8

Size & Weight: 3.5 x 2.5 x 1 inches, 3.52 ounces

Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza

5. Bananagrams

Calling all wordsmiths – if you’re a fan of Scrabble or any similar word games then you’ll enjoy Bananagrams. It also comes in a cute banana shaped carry pouch perfect for chucking in your luggage. One of the most convenient mini travel games.

144 tiles with different letters (called the bunch) on are placed face down on the playing surface. Each player selects the same number of tiles, the exact number varies depending on how many player there are. They are placed face down in front of the respective players. There are still some remaining in the bunch.

Once everyone has their tiles, anyone can shout “split” and the game begins. Players must then turn all their tiles face up. The aim is to get rid of all your tiles by creating words, but they must all interlink like a crossword. There are no turns, each player works as quickly as possible on their own grid.

If a player uses up all their letters, they take a new letter from the bunch and shout “peel”. This means that everyone else playing must also take a tile.

If a player wants to swap a bad tile then they can return it to the bunch by shouting “dump”. However, in exchange they have to pick up 3 tiles.

Players can’t win until there are less tiles in the bunch than players. Once this happens, the first player to use up all their tiles and shout “bananagrams” wins. That’s providing all their words are legit. If there are bad spellings then they’re crowned the “rotten banana” instead.

This game is easy to learn, quick to play, and highly addictive. You don’t need to know long words, you just have to be able to string words together. It’s fun in small or large groups.

Players: 2+

Game Time: 5 minutes

Size & Weight: 9 x 3 x 3 inches, 4.8 ounces

Bananagrams

Top Tip – Want to make your travel board games even more portable? Remove the pieces from their box and put them in a smaller container like this snaplock box . Then separate different components using mini ziplocks to keep everything neat and tidy.

Best Travel Board Games

Pass the Pigs

This is a classic version of the old dice game “pigs” that uses actual miniature model pigs instead of dice. It all packs down into a small plastic case making it one of the best games for travel.

Players take it in turns to throw the pigs like dice. They then gain or lose points depending on how they land. Positions include pig-themed names like “Pig Out”, “Trotter”, and “Snouter”. Each combination means a different thing and can see players making big gains or huge losses.

A turn lasts until a player decides to stop and cash in. That’s unless they completely wipe out their current or total score before doing so. If they stop in time to accumulate a score on their turn then it’s added to their total score. The game then progresses to the next player and the first player to reach 100 points wins.

The element of luck keeps it tense as players have to decide when to stick or twist. Yet there’s still enough strategy and skill involved to make a difference. Big highs and massive lows can see you going from hero to zero and back again in quick succession.

Players: 2-4

Size & Weight: 1.8 x 4 x 8.5 inches, 0.32 ounces

Quickly becoming a classic, Codenames is an awesome game of teamwork and strategy. You need to get on the same wavelength as your teammate(s) to have any chance of cracking the puzzle. Prepare for laughs, frustration, and jubilation in equal measures.

The idea of codenames is to be the first team to get in contact with all of their secret agents. Players separate into two teams before each selecting a spymaster. The rival spymasters sit on the same side of the table, opposite their respective accomplices/field operatives. 25 codenames are then randomly selected from the deck and laid out in a 5×5 grid.

A “key” card is then chosen which reveals to the spymasters which of the agents in the grid belong to each side. In among the agents are also a number of innocent bystanders. Plus there’s an assassin who you want to avoid at all costs.

Spymasters work to enable their team to identify their own secret agents. They do this by providing them with one word clues and a number. The clues can link numerous agent’s codenames, while the number tells the team how many are linked.

For example, if the spymaster says “bottle, 3”, the team knows there are 3 agents with names in some way related to the word bottle. Operatives then make guesses as to which secret agents the spymaster is trying to direct them to.

Selecting the wrong one can have bad consequences, and if you hit the assassin that’s game over. The wins team to identify all of their secret agents first.

While it may sound complicated, when you’re playing it’s really simple and easy to follow. At heart it’s a word association game and the spy aspect just adds to the fun. Seeing the random ways that players’ minds connect words can be hilarious meaning the game is fun even when you’re not doing well.

Players: 2-8 (competitive 4-8)

Expect: tense strategy

Size & Weight: 2.8 x 6.3 x 9 inches, 1.25 pounds

Secret Hitler

Best with larger groups (the closer to 10 the funnier), Secret Hitler is a game of deceit, infiltration and conspiracy. Get your poker face on because you’re going to need to lie through your teeth to win.

Players are secretly divided into two teams of fascists and liberals, while one player gets cast as Hitler himself. Liberals have the advantage of a majority, however, they don’t know anyone else’s allegiances. The fascists on the other hand know who the other fascists are as well as who Hitler is. Hitler meanwhile begins without knowing who his allies or enemies are.

Everyone is trying to advance their agenda and gain power whether fascist or liberal. The way to do this is by winning elections and passing legislation.

To do this you have to gain allies and use them to win votes. However, because everyone is trying to gain power it can be hard to figure out who is who. Also everyone is going to lie to make other players believe they’re a liberal.

The game is won by the Liberals if they enact five liberal policies or manage to kill Hitler. The fascists win by enacting six fascist policies, or if Hitler gets elected Chancellor after three fascist policies have been enacted.

Secret Hitler is all about skullduggery and convincing people that you’re telling the truth. Never has lying to your friends and family been so much fun, and it will make you see them in a new light. It quickly gets pretty loud and boisterous so be prepared for a lively game.

Players: 5-10

Game Time: 45 minutes

Size & Weight: 14.9 x 5.8 x 2 inches, 1.9 pounds

Connect 4 Grab and Go

Connect 4 Grab and Go is exactly the same as the classic Connect 4 game, just smaller. This means it’s the perfect size to take on your travels. One of the best travel games for couples of pairs of travellers.

Each player starts with 21 checkers, one player takes red, the other yellow. You then take it in turns to place a checker into the playing grid.

The aim is to get four of your checkers lined up in a row. This can be diagonally, vertically, or horizontally.

But while you’re trying to connect your four checkers, so is your opponent. They’re also going to be blocking your attempts at the same time.

It’s simple to learn and quick to play but can also be played with some strategy. It does require a bit of concentration but is a great game to relax and unwind with that anyone can play. It was also (falsely) rumoured to have been invented by David Bowie! As if his legacy isn’t amazing enough.

Size & Weight: 1.9 x 6.3 x 9.2 inches, 7.2 ounces

Catan is nothing short of a modern day classic board game. It’s loved by everyone from families to Silicon Valley execs and for this reason makes one of the best travel games. Wherever in the world you crack the Catan box out, you’re likely to find a fellow fan.

Each player is a settler looking to establish their own outposts from scratch on the mythical island of Catan. The island is represented by the game board which is made up of 19 individual hexagons. These can be placed in virtually infinite combinations meaning you could play with a new board each time. Each hexagon has a corresponding number places on it.

Players take turns to roll two di on their turn, and the number rolled allows the corresponding hexagon to produce resources. These can be either brick, wool, ore, grain, or lumber.

Collecting these resources in certain combinations allows players to build up their settlements. You can also trade with other players if they have something you need. And watch out for the robber who stops production on the hexagon he’s on.

The aim of Catan is to get 10 victory points and you collect these mainly by building settlements or cities. There are also bonus points awarded for various other achievements like longest road or biggest army.

Catan is a game of strategy, cooperation, and skill, but you still need the roll of the dice to go your way. It’s also the original “gamers game” and helped kick off the whole board game phenomenon we have today.

Players: 3-4

Game Time: 60 minutes

Size & Weight: 11.6 x 9.5 x 3 inches, 2 pounds

Combine the best elements of poker, bingo, add a board and throw in a large dose of strategy. The result is Sequence, a classic game that’s a whole lotta fun. While there is a travel version, we’d recommend the standard version instead. Though it’s far smaller, the travel edition is a limited abridged version that’s nowhere near as good.

Players get dealt a set number of cards each, this changes depending on how many people are playing. The board has an assortment of cards printed on it. As the name suggests, the aim of the game is to create a sequence of 5 connected cards.

You do this by selecting a card from your hand on your turn and placing a marker over the corresponding card on the game board. If you get 5 connected markers then you win the game.

There’s a lot of strategy involved because you can’t simply concentrate on your own hand. You need to pay attention to your opponents and try to figure out where they are going in order to stop them. It’s simple to pick up and exciting to play.

Players: 2-12

Size & Weight: 10 x 8 x 2 inches, 1.79 pounds

Qwirkle Travel

Described as a cross between dominoes and scrabble, Qwirkle is a super simple game of pure strategy. Anyone can play, but not everyone can play well.

The game of Qwirkle consists of 108 individual tiles. Each has one of 6 different shapes printed on it in one of 6 different colours. To start each player randomly chooses 6 tiles from the tile bag.

Players must then take it in turns to lay connecting tiles in rows and columns. In order to do so you must make runs of either the same shape or the same colour with the tiles in your hands. If it´s a run of shapes, only one of each colour can appear in each row. If it´s a run of colours, only one of each shape can appear in each row.

You can lay as many tiles as you´re able to on your go, so long as they´re all connected in a straight line. Alternatively you can use your go to swap your tiles with new ones from the bag. At the end of each turn you take enough tiles to make your hand back up to 6.

Scores are awarded after each turn depending on how many tiles have been laid and how many columns they fall into. Bonus points are given for completing full lines of 6 tiles. The game ends when one player has used all their tiles and there aren´t any more in the bag to draw.

This game is unbelievably easy to understand and get going. However, as soon as you begin, you start to realise there´s some deceptively deep strategy that can be employed. The satisfaction from building big scores can be addictive

Size & Weight: 10.5 x 10.5 x 2.7 inches, 2.45 pounds

Be transported to the time of the European Renaissance as you become a merchant aiming to amass a huge fortune.

In Splendor players compete to build the biggest and most prestigious jewellery business in Europe. To do this you need to collect raw gems which you can then use to fund the building of mines.

But you then need to create ways to transport the gems, pay jewellers to cut and polish them, and also buy shops where you can sell them. Develop your cards, collect the gem chips, and watch your wealth soar. With wealth you can then attract nobles who provide you with the prestige – and points – to win the game.

This game is easy to understand and yet the more you play the more you start to discover the intricacies. While it’s very strategic the game play is still extremely quick with only 4 basic options for each player per turn.

Size & Weight: 8.5 x 2.4 x 10.8 inches, 2.41 pounds

Best Card Games for Travel

Top trumps wonders of the world.

Top Trumps is ancient, simple, and yet resoundingly good fun. There are endless versions of it from Star Wars to Harry Potter. But this Wonders of the World one is on topic when it comes to the best travel games.

All the cards in the pack are dealt out to the players face down. Players then pick up their cards, holding them so they can only see the top card. The first player picks a category from their card and reads it out along with the value next to it. All the other players take turns to read out the same value on their card.

The player with the highest value wins, gets to take all of the cards that were read out and places them at the bottom of their pile. Play carries on until one player has all the cards.

This version of the classic game Top Trumps is conveniently travel themed. Not only will you have great fun out trumping everyone, you’ll also learn a few facts that might help you win a pub quiz one day.

Game Time: 2 minutes

Size & Weight: 3.5 x 0.8 x 5.5 inches, 4 ounces

Ever wanted to design your own ginormous fireworks show? No? Me either. Regardless, this game will probably change your mind.

Hanabi is a cooperative game, which if you’re new to board games could be something novel for you. It means you work with the other players instead of competing against them to achieve a common objective. This objective is to rescue a mahoosive fireworks display that’s about to go terribly wrong.

Each player is dealt 4 or 5 cards depending on how many people are taking part. The cards come in 5 colors with a number from 1-5 on them. Players need to order them correctly in their colors from 1-5.

While this sounds simple, there’s an added complication. Players can’t look at their own cards! Instead they must display them in their hand so only the other players can see them.

Hanabi is unique and imaginative and more than likely like nothing you’ve ever played before. Plus the fact that it’s a cooperative game means there are no losers or winners as such. So it’s perfect for those who get a little too competitive to play normal games with new friends.

Expect: cooperative challenge

Size & Weight: 7 x 4.2 x 2 inches, 5.4 ounces

Exploding Kittens

Players try to avoid being an exploding kitten in this wonderfully bizarre quickfire card game. At the same time you can affect the game depending on what cards you play, putting your fellow gamers in trouble.

Each player starts the game with 4 action cards and a diffuse card. The remainder of the deck is placed face down in the middle of the table and players take turns to draw cards from it.

If someone draws an exploding kitten, they’re out of the game. Unless they’re holding a diffuse card which allows them to diffuse the bomb and carry on. They can also put the exploding kitten card back into the deck anywhere they want.

Action cards are played before players draw from the deck and allow them to do various different things. These range from stealing cards from other players to getting a sneak peek at the top 3 cards in the deck.

This game is unbelievably easy to pick up. You explode, you lose, you manage to be the last person unexploded you win. The action cards are self explanatory and the quick gameplay keeps things moving quickly. Difficult not to fall in love with the cool illustrations and whacky cards with names like “hairy potato cat”.

Size & Weight: 11.2 x 16.2 x 3.8 inches, 6.4 ounces

What do You Meme?

Memes are a normal part of everyday life now and this game makes players into meme generators. Even if you’re not funny IRL, you’ll feel like a comedian playing What do You Meme.

Each player gets dealt 10 meme cards which have humorous captions printed on them. The pile of photographs gets placed in the middle. Each round the picker gets to draw a photo card and place it in the holder. It’s then down to the other players to choose from their captions which one they think matches it to make the best meme.

Once payers have chosen all the cards are put in a pile and read out by the picker. They then get to choose the winner of the round for the funniest meme created. The winner gets to keep the photo card, play continues until one player has a pre decided number of photo cards.

This game is strictly X-rated and just the written captions themselves are hilarious. But when paired with the right photo they will have every player in stitches. This game is a laugh a minute so your cheeks are guaranteed to ache by the end.

Players: 3-20

Expect: adult laughs

Game Time: 30-90 minutes

Size & Weight: 6.5 x 4.5 x 3 inches, 1.85 pounds

What Do You Meme?

Unstable Unicorns

Love unicorns? Love strategy? This is the game for you. Funded by a huge $1.8 million kickstarter campaign, Unstable Unicorns has got a cult following of enthusiasts.

Your single aim is to build up a complete army of unicorns in order to win. But to do this you can’t play nice. You’ll need to betray your fellow players, destroy their armies and crush their dreams.

Players start with a single baby unicorn and 5 action cards. Each turn consists of four set phases where you lay cards to build your stable of unicorns, stop other people from playing, upgrade your stable, downgrade other people’s, and create general mayhem.

The winner gets the brilliant title of “Righteous Ruler of All Things Magical” and ultimate bragging rights.

Unicorns! Need I say more? Ok, Ok, the gameplay is unpredictable, the cards are hilarious and despite the cute unicorn theme, this game is about pure destruction. It gets better with every play so you’ll never get bored.

Size & Weight: 5.8 x 4 x 2 inches, 12 ounces

Forbidden Island

If you’ve ever fancied an Indiana Jones style adventure but wold prefer to do it from the confines of your armchair, Forbidden Islands is the one for you.

Each player is an adventurer with a different skill, from a pilot to an engineer. Together they must rescue 4 hidden treasures from Forbidden Island. However, the island itself is rapidly sinking meaning you have to work quickly.

Each character’s card has instructions on the back for what to do on your turn which makes it super simple to follow. Every turn allows a player to do up to three actions, and each go sees the water levels on one part of the island rising.

As the water levels rise, so does the tension and finding the treasure and getting off the island becomes more urgent. Cooperation and problem solving skills need to be employed in abundance.

Forbidden Island looks great with beautifully made components. The cooperative aspect means you play with your fellow gamers instead of against them which is refreshing. The pace of the game picks up as you play making the fun build and build and the consequences of your plays more significant. Thanks to the changing board, the game is different every time.

Size & Weight: 6.5 x 8.8 x 2.8 inches, 1.4 pounds

Like a conveyor belt sushi restaurant, the idea of Sushi Go is to build yourself a delicious plate of sushi. Don’t forget the wasabi, and definitely don’t skip pudding!

The cards get dealt out at the start of the game, the amount depending on the number of players. The round starts with each player looking at their hand and choosing one card they want to play. Once everyone has chosen, all players reveal the card they picked by placing it ace up in front of them.

Players then pass the remainder of their hand to the player on their left. They then choose one card to keep from their new hand. Play continues like this until no one has any cards left in their hand which signals the end of the round.

At this stage the played cards are added up with each one worth different points. You can also do combinations and boost scores by adding additional extras to your sushi like wasabi.  There are three rounds per game and the player with the highest score wins.

This game is as addictive as great sushi and will definitely leave you hungry for more. It’s fast paced, engaging, and fun to play. Beware though, if you’re a sushi lover you’ll definitely be craving your favourite sushi roll after playing.

Size & Weight: 4.2 x 5.8 x 1.5 inches, 8.5 ounces

Mille Bornes

A classic racing card game that sees players compete against each other to win a long distance race. You need to avoid accidents, top up your gas, and try to trip your opponents up to secure victory.

Players are racing to be the first driver to reach 1000 miles. Along the way there are obstacles that will slow you down and maybe even bring you to a complete standstill.

Each player begins with 6 cards being dealt to them. The remainder of the pack going into the middle to form the draw pile. When it’s your turn you take a card from the draw pile before playing a card into your, or someone else’s, driving zone.

These will act to speed you up or slow your opponents down. Actions range from things like flat tyres to running out of gas. Evade the hazards and keep on track while tripping up your rivals to win.

Games go at breakneck speed in this rapid fire card game. It’s easy to learn, simple and quick to play, and can be played individually or in competing teams.

Size & Weight: 4.7 x 1.5 x 4.7 inches, 8 ounces

A game that requires strategy, skill, and a touch of luck, Jaipur is all about buying low and selling high.

You and your fellow player are the two most powerful traders in Jaipur. But to secure an invite to the Maharajah’s court as his official trader you need to become undisputed top dog. To do this you must out trade your opponent.

Each player begins the game with 5 cards in their hand, between them are three camels and two merchandise cards. On their turn players can perform one action – either take take cards or sell cards.

To get what you really want you generally have to sacrifice something that your opponent really wants. This means you have to weigh up what’s going to provide you with most value in the long run.

Jaipur is quick, exciting, and is constantly throwing up little twists and turns. You can often see a player’s personality in how they play – greedily gathering commodities, slowly but steadily accumulating their rupees, or simply throwing caution to the wind.

Size & Weight: 3.8 x 1.5 x 7.8 inches, 7 ounces

These Cards Will Get You Drunk

If you enjoy a tipple and like laughing then These Cards Will Get You Drunk is for you.

Players take it in turns to draw a card from the pile and read out the instructions written on it. These will almost always result in one or more person being required to drink.

The longer it goes on and the more cut everyone gets the dinner the game becomes. Prepare for a messy night.

Zero strategy involved, zero skill required, this is a straight up party game where everyone’s a loser. It can help to break down inhibitions and get a group going making it a brilliant travel card games.

Players: 3+

Game Time: n/a

Size & Weight: 3.6 x 2.6 x 1.2 inches, 5.6 ounces

Grandpa Beck’s Cover Your Assets

Cover Your Assets is a race to be the first player to become a millionaire. But forget about playing fair, you’re going to do it by any means possible.

Each player is trying to be the first to accumulate a million dollar fortune. Sure you can save and collect and invest. But it’s much more fun to steal and cheat and screw your competitors over on your way to the top.

But watch out because your assets are also liable to be nabbed at any time. Fortunately you can also steal from other players to climb that greasy pole.

Build your fortune by stacking pairs of asset cards crisscrossed on top of each other. These can be anything from family jewels to fancy cars. And watch your back as your fellow players will have their eyes on your stacks too.

You can go from winning to losing in just a few hands and vice versa. This means that it really ain’t over til it’s over and keeps all players on their toes for the whole game. Cover Your Assets can be an emotional rollercoaster of extreme highs and rapid lows.

Players: 4-6

Size & Weight: 2.2 x 1.6 x 0.4 inches, 9.6 ounces

Cover Your Assets

Cards Against Humanity

This game definitely puts the “adult” in the best travel games for adults. Trust us, it’s strictly top shelf.

It’s a card game where the dealer reads aloud a phrase card they’ve picked at random. It has one or two words missing from the sentence written on it and the other players have to complete the sentence by choosing the best from a selection of options in their ten card hand.

The winner is chosen by the dealer so it’s wise to consider their sense of humour and just how easily offended they are. Some of the cards are best described as depraved.

Probably the least politically correct card game ever invented. You’re either gonna love it or be horrendously offended by Cards Against Humanity. Many of the jokes are pretty close to the bone and will get even the most hardened deviants wincing.

Players: 4-20

Size & Weight: 7 x 4.1 x 2.7 inches, 2.25 pounds

UNO has been around for almost 50 years but it never gets tired.

There are 108 cards in an UNO deck and while most have a number and a colour on them, some are wildcards or “pick up” cards.

The basic idea is to get rid of your cards before anyone else, as players take it in turn to put down or pick up cards that correspond with the colour or number that’s on top of the game pile.

There are missed goes, penalties and a whole lot of strategy that can affect your ability to win, and don’t forget to shout “UNO” when you’re one card away from the win or you’ll be blocked from finishing.

Frenetic, colourful and full of unexpected laughs, you can easily lose hours to its thrills. It’s  simple to pick up but hard to put down, easily making it another of the best travel games for adults.

Players: 2-10

Size & Weight: 6.2 x 1.3 x 5.2 inches, 6.61 pounds

Five Crowns

If you´re a fan of Rummy then you´ll love Five Crowns. It´s based on the same premise but takes it to another level by adding an extra suit and a roving wild card.

The object of Five Crowns is to have the lowest score after all 11 rounds are played. To do this you´re going to need to create books and runs of cards. There are also wild cards which change each hand depending on how many cards are dealt i.e 3 cards dealt means 3 is the wildcard.

Play starts with one player picking up from either the deck or the discard pile. After assessing their hand they then discarding one card they don´t want. Players take it in turns to do this until one or more players forms a full hand of runs or books.

Any cards in a player´s hand that aren´t part of a run or book are then added up to produce a score at the end of each round. Remember, you need the lowest score to win, so high scores are bad!

This game is really easy to pick up and play, rounds go quickly, but there is still a good amount of strategy you can employ. The further down the rounds you are the higher the stakes meaning even if you lose a few at the beginning you can easily be right back in it with just a couple towards the end.

Players: 1-7

Size & Weight: 6.6 x 4.2 x 1 inches, 6.4 ounces

Best Card Games for Travel With a Standard Deck

We never go anywhere without a deck of standard cards in our bag but we found out the hard way that normal ones don’t tend to stand up to the rigours of travel.

Avoid that mistake by getting a deck that comes with a protective case instead of a flimsy card box. And go one better by opting for some that won’t get ruined if they get wet around the pool or on a sticky bar table.

This set of Hoyle Waterproof Clear Playing Cards are ideal and designed to withstand anything you throw at them.

Inbetween, Outbetween

This can be played for money or chips but we´ve only ever really played it as a drinking game. It´s lightning fast and while there can be a little bit of skill involved, it´s largely down to chance.

The game is played in turns with each player being dealt a pair of cards face up with a gap in between them. That player then has to guess whether the next card drawn will be numerically within those two cards.

To do this a player says either “inbetween” or “outbetween” and then the third card is drawn. If they guess correct then their turn is over and play moves to the next player. If they guess incorrectly they have to drink. If the card drawn matches either of the cards already on the table they must drink twice.

Most people aren´t advanced enough at probability to turn the game in their favour. This means that if you´re playing it as a drinking game there tends to be quite a lot of drinking going on by everyone. This sees it get pretty raucous pretty quickly.

Players: 4+

Size & Weight: n/a

Chase the Ace

What’s more fun than watching everyone else around the table drop out on your way to glory? Royally royally screwing your play mates over as you do it.

The aim of Chase the Ace is to avoid having the lowest card at the end of each round. Play starts with the dealer dealing out a single card face down to each player including themselves.

The first player to the dealer´s left starts and can look at their card before deciding whether to swap or stick. If they choose to swap, they do so with the card of the player to the left of them.

If any player has a king they can turn this over and it prevents the player to their right from swapping with them. Once play returns to the dealer, everyone turns their cards face up.

The dealer is not allowed to swap. However, if they choose not to stick they can pick any card from the deck to try and get a higher card.

The person with the lowest card loses a life, Kings are high and Aces are low. If multiple people have the same low card they all lose. For the next round, the role of the dealer rotates to the player on the left of the previous dealer.

Generally players start off with three chips and lose one for each round they lose. The winner is the last remaining person to have any chips.

This is a great game for large groups of people. It can be played as a drinking game instead of with chips with the loser(s) drinking after every round. This is a fantastic party starter and because there are only two options per play, rounds go extremely quickly.

Calling blaggers everywhere. Convince people the hands you´re throwing down are what you say they are to literally bullshit your way to the win.

The dealer deals out the entire deck to the players, and don’t worry if they’re not evenly distributed. Some players may end up with more cards than others but it doesn’t matter for Bullshit.

The object of the game is to get rid of all your cards. Players take it in turns to discard 1 or more cards face down into a central pile. This happens in a descending sequence changing each turn. So player 1 must put down aces, moving to kings for the next player, then queens and so on.

At the same time as laying them down, players must declare the number of cards they are discarding. And this is where the fun starts. Players can lie about what they´re putting down. In fact players have to lie about what they´re putting down.

Because the cards have to go in sequence, often you have to claim to have cards you don’t in order to play. If anyone suspects foul play they can call you out by saying “bullshit”.

At this point the player being challenged must reveal their cards. If they’re telling the truth, the challenger picks up the entire deck. If they’re lying then it’s them who gets the big hand.

First player to get rid of all their cards wins.

You have free licence to lie your face off. The more audacious you are with your untruths the more funny t gets. Until you have to pick up a massive stack that is.

Crazy Eights

Eights are good and help you get rid of the rest of your hand. Which is what you need to do to be crowned winner.

Players are each dealt 5 cards unless there are only 2 players in which case they each get 7. The rest of the cards are laced face down as the draw deck. The aim is to be the first player to get rid of all your cards.

To start the dealer turns over one card from the remaining deck. Each turn consists of a player discarding one of their cards. However, it must match the preceding card in either suit or number.

For example if someone plays a 6 of clubs then the next player must play another 6 or a different club. If that’s not possible then they have to pick up from the draw pile.

The exception to this is if you’re holding an 8 which can be played on anything. Hence the name Crazy Eights. Anyone playing an 8 also gets to name what suit the next player must play.

Easy to pick up and simple to explain, Crazy Eights can also be modified to add more strategy and difficulty. For example, some variants include “special cards” that produce different actions. For example, in some versions a Queen skips a go and an ace reverses the direction of play.

Back in the day an “old maid” was a woman who had been left unmarried for so long it was unlikely to ever happen. Despite the somewhat sexist connotations, this game relies on everyone aiming to avoid the fate of being left holding the last card.

The dealer adds a single joker to the deck before dealing out the entire pack. Players then sort through their hands to identify any pairs they’re holding. These are placed face up on the table.

The player to the left of the dealer must then select a card from the dealer’s hand to put into their oen. This carries on with the player to their left and so on.

As soon as any player has a pair that must be put face up on the table with the rest of the pairs.

The game ends when one player is left holding the joker or “Old Maid”. Naturally they’re the loser.

That sinking feeling when you pick the old maid out of your neighbour’s hand is devastating. But it’s quickly eclipsed by the elation when the next player along plucks it from your fingers.

Best Dice Games

LCR Left Center Right

There´s no strategy in LCR and it´s impossible to forget the rules – the dice dictate what you do each turn. It´s fast, great fun, and sees your excitement build and fall rapidly. Brilliant entertainment for largegroups.

LCR is a game made up of just chips and dice. Unlike normal dice, in LCR they have different symbols or letters on each side that require players to do various things with their chips. A dot means you keep a chip. L means you pass one to your left. R means you pass one to your right. C means you put one in the centre pot.

Each player starts the game with 3 chips and the first player rolls the three dice. They then distribute their chips according to what the dice say. Players only roll the number of dice that corresponds to the number of chips they have, up to a maximum of 3.

So as the game continues you may be rolling 1, 2, or 3 dice depending on how you fare. Each round sees you accumulate and lose chips in rapid succession. Play continues until all of the chips but one are in the centre pot, and the person with the remaining chip is the winner.

This game is one of pure chance meaning anyone can play and it´s a great party starter, particularly with lots of people. Even when you think you´re down and out your neighbour can be forced into giving you a lifeline getting you right back in it. Play for money instead of chips and you´ll have even more invested, even if it’s just a few bucks.

Game Time: 20 minutes

Size & Weight: 4.5 x 3.5 x 1.5 inches, 3.2 ounces

This entertaining dice game is one of pure chance and can be great for large groups of people. While it can be played with standard dice, this handy travel pack comes with scoring sheets and a portable carry box.

Farkle is a supremely simple game made up of just a cup and 6 dice. Players take it in turns to roll the dice on their go. On the first roll of a turn you must roll all 6 and there´s a minimum number of points you must score to be allowed to keep them, usually 350.

Only certain dice and combinations will score you points, and if you don´t manage to bag any points that´s called a Farkle. Hitting a Farkle also ends your turn immediately and loses you any points you have already banked for that go.

Each turn can consist of one or more rolls of the dice. Players can bank scores before each further roll by leaving those dice on the table and only rolling the remainder.

The idea is to get the highest score overall, but first one player must get to a predetermined number of points. This forces sudden death and gives everyone just one more go and a final shot at winning.

There are numerous different variations of the rules so it´s important to nail down which one you´re playing before the game begins.

While it´s largely a game of chance, Farkle also pushes you to try your luck by continuing to roll in order to secure higher scores. Sometimes you´ll play safe, others you´ll be forced to gamble to score big. The higher the stakes the more exciting it gets.

Size & Weight: 4.2 x 3.6 x 3.1 inches, 5.6 ounces

This classic word game is quick, simple, and uniquely can be played on its own. It comes in a ready made plastic travel case making it one of the most suitable mini travel games.

Shake the dice up in the box and make sure they’re all settled in their grid. Next lift the lid off and turn the sand timer over to start. Players must then write down as many words of 3 or more letters as they can spot. Letters can be “chained” in virtually any direction so long as they’re touching.

Words that more than one player have don’t count, you only score for unique ones. Points are allocated depending on how long they are with longer words gaining exponentially bigger scores. The player with the highest score wins.

Because you can chain letters in weird orders it’s easy to spot different ones to other players. The game is frantic with each round lasting just a few minutes. There’s no limit on how many players can play, but it can also be played solo by trying to beat your own high score.

Players: 1+

Game Time: 3 minutes

Size & Weight: 2 x 4.3 x 4.3 inches, 7 ounces

Every roll counts for every player in this unique and engaging fast paced dice game.

Play is based around the coloured scoring cards in Qwixx. They have 4 rows in each colour numbered from either 2-12 or 12-2.

A turn consists of a player rolling all of the dice, 4 colored and 2 white. On each turn players are able to make two scores, one by adding the two white dice, the other by adding one white dice with one colour of their choice.

This number then gets crossed off in the corresponding box on the score-sheet with the white one counting as any colour you like. But once you’ve crossed a number off you’re not allowed to cross anything else in that line off that lies to the left of it.

The game continues until players can physically no longer go or they lock 2 lines. this is done by crossing off 6 numbers in the same line as well as the number furthest to the right.

Scores are then added up according to the score-sheet and the player with the highest score wins.

No one gets bored waiting around for other players to go. There’s zero downtime so everyone stays fully immersed in the game at all times. It’s also exciting and fun to play with lots of twists and turns along the way.

Size & Weight: 5.2 x 3.8 x 1.2 inches, 5.9 ounces

Best Car Games for Adults on a Road Trip

The famous name game.

Into your celebrities? Get ready to name drop like never before in this fast paced word association game.

The first player starts by saying a famous name that everyone would know. The next player has to think of another famous person whose name begins with the first letter of the last name.

If the first name has the same starting letter as the surname for example Marilyn Monroe, play switches direction.

If a player can´t think of a name, takes too long, or drops a name no one knows, they lose and have to do a forfeit.

Play has to go quickly so there are inevitably a lot of forfeits, the worse the better. The random names that people say can also be hilarious. Expect plenty of blasts from the past and Z-list celebs to crop up.

Just a Minute

If you´re the chatty type then this game could be right up your street. But can you keep on topic for a full minute?

Someone (not the driver) sets a timer on their phone for a minute and becomes the chair. The first player then has those 60 seconds to speak on a subject chosen randomly by the chair.

They have to do this without “hesitation, repetition or deviation” and the rest of the passengers are judges. If they think the speaker is taking too long, going off topic, or has repeated a word, they are able to challenge. The timer stops as soon as this happens.

If a challenge is deemed correct by the chair, they receive a point and also take over the subject for the remainder of the time. If it´s not correct then the original speaker continues.

Being the person to be speaking at the end of a minute is rewarded with a point. If a player manages to speak for the entire minute they´re rewarded with a bonus point.

This game sounds super easy but it´s unbelievably hard! Speaking for a full minute without breaking the rules is virtually impossible. But the ways that people attempt to win are hilarious and the arguments over challenges can get pretty involved.

Three Stories

Are you a great liar or do you possess a terrible poker face? Well it doesn´t matter too much in this game, it´s all about coming up with fake stories that are less believable than the truth. The more you can fool your fellow players the better chance of winning you have.

Players take in in turns to say three stories or “facts” about themselves that the other players don´t know. However, only one of them should be true.

The other players have to try and figure out which one is the true story and which two are lies. To get this they each get to ask two follow up questions.

Each player to guess right gets a point and the first to a predetermined number of points is the winner.

This is a great way to get to know your fellow road trippers a whole lot better. And regardless of how well you know them, you´ll learn some pretty surprising stuff. This game gets funny quickly and will have the whole car in stitches.

I Know Them

Fancy yourself as a bit of a story teller? This is a great game that involves some serious imagination as you build a story about someone you´ve never met or seen before in your life.

One player selects a passenger in a car that you pass and makes sure everyone gets a good look. Then they begin by “I know them…” and starting to tell a story about them.

Each player takes it in turns to make up something funny or interesting to add. Start with the basics like name, age, and occupation, then work up to the good stuff.

The more outrageous the backstory you construct the better. And if you pass them again on the road you won´t be able to resist laughing.

There are no losers or winners, just a journey into the bizarre and twisted minds of your fellow road trippers. This can go on for as long as you´re all entertained, and when you get bored simply switch target.

The Wave Game

This game takes nerves of steel, a bit of luck, and plenty of persistence. It´s time to get social on your road trip!

Players take it in turns to wave at the the occupants of each car they pass. If someone in the car waves back then they carry on, each wave back receives a point.

Bonus points are received for extra reactions. A smile is a bonus point. If someone flips you the bird you get 5 points. And if every passenger in the car waves back you get 10 bonus points.

A player´s turn is over when no one waves back. It then moves onto the next player´s turn. The winner is the person with the most points after everyone has gone. Play as many rounds as you dare.

Other people´s reactions can range from happy to play along to thoroughly pissed off. You´ll have great fun playing and may even brighten up someone else´s drive along the way.

Those are our picks for the best travel games for adults, but have you got an alternative game that you think would be perfect for stuffing in the backpack? What travel board games do you always carry with you on the road? Drop us a comment below and let us know!

Looking for more awesome gear to take on your travels? Check out these posts to find out what we recommend:

• The Best Water Bottle With Filter for Travel 2019
• Best Packing Cubes for Backpacking 2019
• The Best Towel for Travel 2019
• Best Rainy Season Clothes For Backpackers

Pin Me For Later…

***This post was originally published in February 2017 but has been completely revamped and extended to provide you with the most up to date and accurate information.***

Travel lover, professional writer and football (soccer) obsessive, James loves nothing more than getting outside and exploring little known corners of the globe. He’s also very partial to a drop of Guinness.

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Wow, I thought I knew a lot of games to play on the road. Really love Exploding Kittens and Cards Against Humanity. Have you tried PIT? That is one of our favorite games. Great list guys!

Hey Mike, yeah we’re big fans of those two as well but we have actually never played PIT!! We’ll have to get it on order and test it out to see if it needs to be added to the list 🙂

Hi Jamie and Sarah, I just googled games to take on holiday and your website came top of the list! i thought I recognized the name. Have got a couple of tips for games to take to Turkey in a couple of weeks.

Debbie Smith (Charlie’s mum)

Hi Debbie, Hope you’re well, it’s been a while! It’s always funny when people we know stumble across our site – glad you found it useful. Turkey sounds great, hope you get amazing weather and have a brilliant time. Enjoy! Take care, Jamie x

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Hi, we’re James & Sarah

Full time backpackers turned vanlifers.

We’re here to provide you with valuable travel tips, kickass destination guides & serious vanlife inspiration to help you get your travel adventures off the ground!

49 best travel games for adults recommended by travellers (updated 2023)

If you have ever spent a night in a hostel you have inevitably been invited for a game of asshole. Or president. Or bullshit. What am I talking about? Travel games of course! You can find them in all different names and shapes: some are played with cards, some with dice, and some just by exchanging words. Oh and don’t forget the drinking games! I’ve decided to bundle these travel games for adults into one article.

My friends Joost and Samuel enjoying a travel game called Bananagrams

Most of these games are fairly easy to explain to anyone, which is, of course, an important criterion for the international crowds you usually find around hostels. It’s not even just hostels where these backpacker games are played either: in night trains, long-distance buses, forest huts, Couchsurfing, or Airbnb accommodations, anywhere with a bit of flat surface (for the card games, dice games, and board games) and a group of fun-loving people. It’s the ultimate icebreaker and you’ll soon end up chatting away post-game with your newly-made friends.

There are countless games with countless names, some are even known by different names in different parts of the world. I’ve committed to creating an ever-expanding list of these road trip games, so feel free to leave a comment with your favorite game that I haven’t mentioned yet.

49 TRAVEL GAMES FOR ADULTS

Board games for adults, 1. bananagrams, 2. thirty seconds, 3. the settlers of catan, 4. guesstures, card games for adults, 6. ligretto, 7. bullshit / cheat / i doubt it / bluff / bs / liar, 8. the great dalmuti, 9. cribbage.

10. Chinese poker

11. Solitaire / Patience

13. skip bo, 15. egyptian rat screw, 17. cards against humanity, 18. shithead / palace / karma / china hand / ten-two slide, 19. go fish, 20. exploding kittens, 21. koehandel / cow trade / horse trade, 22. crazy eights, 24. top trumps, 28. travelin’, 29. codenames duet, dice games for adults.

30. Liar’s Dice

31. Rory’s Story Cubes

32. Yahtzee

33. regenwormen / pickomino, road trip games for adults.

34. Guess the song

36. Truth or Dare

37. the guessing capital game, 38. never pass a sample, 39. pizza ftw, 40. zitchdog, drinking games for adults, 42. monkey monkey, 44. king’s cup.

47. Assholes / President / Scumbag

48. Mayer / Mia / Meier

50. Add your game

Bananagrams – the board game

How can you win Bananagrams?

To be played with wine for best results. The trick is speed, you need to be really quick about forming words. Also, it helps if you can avoid the letters Q, Z, J and X.

What makes Bananagrams fun?

It’s portable, easy to learn, and play is fast. Once the game is over you can argue about whether the words put down by other players are real words. It’s even more fun if you don’t happen to be carrying a dictionary.

What is your best memory playing Bananagrams on your travels?

Slipping an invented word past my fellow players – they were all American and I managed to convince them that it was a very conventional word in British English.

30 Seconds board game

How can you win Thirty Seconds?

You can win 30 Seconds by getting as many answers as possible right in 30 seconds. One player must guess a word based on their teammate’s explanation. The main thing here is that the explanation may not contain the actual word or part of the word.

Of course, you can buy the game, but it’s more fun to make one yourself! For example (when there are 4 players – 2 teams): every player writes ten names of – for example – celebrities down on 10 pieces of paper. Then you collect all the pieces of paper in a bowl. Each round the team draws a card and then has 30 seconds to describe the name on the paper as quickly as they can. When the bowl is empty, the team that has the most pieces of paper wins the game.

What makes Thirty Seconds fun?

It’s really funny because sometimes it’s really hard to explain a name and your teammates’ guesses do not make any sense.

What is your best memory playing Thirty Seconds on your travels?

We played this game over and over with two of my friends. In the end we got a bit obsessed and we became really good at in, so now nobody else wants to play it with us any more… Haha!

Settlers of Catan board game

How can you win The Settlers of Catan?

You win when you gain 10 points (13 in the extended version), which you get by building villages, towns, streets, or draw some of the magic cards in the pack.

What makes The Settlers of Catan fun?

Each time is different. It’s not a fixed board like e.g. the game ‘Risk’ uses. The board is made up of a number of tiles which you put together randomly for each game. Contrary to e.g. Risk, where after so many games you kind of know what you need to win, or what the favorable is, Catan is entirely different in each setup.

What is your best memory playing The Settlers of Catan on your travels?

Beach Agonda, India, with Dutch friends. One of them wasn’t particularly good at losing, and when his wife was about to beat him he’d suggest to smoke a joint. As soon as she did this, she lost all concentration and lost. It was very funny to watch.

Guesstures board game

How can you win Guesstures?

You win by simplifying the words to basic body movements. Anything too complicated can always trip up your guessers.

What makes Guesstures fun?

We love how ridiculous you look when playing the game. At the same time, anyone can play and it’s easy to learn.

What is your best memory playing Guesstures on your travels?

Whenever we go to a cabin with a group of friends, it’s always fun to bust it out!

Fun card games for adults

The Dobble travel card game

How can you win Dobble?

There are endless variations to this game, but in the most common one, you will have to get as many cards as possible by matching a symbol from your card to a symbol on the top card in the central pile. The player with the most cards at the end wins.

What makes Dobble fun?

It’s a nerve wrecking game because you’re playing against others to find the matching symbol. There is  always  a matching symbol but sometimes you are looking back and forth frantically between your card and the one in the middle just and it just seems like nothing matches… Then someone else finds one and it’s back to square one. You have to shout the symbol that matches which often leads to hilarious descriptions like “white condom ghost thing”.

What is your best memory playing Dobble on your travels?

I love that it comes in such a small package but has endless possibilities. There are different game modes, e.g. where you have to match other players’ symbols, where you want to get rid of all your cards, or exactly the opposite. It’ll keep you busy for hours… As long as you don’t get a heart attack that is 😉

Cards for playing Ligretto

How can you win Ligretto?

The aim of this travel game is to get rid of all your cards faster than all the other players by discarding them in the middle of the table.

What makes Ligretto fun?

It’s FAST! You’ll have to put cards down like a maniac and your strategy can change every second. It’s nice and compact, you only need a single deck of cards, and you don’t need much space to lay the cards out either. The rules are simple and it never gets old.

What is your best memory playing Ligretto on your travels?

A fun Couchsurfer living in Dol, a quiet village on the Hvar island in Croatia, introduced me and my girlfriend to this game. It was her favorite game and she showed us why (by beating us over and over). We played it for hours and hours and the relentless chant of victory, “Ligretto!”, still echoes in my ears.

How can you win Bullshit?

The object of the game is actually pretty simple – get rid of all your cards. However, in order to do that, you have to do a bit of bluffing – if someone calls your bluff (calls ‘bullshit’), you have to pick up all the cards lying on the table!

What makes Bullshit fun?

The risk! If you want to win, you inevitably have to do a little lying. The fun part is trying to con your friends, which when considering that this game is usually played whilst drinking, you become increasingly less good at!

What is your best memory playing Bullshit on your travels?

During our two year Latin American adventure, we played this game a lot. But one of the best memories has to be playing it on a cargo ship heading to the Corn Islands in Nicaragua. The boat was around a day late, litres of rum were drank and bullshit helped pass the hours.

The great Dalmuti card game

How can you win The Great Dalmuti?

You can win the Great Dalmuti by playing all your cards. Whoever finishes first becomes the Great Dalmuti, the next one the lesser Dalmuti. When you finish last you become the (lesser or big) slave. What makes it fun is that the roles change and the Dalmuties receive tax from the slaves. Also, everyone respects the Dalmuti (who, of course, sits on the best chair) and orders the slaves around (who not uncommonly don’t even get a chair to sit in).

What makes The Great Dalmuti fun?

So it becomes very competitive as people want to become the Dalmuti and punish the previous Dalmuti for his Behaviour.

What is your best memory playing The Great Dalmuti on your travels?

A vivid memory that comes to mind is when I used to play it in Thailand with my fiancé and parents-in-law on the front porch of our bungalow.

Cribbage card game

How can you win Cribbage?

It’s complicated… You need to be able to count cards and add. Because the game is “first to 121 points” you also need to play strategically.

What makes Cribbage fun?

There are loads of ways to score points, both in the play and in the hand, so you need to focus. If you leave points unclaimed your opponent can call “muggins” and claim your points.

What is your best memory playing Cribbage on your travels?

This is quite a complicated game to learn and it was my father who taught me to play on sailing trips as a kid. My best memory is sitting on deck with him playing and calling “muggins” when he’d missed something (possibly on purpose, who knows!)

10. Chinese Poker

How can you win chinese poker.

Get rid of all your cards.

What makes Chinese Poker fun?

It’s a combination of Yahtzee and Poker; what’s not to like? You can create a strategy before the game starts but you might have to rethink it when the game’s not going your way. Decisions, decisions!

What is your best memory playing Chinese Poker on your travels?

I saw a few Chinese people play the game in the “cattle-class” of a sleeper train; they were really passionate about it and it was a lot of fun to watch their strategies as they went along. Where better to learn Chinese poker that from actual Chinese people 🙂

How can you win Solitaire?

Since you’re typically playing this game alone, you’re always a winner! Actually, that is not true, you can still get stuck in the game and be forced to take a loss. Sounds depressing, doesn’t it? You win by stacking all the cards on the table onto each other in four equal piles, in order from low to high and sorted by suit.

What makes Solitaire fun?

It can cure boredom if you’re traveling alone. It can even be a pretty fun game as you’ll have to be creative sometimes to free yourself from a seemingly impossible-to-finish situation. More often, however, it’s a last resort when you’re stuck inside an airport on a 7-hour layover with no plugs to charge your drained electronic devices.

What is your best memory playing Solitaire on your travels?

Since I’ve played this game quite a few times on my solo travels, every time you finish a game there is this little sparkle of joy inside your brain, and you mentally picture all the cards bouncing around and fireworks being set off like in the Windows version. Or at least I did.

How can you win Toepen?

This Dutch game is all about battles. You can win a battle, but that doesn’t mean you’ve won the game (similarly to war.. or a couple getting divorced). The first to 15 points (or 25, if you want to play for longer) loses, making the other players the winners (but really, it’s the person with the least “penalty-points” that is the happiest).

What makes Toepen fun?

The game involves some simple but entertaining mind-games. “Why the hell did he/she toep?” is a common question that gets raised often during the game. Does the player have great cards and is therefore confident that they are going to win, or are they simply bluffing? This is easily our favorite go-to game on the road.

What is your best memory playing Toepen on your travels?

We’ve played this game about a hundred times on every (long-distance) bicycle that we did together. It’s an easy game to explain to others and gets strategic when you’re playing with people that have played it before. A memory that comes to mind: Steven was with Joost in Denmark where they were playing Toepen with a Danish girl (she called it “Poopen”). She Toeped (“Pooped”) at the most random moments, leaving Steven and Joost completely clueless of her strategy.

Skip bo card game

How can you win Skip Bo?

The classic way: you need to be the first to get rid of your cards.

What makes Skip Bo fun?

It is easy to learn, and while it’s a strategic game it’s still possible to win when you’ve just learned the rules.

What is your best memory playing Skip Bo on your travels?

I have so many memories playing this with Couchsurfers at home, but my best memory while travelling would be on a train in China where we shared a sleeper with an Argentinian couple. We played into the small hours of the morning, learning about each other and our journeys.

Fluxx card game

How can you win Fluxx?

Let’s start with the rules of Fluxx: there are no rules. Yup. Every time you put a card down the rules change, which also sometimes means you’ll have to your flip your strategy 180 degrees. You have to collect cards and you’ve won when you have accomplished the objectives that are on the table at that moment before someone else changes them.

What makes Fluxx fun?

It’s a very random game, so if you like your games structured then you might want to try another one. That said, it’s that actual chaotic element of the game that makes it fun. You’re constantly checking if you can annoy or block your opponents with the current rulesets, and sometimes it’s even possible that someone has won without him/her knowing!

What is your best memory playing Fluxx on your travels?

I haven’t played this game on any travels yet, but I would love to hear from someone that has! Leave a comment .

Egyptian rat screw card game

How can you win Egyptian Rat Screw?

The object of the game is to be the person with all the cards at the end of the game. This means the game can take a very long time.

What makes Egyptian Rat Screw fun?

Once you and other players learn how to play the game moves very fast from player to player. The intensity heightens with the speed of the game. The most fun part about this game is when you get two cards that are the same flipped one on top of the other. The first person to slap those cards wins the deck. This also means that people who are “out” of cards can slap their way back in.

What is your best memory playing Egyptian Rat Screw on your travels?

I learned this game in a summer camp when I was very young. When I studied abroad in Australia I taught all my new friends how to play it. We would spend hours just passing the time away with this game. No drinks involved!

How can you win Rummy?

Individual games are won by the first person who “goes out” or discards every card in their hand. Along the way, they rack up points by putting down three of a kind and straights of the same suit. Your points get tallied up per game and in our case, a full game runs to 500 points and can last 1-2 hours.

What makes Rummy fun?

Rummy is fun because it’s so basic and it’s almost akin to baseball; a game to 500 is never over until the person reaches that point total. The game has so many intricacies and quirky rules that make it fun all by itself. Enter a couple of people who are married or just friends, and it can get crazier by the hand.

What is your best memory playing Rummy on your travels?

We’ve played everywhere when traveling, and I try my best to not swear out loud when losing badly. Unfortunately, I failed when riding a boat to Jeju Island in Korea and earned quite a few stares my way. That was a cue for me to go outside and get some fresh air.

Cards against humanity card game

How can you win Cards Against Humanity?

You need to make the other people vote for your answer to a ridiculous question.

What makes Cards Against Humanity fun?

It is all about reading other people and figuring out what kind of answer this person would like, some might like dirty jokes, other logical answers etc. Oh, and the game is free… you can download it from CardsAgainstHumanity.com (or you can buy it via the link below if you don’t want to print the cards yourself).

What is your best memory playing Cards Against Humanity on your travels?

I was introduced to it while Couchsurfing in Zürich and one girl got the question “How did I lose my virginity?”. My answer was “Through an AK47” which is what she choose and that kind of became the joke of the evening. The game gave us so many laughs and very fun atmosphere. Great way to get to know new people!

How can you win Shithead?

This game isn’t about being the winner, it’s about not being the loser aka the “shithead”. If you’re the last person in the game you will have the endearing title of shithead bestowed upon you until you can redeem yourself in the next game.

What makes Shithead fun?

At the end, there’s always an element of chance involved and it’s always fun to watch someone who thinks they’re about the win fall from grace. Also having an excuse to call strangers you’ve just met shitheads is never a bad thing.

What is your best memory playing Shithead on your travels?

Teaching the game to some travellers at a hostel in Bosnia and watching them spend the next few days engrossed in matches.

How can you win Go Fish?

You can win Go Fish by being the player that collected the most sets of 4 from the pack of cards (e.g. all the 3s, all the kings etc).

What makes Go Fish fun?

It isn’t a game that requires too much thought and isn’t difficult so long as you have a good memory. It is also great to see the look on your friend or relatives’ face when you steal the majority of a set from them which they were hoarding!

What is your best memory playing Go Fish on your travels?

My best memory of playing this game is when I used to play it as a teenager with a friend I made in the apartments in Fuerteventura. At the time I loved all things fish related and I had a novelty set of cards in the shape of fish. We used to play it whenever we had a moment before dinner after going to the beach or swimming in the pool.

Exploding kittens card game

How do you win Exploding Kittens?

You can win Exploding Kittens by becoming the only player who isn’t blown up by a Kitten. Yes, it is as ridiculous as it sounds. You basically just draw a card each turn hoping not to draw an exploding kitten card. If you do you are out of the game. Unless you can defuse the exploding kitten in which case the card goes back into the deck. All the other card you draw and can play are used to somehow avoid the exploding kittens.

What makes Exploding Kittens fun?

One of the reasons is the pure ridiculousness of the concept which is also the genius of the game. I mean, who doesn’t like kitten or explosions or laser pens. Next is that it is very easy to play and mostly luck based with just a very small hint of strategy. Its just easy and ridiculous which is what you want when playing games with people you’ve just met.

What is your best memory playing Exploding Kittens on your travels?

I personally haven’t played this while traveling yet as it has only been out for a few months (at time of writing) and I haven’t had the opportunity. But the fact that it is so easy, portable and fun should prove to be a winning combo in any setting.

Koehandel, a popular Dutch card game

How do you win Koehandel?

The Dutch game Koehandel has two phases, in phase one players take turns pulling an animal card from a pile and auctioning it off to the other players. Each player should try to get the animals for the lowest price possible. As the game progresses, more money is distributed among the players which means the animals get more expensive. The key to winning during this phase is to correctly adjust your theoretical pricing to the increasing money supply.

During phase two, players bid for each other’s animals in a blind auction. This means that both players put an undisclosed amount of money on the table and whoever bids highest will win the other player’s animal, while the money is also being exchanged. During this phase, the key to winning is to get inside the other player’s mind and correctly predict how much he or she will bid. Then you bid a little bit more so that you win the animal cheaply.

What makes Koehandel fun?

Koehandel is really fun because of the unpredictable nature of the game. In every action you take, you have to consider what your opponent will most likely do, based on what he or she thinks that you will do. There is a lot of game theory involved, which makes the game very dynamic and interesting, it never becomes dull even when you play it with the same people over and over again as players adjust their strategies based on observations from past games.

What is your best memory playing Koehandel on your travels?

A few years back I rented a house in Florianopolis, Brazil. I intentionally rented a house with a few spare rooms so that I could have friends over to visit. During my three month stay, I introduced this relatively unknown game to all my friends and they all loved it! They still talk about how much fun it was.

How do you win Crazy Eights?

You win a hand by being the player to get rid of all your cards. Any player left holding cards adds the sum of the cards to add their total. Although there are different variations on the rules, I usually play with the first player who gets to a total of 108 is the loser.

What makes Crazy Eights fun?

It’s fast-paced and frustrating at the same time. Plus it’s super easy to learn.

What is your best memory playing Crazy Eights on your travels?

Playing for hours on end with a Kiwi couple on the roof of a hostel in Istanbul. There had been a pretty major earthquake nearby so the city was basically shut down as many feared another quake in the days following. It was a great way to pass the time and bring some levity to a pretty serious situation.

How can you win Kemps?

You play in teams of 2 people, and the objective to get 4-of-a-kind (e.g. four 8’s or four Kings) amongst your team. Once you (think) your teammate has a 4-of-a-kind, you can yell “Kemps!”. If you indeed have a 4-of-a-kind, your team scores a point. Otherwise, you lose a point (but the game keeps going). You can even take it up a notch and get a double-kemp when both you and your teammate have a 4-of-a-kind. After winning x number of points, the game is won. There is an awesome move too: you can yell “counter Kemps!” when you think one of your opponents has 4-of-a-kind, and their teammate hasn’t called it yet.

What makes Kemps fun?

There aren’t that many cards games that are played in a team, which makes this one unique. The fun element also comes from the way you can signal your team member. You are allowed to talk during the game, which means you can signal to your teammate (who sits opposite of you) that you are saving a certain value of the card (e.g. Queens). Obviously, it is supposed to be a secret signal, as the others will easily figure it out and block your strategy.

What is your best memory playing Kemps on your travels?

I played this game at my home in Tokyo with my couchsurfer guests, amongst which was Victor. The others were from France (me), the USA and Israel. Soon we were coming up with ridiculous signals to let the other team member know what you were saving up. We would say “Do you have a red banana?”, which would stand for e.g. Jacks. Figuring out each other’s codes and even faking other people’s codes made the game very entertaining.

Top trumps Star Wars edition

How can you win Top Trumps?

Top Trumps is a really unique British game and a favorite with kids. Each pack of Top Trumps is based on a theme (animals, volcanoes, superheroes etc..) and each card in the pack contains five categories with numerical values, that you can use to ‘trump’ your opponent. The aim of the game and the way that you win is to get all your opponents’ cards (or the most number of cards in an allotted time).

What makes Top Trumps fun?

It’s a really fun game to play as a family and even young kids can enjoy it. There is also such a huge range of themes that you can upgrade to a new pack and game, which helps to keep things interesting. Depending on the ages of kids playing, it can be fast (or very slow!).

What is your best memory playing Top Trumps on your travels?

We play Top Trumps all the time with the kids. When we’re out to eat, waiting at an airport, at home… it really is a winner for families. One of my favourite memories is playing Harry Potter Top Trumps on an early morning ferry from Galiano Island to Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada.

Uno, perhaps the most popular card game

How can you win Uno?

The winner of a single game of Uno is the first player to get rid of all of the cards in his/her hand. If you want to make the game more exciting, however, you can play over a longer period of time, creating an Uno tournament, adding up points as you go. Each card is worth a certain number of points, and to win you are aiming for as few points as possible. This is fun because it sees the gameplay change and become more tactical.

What makes Uno fun?

Uno is fun because there is always that chance of forgetting to announce you are on your last card and paying the price. It can be a tactical game and often when played in a group of friends you will find that a certain amount of ganging up and revenge play occurs. I also couldn’t believe just how many people we met, of differing nationalities that knew how to play Uno and loved it.

What is your best memory playing Uno on your travels?

My friend and I met up with a french lady who I worked with and her sister whilst doing a road trip of Western Australia. Our nightly entertainment consisted of huddling around our camping table, wrapped in blankets, supping goon (cask wine) from camping mugs, whilst watching the sunset and playing Uno furiously. They still don’t believe I won 8 games in a row without cheating. Sorry girls but there was definitely no cheating involved!

How can you win Euchre?

The game is played with two teams of two players. Players hold five cards each out of a deck that uses only cards 9 to A, and the team that calls the suit that will be trump must secure at least three tricks to score a point. If you get all five tricks you get two points, and if al players call for trump and decide to “go alone” his teammate sits out and the one player goes against the other two on the opposing team. If the lone players win all five tricks, the team gets four points. First team to 11 wins.

What makes Euchre fun?

It takes a bit of skill, luck and taking chances, but it easy to learn quickly. We love that you can play several complete games within a couple hours, while laughing, holding a conversation and enjoying a few beers.

What is your best memory playing Euchre on your travels?

My wife Colleen and I played on opposite teams against another couple on a trip in Las Vegas. My best friend Matt and I who have played Euchre since we were young adults repeated beat the ladies — maybe three games in a row — and had built up a 10-0 lead in the fourth game when they came back to win 11-10. This turn of events, all against the backdrop of our earlier taunts and a few too many beers, left the guys humbled and the women rejoicing. It was hilarious.

Dixit board game

How can you win Dixit?

The storyteller (a different player on every turn) picks out one of six cards and describes it (without showing the card) to the other players. The other players then pick a card that they think best describes it, and place it on the table. The point scoring here is unique: if everybody or nobody guesses the correct card, the storyteller gets no points. Therefore it is key to give just the right clues so that a few players get it right, but not all. The first to 30 points wins.

What makes Dixit fun?

The cards themselves are quite funny, and the more creative people get with associating your story with the cards the funnier the game becomes.

What is your best memory playing Dixit on your travels?

I haven’t played this game on the road yet. Have you? Let us know in the comments !

Travlin’ card game

How can you win Travelin’?

The game is about traveling to new countries, so obviously, each country you visit gives you more points. When one player reaches 5 countries, they receive a bonus of 5 points and the game immediately ends. Count the points and like pretty much every game in existence, the person with the most points wins.

What makes Travelin’ fun?

For me as the game designer, the best part of Travelin’ is seeing the interaction between players. Having someone be so close to winning only to be stopped with a Border Control card is always fun. Or chaining together a huge combo to go from 3 countries to 5 and stealing the victory from another player – yeah, that’s a pretty awesome feeling too.

What is your best memory playing Travelin’ on your travels?

Hands down, my best memory of playing Travelin’ (and I’ve played a lot) are the countless games at the Midland Hostel in Bucharest. Because everyone there (staff, long term guests, friends of the hostel) became so good at the game, the matches we play there often turn into knock-down, drag-out slugfests. The best game of Travelin’ I’ve ever played was exactly one of those games and while us long-time players were were busy attacking each other, a person playing for the very first time was able to sneakily come from behind and take a well-earned win from the pros.

Codenames duet card game

How can you win Codenames duet?

Codemasters duet is a cooperative game, meaning that you are playing against the game, rather than against each other. The aim is to guess each other’s codewords within a certain amount of turns (more turns for beginners, less for more advanced players).

What makes Codenames duet fun?

You’ll spend your time finding singular words that connect 2 or more (random) words in front of you while factoring in that the connection might not be as obvious for the person in front of you. It’s a game of psychology, and it could therefore go hilariously wrong. You can’t speak while playing this game, only to say a word and how many words it is connected to, so it can be really frustrating watching your fellow “agent” struggle and choose a word that reveals an assassin, which means you both lose.

What is your best memory playing Codenames duet on your travels?

The good thing about this game is that you can transport it in just a few small bags. I have yet to play this game on my travels, however, I know that it’s a great game that requires little setup and can entertain for a good chunk of time. At home, I play this mostly with my wife, where I try to get into her brain and try to figure out which of my weird references and connections she would understand.

30. Liar’s dice

How can you win liar’s dice.

I win by experience. I’ve probably played for ten years so I’ve seen it all. You win by being unpredictable. You can win new friends and new language skills with the game also. I know the basic numbers in French thanks to this dice game.

What makes Liar’s dice fun?

The simplicity makes it fun. The excitement and the fact that every round is unique. It’s never the same game twice. Playing with someone who has a degree in math is also fun because you see their brains running in high gear.

What is your best memory playing Liar’s dice on your travels?

Best moment is a tie between looking for a runaway die on the floor of a sauna in the Finnish wilderness, naked with a bunch of naked girls, and playing the game for a whole day in the car with my friend Eric, while he was driving us from Vancouver to Fairbanks.

Rory’s story cubes dice game

31. Rory’s Story Cubes

How can you win rory’s story cubes.

The most creative story wins! No hardcore rules here. A winner would probably be chosen from the group you play it with.

What makes Rory’s Story Cubes fun?

It’s the ultimate game to train your imagination. Because of the different packs (for example a travel pack), you can create unlimited storylines. It’s also really fun to give some dice to other people so that you can create a story together in turns.

What is your best memory playing Rory’s Story Cubes on your travels?

Not yet tested, the game is pretty new. First results were hilarious though! Have you played this on the road and a have a great travel memory to share? Let me know in the comments .

Yahtzee, perhaps the most popular dice game

How can you win Yahtzee?

To be honest, luck plays a very important role in Yahtzee. But if you choose wisely after throwing your dices, you might have a better chance of winning. For example, I always wait before writing down my 1’s and 2’s. So if everything goes wrong and you don’t throw a full house or a four of a kind, you can always fill in your 1’s and 2’s and you don’t lose a lot of points.

What makes Yahtzee fun?

You can play it with 2 or more people. Winning depends mostly on luck and a bit on strategy, so everybody can join. It’s easy to pack so you can play it wherever you are; are you on a beach or in the middle of the jungle? Yahtzee is your game!

What is your best memory playing Yahtzee on your travels?

I played it a lot during my trip around the world, so it reminds me of traveling through Thailand but also backpacking through Australia and our roadtrip on the American west coast. From then on I have taken it with me every time I go away for a longer period.

Pickomino dice game

How can you win Regenwormen?

Simply put, you have to be lucky to win: this game is not about being the smartest or most strategic player. Really everyone can win, depending on how much you dare to gamble and how the dice will roll.

What makes Regenwormen fun?

The most fun part of the game is ‘stealing’ worms from other players to make it more difficult for them to win. You will see people from all over the world hesitate the first time they are able to steal the worms, but after that they will happily grab them from you with a big smile on their faces!

What is your best memory playing Regenwormen on your travels?

We played Regenwomen with the porters and guides during our Himalaya trek. The porters didn’t mingle with the tourists at first but this game helps to knock down the cast system. The result: they’ve beaten me several times.

34. Guess the Song

How to play guess the song.

Best played on road trips. Everyone in the car has an iPhone (or other music playing device of course) and chooses 5 songs. Their favorite song to dance to, favorite song to sing to, best song to pick someone up in the bar, their wedding song and then their funeral song. Mix up the order and everyone has to guess which is which!

How can you win Guess the Song?

Whoever can guess the correct the song the most amount of times wins!

What makes Guess the Song fun?

You get to hear new music, and learn more about your fellow travelers by listening to their favorite tunes! Author’s note: I’ve organized a few Couchsurfing events with a similar concept: everybody had to pass their music device to the person on their right. It was a great way to get to know other people well in a short time and a lot of fun!

What is your best memory playing Guess the Song on your travels?

Hmmm… I’d say the time when a passenger played Miley Cyrus – Party in the U.S.A. as their guilty pleasure song… and everyone knew the words! 10 People all singing as loud as we could! Lots of fun and a great memory!

How can you win I Spy?

This traditional kids’ game is so much fun when you’re on the road and is definitely for adults too! Go for the smaller objects and the hidden (but not too hidden) things. Oh and don’t cheat, so don’t pick moving things 😉

What makes I Spy fun?

It opens your eyes to all the beauty, small and big, around you.

What is your best memory playing I Spy on your travels?

This game is the best when you’re stuck in traffic in a bus in Asia, because there are always amazing colors and strange objects around!

How can you win Truth or Dare?

There is no winning or losing in this game, that is why it can go on and on and on! If a dare is too much for a person, he or she will get punished by revealing 2 truth. If a truth is too much for a person to reveal, he or she will have to carry out 2 dares to compensate it.

What makes Truth or Dare fun?

Those who join the game are pretty much open to doing every shameless dare and digging out the deepest secrets they keep. What makes this game fun is that you are testing out each others’ limits. Of course, to have the game continued safety without causing any hurt-feelings, we have to be sensitive to our friends’ conditions and situations. For example: do not try to ask about a recent break-up when the wound is still fresh.

What is your best memory playing Truth or Dare on your travels?

I will not forget the first time we played Truth of Dare in a Russian intercity train. We went all out on “Dares”, cat-walking down the narrow corridor filled with on-looking Russians, dancing at the front and asking snacks from people. At first, the Russians watched us with stern face but after a while they too started to enjoy the show.

How to play The Guessing Capital Game?

The concept is to name the capital of the country someone chooses. For example, I say Ethiopia and someone would need to guess the capital which is Addis Ababa.

What makes The Guessing Capital Game fun?

Many times someone will guess the wrong capital and it is fun when you start to decide what you win. You can play for big stakes like money where the first person to get a capital wrong wins all the money or even play just on who pays for something next, like dinner. A lot of people would be surprised the capitals of many countries.

What is your best memory playing The Guessing Capital Game on your travels?

This is actually a game that I lost. We were playing for $1 for each capital that we got right. Everyone would put in a dollar every time the right capital was given and the first person who lost they would lose all the money to the winner. The person stating the country. Eventually we got to big stakes and I ended up losing a full round trip ticket to Asia!

How can you win Never pass a sample?

This is perhaps the best travel game you’ll read about today. The rules are simple: as you walk around in the airport, you may never pass a free sample without grabbing it; chocolate, drinks, perfume- everything. You lose by being so pre-occupied with free samples that you miss your flight.

What makes Never pass a sample fun?

Free stuff!

What is your best memory playing Never pass a sample on your travels?

In Singapore around Xmas was especially fun. I walked around for about 6 hours and in the end, my belly ached from all the chocolates, I was pretty tipsy and I must have smelled like a prostitute because of all the perfume samples.

How can you win Pizza FTW?

The pizza game is pretty simple to play and does not need any equipment bar a couple of creative minds with some knowledge of popular culture. Each player takes a turn to name a title of film, book, or song replacing a word of choice with the word ‘pizza’ or adding the word ‘pizza’ for comedic value. For example­ ‘Saturday Night Pizza’ (instead of Saturday Night Fever!).

What makes Pizza FTW?

Everyone is a winner in Pizza FTW, it’s usually a giggle and it’s so simple some may say ‘it’s a pizza piss!’

What is your best memory playing Pizza FTW on your travels?

We’ve enjoyed passing time away whilst hiking, playing the pizza game. Feel free to Tweet or Facebook us some responses! Naturally ‘pizza’ can be any word you see fit.

How can you win Zitchdog?

Well, it’s pretty simple. It’s a fun game to play on a road trip. Whenever you see a dog you say “ZITCHDOG!”. Whoever spots the most dogs by the time your destination arrives is the winner.

What makes Zitchdog?

Well if everyone spots the dog at the same time and screams ZITCHDOG, it’s pretty hilarious. Or if the others don’t see a dog at all, you might have to stop and look to ensure the person is not cheating – haha.

What is your best memory playing Zitchdog on your travels?

I was playing ZitchDog with my hubby on our road trip to Agra. It was fun and then when we were about to reach our destination, we lost count totally. P.S. – This had nothing to do with the fact that we had a couple of beers.

41. Spoons / Ezelen

How can you win spoons.

You pass on a card to the person next to you (so you’ll get one too), then discard a card and pass it on again. You win by getting 4 of a kind.

What makes Spoons fun?

It’s slow at first, but later games pick up the pace and this is where it gets super fun. Once you have 4 of a kind (4 aces, 4 queens, 4 fives, whatever) then you pick up a spoon. The rest has to instantly pick up a spoon too. If you are last to pick up a spoon, you lose (and drink). It’s hilarious when one person is still playing when everyone else has stopped because they are so into the game! Then you all laugh, re-deal… and drink some more! No spoons available? This game can be played by putting your finger on the side of a table instead of picking up a spoon.

What is your best memory playing Spoons on your travels?

Not yet played while traveling. Have you played this on the road and a have a great travel memory to share? Let me know in the comments .

How do you win Monkey Monkey?

You win by not ending the game with a card that makes a pair with the “monkey card”!

What makes Monkey Monkey fun?

It’s a very easy game purely based on luck, so if you’re planning to get drunk quickly, this could be the game for you.

What is your best memory playing Monkey Monkey on your travels?

How can you win mexico.

This game has a lot of winners, but just one loser ;-). The player whose dice is first at one will lose the game and has to drink a shot (preferably vodka).

What makes Mexico fun?

It’s easy to play, everyone can join and the element of drinking a shot of liquor makes it really fun!

What is your best memory playing Mexico on your travels?

A friend of us lost this game 12 times on one evening, so he got really drunk. At one point he wasn’t even able to roll his die without it falling off the table, which meant you had a drink a shot regardless of the number rolled.

How do you win King’s Cup?

Aaah, the classic drinking game. There are different rules throughout the world. You start by putting all the cards face-down around a cup in the middle of the table. Then, each person picks up a card and the card’s value (not suit) determines what happens. At this game, much like with any other drinking game, nobody really “wins”. But if you do, you’re sober and everyone else is drunk. Does that sound fun to you? 😉

What makes King’s Cup fun?

You can call it fun, you can call it stupid, but one thing is certain: everybody gets out-of-their-heads drunk with this game.

What is your best memory playing King’s Cup on your travels?

How to play fives.

No need to have any objects, except for your hand. It’s possible to play with any number of players, but the math can get pretty hard with a large number of participants. For the sake of this explanation, we’ll say that there are 5 players. The “it” player has to come up with a number from 0 to 25 (since we have 5 players it has to be a multiple of 5).

Each player on the count of 3 shoots out their hand and shows either zero (fist) or 5 fingers. Let’s say the player came up with the number “10” and 2 of the 5 people had a fist and 3 people were showing 5 fingers. This would make a total of 15 which means nothing happens, and the game moves on with the next “it” player and the process described above repeats. The important part: if they guess correctly they must say (totally straight-faced) “Thank you very much for this lovely game of fives”.

What makes Fives fun?

It’s stupid hard because you get SO EXCITED that you guessed it correctly! But you can’t show emotion otherwise you’ll lose.

What is your best memory playing Fives on your travels?

I played this at a hostel in Costa Rica on Nebanaw Years Eve. It was a great night of eating homemade tortillas and drinking cheap rum.

How to play Sheep?

You sit around a circle, cover your teeth with your lips (like you’re mocking the old man that lives down the street) and say “SHEEP” to a person sitting next to you. They say “sheep” to the person next to them; it goes round and round. If you want to change the direction, you say “Sheep-pong!” and it changes direction. If you show your teeth, you lose/drink.

What makes Sheep fun?

Endless giggles when you try to say Sheep without opening your mouth.

What is your best memory playing Sheep on your travels?

We played this during a typhoon when we hardly had enough light and rain was pouring outside. We just couldn’t stop laughing.

47. Assholes / President / Scumbags

How do you win assholes.

This game is unique in that the game is never truly won. If you win a game, you will become the president/asshole/scumbag (depending on which version you play) and the game continues on. Other people get titles too, like vice-president, scum or vice-scum, which they keep for the next game. You simply stop playing when you get bored which is, you know, never.

What makes Assholes fun?

It’s really fun working your way up from being scum (last place) to the president (first place). If you’re the loser of the last game, you’ll have to switch your two best cards with the winner of the previous game, which makes it harder to win the round. It is still possible, however, and game by game you can improve your rank. There are many rules that can be added, such as that the president can order the loser of the previous game to get everyone a round of beer, making him/her the “beer bitch”.

What is your best memory playing Assholes on your travels?

How do you win mayer.

There are no winners in Mayer, just losers (who drink). You start with 6 lives, and the player that first loses all of their lives loses the game. This dice game is played with only two dice and a cup, so it’s easy to see why it fits excellently in the travel game category. The game contains a lot of bluffing, although that depends on the players of course.

What makes Mayer fun?

I like the game because it’s an easy icebreaker when you meet new people. It’s easy to learn and everybody can join in, and you can learn a lot about your fellow players while playing the game. I personally love it when you have to decide whether the person you are playing against is lying or telling the truth. I look for specific signs and when I call them out some people really have no poker face!

What is your best memory playing Mayer on your travels?

Victor’s flashback : I remember this game being played everywhere I looked in Copenhagen. Especially in cafés and bars, where it was a very normal thing to ask the bartender for a cup and two dice. It is a truly great way to kill some time and meet some (soon-to-be) friends.

How do you win Mexxen?

You can win Mexxen by having a really good stomach haha! There is no such thing as winners in this game, but the one who doesn’t feel sick after playing it is the one who ‘wins’. But you have to lose some to win eventually. So drinking some shots of alcohol is recommended.

What makes Mexxen fun?

You really have to think some things through, for instance, if you’re throwing the dice once or twice. And you can’t throw the dice on the ground because you will have to drink a shot and the game starts over. And of course, more shots means more dice on the floor and so on. The funniest thing is that there are always people who have a ridiculous amount of bad luck and therefore will get drunk very early on in the game.

What is your best memory playing Mexxen on your travels?

My best memory playing Mexxen on my travels is mostly the few hours after playing the game. The funniest thing is that a lot of friends are getting drunk and everybody is falling asleep at the most weird places: in the kitchen, under a tree and even under the table! The photos are the best memories, but you know how it works: what happens on the island…

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Victor Eekhof

Currently in: Amsterdam. Victor’s Travels is a travel blog curated by me, 30-something Dutch world explorer Victor Eekhof. This blog is all about traveling on your own terms and not following the masses . It’s for people who are happiest with a big backpack on their backs and a smaller one on their front; people who walk where others take a cab, or take a bus where others take a plane. I have visited 60+ countries on 7 continents , from Antarctica to North Korea and Venezuela to Russia and started this blog to share my tips and stories with fellow travellers just like you. Read my story »

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How on earth is Farkle not on this list? it’s a dice game that takes minutes to learn and fit’s in your pocket. (One of those old-school 35mm film canisters to be exact.) This is always in my bag and makes an appearance at every brewery we hit up. https://www.amazon.com/ROUTE-Pocket-Farkel-dice-game/dp/B01H67OC6M/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1B02QP2BHEROX&keywords=pocket+farkle&qid=1655128613&sprefix=pocket+farkle%2Caps%2C122&sr=8-3

Thank you for the nice list. I will definitely try out a few of those. I particularly like card games and board games.

Make & break card game.. newly launched in market.. but awesome fun making & breaking couples! My circle is right now addicted to this game

Haha, breaking couples sounds fun! 😀 Thanks for the suggestion!

One of my favorite adult road trip games is “Censored”.

Censored is a dirty phrase guessing game that simple and super fun. Give clues to get your friends (or roommates or relatives) to guess as many dirty adult themed secret phrases as possible in 90 seconds but no one (not the clue giver, not your guessing friends) is allowed to say the taboo words (if you catch them guess one, give them a heads up they are wrong by buzzing them with the buzzer)! Check out the app store of your choice!

Cool game! Thanks for the suggestion 🙂

Great article thanks. We are always on the lookout for new after-dinner games for our holidays, especially now our kids are grown up. A suggestion for you is Munchkin. A card only game so easy to pack. In a similar vein to Fluxx, the rules change often and there are many expansion decks to add variety.

Thanks a lot for the suggestion! I have heard of the game but I have never played it. I’ll make sure to add it to this article when I do! 🙂

Cheers, Victor

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#3 final fantasy xvi.

• #2 Baldur’s Gate 3

#1 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Adventure games are by definition meant to be adventurous to their core. To take a person on a ride that they’ll remember, and in 2023, there are several games that make distinction.

Platform: PS4 PS5 Xbox One XSX|S PC Switch Release Date: December 05, 2023

Steam  |  PlayStation  |  Xbox  |  Nintendo

Are you ready to head into the valley? Don’t worry; this isn’t a bad valley. This is  Disney Dreamlight Valley! 

What’s that? Why, it’s a magical place where all sorts of wondrous things happen. Or, at least, it was until certain things happened to it. The characters of Disney and Pixar stories lived here, and they fled to their homelands when a spread of dark thorns wrecked the valley!

But that’s where you come in! You can help free the valley and bring the characters back to not only live in it but be your friends and traveling partners! Plus, the game is always updating with new content, so what’s not to love?

Platform: PC PS5 XSX|S Release Date: July 25, 2023

Steam  |  Playstation  |  Xbox

Are you ready to once again help lead humanity against unbelievable foes?  Remnant II  follows up the hit co-op title that’ll put you and others in a fight for all of existence! We mean that literally as your foe wishes to destroy all of reality!

So yeah, you should probably stop them from doing that.

Whether you play alone or with others, you’ll outfit your character to be the best fighter they can be. Use new systems and a foray of weapons to take the fight to them. Don’t be afraid to mix and match what you can access, as it might be the key to taking down future foes!

Platform: Switch Release Date: February 08, 2023

Many games deserve the “remastered” treatment for one reason or another. But when it comes to  Metroid Prime Remastered , it’s another story. This title was hailed as one of the best games of its generation when it came out on the Nintendo GameCube and the trilogy that it was a part of brought Samus Aran back into the limelight.

But now, with this remastered version of the game, you’ll get to see it at its peak on the Nintendo Switch and witness why this game still holds up to this day.

From the first-person combat to the exploration and story, you’ll feel everything Samus Aran does and fight to keep her alive.

Platform: PC PS4 Xbox One PS5 XSX|S Release Date: February 21, 2023

Samurai stories aren’t just about the swordfights they partake in or the wars they are a part of. For many Samurai, the journey is most important in many respects.

In  Like A Dragon: Ishin , you’ll partake in the journey of Sakamoto Ryoma. His journey will lead him to Kyoto in the 1860s. In this period of Japanese history, everything is teetering on the edge of a sharp knife, waiting for someone to send it in one direction or another. That could be you.

Your personal mission is to find the person who killed your father. But along your journey, you can bring justice to Kyoto in ways that those in power won’t.

Platform: PC XSX|S Release Date: January 25, 2023

Steam  |  Xbox

If you haven’t heard about  Hi-Fi Rush  by now, you’re seriously living under a rock. This was the game from Tango Gameworks that shadow-dropped earlier in the year and amazed everyone with its vibrant world, clever combat, and unique setting.

The game puts you as Chai, a guy who goes in for an experiment and accidentally has his heart replaced with a music player! Oops.

Now, alongside some fellow misfits, you’ll need to take on the corporation that wronged you and defeat them while mashing buttons to the beat!

Yep, it’s a rhythm action title, and you’ll want to be right on cue so you can deliver the most damage.

Platform: PC Release Date: March 31, 2023

What happens when one of the most beloved gaming icons ever is brutally murdered at a friend’s birthday party? You’ll have to find out in the point-and-click adventure epic known as  The Murder of Sonic The Hedgehog !

Ok, not really. Well, it is called that, but it’s not as dramatic as we made it sound. The game was an April Fool’s joke, so bear with us.

Anyway, Amy Rose has her birthday party on a “murder mystery train,” and Sonic is the one who’s killed. That means you, a new character in the series, must figure out who “murdered” him! Good luck with that, and have fun!

Platform: PC PS4 PS5 Xbox One XSX|S Release Date: November 09, 2023

Steam  |  PlayStation  |  Xbox

Nearly a decade after the release of The Talos Principle, developers Croteam brought out a sequel. This puzzle adventure game takes place years after the first installment. It’s hard to offer the premise of this game without spoiling the first installment. So, if you haven’t played the first game, you might want to skip ahead of this point. However, the game takes place after the first game, where we see the first android to be awakened, Athena. You’re stepping into another android who is slowly unraveling the mystery behind a world humanity left behind, and now androids take control. But a large part of this game is all about puzzles. You’ll continue getting harder puzzles, some stumping you for hours until it finally all comes together. If you enjoyed The Talos Principle, then you’re going to get very much the same type of game in its sequel. But will you be able to avoid making the same mistakes that humankind made, or will a new, more prosperous world come from the choices you make?

Platform: PC PS5 XSX|S Release Date: November 2023

Who doesn’t love a good adventure? Moreover, who doesn’t love a good adventure that lets you learn about the past of a certain area? In  Jusant ,  you won’t be an “action hero” or a “destined one who must save the world.” You’ll simply be a young boy who wants to claim a massive tower in his world.

Climbing is literally the name of the game here, as you’ll be climbing up the tower and the areas that are a part of it and witness the various biomes and remnants of civilization you’ll find.

What will you discover as you reach the top of the tower? Play the game and find out!

Developer: Dimfrost Studio Publisher: Merge Games Platform: PC PS5 XSX|S Release Date: 2023

Bramble: The Mountain King is a game that taps into Nordic folklore. In this game, players are taking the role of a young boy named Olle, who is attempting to rescue his sister from a beastly troll. However, the world is full of dangers, and you never know just what will be lurking around. This is quite the atmospheric horror adventure game where Olle will have big and small monsters that will attempt to bring his demise. If you’re a fan of titles like Little Nightmares, Limbo, and Inside, this should feel right at home.

Developer: KO_OP Publisher: KO_OP Platform: PC PS4 PS5 Release Date: Aug 29, 2023

Those who want more of a story-driven adventure game with plenty of choices for players to decide on might be interested in Goodbye Volcano High. This is an adventure title centered around a group of anthropomorphic dinosaurs. Players here are taking the role of Fang, who is going through their last year of high school. The end is approaching, and it’s up to Fang to decide how they plan to go out this year. Connect with friends, strike up relationships, or simply write up some new songs with your band. It’s your choice on who Fang becomes and what their future may hold. 

Developer: Night School Studio Publisher: MWM Interactive Platform: PC PS4 PS5 Switch Release Date: Jul 12, 2023

Oxenfree was a surprise indie adventure hit from the developers at Night School Studio, and after years of waiting, we finally have a sequel. This title is set five years after the first game’s events. While the first title followed a group of teenagers that accidentally opened a rift between realities, this game is centered around a cult seeking a means to open a rift for their own sinister plans. Players are taking the role of Riley, who is venturing back home and begins an investigation into the strange radio signals popping up. Unfortunately, she may get more than what she bargained for when her investigations start to unravel what’s really going on in her hometown of Camena. 

Developer: Pendulo Studios Publisher: Microids/Anuman Interactive Platform: PC XSX|S PS4 PS5 Xbox One Switch Release Date: Nov 7, 2023

You might know of The Adventures of Tintin; it’s an IP that’s certainly older than you and I. First started out as a comic strip back in the late 1920s, the series follows a young reporter, Tintin, and his faithful companion dog, Snowy. The duo would go on several epic adventures in search of the truth, and now we’re finally getting its first video game adaptation. Tintin Reporter: Cigars of the Pharaoh is an upcoming adventure game that follows Tintin and Snowy on a quest to investigate Pharaoh Kih-Oskh’s tomb. Although, his discoveries may very well lead him to uncover a massive drug trafficking network.

Developer: Frogwares Publisher: Frogwares Platform: PC PS4 PS5 Xbox One XSX|S Switch Release date: April 11, 2023

Frogwares is a development studio that has brought out several Sherlock Holmes titles over the years, and this year we have another one. This installment is crossing over Lovecraft as you’re taking on a new, unusual case. In this game, an unusual supernatural event happened across Europe and the United States. Several individuals have mysteriously vanished without a trace. With a dark cult seemingly linked to this event, Sherlock Holmes will have to carefully investigate this group and the mythos of an ancient god to pin down what really happened, hopefully. However, with no logical trails to investigate, this new mystery may cause Sherlock to grow mad.

Developer: Bloober Team, Anshar Studios Publisher: Bloober Team SA Platform: PC Release date: June 15, 2023

Bloober Team is known for delivering horror games, and one of their franchises that gained a massive following is Layers of Fear. This series has two installments, but now a remake of sorts is available. The game offers a remake of the first two installments as players slowly go through the maddening Victorian mansion to uncover the downfall of a painter through his past works. Being the daughter of this artists, you’ll be seeking out answers to your past but are you prepared for them?

Developer: Firesprite / Guerrilla Games Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment Platform: PS5 Release date: February 22, 2023

Horizon Zero Dawn was a surprise hit from Guerrilla Games, and so far, we have two mainline installments that follow the series protagonist, Aloy. However, there is a new VR spin-off game that launched this year. With this game, players are not taking the role of Aloy but instead a new character. Here you’ll step into the role of Ryas, a former Shadow Carja rebel that has been cast out from the tribe. With the only means to atone for his crimes, Ryas must go on an expedition to track down a new potential threat to the Sundom.

Developer: Casus Ludi Publisher: Gearbox Publishing Platform: PC SWITCH Release date: February 14, 2023

Blanc is an cooperative multiplayer game. It’s a title about a wolf cub and a fawn that gets lost in a snowstorm. Left without their families, the duo must work together in order to locate where their loved ones might have gone. Each character will have their own unique strengths, making it impossible to reach their families without aiding each other along the way. Developers have expressed just how easy the gameplay mechanics are, which should allow anyone to grab a controller and play along. The entire gameplay mechanics are based around just two buttons along with movement. Likewise, the whole game is set in a beautiful black-and-white handcrafted world.

Developer: Studio Circenses Publisher: Gammera Nest Platform: PC PS4 PS5 Release date: Nov 2, 2023

In  The Silent Swan , you play as a man searching for his wife. His wife has seemingly entered a land that was struck by catastrophe, and the only clues to where she is are in handmade swans that she left behind for him.

You’ll weave your way through two cities that tie the past and future together. The more you search through these cities, the more items you’ll find. These items will help you piece together the truth and unravel all that has happened within them.

A tale of two cities and the two people tied to them is about to unfold. Are you ready?

• Developer: Starward Industries, Stardward Industries
• Publisher: Starward Industries, 11 Bit Studios
• Platforms: PC, X/S, PS5
• Release: Nov 6, 2023

It should’ve been a simple exploration and discovery mission, but rarely do things like that ever go to plan, right?

You play as Yasna, who is part of a crew set to explore the planet of Regis III. The problem? Not long into your journey, your crew goes missing, and now you must search for them on a planet that isn’t quite what it seems. You’ll make stunning finds and have to face terrifying philosophical choices as you try and make sense of all that’s going on.

Who will you interact with? Who can you trust? What choices must you make? Get The Invincible when it comes out and discover the truth for yourself.

• Developer: Geometric Interactive
• Publisher: Annapurna Interactive
• Platforms: PC, NS, XBO, X/S
• Release: September 29, 2023

To be clear here, this isn’t based on the movie of the same name from the 1980s. Just wanted to get that out of the way first.

But you should expect a rather unique adventure though, as the person who led Cocoon is the same person who helped make both Limbo and Inside, and those who have played those games will know how deep and dark those titles were.

In Cocoon, you’ll play as an entity that must carry a special orb on its back, and then literally jump to worlds within worlds in order to solve puzzles and figure out a cosmic mystery. There’s many entities and mysteries to unwind in this game, so be ready for it.

#12 Coffee Talk: Episode 2 – Hibiscus & Butterfly

• Developer: Toge Productions
• Publisher: Toge Productions, Chorus Worldwide
• Platforms: NS, XBO, PS4, PC
• Release: April 20, 2023

The original Coffee Talk game was one that was made in a time when we really couldn’t interact with one another. So any kind of interaction would do. It challenged you to listen as a barista in a coffee show whose clientele wasn’t exactly human at times.

Coffee Talk: Episode 2 – Hibiscus & Butterfly continues that unique story by putting you back in the shop and giving you all sorts of new faces, and familiar faces, to talk with as you serve them coffee.

The simulator is a mix of brewing drinks and helping people out via conversations. Serve them the right drinks to warm their hearts and potentially change their lives!

• Developer: Out of the Blue Games
• Publisher: Raw Fury
• Platforms: XBO, PS4, PC
• Release: Nov 15, 2023

To best compare it to something you might know, American Arcadia is a game that is basically the video game version of The Truman Show. Because in this alternate 70’s version of the world, you live in the city of Arcadia, which is the most-watched city in the world.

And by “most-watched”, we mean that its citizens are monitored 24/7 and the people don’t know about it. What’s more, if there’s a “drop in the ratings” for whatever reason, people can die for that.

You’ll play as two different characters who are trying to escape the reality they’re in, and have to do so via a variety of gameplay mechanics and “documentary-style” storytelling.

• Developer: Scavengers Studio
• Publisher: Scavengers Studio
• Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5
• Release: Jan 31, 2023

Season: A Letter to the Future is very different kind of game. Mainly because it’s a bicycle adventure title mixed with mystery and wonder due to the fact that a “cataclysm” is coming, and you must collect the memories and knowledge of people in order to figure out the stories of this world.

Every person you meet will unlock a new story, a new memory, and share key moments of their lives that are worth recording. The more you get, the more you learn about everyone and the world, as well as determine what is coming…and why it is all ending in the first place.

• Developer: Deck Nine, Telltale Games
• Publisher: Telltale Games
• Platforms: PS4, XBO, PC
• Release: TBA

Fans of the hit TV show will be excited that The Expanse: A Telltale Series is available, and will help expand the lore of the series even more.

The title actually serves as a prequel to the series as you’ll play as Camina Drummer on board the ship known as The Artemis where things start to go wrong and it’s up to you to try and find a way out of the situation, and figure out “what do to do with the truth”.

As per usual with TellTale Titles, your choices will affect the outcomes of not just conversations, but what happens next in the story.

• Developer: ColePowered Games
• Publisher: ColdPowered Games, Sold-Out Software, Fireshine Games
• Platforms: PC
• Release: April 24, 2023

Welcome to a noir yet hyper-industrialized version of the 1980s. In the game, you’ll play as a private investigator who only gets money by solving cases, selling information, and getting special side jobs to help fill their coffers.

But when a serial killer arrives in the city, you might just hit the biggest score yet. However, what you find along the way might be even more valuable than catching them.

The city of Shadows of Doubt is massive, and it’s 100% “alive” in that every person has a life, job, home, purpose, and if you interact with them, great! If not, their life goes on.

Explore the city from top to bottom, find clues, secrets, and tidbits that could make the case, and make your life even richer.

#7 Hogwarts Legacy 

Release Date: 10 Feb 2023 | Platform: PC PS5 Xbox Series X|S (PS4 Xbox One April 4, 2023) Switch (July 25, 2023) Camera: Third Person Multiplayer: No Co-op: (Local: No | Online: No) Genre: Open World, RPG, Fantasy, Action RPG

Steam | PlayStation | Xbox

Many have wanted to adventure in the wizarding world that birthed Harry Potter and his friends. To fly around on a broomstick or a Hippogriff, get a magic wand that perfectly matches you, and use spells on the regular. It was a nice dream that couldn’t be fulfilled fully, as previous games in the franchise couldn’t live up to expectations.

Until now, that is.  Hogwarts Legacy  allows you to “live the unwritten” and create your own story within the wizarding world. So create your character, pick your house, then set off to learn magic and use it how you will!

What kind of adventure will you craft for yourself?

Platform: PC PS5 XSX|S Releease Date: April 28, 2023

The story of Cal Kestis continues! Set five years after the events of the first game,  Star Wars Jedi Survivor  sees Cal trying to do all he can to defeat the Empire and prove they’re not invincible. But new events will make him question his place in the galaxy and reunite him with old friends along the way.

Enjoy the classic style of lightsaber battles from before, mixed in with some new techniques, Force powers, and more. The galaxy far, far away has never looked more beautiful and has never been this expansive. So wander around and see what it has to offer you!

#5 Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Platform: PS5 Release date: October 20, 2023

PlayStation

The follow-up to Insomniac Games’ massive hit on PS4,  Marvel’s Spider-Man 2  will continue the adventures of Peter Parker and Miles Morales. Now a unified “Spider Unit,” the two seek to protect New York City from numerous threats.

Such as what? Well, the arrival of Kraven the Hunter will put them to the test. He’s seeking the ultimate challenge and wants nothing more than to test himself against the Spider-Men and see if they’re worthy of the hunt.

But that’s not all! The Symbiote will get its claws into Peter, and Venom will soon emerge! Will the two be able to withstand the might of the Symbiote and the Hunter?

Platform: PS4 Switch – August 17, 2023 Release Date: Xbox 360 PS3 – May 18, 2010

PlayStation  |  Xbox  |  Nintendo

Are you ready to saddle up, cowboy? In the newly rereleased/bundle version of  Red Dead Redemption  on Nintendo Switch and PS4, you’ll have multiple adventures awaiting you.

You’ll play as former outlaw John Marston, who the government has coerced to take down his old crew if he wishes to live peacefully with his family. That won’t be an easy task as they’re spread out across the country and in Mexico.

But take them on you will! You’ll ride around, have gun fights, and do various other tasks to complete your mission. But is there such a thing as a happy ending for an outlaw like you?

Platform: PS5 Release Date: June 22, 2023

Are you ready for the next grand adventure in Square Enix’s epic saga? If so, you’ll want to jump into  Final Fantasy XVI  as soon as possible!

The game takes place in a world full of political intrigue and backstabbing. But it’s also a place where a select group of people are the conduits for mighty beasts waiting to be unleashed!

You are Clive, one of those conduits, and it’s up to you to save the realm from threats both without and within. You’ll take on a new battle system and use various attacks to defeat your foes.

Will you be able to bring peace to the land? Or will you be the one that helps destroy it?

#2 Baldur’s Gate 3

Platform: PC – August 3, 2023 Release Date: PS5 – September 6, 2023

Steam  |  Playstation

Who’s ready for a classic RPG-style adventure in the realm of D&D? If so, then create your character and start your quest in  Baldur’s Gate 3!

The game, which continues the grand legacy that came before it, will put you in the Forgotten Realms as a character of your own design! But just as important, you can embrace a dark power within you or fight it and do what you feel is best for those around you.

Once you make your early choices, you’ll gather up a party of characters and travel the land! You’ll fight evil, make choices that’ll affect the realm, travel to your heart’s content, and possibly romance some characters along the way.

Platform: Switch Release Date: May 12, 2023

It’s been a long time coming, but  The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom  has come. The game takes place not long after the fall of Calamity Ganon. Link and Zelda unleash the power of Ganondorf, and Hyrule is ripped apart as a result.

Separated from one another, Link must use new powers to travel across this new version of Hyrule and save the day!

The game will have many new gameplay elements to try and whole new layers to explore in Hyrule. What secrets are hidden in the Sky Islands? What awaits in the underground sections of the realm?

What is Ganondorf’s true plan? Play the game and find out!

Disclaimer: This article was updated on 11/3/23 as we continue to adjust this list with new entries or remove games due to delays or failure to captivate audiences. 

About Todd Black

The Best Games Of 2023

By Darryn Bonthuys on December 20, 2023 at 6:56AM PST

GameSpot may receive revenue from affiliate and advertising partnerships for sharing this content and from purchases through links.

2023 is set to go down as an all-time great when it comes to the most memorable years in gaming. It's not often that you get so many months of high-profile and critically acclaimed releases, but this year has delivered a seemingly endless line of AAA blockbusters and smaller games with impressive ideas at their cores. We're taking a look at the games that got a review score of 8 (which we deem "great" ) or higher on GameSpot over the course of the year.

That's not to say that the games that scored below that threshold (or that we didn't review) aren't worth playing. But we've nonetheless got a hefty list to go through--games of an incredibly high standard that are spread out across a wide variety of genres and themes.

This list has five games that got an ultra-rare 10/10 score from GameSpot . At the same time, dozens of other 2023 releases excelled in their efforts to provide unmissable entertainment on various platforms. The list below is encouragingly diverse as well, as between the usual high-budget blockbusters and sequels, there are titles with more intimate stories to tell, lower stakes, and innovative approaches to their respective genres.

For more, the GameSpot Reviewcast will give you a behind-the-scenes tour of how our reviewers came to their conclusions.

Alan Wake 2

Simply put, Alan Wake 2 is Remedy Entertainment's greatest game yet. No small feat for a developer which has produced all-time classics like Max Payne, Control, and the original Alan Wake, but this sequel builds on those successes to create a masterpiece of scares and storytelling. A killer combo of dual campaigns that complement one another, fan-pleasing storybeats, and a fusion of multimedia ideas that propel the series headlong into survival-thriller territory, Alan Wake 2 is an illuminating experience for the ages.

Read our Alan Wake 2 review . Available on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5.

Baldur's Gate 3 -- 10

Some of the most ambitious games around boast of giving their players an unparalleled level of freedom, but Baldur's Gate 3 rolls a D20 on that concept and scores a critical hit with its execution. It's that focused approach to giving players the tools they need to be the best adventurer that they can be, along with a memorable cast of characters, unique playthroughs, fantastic combat, and at least one instance of punting a squirrel into bloody giblets, that makes Baldur's Gate 3 so impressive.

Read our Baldur's Gate 3 review . Available on PC and PS5.

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty -- 10

Phantom Liberty brings a sense of finality to Cyberpunk 2077, a game that has had a long redemption arc play out in the years since it was first released in a less-than-optimal state. With this expansion, Cyberpunk 2077 goes out with a bang as developer CD Projekt Red begins to push forward on its sequel, and the result is a captivating story within a tightly constructed spy-thriller adventure. Phantom Liberty is Cyberpunk 2077 at its very best, a complete overhaul of the original game that leaves a lasting impression by the time that the credits roll on its thrilling tale of espionage and violence.

Read our Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty review . Available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom -- 10

Any Zelda game following in the footsteps of 2017's Breath of the Wild has its work cut out for it, but Tears of the Kingdom took a successful formula and remixed it in a way that can only be described as revelatory. It's a game with a familiar Zelda formula at its core, but turbo-charged with new ideas and a spark of creativity that elevates it above its predecessor. A game about equivalent exchange, this grand adventure in Hyrule rewards your effort with a constant sense of wonder, beckoning you to explore its serene landscape with a toybox full of novel tools at your disposal.

Read our The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom review . Available on Switch.

Resident Evil 4 -- 10

Pity any developer looking to remake a classic video game, because Resident Evil 4's remake is a hard act to follow. The original game has a permanent seat on any list counting down the greatest of all time, but it might have to give up its spot to a stunning remake that doubles down on the survival-action aspects of its predecessor and masterfully rebuilds the experience into a genre-defining adventure. Both respectful of its past and brimming with new and well-executed ideas, Resident Evil doesn't get better than this.

Read our Resident Evil 4 review . Available on PC, PS5, PS4, and Xbox Series X|S.

Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon -- 9

Can a Bayonetta game without all of the over-the-top action still be called a Bayonetta game? Not only is the interactive answer to that a resounding "yes!" but it's also an innovative expression of artistry that reveals a new layer to the sultry witch who's typically seen kicking Godzilla-sized monsters through skyscrapers. Bayonetta Origins is a storybook approach to Platinum Games' favorite witch, a charming pivot away from the action games. A warm exploration of Cereza during her formative years, Bayonetta Origins is a love letter to the franchise that wears its illustrated heart on its sleeve.

Read our Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon review . Available on Switch.

Blasphemous 2 -- 9

The first Blasphemous game, released in 2019, was an atmospheric but flawed fusion of metroidvania and Souls-like influences. Visually, the game left an impression, and developer The Game Kitchen used that foundation to build a significantly improved sequel. All that visual splendor inspired by the terror of the Spanish Inquisition, religious paintings from that era, and oppressive architecture have been kept intact and enhanced with fine-tuned combat, more engaging traversal, and wonderfully challenging platforming sections. It's a sinfully good time.

Read our Blasphemous 2 review . Available on PC, Switch, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Cocoon -- 9

Developer Geometric Interactive has made a big splash with its debut game, Cocoon, as this intricate blend of puzzles and riddles pulls at your gray matter with captivating content. Not just a fun collection of brain teasers, Cocoon combines fantastic sound design and art with some of the tightest level design around to deliver a subtle but brilliantly told story.

Read our Cocoon review . Available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Switch.

Dead Space -- 9

The original Dead Space still holds up as one of the best sci-fi horror games of all time, and EA's Motive studio could have easily slapped on a new coat of 4K paint and called it a day. Going above and beyond, Motive's comprehensive remake doesn't just retain the edge-of-your-seat terror of 2008's horror-genre savior, it builds on it with thoughtful upgrades, a constant sense of dread that keeps you on your toes, and gnarly graphics that'll make you want to keep a bucket nearby.

Read our Dead Space review . Available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

The Expanse -- 9

Few studios can deliver decision-heavy games that'll have you sweating as Telltale Games can, and with the studio back in action after several turbulent years, The Expanse is a stellar example of a lean-and-mean sci-fi game that feels incredibly focused. All of Telltale's signature gameplay elements are here, from excellent voice-acting to a gripping narrative that feels like an organic extension of the beloved sci-fi series, all of which creates a stellar adventure that'll keep you awake at night as you ponder the tough choices that you made in it.

Read our The Expanse review . Available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One.

Final Fantasy 16 -- 9

A sequel in name only, Final Fantasy 16 continues the franchise's rich tradition of reinvention, delivering an action-packed saga for the ages. Backed up by excellent voice-acting, a rousing score, and one of the best pooches in recent memory, Final Fantasy 16 goes all-in on its premise to create a game that is awe-inspiring with its Godzilla-sized boss fights and surprisingly mature with its emotional rollercoaster of a story.

Read our Final Fantasy 16 review . Available on PS5.

Hi-Fi Rush -- 9

One of the biggest surprises of the year, Hi-Fi Rush is an ode to joy played out on a well-worn Stratocaster Fender. Devil May Cry meets Guitar Hero, the game is a constant rush of rhythm-based action that feels just right and sublime when you nail the notes and has a Saturday morning cartoon energy to its design and a likable cast of characters anchoring all the fun. On top of that, the game has infectiously brilliant original and licensed soundtracks, creating an awesome mix that's a must-play on Xbox and PC.

Read our Hi-Fi Rush review . Available on PC and Xbox Series X|S.

Forza Motorsport -- 9

It's been years since Xbox gamers last got behind the wheel of a Forza Motorsport game, but the wait was worth it. A technical tour de force of precision and visual splendor, Forza Motorsport is a platform for racing excellence that feels sublime. It has a terrific layer of approachability, a solid roadmap for the months ahead as more vehicles and tracks are added to the game, and a garage full of thoughtful changes to its high-speed formula that makes the game constantly rewarding.

Read our Forza Motorsport review . Available on PC and Xbox Series X|S.

Persona 4 Golden -- 9

For anyone looking to step out of the shadow cast by Persona 5, the next best thing is a trip into the past with Persona 4 Golden. The 2008 PlayStation 2 game has aged well, and with a welcome number of improvements to its interface and combat, you wouldn't think that it's 15 years old. Compared to Persona 3's incredible storytelling and Persona 5's flashy action, Persona 4 Golden hits that sweet spot for style and substance, and this new version makes it a must-have for fans of the series.

Read our Persona 4 Golden review . Available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Switch.

Returnal PC -- 9

Returnal is developer Housemarque at its arcade-inspired best, an unrelenting score attack of intense action, bullet hell, and endless resets until you nail that one perfect run. On PC, the game is even better, a technical masterpiece that takes full advantage of that platform to deliver a gorgeous graphical upgrade to an already terrific game. Compared to some of the less-than-stellar PC ports that needed months of post-launch fine-tuning, Returnal sets the bar for how well a PlayStation Studios game should play on PC from day one.

Read our Returnal review . Available on PC and PS5.

Sea of Stars -- 9

The video game market is awash with RPGs designed to appeal to the nostalgic part of your brain, but Sea of Stars is more than just a fantasy adventure that looks like it belongs in an SNES library. Beyond those 16-bit influences, Sea of Stars is a surprisingly modern game at heart that puts a fresh spin on evergreen gameplay mechanics. Engaging combat and beautiful pixel-based art direction combine to create a charming time capsule.

Read our Sea of Stars review . Available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Switch.

Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew -- 9

The final game from developer Mimimi , Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew is a delightful and spooky swashbuckling adventure. A healthy mix of eccentric characters, satisfying stealth puzzles, and gameplay where you'll have to think several steps ahead if you don't want to be sent to Davey Jones' locker, Shadow Gambit is humorous, sometimes macabre, and endlessly satisfying. After all, nothing is better than a plan that comes together beautifully, and that's something that Shadow Gambit excels at.

Read our Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew review . Available on PC, PS5, PS4, and Xbox Series X|S.

Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical -- 9

If you had a musical number featuring the Greek gods of old as a GOTY contender on your bingo card, then we might want to ask you for some winning lottery numbers. Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical is a story with heart and incredible musical sequences, one where you feel like you have genuine agency in the story and every consequence feels like the reward that you deserve. It naturally has a banger of a soundtrack, and if you're looking for an auditory delight, this visual novel of emotional melodies is not to be missed. Just put a yoga mat down before you play, lest you tap a hole in the floor thanks to the catchy beats.

Read our Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical review . Available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Switch.

Street Fighter 6 -- 9

Compared to its predecessor, which needed a lot of post-launch work to get into fighting shape, Street Fighter 6 came out swinging when it entered the 2023 ring. Arguably the most influential brand in the fighting game genre, Street Fighter 6 is a masterpiece of tight combat mechanics, luxurious visuals, and a thriving multiplayer scene. More than that, the game is an incredibly approachable brawler thanks to its detailed tutorials and modern control schemes that encourage players to learn its various intricacies. And when you've got a game that encourages more people to play, everyone wins.

Read our Street Fighter 6 review . Available on PC, PS5, PS4, and Xbox Series X|S.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder -- 9

Super Mario Bros. Wonder lives up to its title with a sense of whimsy and colorful chaos that'll put a smile on your face and a song in your heart. Sure, it's the typical Super Mario 2D formula at first glance, but once Wonder Seeds enter the equation, this Super Mario title subverts expectations and reinvents its gameplay with unpredictable and exciting twists. More than just a familiar game with bite-sized moments of fresh ideas, Super Mario Bros. Wonder sprinkles a ton of visual treats into the mix and caps it all off with modernized multiplayer to create the definitive 2D Mario game of the Switch era.

Read our Super Mario Bros. Wonder review . Available on Switch.

The Talos Principle 2 -- 9

A brilliant puzzle game that'll stretch your mind and possibly give you an existential crisis with its themes of avoidable apocalyptic destruction, The Talos Principle 2 expands and improves on the original game in every way possible. A thought-provoking journey through logical fear, The Talos Principle 2 asks hard-hitting questions through a series of rooms that remain constantly engaging with the conundrums that they throw at you.

Read our The Talos Principle 2 review . Available on PC, PS5, PS4, and Xbox Series X|S.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre -- 9

Are there any classic horror franchises that haven't dipped into the pool of asymmetrical multiplayer? While we're still waiting for that dedicated Nightmare on Elm Street game, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a thrilling example of thinking outside the box and then cutting it to ribbons with a Poulan 245A chainsaw. TCM uses a 4v3 setup, a format that works brilliantly to instill a sense of tension and dread in players looking to escape Leatherface and his family. Respectful to the source material and anchored by a rewarding gameplay loop, this game feels like a horror movie coming to life.

Read our The Texas Chain Saw Massacre review . Available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One.

Thirsty Suitors -- 9

Thirsty Suitors buttons its coat up over a number of genres, easily alternating between turn-based combat, cooking minigames, and a skateboarding simulator with artistic flair. While there's an undeniable Scott Pilgrim influence driving the experience--protagonist Jala Jayaratne has her own league of evil exes that she has to face--Thirsty Suitors puts its own spin on that idea and elevates it with a nuanced story, unique battles, and choices that feel like they actually matter.

Read our Thirsty Suitors review . Available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Switch.

Viewfinder -- 9

The beauty of puzzle games is that they feel uniquely satisfying when you figure out a solution to a seemingly impossible conundrum. Viewfinder, a short puzzle game with a captivating central mechanic revolving around using 2D images to bridge the gap in 3D environments, is full of those "Eureka!" moments. It's simple to understand, expertly paced as the visual riddles begin to increase in difficulty, and remarkably flexible with the paths that you can choose to overcome some of its more challenging puzzles.

Read our Viewfinder review . Available on PC and PS5.

Amnesia: The Bunker -- 8

When an Amnesia game nails the balance for palpable fear, hide-and-seek with a lethal twist, and an unnerving setting, you can expect a terrifying game that'll make you want to sleep with the lights on. Amnesia: The Bunker sticks the landing when it comes to fear, nightmarish monster designs, and a surprising amount of replayability as developer Frictional Games delivers the best game in the series since Dark Descent. Amnesia: The Bunker is endlessly terrifying and relentless with its efforts to make your smartwatch think that you're having the mother of all gym sessions.

Read our Amnesia: The Bunker review . Available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One.

Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon -- 8

From Software's return to the world of Armored Core 6 is a welcome dive into thrilling mech combat that has been influenced by the studio's work on its grim fantasy adventures over the years. While it's not Elden Ring with mechs, Armored Core 6 has still inherited that sense of challenge and aggression from its younger franchise siblings. It's a treat for the eyes, and the comprehensive mech customization aspects allow for a diverse range of playstyles in this beautifully realized revival of a classic franchise.

Read our Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon review . Available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora -- 8

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is easily some of the best digital tourism of the year. With a vast slice of Pandora to Na'vigate and no shortage of threats on the horizon, this alien world is a treat to explore, and alongside a robust crafting system, fun movement mechanics, and gorgeous cinematics, there's a compelling adventure at the heart of this game.

Read our Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora review . Available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania -- 8

It's been nine years since the last Castlevania game, and even longer since the last game that had a more traditional format. Enter Dead Cells, one of the best roguelites on the market, and a Castlevania expansion that marries the gameplay of both franchises into a riveting and cohesive package. A match made in heaven, this Dead Cells makes the most of this crossover and has a plethora of Castlevania Easter eggs littered throughout its new biomes. We don't know when Castlevania will make a return to its whip-cracking roots, but until then, this is the next best thing for fans of the Konami franchise.

Read our Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania review . Available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Switch.

Diablo 4 -- 8

More than a decade removed from the divisive Diablo 3, this latest return to Sanctuary builds on the best of its predecessor and restores the grim fantasy setting that the franchise became known for in its formative years. Diablo 4 is more than just a strong encapsulation of its greatest hits combined with modern touches, as this dark tale also builds a foundation to continue its stories long after the end credits have rolled. A gorgeous new entry point for newcomers, this devilishly fun game will be around for a long time as its new seasonal approach turns Sanctuary into your digital home away from home.

Read our Diablo 4 review . Available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One.

El Paso, Elsewhere -- 8

One of the best games of the year starring those immortal pain-in-the-necks known as vampires--sorry, Redfall--El Paso, Nowhere is a rollercoaster of action and trippy stages once it hits its stride. Woven between every bullet fired are Max Payne-inspired action sequences, and levels that look like they belong in a mid-'90s music video directed by David Fincher, is an intimate tale of love at the end of the world. Inspired by the past but not beholden to those influences, this gun-toting blockbuster has a fresh take--and stake!--on romance and some of the most exciting gunplay of the year.

Read our El Paso, Elsewhere review . Available on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One.

The Finals -- 8

The competitive shooter genre is currently ruled by several high-profile games like Apex Legends and Call of Duty: Warzone, but The Finals is gunning for the thrones of those established franchises. Still in its infancy, Embark Studios' free-to-play first-person shooter is off to a strong start with its polished gunplay, intense matches, and a game show design that makes every match feel dynamic in action.

Read our The Finals review . Available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Humanity -- 8

PlayStation VR2 hardware has had some innovative games added to its library since launch, and Humanity is another fascinating use of virtual reality hardware to create something unusual and captivating. Also playable and every bit as worthwhile without VR goggles strapped to your head, this game puts you in the role of a Shiba Inu dog who guides hordes of spirits across geometric constructs is an audio-visual treat for the senses. Its gameplay is always evolving and its spatial puzzle premise is excellently executed.

Read our Humanity review . Available on PC, PS5, and PS4.

The Last of Us Part 1 PS5/PC -- 8

The Last of Us Part I gives Naughty Dog's modern-day classic the glow-up it deserves, but it's not just a visual upgrade here. Meaningful changes to the gameplay, tighter combat, and several quality-of-life improvements create a better version of an already excellent game, and with a comprehensive suite of accessibility options, a far more approachable one as well. The PC version has also been substantially improved after a less-than-optimal launch, and if you've yet to experience the game, this is now the definitive version on two platforms.

Read our The Last of Us Part 1 review . Available on PC and PS5.

Lego 2K Drive -- 8

Ever dreamed about building your own car and racing it down a hot stretch of tarmac? That's the gist of Lego 2K Drive: Open-world kart-racing for Lego fans, Lego 2K Drive is clearly inspired by games like Forza Horizon. A well-constructed racing game at heart, the playful Lego side gives the game a colorful identity and the robust building tools will keep you behind the tiny plastic wheel for hours.

Read our Lego 2K Drive review . Available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Switch.

Lies of P -- 8

Will we ever get a Bloodborne sequel or an improved version of the original From Software game? Only Sony knows, but for now, Lies of P is a stunning alternative when all flights to Yharnam are canceled. Undeniably influenced by the iconic Soulsborne, Lies of P is a very loose retelling of The Adventures of Pinocchio that is grimly gorgeous to look at thanks to the stunning Belle Epoque-infused art direction. While Bloodborne is a clear inspiration, Lies of P avoids being derivative by adding a weapon system that rewards experimentation, aggressive enemies that you'll need flexible tactics to overcome, and a sublime world to explore.

Read our Lies of P review . Available on PC, PS5, PS4 Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One.

Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name -- 8

The Kazuma Kiryu's days might be numbered, but if Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is any indication, he'll be going down swinging. A tale that weaves itself between the events of Yakuza: Like a Dragon and next year's Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, The Man Who Erased His Name is a short but sweet entry in the franchise. It still has plenty of new features to keep you engaged in its thrilling tale, serving up a predictable but enjoyable dish of drama, action, and cinematic showdowns starring the Dragon of Dojima.

Read our Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name review . Available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One.

Like a Dragon: Ishin -- 8

For years, the nuanced politics and history of Japan that formed the core of Yakuza: Ishin made its developers consider this game to be an impossible port for Western audiences. Years later, developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has managed to do it, updating its samurai epic for a global fanbase. Set during the height of the Edo period, Ishin brings an all-star cast of Like a Dragon's A-list talent back for a romp through history. It's a solid remaster, the familiar faces on display will have Yakuza fans excitedly pointing at their screens, and once the story gets going it moves along with almost unstoppable momentum.

Read our Like a Dragon: Ishin review . Available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One.

The Mageseeker: A League of Legends Story -- 8

It's an exciting time to be a fan of the League of Legends universe, as there's no shortage of ways the franchise is expanding beyond its MOBA roots. The Mageseeker is a great example, as once you get past its slow start, this adventure following Sylas combines fluid spellcasting with satisfying melee action to deliver a thrilling League of Legends spin-off. With imaginative pixelated art, an enchanting soundtrack by the always-reliable Gareth Coker, and boss fights that punch way above their weight, The Mageseeker is downright magical.

Read our The Mageseeker: A League of Legends Story review . Available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Switch.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 -- 8

Insomniac's third outing on Earth-1048 doesn't offer much in the way of innovation, but there is plenty of refinement and improvement that makes Marvel's Spider-Man 2 one of the best PS5 games of the year. Packed with tweaks that improve the art of being Spider-Man, challenging new enemies, and a story that pulls no punches, the latest Spider-Man adventure is hard to put down. Riveting to experience and a blast to play, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is the definitive reimagining of comic book's greatest everyman superheroes.

Read our Marvel's Spider-Man 2 review . Available on PS5.

Metal Gear Master Collection Vol 1 -- 8

The last few years have seen a concerted effort to preserve games for new systems and generations, and it's about time that Konami's favorite Snakes got the same reverential treatment. This treasure trove of Metal Gear games is a highlight reel of the best of the franchise, as it contains not only the original 8-bit Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake alongside the first three genre-defining Metal Gear Solid games, but also a few of the more obscure titles as well. A decent amount of bonus content is included in this package, which collects five groundbreaking games into a comprehensive package.

Read our Metal Gear Master Collection Vol 1 review . Available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch.

MLB The Show 23 -- 8

MLB The Show 23 could have easily been the best MLB simulator of the year by default due to the lack of competition, but this year's entry is more than just an iterative update. The gameplay might feel familiar, but the respect paid to the rich history of the sport makes for a thrilling trip through time. With the spotlight on the forgotten Negro Leagues and the new Storylines mode exploring that pivotal moment in the history of baseball, this year's game is both thrilling and educational.

Read our MLB The Show 23 review . Available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Switch.

Mortal Kombat 1 -- 8

For anyone looking for a more vicious slice of fisticuffs this year, Mortal Kombat 1 is more than up to the challenge of sating your bloodlust. While it's not as feature-packed as the previous game, Mortal Kombat 11, the latest from NetherRealm is a kind-of restart for the series that goes back to basics. Fun new mechanics and an unpredictable storyline pave the way for an interesting new direction in the Mortal Kombat multiverse, fatalities are wonderfully ridiculous with the amount of crimson that you can spill, and the game is loaded with Easter eggs that celebrate 30 years of the franchise.

Read our Mortal Kombat 1 review . Available on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch.

Octopath Traveler 2 -- 8

Octopath Traveler 2 is a reinforcement of the first game and its ideas, as it continues to establish the identity of this Square-Enix series through its unique HD-2D visuals, layered turn-based JRPG gameplay, and a wealth of stories that you can spend hours exploring. Almost every aspect of those core pillars has been improved upon in this sequel, while the addition of the day/night cycle and Latent Abilities serve to enhance the overall experience and cement its position as a terrific retro-flavored fantasy adventure.

Read our Octopath Traveler 2 review . Available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Switch.

Persona 3 Portable -- 8

Two Persona remasters in a single year? What a time to be alive! Released during the twilight years of the PlayStation 2 era, Persona 3 is arguably the Persona with the strongest storytelling elements, even if some of them are incredibly dated. Beyond that, this remaster still holds up pretty well and benefits from flashier visuals and gameplay tweaks that enhance its dungeon-crawling escapades and darker narrative.

Read our Persona 3 Portable review . Available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Switch.

Persona 5 Tactica -- 8

The Persona games have traditionally been complex tales with mature themes, and for Persona 5 Tactica, Atlus has delivered a game with a powerful message wrapped inside of an adorable art direction. While there are still complex themes to explore in this spin-off, Persona 5 Tactica offers a brighter and more lighthearted experience starring the Phantom Thieves, as well as tactics-based combat that rewards cunning players who make the most of this game's new systems. Plenty of thought and care went into crafting a game that combines the storytelling of Persona with fresh ideas, elevating this adventure into a must-have game for Persona 5 fans.

Read our Persona 5 review . Available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Switch.

Resident Evil 4: Separate Ways DLC -- 8

If Resident Evil 4's remake takes an already excellent game and makes it even better, then its Separate Ways DLC takes a forgettable expansion and transforms it into an essential add-on. Starring Leon Kennedy's favorite frenemy, Ada Wong, this DLC adds to the brilliance of Resident Evil 4 with a few new gameplay ideas, reworked environments, and a story that complements Leon's journey. It's not a rehash of what has come before, but rather a fun extension with its very own identity.

Read our Resident Evil 4: Separate Ways review . Available on PC, PS5, PS4, and Xbox Series X|S.

Season: A Letter to the Future -- 8

Season: A Letter to the Future is a game about memories, a lo-fi journey of exploration that attempts to encapsulate that feeling of wonder when something new is discovered. It's chill and laid-back, surprisingly introspective, and a reminder that there's no harm in slowing down to appreciate the world around you. While the cycling mechanics are a little rough, this gem is just what you need when you're looking for a tranquil ride through scenic locales without needing to leave the comfort of your couch.

Read our Season: A Letter to the Future review . Available on PC, PS5, and PS4.

Star Ocean: The Second Story R -- 8

With over two decades of entries, where does one start when they're looking to discover the worlds of Star Ocean, Square Enix's long-running JRPG series? Veteran fans consider 1999's Star Ocean: The Second Story to be the pinnacle of the series, and more than 20 years later, that beloved game has received a remake for modern systems that captures the retro feel of its PS1 incarnation while refreshing it with new battle mechanics and technical improvements. It's the definitive version of one of the best Star Ocean games of all time, a revamped adventure that expertly balances between nostalgic charm and modern-day upgrades that transform it into a more dynamic experience.

Read our Star Ocean: The Second Story R review . Available on PC, Switch, PS5, and PS4.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor -- 8

While the PC version might leave a lot to be desired from a performance standpoint, there's otherwise a lot to love about Respawn Entertainment's confident sequel to its smash-hit game Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Survivor builds on those successes with greatly expanded gameplay and a story that adds to the Star Wars mythos even if it takes place in an isolated pocket of the galaxy's Outer Rim. Lightsaber combat makes you feel like a seasoned Jedi knight, the puzzles add a welcome diversion when you're not dealing with bounty hunters, and the scale is impressive when this sequel jumps to hyperspace action.

Read our Star Wars Jedi: Survivor review . Available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Super Mario RPG -- 8

Another great remake for the 2023 history books, Super Mario RPG lives again in a package that rebuilds the beloved turn-based RPG from the ground up. While the presentation is brand-new, the foundations of this classic Squaresoft Super Nintendo game remain firmly in place. Several small quality-of-life adjustments have been made, but for anyone who missed out on the game when it was first released in 1996, now is the time to jump in and play a refreshingly lean RPG that is full of heart, charm, and wonder.

Read our Super Mario RPG review . Available on Switch.

Theatrhythm Final Bar Line -- 8

Theatrhythm games are a tribute to the rich musical history of Final Fantasy, and with this latest entry, Theatrhythm Final Bar Line is nothing short of a sensational final act. With 385 music tracks from across the Final Fantasy spectrum, there's no shortage of beloved orchestral masterpieces and finger-shredding guitar solos here to enjoy here, while the new gameplay elements serve to make a nostalgic journey across Final Fantasy's soundscape that much more enjoyable.

Read our Theatrhythm Final Bar Line review . Available on Switch, PS5, and PS4.

Not every game needs to be a AAA blockbuster with a budget that rivals the GDP of a small European nation to get your attention, and Venba is proof of that. Instead, you've got a delightful game that shines a light on different cultures and unites people through the universal love of cooking. There's a common thread to the art of sitting around a table and enjoying an invigorating meal, and when a short narrative cooking game like this is told with heart and delectable visuals, it's a heartwarming tale about life and culture.

Read our Venba review . Available on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Switch.

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun -- 8

It might feel like there are more Warhammer 40k games than there are grains of sand on a beach, and to stand out from the pack, it helps to offer something that hasn't been done before. Boltgun looks to the past for its inspirations, unleashing an homage to classic '90s shooters that captures all of the fast-paced action of that era and enhances it with the brutal zeal of the Warhammer 40k franchise. Every weapon is a joy to use as you turn heretics into squishy piles of organic matter and it fully leans into its source material with a gung-ho fervor.

Read our Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun review . Available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Switch.

Wild Hearts -- 8

There's no denying that Wild Hearts owes a lot to Capcom's Monster Hunter series, as this game features a very similar gameplay loop revolving around chasing down titanic beasts and defeating them. This isn't developer Omega Force's first expedition into monster-hunting--see its two Toukiden games for example--but Wild Hearts is where the studio puts its stamp on the genre with the novel Karakuri system. This synergizes well with the more traditional aspects of the game, complementing the individual elements that make Wild Hearts stand out and gives Monster Hunter some formidable new competition in this space.

Read our Wild Hearts review . Available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty -- 8

Team Ninja has delivered some of the best Souls-like games of recent memory in the Nioh series. With Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, the studio builds on its talent for hard-hitting action with a game that is surprisingly approachable. At its core, this is still a fast-paced display of power that puts plenty of emphasis on using the parrying arts, all set in a world that blends historical fact with dark fantasy fiction that feels relentlessly satisfying when you master it.

Read our Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty review . Available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One.

WWE 2K23 -- 8

Building on the foundation set by WWE 2K22--which was a welcome return to form for the biggest name in sports entertainment after the atrocious WWE 2K20--WWE 2K23 is a game about refinement. Gameplay hasn't changed significantly, but factor in new modes like the all-out brawls of WarGames, a more entertaining career for your custom superstar, and a general sense of improvement for other modes, and you've got a game that's ready to headline Wrestlemania.

Read our WWE 2K23 review . Available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One.

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Best Time Travel Games 2023

Who doesn't like a bit of time travel? We've created the ultimate list of the best time travel games to play right now. Find your next game here!

While time travel is traditionally featured in works of science fiction, nowadays, you can find elements of this mysterious phenomenon in just about every genre of gaming. 

It’s typically depicted in one of two ways: a plot device where characters must go back in time to prevent something from happening, or a game mechanic in which players manipulate time to overcome challenges.

In this list, we’ll showcase  the top time travel games to enjoy in 2024 , such as games about traveling through time and the finest time travel games for computer.

We’ll be updating this list in the future with new titles, so make sure to check back and let us know if we missed any of your favorite games involving time travel!

Related: Best Space Games 2023 Best Story-Driven Games 2023 Best Point and Click Adventure Games 2023

Table of Contents Show

Platforms: Windows, PS5

A common trend in more recent games is characters getting stuck in perpetual time loops and having to figure out a way to escape.

One of the more recent titles to explore this trope is Deathloop , an immersive sim shooter about a talented hitman who finds himself trapped in time on a party island with rival assassins.

To end the loop, you’ll have to eliminate the eight targets responsible for your serious case of déjà vu while also navigating the island’s numerous threats.

It’s a clever approach to open-ended gameplay that builds upon previous Arkane games such as Dishonored and only benefits from looking like an acid trip from the ‘70s.

The Forgotten City

Platforms: Windows, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch

Initially conceived as a Skyrim mod , The Forgotten City would eventually become a standalone game spearheaded by lead developer and writer Nick Pearce.

Set during an alternate version of the Roman Empire, it sees you exploring a city subjected to the Golden Rule: a religious mandate where any sinful action causes the entire population to turn into permanent gold statues.

While inspecting the rule’s origins and which transgressions it applies to, you’re advised someone in the city intends to violate it, urging you to travel back in time to prevent them.

It’s an interesting take on time travel that also explores the existential relationship between humanity and its laws, namely what is truly considered right or wrong.

Platform: PS5

Returnal is a PlayStation-exclusive third-person shooter about an astronaut who lands on an alien planet searching for a mysterious signal when she suddenly finds herself trapped in a time loop.

This is a great justification for the game’s roguelike design, which sees the protagonist resurrected after each death as she traverses the planet’s foreign environments and battles a host of extraterrestrial foes.

The further you progress, the stranger and more unsettling Selene’s visions become as she finds herself increasingly entangled in an ever-changing world.

If you manage to make it to the end and break the loop, you’ll be faced with some startling revelations about the main character and the planet that make for great sci-fi storytelling.

Platforms: Windows, PS5, Xbox Series X/S

Although time travel generally involves going forward or backward in history, you can extend this further to account for multiple realities or planes of existence.

With this mindset, one could argue that the horror game The Medium uses time travel as a game mechanic, with the main character able to travel between the spirit world and the living world.

In a practical sense, this allows you to make changes in either world that affects the other, such as unlocking doors to progress, obtaining a key item to solve a puzzle, or warding off hostile enemies.

The story follows psychic Marianne as she’s mysteriously summoned to an abandoned hotel where she’ll have to use her powers to unravel its history and help free the spirits trapped within its grounds.

Reminiscence

Platform: Windows

Reminiscence is a story-driven, psychological horror game that has you warping, jumping, and rewinding time and space in order to save your family.

In it, you play as a man living in a world that’s about to collapse into anarchy who suddenly discovers their wife and kids have mysteriously disappeared.

While searching your home for clues, you stumble upon a watch that lets you travel between two eras: the post-apocalyptic present, and 1950s American suburbia.

By switching back and forth between both realities, you’re able to alter the state of certain objects to solve puzzles and advance the story.

Inspired by sci-fi classics like Back to the Future, No Time sees you stealing a suspiciously familiar time machine vehicle from a secret facility before setting off on a time-traveling adventure.

Unlike many games in the genre which center on heavily scripted missions, the game functions as a time travel simulator with both story and sandbox elements.

As a result, you’re free to explore any date throughout history from 0-2030 AD while making sure not to destroy the current timeline by interfering as little as possible and avoiding your younger self.

The game also features a day/night cycle, various job minigames and side quests, crafting, and a combat system for dealing with pesky Time Agents. 

Outer Wilds

Platforms: Windows, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

If you’re looking for an engaging and immersive time travel game about space exploration , look no further than Outer Wilds .

You take on the role of the newest recruit for Outer Wilds Ventures, a fledgling space program looking to expand its knowledge of the galaxy and its ancestors’ mysterious disappearance.

The narrative addresses various sci-fi clichés such as black holes, antimatter, and of course time travel, with your character confined in an everlasting 22-minute time loop.

This is complemented by a densely packed open world consisting of hand-crafted, explorable planets with interesting backstories and distinct hazards that can be tricky to navigate.

Twelve Minutes

Platforms: Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Twelve Minutes is an interactive thriller about a man having a romantic dinner with his wife when a mysterious man claiming to be a police detective shows up on his doorstep.

Things quickly escalate and eventually the man is killed, only to find himself transported to the beginning of the evening with his previous memories intact.

Confused and desperate, he sets out to break the time loop by searching the apartment for clues and interviewing each person involved.

While some of the game’s different endings get into weird, taboo territory, there are interesting puzzles and narrative threads to tug at that make the journey worthwhile, though we suggest following a guide.

Platforms: Windows, Mac

In the stealth puzzle adventure game Timelie , every second matters and can bring you one step closer to freedom or death.

The game has you taking on the role of a young woman with a special gift that lets her control the flow of time as if it were a media player, rewinding and fast-forwarding to gain new insights. 

Harnessing this power allows her to manipulate obstacles in her path and avoid detection from robot patrols preventing her from leaving.

The story is quite compelling and the time travel mechanics are explored in some truly fascinating ways that become more complex the further you go.

The Gardens Between

Platforms: Windows, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Linux, Mac, iOS

The Gardens Between is an indie puzzle game created by The Voxel Agents that has you manipulating time 20 abstract, narrative-driven levels.

The game is unique in that you don’t control the main characters directly but rather move them backward and forwards through time while altering the state of different objects to progress.

Each level reveals more about the relationship between the two main characters, Arian and Frendt, chronicling the evolution of their friendship leading up to a life-changing event.

While it’s a short-lived experience, clocking in around 2.5 hours, The Gardens Between tells a compelling story and explores time travel mechanics in some fun and interesting ways.

Timespinner

Platforms: Windows, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Linux, Mac

Inspired by ‘90s action-platformers, Timespinner is a story-driven Metroidvania about a magical timekeeper named Lunais who seeks out revenge after her family is murdered by an evil empire.

Her quest for justice brings her to a mysterious and hostile world where she’ll have no choice but to wield her time manipulation power to defend herself and rewrite history.

The game has you exploring beautiful, atmospheric pixel art environments while switching between the past and present as you defeat enemies and acquire new powers.

Mastering Lunais’ time-manipulating abilities open up new possibilities for combat, which is further complemented by familiars that can be trained to fight on your side.

Life Is Strange

Platforms: Windows, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Linux, Mac, iOS, Android

A standout adventure title from Dontnod Studios and published by Square Enix, Life is Strange follows 18-year old aspiring photographer Max Caulfield as she comes to terms with her newfound powers.

Max has a supernatural ability that lets her move backward or forwards through time to alter the state of objects and their effect on the people around her.

Its applications vary depending on the scenario, allowing Max to mend relationships with her friends and family, solve bigger mysteries, and get revenge against the occasional bully.

Even if the gameplay aspect falls flat at times, the way time travel is introduced and incorporated into the structure of the story makes up for it.

Quantum Break

Platforms: Windows, Xbox One

Quantum Break is a cinematic action game from Remedy Games, best known for titles like Control and Alan Wake, and Max Payne.

In it, you take on the role of Jack Joyce, a man on a mission to prevent his timeline from ending by harnessing an array of unique time-based powers.

The story doubles as a live-action television series with certain events explained in further detail, which can require a bit more of a commitment than your average game.

With that said, Quantum Break is one of the best-looking time travel games in terms of graphical fidelity, boasting cool mind-bending camera tricks and special effects that still look great in 2024.

Platforms: Windows, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Mac

Superhot  sets itself apart from more traditional  FPS games  by introducing one clever mechanic: time only moves forward when you do.

This grants the player ample time to assess threats and determine the best course of action before setting it in motion with stylish shootouts and melee showdowns.

To ensure combat is always readable, the game employs a minimalist art style that does a great job at conveying info: enemies are always red, environments are white, and weapons are black.

While it’s best enjoyed in VR with full immersion, you’ll still have a lot of fun playing with a gamepad controller or just mouse and keyboard. 

Titanfall 2

Platforms: Windows, PS4, Xbox One

The follow-up to Respawn’s criminally underrated  first-person shooter  features refined gunplay and fluid movement with a touch of time travel.

During Titanfall 2 ’s campaign, your character obtains a special wrist-mounted device that lets them swap back and forth between the past and present.  

This is helpful for exploring deteriorating buildings, avoiding clusters of foes, and solving nature-based challenges as pilot Jack Cooper.

Combine this with exciting parkour-based platforming and an arsenal of satisfyingly powerful weaponry and it’s easy to see why Titanfall fans want to see the series return.

BioShock Infinite

Time travel in the BioShock series is presented as a plot device in which certain characters, namely Elizabeth and the Lutece twins, can create dimensional time-alternating portals called Tears.

To that point, the game’s take on parallel universes and how they affect the overarching story can be boiled down to a single quote: “There’s always a lighthouse, there’s always a man, there’s always a city.”

BioShock Infinite sees you venturing into a floating steampunk city called Columbia where citizens still cling to violent religious and racist beliefs.

In order to make sense of the series’ extensive timeline, consider playing through the first two games in the series or watching a recap video before starting Infinite. 

Platforms: Windows, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Linux, Mac

Our final recommendation is Braid , a beloved indie puzzle platformer that comes from the mind of The Witness designer Jonathan Blow.

In it, you take on the role of a man named Tim as he attempts to rescue a princess from an evil monster using time manipulation.

If that description didn’t make it obvious enough, the game’s story is meant to critique popular trends in modern video games but also features some excellent time travel puzzles.

Levels cover everything from rewinding and fast-forwarding time, altering the state of certain objects, using your character’s movement to determine the flow of time, and much more we don’t wish to spoil.

You Will Love These Too

Samuel is GamingScan's editor-in-chief. He describes himself as a dedicated gamer and programmer. He enjoys helping others discover the joys of gaming. Samuel closely follows the latest trends in the gaming industry in order to keep the visitors in the flow.

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Top Day Trips from Moscow

No comments · Posted by Alex Smirnov in Entertainment , Travel , Video

Moscow , the sprawling historical, economic and cultural capital of Russia, home to 12 million people and countless museums, galleries, restaurants and parks, is certainly seeing a lot of action this summer.

With the FIFA World Cup in full swing, over 1 million fans from across the globe have poured into this iconic city, which is hosting a grand total of 12 World Cup matches this summer. Although there’s never been a better time to be in Moscow, the intense crowds and, of course, the infamous summer heat waves, can sometimes be a little too much.

The Russian capital is well connected to a huge variety of national parks, cities, villages and historic sites, meaning you’ve got no shortage of amazing options to escape the city and soak up the best of Russian culture. Here’s a round-up of the best day trips to take from Moscow.

The Archangelskoye Estate

Only an hour away on the train from central Moscow, the sprawling Archangelskoye is a heart-stopping masterpiece of old Russian splendour. Originally belonging to the notorious Golitsyn dynasty, this massive estate is one of the best-preserved showcases of Russian neoclassical architecture in the world, with the ornately curated gardens being home to multiple mansions, each with their own original and eclectic design.

As well as drinking in the beautiful surroundings in this serene oasis, the estate also plays host to many of Russia’s most acclaimed music festivals, so make sure to keep tabs on what’s on this summer.

If you’re looking for a little bit of city life without the manic hustle of Moscow, hop on the train for 90 minutes and you’ll find yourself in the vibrant city of Saransk , the historic capital of the Republic of Mordovia.

Long known for its vibrant cultural scene, you should make sure to hit up the Maly Theatre and of course, the official State Puppet Theatre, which has a long tradition of performing daring and hilarious puppet satires. You may even find yourself there with the World Cup, as this small city has hosted eight teams there this summer, including Portugal – a team who topped their group and progressed as 25/1 outsiders according to the bookmaker Betway .

The Mordovia Arena stadium, which is hosting all the games, is worth a visit in itself, given the surreal design and monumental scale of this sparkling new stadium. Also make sure to check out the imposing Regional Museum, just a stone’s throw away from the train station, to learn more about this tiny and tortured republic, as well as sampling the fare at the surprisingly good museum cafe.

This unique and ancient little town , just a few miles outside of Moscow (although it has no train station, you can get the train to nearby Vladimir and use public transport), is often described as somewhere completely untouched by time.

It is the physical embodiment of the mythical and much-idealized Russian vision of simple country life, a small village full of dirt roads, friendly locals and beautiful old churches. The town is also well-known for the local mead produced there, a highly alcoholic drink made of honey, so make sure to sample the local wares and get a little buzz going before you hit up the 13th-century monastery by the main river.

This is definitely the place to go if you want to get away from the international bubble of Moscow and experience a little bit of traditional Russia, and prices here are naturally several times lower for just about everything.

Gorki Leninskie

You can’t do Russia without exploring some of the Soviet history which left a permanent mark on the country and the world, and the best place to do so is the Gorki Lenenskie.

Just under an hour away from Moscow by train, this estate was where the Soviet leader Lenin lived out his final years, and it’s where you’ll find some striking examples of Soviet architecture , as well as a painstakingly detailed museum documenting this influential figure’s life, loves, achievements and dramas.

Most of the exhibits are in Russian, but this is still an important place to go to get a better picture of the monumental upheavals that Russia has experienced in the last century.

If you have any top tips for day trips from Moscow, let us know in the comments!

Tags:  Moscow city

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Women's NCAA Tournament 2024: Scores, schedule, times, how to watch March Madness games

Editor's note: Follow all the women's March Madness scores, updates, highlights and upsets with USA TODAY Sports' live coverage .

March Madness shines its spotlight on women's basketball as the NCAA Division I Tournament gets set to tip off .

Sixty-eight teams have been selected and placed in the brackets , the pools are up and running and now it's time to go dancing. The action kicks off Wednesday with a pair of First Four games , with two more to follow Thursday.

The 2023-24 season has sparked unprecedented interest in women's basketball, and now the stakes will be even higher as teams battle to reach the Final Four in Cleveland. Will Caitlin Clark lead Iowa back to the national championship game? Will undefeated South Carolina win it all for the third time in seven tournaments? Will LSU become the first repeat champion since UConn won four in a row between 2013-16?

Grab your TV remotes, settle in for the madness and immerse yourself in the 2024 NCAA women's basketball tournament schedule, from the First Four to the national championship game:

FOLLOW THE MADNESS: NCAA basketball bracket, scores, schedules, teams and more.

Women's March Madness schedule 2024

(All times Eastern Daylight)

Wednesday, March 20 — First Four

• (16) Presbyterian 49 (16) Sacred Heart 42
• (12) Vanderbilt 72, (12) Columbia 68

Thursday, March 21 — First Four

• (11) Arizona 69, (11) Auburn 59
• (16) Holy Cross 72, (16) UT Martin 45

MORE MARCH MADNESS:   USA TODAY Sports expert picks  |  Printable bracket  |  Bracket breakdown/analysis

Friday, March 22 — First round

• (8) North Carolina 59, (9) Michigan State 56
• (2) Ohio State 80, (15) Maine 57
• (11) Middle Tennessee 71, (6) Louisville 69
• (1) South Carolina 91, Presbyterian 39
• (7) Duke 72, (10) Richmond 61
• (1) Texas 82, (16) Drexel 42
• (4) Virginia Tech 92, Marshall 49
• (3) LSU 70, (14) Rice 60
• (4) Kansas State 78, (13) Portland 65
• (8) Alabama 82, (9) Florida State 74
• (5) Baylor 80, (12) Vanderbilt 63
• (5) Colorado 86, (12) Drake 72
• (7) Iowa State 93, (10) Maryland 86
• (3) Oregon State 73, (14) Eastern Washington 51
• (2) Stanford 79, (15) Norfolk State 50
• ( 6) Nebraska 61, (11) Texas A&M 59

Saturday, March 23 — First round

• (6) Tennessee 92, (11) Green Bay 63
• (3) UConn 86, (14) Jackson State 64
• (4) Indiana 89, (13) Fairfield 56
• (8) Kansas 81, (9) Michigan 72 (OT)
• (2) Notre Dame 81, (15) Kent State 67
• (3) NC State 64, (14) Chattanooga 45
• (1) Iowa 91, (16) Holy Cross 65
• (6) Syracuse 74, (11) Arizona 69
• (5) Oklahoma 73, (12) FGCU 70
• (1) Southern California 87, (16) A&M-Corpus Christi 55
• (7) Ole Miss 67, (10) Marquette 55
• (8) West Virginia 63, (9) Princeton 53
• (7) Creighton 87, (10) UNLV 73
• (4) Gonzaga 75, (13) UC Irvine 56
• (2) UCLA 84, (15) California Baptist 55
• (5) Utah 68, (12) South D a kota State 54

Sunday, March 24 — Second round

• (7) Duke 75, (2) Ohio State 63
• (1) South Carolina 88, (8) North Carolina 41
• (5) Colorado 63, (4) Kansas State 50
• (3) LSU 83, (11) Middle Tennessee 56
• (3) Oregon State 61, (6) Nebraska 51
• (1) Texas 65, (8) Alabama 54
• (5) Baylor 75, (4) Virginia Tech 72
• (2) Stanford 87, (7) Iowa State 81 (OT)

Monday, March 25 — Second round

Second-round games will air from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. across ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU.

• (2) Ole Miss vs. (7) Notre Dame | 2 p.m. | ESPN
• (6) Tennessee vs. (3) NC State | 4 p.m. | ESPN
• (3) UConn vs. (6) Syracuse | 6 p.m. \ ESPN
• (4) Indiana vs. (5) Oklahoma | 6:30 p.m. | ESPN2
• (1) Iowa vs. (8) West Virginia | 8 p.m. | ESPN
• (2) UCLA vs. (7) Creighton | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN2
• (1) USC vs. (8) Kansas | 10 p.m. | ESPN
• (4) Gonzaga vs. (5) Utah | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN2

Friday, March 29 — Sweet 16 

• Albany 1 Regional: TBD vs. TBD | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN
• Albany 1 Regional: TBD vs. TBD | 5 p.m. | ESPN
• Portland 4 Regional: TBD vs. TBD | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN
• Portland 4 Regional: TBD vs. TBD | 10 p.m. | ESPN

Saturday, March 30 — Sweet 16 

• Albany 2 Regional: TBD vs. TBD | 1 p.m. | ABC
• Albany 2 Regional: TBD vs. TBD | 3:30 p.m. | ABC
• Portland 3 Regional: TBD vs. TBD | 5:30 p.m. | ESPN
• Portland 3 Regional: TBD vs. TBD | 8 p.m. | ESPN

Sunday, March 31 — Elite Eight

• Albany 1 Regional: TBD vs. TBD | 1 p.m. | ABC
• Portland 4 Regional: TBD vs. TBD | 3 p.m. | ABC

Monday, April 1 — Elite Eight

• Albany 2 Regional: TBD vs. TBD | 7 p.m. | ESPN
• Portland 3 Regional: TBD vs. TBD | 9 p.m. | ESPN

Friday, April 5 — Final Four

• Semifinal 1: TBD vs. TBD | 7 p.m. | ESPN
• Semifinal 2: TBD vs. TBD | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN

Sunday, April 7 — National championship

• TBD vs. TBD | 3 p.m. | ABC

When is the first Women's March Madness game?

• Date:  Wednesday, March 20
• Start time:  7 p.m. ET
• Matchup:  (16) Presbyterian vs. (16) Sacred Heart

The NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament gets underway Wednesday with a pair of 16 seeds looking to punch their tickets to the Round of 64. The Presbyterian Blue Hose take on the Sacred Heart Pioneers  at 7 p.m. ET. The matchup will be broadcast on ESPNU.

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Live updates

The 80+ Best Deals From Amazon's Big Spring Sale (And Across the Internet) This Week

It's the last day of the  Big Spring Sale , with Amazon's newest manufactured sales event promising continued savings on cleaning gear, outdoor essentials, electronics, clothing, and home goods until midnight Pacific time.

We've assessed the deals on offer. Most didn’t make the grade, and many have ended already, so we once again dug in to find those that are truly worth the spend.

Below, we’ve rounded up the best remaining deals from Amazon and other retailers offering competing sales and discounts to find you only the best  spring deals  on our expert-approved picks.

The best deals on:

Deal spotlight: yeti tundra haul hard cooler, deal spotlight: vantrue n4 dash cam, deal spotlight: supergoop play everyday lotion spf 50 (18 ounces), lawn and garden, outdoor, camping, and hiking, luggage and travel, kitchen and appliance, tech, laptops, and tv, spring clothing and shoes, home, furniture, and personal care.

Yeti Tundra Haul Hard Cooler — Our Pick Moosejaw deal price: $340 with single-use discount and free Dick's ScoreCard account ; street price: $425

What we like: Our pick for the best cooler with wheels. Easy to haul across long distances. Durable wheels. Thick-gauge welded aluminum handle won't strain or bend. Feels similar to wheeling around high-end luggage.

Other things to know: No internal divider. Contents may shuffle a bit when tipped at an angle. Available in six colors. You have to sign in with your free Dick's ScoreCard account to get the discount on a single full-price item from Moosejaw. Shipping is free.

Read our review of the best coolers .

Vantrue N4 Dash Cam — Top Pick Vantrue deal price: $175 with code WIREVAN4 ; street price: $220

What we like: Our top pick for best dash cam. Crisp, super-high-resolution footage day and night. Front-facing, interior, and rear-facing cameras. 24-hour parked-car monitoring. Compact and relatively unobtrusive. Includes 12-volt car charger.

Other things to know: Performance suffers in temperatures below 14 degrees Fahrenheit. Lacks app connectivity to remotely view and download video. Use code WIREVAN4 for deal from Vantrue. Matches low.

Read our review of the best dash cam .

Supergoop Play Everyday Lotion SPF 50 (18 Ounces) — Our Pick Supergoop deal price: $54 with code WC24 ; street price: $68

What we like: One of our chemical sunscreen picks that's available in bulk. Good for face and body. Rubs in easily and is nearly transparent once applied. Light, pleasant scent. SPF 50 rating offers a high level of protection. User-friendly pump bottle.

Other things to know: None of Wirecutter’s testers experienced a white cast, but some of them reported that it left them feeling greasy. The 18-ounce jug is the most affordable size on a per-ounce basis. Use code WC24 .

Read our ode to Supergoop sunscreen .

Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 Fire Pit — Our Pick Target deal price: $200 in cart ; street price: $250

What we like: Our lightweight smokeless fire pit pick for moving in and out of storage. Also recommended in multiple Wirecutter gift guides. Simple and easy to load. Half the weight of our other picks. Removable ash pans and grates make it easier to clean. Radiates less heat than other heavier models.

Other things to know: Plain aesthetic won't be appealing to everyone. No “smokeless” fire pit is truly smokeless, but smoke is reduced by 70% to 80%. Price reflects in cart. Target RedCard holders save the typical additional 5%.

Read our ode to the Solo Stove Bonfire .

Eley 5/8-inch Polyurethane Garden Hose (50 Feet) — Upgrade Pick Eley deal price: $103 ; street price: $122

What we like: Our upgrade garden hose pick. Much lighter, easier to loop, more durable, and resists folding or kinking compared to other options. Large brass fittings at the ends are easy to tighten by hand or wrench. Absolutely hosetastic—the best we’ve ever tested.

Other things to know: Pricey—even when on sale—but if you want a hose that's better in every way and are willing to pay for it, this is the one to get. 10-year warranty. Deal price is for the 50-foot length.

Read our review of the best garden hose and hose reel .

Fiskars 28" Power-Lever Bypass Lopper — Also Great Target deal price: $20 with store pickup or Target RedCard ; street price: $23

What we like: A larger variant of the lopper pick in our guide to lawn and garden gear to get your yard cleaned up. A lopper cleanly cuts branches too big for pruners, and because it requires just one simple snip, it works far faster than a saw. It’s great for dealing with low-hanging limbs.

Other things to know: Might not be necessary if you already have a pruners and saw. This 28-inch version is good for bigger and harder-to-reach branches. With store pickup. Target RedCard holders get free shipping and save an extra 5%.

Read our review of the best lawn and garden gear to get your yard cleaned up .

Govee Outdoor String Lights (96 Feet) — Another Good Option Amazon deal price: $65 with clipped on-page coupon ; street price: $90

What we like: Another good string light in our guide to the best smart outdoor lighting. Affordably priced and available in a 48-foot set and a 96-foot set. They provide far more special-effects options than our string light pick.

Other things to know: Very overwhelming app. The strands have fewer bulbs per foot than our string-lights pick, and they don’t feel as sturdy. Frosted bulbs. Deal is for the 96-foot length; be sure to clip the on-page coupon.

Read our review of the best smart outdoor lighting .

Ego LM2135SP Power+ 21″ Select Cut Lawn Mower with extra battery — Runner-Up Lowe’s deal price: $600 with store pickup ; street price: $950

What we like: Our runner-up pick for the best lawn mower, bundled with an extra Ego battery. Battery-powered self-propelled mower can run for about an hour on a single battery charge. No need for gas, oil checks, or fuel storage, and no noxious emissions. Considerably quieter than gas mowers.

Other things to know: First deal we’ve seen since Black Friday. Minimal maintenance compared with gas models. A little less powerful and shorter run time than our top pick, but additional battery easily makes up for primary battery’s capacity. Extra Ego BA2800T battery has 56-volt, 5 Ah, 280 Wh capacity, usually between $200 and $300 when purchased separately. Store pickup required.

Read our review of the best lawn mower .

Sawyer Products Permethrin Fabric Treatment (24 Ounces) — Also Great Amazon deal price: $14 ; street price: $18

What we like: Our bug repellent pick for clothing and gear (but not your skin). As effective as similar formulas at repelling ticks and mosquitoes, and its trigger spray is easier to control and apply evenly. Each application provides about six washings (or six weeks, whichever comes first) of protection.

Other things to know: The 24-ounce bottle should be enough to treat four outfits (shirt, pants, socks). The set of two 24-ounce bottles offers a slightly better price per ounce if you need to stock up.

Read our review of the best bug repellents .

Other things to know: None of Wirecutter’s testers experienced a white cast, but some reported that it left them feeling greasy. The 18-ounce jug is the most affordable size on a per-ounce basis. Use code WC24 .

NiteRider Swift 300 Bike Light — Budget Pick REI deal price: $24 with single-use code MEMBER24, REI membership required ; street price: $30

What we like: Our headlight budget pick for the best commuter bike light is small and sturdy, with a swiveling strap and decent side visibility. Can emit 300 lumens for up to two hours and flash for 12. Adjusts to fit most sizes and shapes of handlebars.

Other things to know: Not suited to longer or darker routes. Lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects, one-year warranty on its rechargeable battery cells. Already affordable but rarely sees discounts. On sale for REI members with single-use promo code MEMBER24.

Read our review of the best commuter bike lights .

Blundstone Original 500 Series Boot — Staff Favorite REI deal price: $168 with single-use code MEMBER24, REI membership required ; street price: $210

What we like: A casual leather boot loved by Wirecutter staff and many others around the world. Pull-on, ankle-high, with an elastic panel. Comfortable, durable rubber sole. Uppers made of extra-thick leather. Ergonomically engineered to reduce fatigue. Can last for years with daily wear.

Other things to know: Exceptionally light for a pair of boots, about 14 ounces per pair. Unisex. Best price and size availability is for the stout brown color. On sale for REI members with single-use promo code MEMBER24.

Read our ode to the Blundstone boots .

Panel Sound USAPA Approved Fiberglass Pickleball Paddles — Staff Favorite Amazon deal price: $20 in select colors ; street price: $35

What we like: A staff-favorite pickleball paddle set. Lightweight and comfortable to hold. Grippy handles and rubbery faces absorb some of the ball’s velocity. Good for beginners.

Other things to know: Set includes two paddles, four indoor balls, a carrying case, and two cooling towels. Deal is for the red paddle set.

Read our review of the best pickleball equipment for playing at home .

Vasque Breeze Waterproof Hiking Boot (Men’s Sizes) — Also Great REI deal price: $96 with single-use code MEMBER24, REI membership required ; street price: $140

What we like: Our more flexible hiking boot pick. Offers all the comfort of a trail-running shoe with the ankle support of a hiking boot. Lighter weight (just over 2 pounds per pair) is good for longer hikes. Substantial enough to support you while carrying a heavy pack.

Other things to know: Runs narrow—we recommend ordering at least a half-size up from your street-shoe size. Takes longer to break (about 10 miles) in than our top pick. On sale in nutria color for REI members with single-use promo code  MEMBER24 .

Read our review of the best hiking boots .

Snow Peak Ti-Single 600 Cup With Hotlips — Staff Favorite REI deal price: $34 with single-use code MEMBER24, REI membership required ; street price: $43

What we like: A larger version of an ultralight titanium mug we like for campfire cooking and making coffee on the go. Durable, smooth titanium design. Roomy flip-out handle. Attach to a carabiner for external storage. Food-grade silicone HotLips help mitigate potential scorching.

Other things to know: Cup may be too hot to drink from on its own at first pour. Can also be used as a single-serving pot for boiling water. Hotlips only fit on Snow Peaks mugs. Use single-use coupon code MEMBER24 . REI membership required.

Read our review of our favorite campfire cooking tips tricks and gear .

Read why the Solo Stove Bonfire is our favorite smokeless fire pit .

Cotopaxi Allpa 35L Carry-On Travel Backpack — Our Pick REI deal price: $160 in select colors with single-use code MEMBER24, REI membership required ; street price: $200 Moosejaw deal price: $160 in select colors with single-use discount and free Dick's ScoreCard account ; street price: $200

What we like: Our pick for the best small carry-on travel backpack for most situations. Easy-to-pack clamshell design and highly adjustable straps. Has handles on all four sides. Protected by a full lifetime warranty and has the build quality to back that up. Made with 1,680-denier ballistic nylon and includes a rain fly.

Other things to know: Minimal amount of administrative organization. We’d love to see a permanent all-nylon alternative to the TPU-lined front panel, which can flake over time. On sale in the river color for REI members with single-use promo code MEMBER24 or for the public at Moosejaw with a single-use promo and free Dick's ScoreCard account.

Read our review of the best carry-on travel backpacks .

Monos Hybrid Trunk — Also Great Monos deal price: $410 with code ANOTHERYEAR ; street price: $455

What we like: Our pick for the best trunk for checking. Made of a robust polycarbonate with aluminum corner guards and an aluminum frame around the center seam that reinforces the body of the luggage. Has two TSA locks, which close with a satisfying latch.

Other things to know: Due to the design, some travelers consider trunks to be easier to pack and to maneuver. Does away with the standard zipper closure. Doesn’t have a ton of built-in organization. Lifetime warranty. Use code ANOTHERYEAR . Sold out in silver, but available in champagne and black colors.

Read our review of the best suitcases for checking .

Apple AirTag Bluetooth Tracker (4-Pack) — Top Pick Target deal price: $80 ; street price: $100

What we like: Our pick for the best Bluetooth tracker for iPhone users. Impressively accurate in pinpointing an item’s precise location. Leverages Apple’s extensive Find My network. Can swap in a new battery as needed. Water-resistant.

Other things to know: Doesn’t have any way to ring your phone. Cannot attach to your stuff directly. Cannot be shared with another person. Additional 5% savings available for RedCard members.

Read our review of the best Bluetooth tracker .

Apple AirTag Bluetooth Tracker (Single) — Our Pick Amazon deal price: $24 ; street price: $29

What we like: Our pick for the best Bluetooth tracker for iOS users leverages Apple’s huge network of devices to find lost goods. Impressively accurate. Replaceable coin battery. If you lose an AirTag (or an item containing or attached to one), you can use the Find My app to see its location or ask Siri to trigger an audible alert.

Other things to know: Doesn’t have any way to ring your phone. No built-in method of attaching to anything. Solid deal for an individual tracker, though the sale for a set of four above offers a better price per tracker.

Bellroy Tokyo Tote Second Edition — Our Pick Amazon deal price: $89 in select colors ; street price: $129

What we like: Our pick for a durable, water-repellent polyester laptop tote bag. Tough yet polished. Transitions perfectly from the coffee shop to the conference room. Thoughtfully designed, with features like internal popout bottle pockets and leakproof zippers.

Other things to know: Fabric shell is abrasive and may make some sweaters and blouses pill. The weave also attracts pet hair like a magnet. Only available in ranger green. Lowest price we've seen so far.

Read our review of the best laptop tote bags .

Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro — Top Pick Amazon deal price: $320 ; street price: $400

What we like: Our pick for the best air fryer toaster oven, and our upgrade pick for the best toaster oven. Performs just as well as an air fryer as it does a toaster oven. Specific settings for dehydrating, proofing, and slow cooking. Crisps up food faster than traditional toaster ovens. Large two-rack capacity. Multiple fan speeds.

Other things to know: Even on sale, notably more expensive than our other picks. "Super convection" fan speed is incredibly loud. Didn't toast bread quite as evenly as other picks. Very heavy, and we'd prefer a pizza stone over the included nonstick pizza pan. Matches previous low.

Read our review of the best air fryer toaster oven .

Simple Modern Classic Tumbler (28-Ounce) — Top Pick Amazon deal price: $21 ; street price: $26

What we like: Our upcoming new pick for the best tumbler. Affordable and leak-resistant. Stainless steel and double-walled; keeps hot or cold drinks at an ideal temperature for hours. Only tumbler we tested that comes with both a straw lid and a flip-top lid.

Other things to know: Dishwasher-safe. Sale is on several colors, including black, dark blue, and almond birch.

Breville Smart Oven Pizzaiolo — Also Great Amazon deal price: $800 ; street price: $1,000 Williams Sonoma deal price: $800 ; street price: $1,000

What we like: Our pick for the best indoor countertop pizza oven. Preheats up to 750 °F in 15 minutes and can cook a pizza in just over 90 seconds. Comes with preset functions, precise temperature control, a timer, pizza peel, and pan.

Other things to know: A costly, specific-use appliance. Almost twice the price of our top outdoor pizza oven pick when not on sale. Doesn't get as hot as our outdoor oven picks. Deal matches previous low, though that $800 price is a recurring one.

Read our review of the best pizza oven .

Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker (ICE-21) — Top Pick Amazon deal price: $56 ; street price: $60

What we like: Our top ice cream maker pick. Made some of the smoothest and most delicious ice cream in our tests. More affordable than a compressor model. Churns ice cream faster than the competition.

Other things to know: Bowl insert must be pre-frozen overnight, which requires planning. Extra freezer bowls, required to make multiple batches in a row, sold separately.

Read our review of the best ice cream maker .

OXO Easy-Clean Compost Bin (1.75 Gallon) — Pick Variant Bloomingdale's deal price: $26 in cart ; street price: $32

What we like: A larger version of our simple, compact compost bin pick. A lightweight, no-nonsense plastic pail. Easy to clean. Hinged handle for carrying.

Other things to know: Attached lid isn't airtight. Worked well in our freezer (to go a couple weeks between compost drop-offs). Price reflects in cart.

Read our review of the best kitchen compost bins we love .

OXO Good Grips Glass 9" Pie Plate with Lid — Top Pick Bloomingdale's deal price: $12 in cart ; street price: $15

What we like: Our top pick for the best pie plate. Simple and sturdy. Holds more filling than the competition. Handy lid allows for easier storage and transport. Minimalist design.

Other things to know: Made of borosilicate glass. Two inches deep. A little too big for store-bought crust. Price reflects in cart; free shipping.

Read our review of the best pie plate .

Thermos Funtainer Food Jar (10 Ounces, 2-Pack) — Also Great Amazon deal price: $15 for a 2-pack ; street price: $22

What we like: A two-pack of our kids pick for best food thermos. Durable and easy for small hands to open. Never leaked in our tests, and the lid never cracked during drop tests.

Other things to know: 10-ounce container is best for kids (or for a small adult lunch). Doesn't retain heat for as long as our top pick (130 °F after 6 hours, vs 144 °F for our top pick). Best suited for keeping foods hot, not great for keeping foods cold. Deal price is for a 2-pack.

Read our review of the best food thermos .

YouCopia StoraLid Lid Organizer (Large) — Staff Favorite Amazon deal price: $16 ; street price: $20

What we like: A staff-favorite lid organizer we like for keeping things tidy in the cabinet. Keeps food-storage container lids organized and easily accessible with minimal human effort. Adjustable tabbed dividers for separating lid sizes.

Other things to know: Only as useful as your willingness to use it and organize. Needs large empty space to fit into a cabinet. Deal for the large size, recurring sale price.

Read our ode to the YouCopia StoraLid Lid Organizer .

YouCopia Storemore Expandable Adjustable Pan and Lid Rack — Our Pick Amazon deal price: $18 ; street price: $30

What we like: A variant of our adjustable bakeware rack pick. We recommend the bakeware rack in several of our articles on kitchen organization; this pan-and-lid rack has a similar design but extends up to 22 inches, and the wire dividers are shaped to account for lid handles. Easy way to organize a variety of kitchen items.

Other things to know: Comes with 10 adjustable dividers. At 13 inches wide without expanding, it’s not as compact as our recommended bakeware rack. Additional and replacement dividers are sold separately by the merchant.

Read our review of the best small kitchen ideas to create more space .

Atlas Coffee Club 2-Bag Subscription — Gift Pick Atlas Coffee Club deal price: $14 with code WCMARCH50, new subscribers only ; street price: $28

What we like: A coffee subscription service we recommend in multiple gift guides. Atlas Coffee Club delivers satisfying coffee at a low price, with plenty of customization, and you always have something new to try. Sources beans from countries all over the world. Each bag of coffee includes a postcard with fun facts about the country’s coffee industry.

Other things to know: The subscription is highly customizable. New subscribers can use code WCMARCH50 for 50% off their first two-bag subscription. Matches the best previous pricing we've posted.

Read our review of the best gifts for coffee lovers .

OXO Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker — Another Good Option Amazon deal price: $140 ; street price: $180

What we like: A speedy drip coffee maker we like that can make pour-over-quality single servings in addition to full pots. Small footprint and simple design. Brews coffee with well-rounded flavor. Can brew directly into the thermal carafe or a mug.

Other things to know: Lacks auto-brew function, clock, and timer.

Read our review of the best drip coffee maker .

Philips GoZero Sparkling Water Maker — Budget Pick Amazon deal price: $54 ; street price: $64

What we like: Our budget soda maker pick has a sleek and attractive no-frills look. Makes good-tasting seltzer with lively bubbles. Surprisingly good quality for the price.

Other things to know: Assembly can be a pain. CO 2 cylinder is sold separately for around $30. If you have empty cylinders, you can exchange them for a discount.

Read our review of the best soda maker .

Tovolo Dino Popsicle Molds (Set of 4) — Also Great Amazon deal price: $10 ; street price: $16

What we like: A small-ish dinosaur-shaped popsicle mold we love for kids (or dino-loving adults). Slightly smaller size and cute shape are perfect for fun frozen treats and experimenting with new flavors. Dishwasher-safe, so they're super easy to clean.

Other things to know: A little fussy to fill. Silicone mold is easy to peel off frozen pops—doesn't require pre-soaking or rinsing in warm water.

Read our review of the best popsicle molds .

Cuisinart CPT-122 2-Slice Compact Plastic Toaster — Top Pick Amazon deal price: $24 in select colors ; street price: $30

What we like: Our longtime top pick for the best two-slot toaster. Produced the most evenly browned bread in our testing. Wide range of settings and easy-to-use controls. Wide slots for thick-cut bagels.

Other things to know: Three-year warranty. Available in white. Plastic body and levers don’t look quite as nice as a metal finish. Heating-element wires of modern toasters are subject to corrosion over time.

Read our review of the best toaster .

Cuisinart CPT-142 4-Slice Compact Plastic Toaster — Top Pick Bloomingdale's deal price: $40 in cart ; street price: $50

What we like: Our longtime top pick for the best four-slot toaster. Consistently produces four slices of perfectly golden brown toast. Offers a wide range of settings and easy-to-use controls. Housing remains cool to the touch, even after multiple batches.

Other things to know: Heating element wires of modern toasters are subject to corrosion over time. Only available in white. Price reflects in cart.

Ryobi 18V One+ HP Cordless Pet Stick Vac Kit with Dual-Roller Bar — Our Pick Home Depot deal price: $225 ; street price: $300

What we like: Our heftier cordless stick vacuum pick. Sturdy and versatile. Has several useful attachments and a large dustbin (twice the capacity of our Dyson pick). Did an excellent job of picking up all kinds of debris off different types of surfaces. Charges especially quickly. Has a generous three-year warranty and replaceable parts.

Other things to know: Heavy, and it may be uncomfortable to use. Ryobi products are sold exclusively through Home Depot and we've noticed stock issues with vacuum-only model. Ordering replacement parts is inconvenient. Only returnable in store.

Read our review of the best cordless stick vacuum .

Dyson V8 Origin+ Stick Vacuum (Refurbished) — Another Good Option eBay deal price: $168 ; street price: $300

What we like: Another good option when considering Dyson model stick vacuums. Less powerful than the V12 Detect Slim and the V15 Detect, but still a great value. Its bin capacity lies between that of the other two models, and it comes with useful attachments. Provides up to 40 minutes of power on full charge. Dyson is a reliable brand with a well-earned (if particularly devoted) following.

Other things to know: Equipped with docking station, Motorbar cleaner head, combination tool, and crevice tool. Certified refurbished and sold by the Dyson eBay storefront; includes a two-year Allstate warranty. Use code DYSONDIRECT at checkout for the deal price.

Roborock Q5+ Robot Vacuum — Our Pick Roborock deal price: $370 with code ROBOROCKS ; street price: $550

What we like: Our self-emptying robot vacuum pick. Better battery life, app navigation, mapping, and voice command response to Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant than other bots. Large bin. Excels at cleaning hard floors and low- to medium-pile carpets.

Other things to know: Comes with a charging station that empties debris into a disposable bag. Like nearly all bots we tested, it struggles with debris near thresholds and baseboards. A new low price, but not by much. Use coupon code ROBOROCKS .

Read our review of the best robot vacuums .

Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022, 13″, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD) — Top Pick Best Buy deal price: $900 ; street price: $1,000 B&H deal price: $900 ; street price: $1,000

What we like: Our top pick for the best MacBook. Compared with previous generations has a brighter display, better webcam, MagSafe magnetic port, and other design updates that make for an overall better experience. Great option for everyday work tasks, browsing the web, watching movies, and playing App Store games.

Other things to know: We expect to see better deals in the coming year now that the M3 processor is out, but still a worthwhile pickup if you need a laptop now or aren't worried about having the fastest processor. Not ideal for editing photos, videos, or processing large media files for extended periods. Specs include the newly dethroned M2 processor, 8 GB RAM, and 256 GB SSD.

Read our review of the best MacBooks .

Anker PowerConf C200 2K Webcam — Budget Pick Amazon deal price: $48 ; street price: $60

What we like: Our budget pick for the best webcam. Easy to set up. Provides 2K HD resolution. Offered the best image quality of any webcam we tested under $70. Has a switch to use the privacy screen. Software is basic but works well.

Other things to know: Sharpness, autofocus, and auto white balance aren’t as good as that of our top picks. Can’t swivel from side to side.

Read our review of the best webcams .

$100 Xbox Gift Card (Email Delivery) — Pick Accessory Newegg deal price: $90 ; street price: $100

What we like: Essentially free money toward your next purchase from the Microsoft, Windows, and Xbox online storefronts. Great for games and accessories associated with our Xbox game console picks. Can also be used towards the purchase of devices, apps, movies, and TV shows.

Other things to know: Use promo code SSDQ2545 at checkout for deal price. Email delivery. Non-returnable and non-refundable.

Read our review of the best game consoles .

$100 Apple Gift Card + $10 Target Gift Card (Email Delivery) — Pick Accessory Target deal price: $100 ; street price: $110

What we like: A gift card that can be used for purchasing Wirecutter-recommended Apple products, accessories, and apps. The $10 Target gift card is essentially free money for Target shoppers when you purchase the $100 Apple gift card.

Other things to know: Apple gift card can be used for purchases at Apple Store locations, as well as on the Apple website and App Store. Limit one Target gift card per customer. Cannot be returned or redeemed for cash or credit.

Read why we think the iPad is the best tablet .

Soundcore Space One Noise-Cancelling Headphones — Budget Pick Amazon deal price: $80 ; street price: $100

What we like: Our budget pick for the best over-ear noise-cancelling headphones offer impressive noise cancellation and good sound for less than $100. Comfortable and lightweight. 40-hour battery life with ANC on. Offers dual-device connectivity, hear-through mode, and quick-charge feature.

Other things to know: The three noise-reducing microphones can make voices sound compressed and somewhat distant to callers. Sound is customizable via the Soundcore app.

Read our review of the best noise-cancelling headphones .

Anker Soundcore Space A40 Earbuds — Top Pick Amazon deal price: $50 ; street price: $80

What we like: Our top pick for best wireless Bluetooth earbuds. Solid sound quality, great battery life, and active noise cancellation. Each earbud can be used independently. Dual-device connectivity. Should fit most ears comfortably.

Other things to know: Does not support voice-activated assistants like Alexa and Siri. IPX4 water-resistance. 18-month warranty. Limited touch controls. This deal lacks the $5 gift card we typically see bundled with these earbuds.

Read our review of the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds .

Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 (A3SP14-31PT) — Top Pick Amazon deal price: $350 ; street price: $420

What we like: Our top pick for the best Windows laptop under $500. Fast enough to meet most people’s computing needs for a few years to come. 8.5-hour battery life. Accurate and reliable keyboard and trackpad. 360-degree hinge allows you to flip the display around for use as a tablet.

Other things to know: No fingerprint reader. Mediocre webcam. Shipped with Windows 11 S mode, but you can switch to Windows 11 Home for free. Specs include Intel Core i3-N305 processor, 8 GB of RAM, and 128 GB SSD.

Read our review of the best laptop under $500 .

Sony PlayStation 5 Slim Digital Edition + Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Bundle (No Disc Drive) — Also Great Target deal price: $400 ; street price: $450 Best Buy deal price: $400 ; street price: $450

What we like: The new "Slim" version of our top PlayStation game console pick without a disc drive, plus the new Spider-Man 2 2 game we loved in our recent review . Slightly narrower and shorter than the OG. 1 TB storage (up from 825 GB).

Other things to know: The Digital Edition doesn’t include a disc drive, so you can’t watch Blu-rays or take advantage of new or used games, or old PS4 discs. Still some backwards compatibility issues with PS4 games and exclusives. No Dolby Vision or or DTS:X support. Despite being called the "Slim," it's still quite large and bulky. Marvel's Spider-Man 2 digital code included.

Fujifilm Instax Mini Link 2 Instant Photo Printer — Top Pick Best Buy deal price: $90 ; street price: $100 Target deal price: $90 ; street price: $100

What we like: Our top pick for best instant photo printer. Ultra-portable and compact. Quickly delivers vibrant, credit-card-sized film-like prints. Easy to set up and use with an intuitive app.

Other things to know: Printer body feels fragile. Prints take four to six minutes to fully develop and may lack fine detail and clarity. Uses the same film packs as Fujifilm’s Instax cameras. Recurring deal price, but has yet to drop lower. Available in black, white, and pink.

Read our review of the best instant photo printer .

Sonos Move Speaker (First Gen) — Our Pick Costco deal price: $280, Costco membership required ; street price: $400

What we like: Our pick for a portable smart speaker for your outdoor space. High-quality and wireless. Sounds good. All the benefits of the Sonos system. Supports Airplay 2, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant. IP56-rated water resistance. Solid 10-hour battery life.

Other things to know: Audio is notably directional, with a dead spot directly behind it. The charging base is not waterproof. No stereo separation. Sonos released the second generation model last year. Available in black for Costco members.

Read our review of the best smart devices for making the most of your backyard and garden .

Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD) — Budget Pick (For Now) Walmart deal price: $700 in select colors ; street price: $750

What we like: Our soon-to-be-replaced budget pick from our guide to the best MacBooks. Still enough memory and storage for most day-to-day work. Approximately 14-hour battery life. Lightweight with solid construction, a comfortable keyboard, and industry-leading customer support. M1 processor still good enough for everyday tasks, non-power users.

Other things to know: M3 processor is finally out and the M1 is starting to show its age after three years. Still a worthwhile everyday laptop, but we will likely see better deals in the future as M3 adoption becomes more widespread. Comes with 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, 13.3-inch Retina display, one 3.5mm jack, and two Thunderbolt 3 ports. Available in select finishes. $30 below the previous lowest price.

Google Pixel 8 (128 GB, Unlocked) — Top Pick Amazon deal price: $500 ; street price: $620

What we like: Our top pick for the best Android smartphone offers the best version of Android with guaranteed security updates through fall 2030. Has one of the best smartphone cameras we’ve tested. Excellent build quality. Crisp 6.2-inch OLED display and solid wrap-around aluminum frame.

Other things to know: More expensive than previous models. Videos can often look a little grainy but have good color reproduction. Deal is for an unlocked phone with 128 GB of internal storage.

Read our review of the best Android phones .

Garmin Forerunner 255S GPS Running Watch — Runner-Up Amazon deal price: $250 ; street price: $350

What we like: One of our runner-up picks for the best GPS running watch. One of the most feature-packed, top-performing models we’ve tested. Accurate distance and route tracking. Solid heart-rate monitoring. Multiband GPS.

Other things to know: Decent battery life (about 14 days), but much shorter than that of our top pick. No touchscreen. Not quite as accurate at tracking road runs as our top pick. One-year warranty.

Read our review of the best GPS running watches .

Garmin Forerunner 255S Music GPS Running Watch — Runner-Up Amazon deal price: $300 ; street price: $380

What we like: Our runner-up pick for the best GPS running watch if listening to music is important for your workouts. Still one of the most feature-packed, top-performing GPS running watches we’ve tested. Includes music streaming and storage capabilities.

Other things to know: Accurate distance and route tracking. Solid heart-rate monitoring. Multiband GPS. Decent battery life, about 14 days. Lacks touchscreen. Much shorter battery life than our top pick. In tracking road runs, it’s not quite as accurate as our top pick. One-year warranty.

Cricut Explore 3 Electronic Cutting Machine — Top Pick Amazon deal price: $228 ; street price: $300

What we like: Our top for the best electronic cutting machine. Intuitive and easy-to-use software is great for beginners. Superior selection of images and ready-to-make projects.

Other things to know: Faster than other cutting machines but significantly louder. Doesn’t come with a cutting mat and can only cut materials that are 6 inches or longer. Only the second deal we’ve posted on the Explore 3 so far. After another drop, now down to the lowest price we've seen to date.

Read our review of the best electronic cutting machines .

Brother P-Touch Cube Label Maker — Budget Pick Amazon deal price: $45 ; street price: $60

What we like: Our budget pick for the best label maker. Easy to use. Good for occasional label making. Produces the same high-quality labels and uses the same great design suite as our top pick.

Other things to know: A stripped-down version of our top pick. Lacks automatic cutter and built-in rechargeable battery. Recurring deal price, but rarely drops lower.

Read our review of the best label makers .

Aura Carver Mat Digital Photo Frame — Pick Variant Amazon deal price: $143 in select colors ; street price: $180

What we like: A variant of our top digital photo frame pick. Offers easy setup, vivid display, pleasing design, and near-zero pillarboxing. Loading photos and videos remotely is a breeze. Features two frame layers that give the look of a mat picture frame.

Other things to know: The 16:10 aspect ratio isn’t our preferred 4:3. Free Aura app works with iOS and Android phones. Available in black or clay color with white mat.

Read our review of the best digital photo frame .

Smartish Gripmunk with MagSafe for iPhone 15 Case — Our Pick Amazon deal price: $16 in select colors ; street price: $20

What we like: Our pick for the best basic phone case for the iPhone 15. A one-piece case made of soft, rubber-like plastic (TPU, or thermoplastic polyurethane), and provides more than adequate coverage and protection. Easy to install but won't stretch out. Affordable but doesn’t feel cheap.

Other things to know: Has been our pick for the best basic iPhone case for years now and continues to maintain that spot, but is a plain case with not much going on. Select colors on sale. The iPhone 15 Plus, Pro, and Pro Max versions are also on sale in a few colors.

Read our review of the best iPhone cases .

IUGA High-Waist Yoga Pants — Our Pick Amazon deal price: $20 in select colors and sizes ; street price: $24

What we like: Our cheap and surprisingly soft leggings pick. Fit and felt better than other leggings we tried in the same price range. Soft, comfy, and generally flattering cut. Gentle but supportive compression. Functional, convenient pockets.

Other things to know: Some may find the one-inch elastic waistband to be constricting. A little loose at the ankle for some testers. We found the fabric lost its shape a bit over time. Deal price is for select colors and sizes.

Read our review of the best leggings .

Sungait Vintage Round Sunglasses (Polarized Lenses, 2-Pack) — Our Pick Amazon deal price: $15 with clipped on-page coupon for a 2-pack in select colors ; street price: $18

What we like: Our cheap round sunglasses pick. Also recommended in gift guides and outdoor guides. Comfortable and sturdy. Complements a variety of face shapes. Keyhole nose bridge. Mini screwdriver provided with purchase. Logo-free and unisex.

Other things to know: Lifetime warranty (rare at this price). Some Sungait pairs sold on Amazon don't have polarized lenses, double-check before buying. Deal is for a 2-pack in select frame colors. Clip on-page coupon to get deal for some colors.

Read our review of the best cheap sunglasses .

Lunya Washable Silk Tulip Back Set — Gift Pick Lunya deal price: $150 with code FOR-WCSLEEP ; street price: $188

What we like: A slinky silk pajama set we recommend in our guide to the best gifts for girlfriends (that are great for anyone). An everyday indulgence. Can be hand- or machine-washed, unlike many silk pajamas. Cut of top (with its criss-crossed back) is flattering on many different body types.

Other things to know: 100% Mulberry silk. More playful silhouette than some of our pajama picks. Abbreviated crop top exposes some midriff. Available in a variety of colors and sizes. Use code FOR-WCSLEEP .

Read our review of the best gifts for girlfriends .

A.L.C. Renzo Pleated Midi Dress — Our Pick Bloomingdale's deal price: $446 ; street price: $595

What we like: Our pick for the ultimate little black cocktail dress. Delicate pleats, a high neck, and exposed shoulders make this a refined choice for an evening out. Breathable polyester felt softer and more luxurious than many silk dresses we tested.

Other things to know: The priciest dress we recommend, but worth the investment. Designed to hit midcalf, but may hit closer to ankle level if under 5-foot-5. Sold in sizes 00 to 14.

Read our review of the best little black dresses .

Paige Cindy Jeans — Top Pick Paige deal price: $164 with code PAIGEFAMILY24 ; street price: $219

What we like: Our decadently soft and stretchy women's jeans pick. Straight-leg, high-rise style, fitted through the waist and hips. Body-conscious yet totally lounge-able. Testers of different sizes and shapes found these jeans flattering and wildly comfortable.

Other things to know: Stretchier denim tends to (you guessed it) stretch out over time. 28-inch inseam may be too short for some. Destroyed hem isn't for everyone. Run slightly large; we recommend sizing down if between sizes. Use code PAIGEFAMILY2024 . Doesn't quite compare to deals we saw over Black Friday, but still a good value.

Read our review of the best women's jeans .

Nike Blazer Mid '77 Vintage Sneakers (Men's) — Staff Favorite Nike deal price: $72 in select colors with code SPRING, free Nike membership required ; street price: $105

What we like: A staff favorite alternative to Nike Air Force 1s. Versatile mid-height sneakers with a vintage feel. Sleek, leather upper with suede details. Solid rubber sole provides strong foot support and traction.

Other things to know: Free Nike membership required to use coupon code SPRING and for free shipping. Several colors are on sale, but the tan option offers a wide range of sizes for a neutral color.

Read our ode to the Nike Blazer Mid '77 Vintage Sneakers .

Crocs Dylan Clog — Gift Pick Amazon deal price: $33 in select colors ; street price: $55

What we like: A more sophisticated pair of Crocs we recommend in several of our gift guides. Belies the brand's ugly reputation. Textured to look like full-grain leather. Clean profile with a notably unperforated toe box.

Other things to know: Easy to wash thanks to proprietary resin construction. On sale in select colors in women's and men's sizes. New low.

Read our review of the best gifts for boyfriends (that are great for anyone) .

Other things to know: Fabric shell is abrasive and may make some sweaters and blouses pill. The weave also attracts pet hair like a magnet. Available in ranger green. Lowest price we've seen so far.

Bonobos Soft Everyday Tee (pack of two) — Our Pick Bonobos deal price: $50 when you add two to cart ; street price: $70

What we like: Our boxier, more relaxed white T-shirt pick. Extremely soft with some stretch and sturdily constructed. Especially loved by our plus-size testers for quality, fit, and comfort. 100% cotton.

Other things to know: Generous fit may not work for people with smaller frames. Available in a variety of colors and sizes. Choose between crew neck or V-neck and slim or standard cut. Add two to your cart to get the deal price.

Read our review of the best men’s white T-shirts .

What we like: A casual leather boot loved by Wirecutter staff and many others around the world. Pull-on, ankle-high, with an elastic panel. Comfortable, durable rubber sole. Uppers made of extra-thick leather. Ergonomically engineered to reduce fatigue. They can last for years with daily wear.

Etsfmoa Unisex Beanie with Light — Gift Pick Amazon deal price: $13 in select colors ; street price: $15

What we like: A combination beanie and headlamp recommended in multiple Wirecutter gift guides. A bright, rechargeable light embedded in a soft, warm hat. Light charges in about two hours via USB port and has three brightness settings. Beanie comes in 24 different colors and patterns.

Other things to know: Great for walking the dog after dark or staying hands-free during house projects (also makes a good Father’s Day gift). The black and gray hats, the typical colors we see on sale, are both down to $13.

Read our review of the best gifts under $25 .

Idegg No Show Socks (Unisex, Six Pairs) — Our Pick Amazon deal price: $12 for a 6-pack in select colors and sizes ; street price: $15

What we like: Our thin and inexpensive no-show socks pick. Made from a lightweight and breathable cotton blend. Terrific value, especially when on sale. Great for wearing with snug-fitting shoes. Won’t slip or bunch.

Other things to know: Thin material doesn’t provide much padding or support. Not as soft and smooth as our other no-show sock picks. Deal is for a medium six-pack combination of black, gray, and whites (add $1 for large).

Read our review of the best no-show socks .

Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer (Refurbished) — Upgrade Pick Walmart deal price: $220 ; street price: $300

What we like: Our longtime upgrade hair dryer pick. Unique design makes for an extraordinarily pleasant user experience. No vibration whatsoever. Simple-to-switch magnetic attachments make styling a breeze. Consistently our favorite hair dryer to use since we first tested it in 2016.

Other things to know: Pricey, and doesn’t make your hair look any different than cheaper options. Manufacturer refurbished. On sale in select finishes. One-year Dyson warranty and 30-day returns. Doesn't match short-lived $207 deal we recently saw, but still a good value.

Read our review of the best hair dryer .

Govee Wi-Fi Water Sensors (2-Pack) — Another Good Option Amazon deal price: $20 ; street price: $40

What we like: Another good, budget-friendly option in our guide to the best smart water-leak detector. Compatible with Alexa. Loud siren. Uses a plug-in Wi-Fi hub to function.

Other things to know: Alarm can only be silenced on sensor itself. No alert if device loses Wi-Fi and/or power connection. Deal includes a two-pack of sensors and one hub. Clip the on-page coupon.

Read our review of the best smart water-leak detector .

Eufy P2 Pro Smart Scale — Runner-Up Amazon deal price: $41 ; street price: $75

What we like: Our runner-up pick for the best smart scale is accurate and consistent. Exceptionally water-resistant. Has a robust and easy-to-use app. Connects via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Compatible with Apple Health, Google Fit, and Fitbit.

Other things to know: Typically double the price of our top pick and is slightly smaller and less consistently accurate. Requires more frequent battery replacement than our top pick.

Read our review of the best smart scale .

Schlage Encode Smart WiFi Deadbolt (Century Trim) — Top Pick Amazon deal price: $183 ; street price: $230

What we like: Our top pick for the best smart deadbolt lock. A low-profile, no-fuss lock with a foolproof keypad and the ability to connect to Wi-Fi without requiring a plug-in adapter. Particularly easy to install, and using it is intuitive. Battery life has been excellent, lasting six months or more at a time.

Other things to know: Compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home, but not Apple Home. Relatively loud and slow, which sometimes leads to accidental lock jams when people open the door while it’s still retracting the bolt. The Schlage app is not great. Deal for the century trim in the satin nickel finish. Clip the on-page coupon.

Read our review of the best smart locks .

Crest 3D Whitestrips Professional Effects Kit (22 Treatments) — Staff Favorite Amazon deal price: $30 ; street price: $46

What we like: An at-home teeth-whitening solution that is a staff favorite. Low-tech, effective, and very affordable. No dentist visits required. Comes with 10 days' worth of Professional Effects treatments and two 1-Hour Express treatments.

Other things to know: Slower than professional treatments—results take several sessions over the course of a few weeks. Not as good as the typical Costco Crest 3D Whitestrips deals we see, but a good discount for those without a Costco membership.

Read our ode to Crest 3D Whitestrips .

Yamazaki Home Tower Shoe Rack — Upgrade Pick Amazon deal price: $94 in select colors ; street price: $115

What we like: The investment-worthy upgrade pick from our guide to the best shoe racks. Slim enough to fit in a closet, but sleek enough for an entryway. Stores up to 24 pairs of shoes. Steel and wood veneer. Top could double as an entryway shelf. Two hooks on the side for keys or an umbrella.

Other things to know: The rack assembles quickly but will require using a screwdriver. Only holds adult-sized shoes; tiny shoes will tumble through. Only on sale in white.

Read our review of the best shoe rack .

Sabai The Essential Sofa — Our Pick Sabai deal price: $1,408 shipped ; street price: $1,640

What we like: Our favorite eco-friendly three-seater sofa pick. Cushions remain plump and unworn after years of use. Available in multiple configurations, fabrics, and colors. Many components are replaceable and recyclable.

Other things to know: Low back and shallow seating may not be the comfiest for lounging. Deal price reflects sample configuration with included shipping cost. The Essential Sofa is made to order and ships within two to four weeks.

Read our review of the best the best sofas you can buy online .

Threshold White Waffle Weave Shower Curtain — Our Pick Target deal price: $20 with store pickup (free shipping for RedCard holders) ; street price: $25

What we like: Our longtime pick for the best classic waffle-weave shower curtain. Simple, timeless, and durable. Easy to clean. Neutral design will complement just about any bathroom.

Other things to know: Available in white or gray. Select store pickup or make a combined order of $35 or more to avoid shipping fees. RedCard holders get free shipping and save an extra 5%.

Read our review of the best shower curtains .

Apotheke Charcoal Candle — Our Pick Bloomingdale's deal price: $33 in cart ; street price: $44

What we like: Our elegant, monochromatic pick for a warm and woodsy scented candle. Notes of charred sandalwood and cedar after a heavy rain. Fragrant but not heavy or overpowering. Sleek matte-black vessel is as stylish as it is adept at hiding soot streaks, fingerprints, and other smudges.

Other things to know: About 70-hour burn time. We wish it came with a lid or dust cover. Jar is reusable, but the company name is printed on the glass, so it’s impossible to remove. Price reflects in cart. We've seen better deals for the 3-wick size, but this is a solid deal for this size.

Read our review of our favorite scented candles .

Lutron Caséta Wireless In-Wall Smart Dimmer Switch (2-Count Kit) — Another Good Option Amazon deal price: $136 ; street price: $170

What we like: A good smart light dimmer switch if you don’t have great Wi-Fi. Easy-to-use keypad for dimming and powering lights manually. Easy to install. Works reliably with many smart-home devices. A pick when we started this guide, and we will continue to sing its praises.

Other things to know: Includes two switches, required Lutron Caséta Smart Bridge, and two wireless remotes. Uses ClearConnect wireless. Neutral wire required (which may be an issue in homes with old wiring).

Read our review of the best in-wall smart light switch and dimmer .

Akron Street Mysa Bed (Queen) — Our Pick Akron Street deal price: $1,166 in cart with code TOTHETRADE ; street price: $1,295

What we like: Our pick for a no-frills, all-oak modern bed. Supremely simple, clean aesthetic with a low profile. Solid white oak construction. Supported by 15 acacia pine slats. Easy-to-assemble. Built to last. Works especially well with tall mattresses and small bedrooms.

Other things to know: Has 11.5-inch height, with an under-bed clearance of 6.8 inches. No warranty. Price reflects in cart or use code TOTHETRADE . Standard shipping is free.

Read our review of the best modern bed frames to dress up your bedroom .

Homeasy Fabric Shaver — Our Pick Amazon deal price: $22 ; street price: $25

What we like: Our favorite electric fabric shaver. Features six sharp blades, a wide head, and intuitive controls. Very effective at getting rid of fuzz during our tests. Quiet and comfortable to hold. USB-rechargeable.

Other thing to know: Three to six hour battery life on a full charge. Includes two replacement blades. About $2 higher than the lowest sale price we've seen, but still a good value.

Read our review of the best laundry aides to help your clothes look better and last longer .

Revival Rugs - 25% Off Jute Area Rugs — Our Pick Revival deal price: $219 with code WCJUTE25 ; street price: $290

What we like: Our pick for a natural-fiber rug that comes in several colors. Flexible and finely woven, giving it a more delicate, flat appearance. Feels soft underfoot and barely sheds. Easy to vacuum and lightweight enough to shake out outside.

Other things to know: Best for dining rooms, kitchens, hallways, or layering in living rooms or bedrooms. Spot-clean only, as jute is very susceptible to water and humidity. Use code WCJUTE25 to save 25% on all jute rugs. Deal price is for the 5-by-8-foot size, but pricing varies depending on total cost; no minimum spend.

Read our review of the best area rugs .

Waterpik Aquarius Water Flosser — Runner-Up Amazon deal price: $58 ; street price: $80

What we like: Our runner-up pick for the best water flosser is just as effective as our top pick and comes with a similar three-year warranty. Easy to use and clean. Ten pressure settings, including a “massage” setting that emits pulses of water.

Other things to know: This is a corded model and requires a power outlet during use. Takes up more counter space than our top pick. Recurring deal price; $10 more than the deal we saw during Cyber Week.

Read our review of the best water flossers .

Amazon Basics 8-Sheet High-Security Micro-Cut Shredder with Pullout Basket — Top Pick Amazon deal price: $62 ; street price: $69

What we like: Our top pick for the best paper shredder. This high-security shredder offers the best balance of ease of use, sheet capacity, and price. It can run jam-free for nearly 10 minutes without overheating. Micro-cuts documents and has a separate CD/DVD shredding slot.

Other things to know: Slightly bigger than eight-sheet shredders with lift-up tops. The overload LED indicator didn't work like we expected it would. We recommend unplugging any shredder when not in use.

Read our review of the best paper shredders .

Black+Decker Pet Hair Remover — Staff Favorite Walmart deal price: $10 with store pickup ; street price: $16

What we like: A lint roller for pet hair recommended by the Wirecutter staff. Reusable and tape-free. Effectively catches stray fur on fabric surfaces. The brush is made of velvet and silicone that grips the fur and traps it in a bin behind the roller. Works great on bedding.

Other things to know: Roll it back and forth on your bedding, couch, or clothing to pick up hair, and press the button to empty it once the bin is full. Opt for store pickup to avoid shipping fees or add to a combined order over $35 for free shipping.

Read our review of the best pet hair removers .

PetKit Eversweet Solo 2 Water Fountain — Upcoming Pick Amazon deal price: $40 ; street price: $50

What we like: An upcoming pick in our pet water fountain guide. Only five main parts to keep track of. The easiest fountain to take apart and clean in testing. Nearly silent wireless pump has a convenient auto shut-off feature, so it doesn’t burn out when the water level gets too low.

Other things to know: Also comes with a companion app, which lets you set up cleaning and refill reminders, but it has a limited feature set.

Read our review of the best water fountain for cats and dogs .

PetFusion Jumbo Cat Scratcher Lounge — Upgrade Pick Amazon deal price: $68 ; street price: $80

What we like: Our pick for the best cat bed for multicat households, this doubles as a scratcher, too. Both the largest bed we tested and the nicest scratcher we found. Big enough to sleep four cats comfortably. You can flip it over and use the underside when the top side shows wear and tear, prolonging its lifespan.

Other things to know: Large, about 39 by 14 inches. Cardboard may be too densely packed for some cats to comfortably scratch.

Read our review of the best cat beds (according to our cats) .

Editor’s note: The photo at the top of this article may reflect previous deals that are no longer valid and have been removed. Check out our Deals page for more great discounts on Wirecutter’s expert-approved picks.

This article was edited by Janie Campbell and Nathan Burrow.

Meet your guide

Wirecutter Staff

Watch CBS News

Maryland Weather: Sunshine returns this weekend

By Derek Beasley

Updated on: March 19, 2024 / 3:11 PM EDT / CBS Baltimore

BALTIMORE--   After a cloudy and mild Friday across the area, temperatures are expected to cool slightly as the weekend approaches, though conditions will remain very pleasant. 

A cold front is set to sweep through the area by Friday evening, ushering in a chill for Friday night into Saturday morning. Any lingering showers across southern Maryland and the Lower Eastern Shore by Friday evening should dissipate, with skies clearing overnight. Low temperatures tonight are forecasted to drop into the low to mid 40s.

Saturday afternoon is anticipated to see highs in the mid-60s under mostly sunny skies, offering ideal conditions for outdoor activities. Another beautiful day is in store for Sunday, coinciding with St. Patrick's Day, with high temperatures again expected in the mid-60s.

However, cooler weather is on the horizon as the new week begins. Sunshine will persist on Monday, but temperatures will be notably cooler, around 10 to 15° colder than the weekend. Highs on Monday are projected to reach the upper 40s and lower 50s, with temperatures dropping to near freezing Monday night.

Tuesday afternoon is expected to be cooler, featuring sunny skies and highs near 50. Dry weather patterns will continue through Wednesday and Thursday, with a mix of clouds and sunshine and highs in the mid-50s on Wednesday, increasing to the upper 50s to near 60 on Thursday.

Looking ahead, the next storm system is poised to approach the area by the end of the following week. Rain chances will escalate across the area by late Friday, persisting overnight into Saturday, and possibly lingering into Sunday. 

Heading into the next weekend, temperatures are forecasted to be close to normal for this time of year, with highs in the mid-50s for both Saturday and Sunday, and nighttime lows generally around 40.

• Maryland Weather

Derek Beasley joined the WJZ First Alert Weather Team in March 2022. He was promoted in March 2023 to become WJZ's first-ever Chief Meteorologist.

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• Travel Essentials & Accessories

12 Amazing Travel Games For Kids for 2024

Published: September 1, 2023

Modified: December 27, 2023

by Maryrose Claussen

• Family Travel
• Plan Your Trip
• Travel Tips

Are you planning a family vacation in 2023 and looking for ways to keep your kids entertained during those long journeys? Look no further! We have curated a list of 12 amazing travel games for kids that will make their travel experience truly memorable. Whether you're traveling by car, train, or airplane, these games are guaranteed to keep your little ones engaged and excited throughout the trip. From classic favorites to innovative new games, there's something for every age and interest. Say goodbye to boredom and hello to hours of fun with our handpicked selection of travel games for kids in 2023.

Jump to Review

Colorful Doodle Board Drawing Tablet for Kids

This product has a rating of A. * What does this rating mean?

Overall Score : 8/10

The TECJOE 2 Pack LCD Writing Tablet is an excellent accessory for kids during travel. With its flexible liquid crystal technology, this tablet is brighter and clearer than most LCD writing tablets. It features pressure-sensitive technology, allowing users to draw lines of different thicknesses based on the pressure applied. The eco-friendly design can be used repeatedly, saving paper wastage. The colorful screen ensures eye protection with no blue light or glare. Additionally, this tablet doubles as an educational learning toy, providing a fun way for kids to learn spelling, calculation, and drawing. The lock function prevents accidental clearing, while the erase button cleans the screen. Perfect for travel, this lightweight and portable tablet is a great toy for kids on road trips. Overall, the TECJOE LCD Writing Tablet offers an entertaining and educational experience for young travelers.

Key Features

• 2 Pack for More Fun
• Eco-friendly and Eyes Protection
• Learning Educational Toys
• Lock Function
• The Great Toys and Gifts For Family
• Toys for Kids Road Trip
• NOTE: When you use the doodle board for the first time, if encounter that the erase-button does not work, please check the lock switch (located at the bottom of doodle board back) of the erase-button, if it is locked state, please unlock it to use the erase function.

Specifications

• Color: A Blue Pink
• Dimension: 2.87Lx0.13Wx6.22H
• Size: 8.5in
• Bright and clear display
• Pressure-sensitive technology for varied line thickness
• Eco-friendly and eye protection design
• Doubles as an educational toy
• Lock function prevents accidental clearing
• Lightweight and portable for travel
• Some users reported issues with durability
• Requires supervision for use of button batteries

The TECJOE 2 Pack LCD Writing Tablet is a fantastic accessory for kids during travel. Its bright and clear display, along with pressure-sensitive technology, allows for creativity and learning. The tablet’s eco-friendly and eye protection design ensures a safe painting experience. The lock function protects creations and the lightweight build makes it suitable for travel. While there may be some durability concerns, the overall functionality and educational value of the tablet make it a great choice. Whether it’s for learning, drawing, or passing the time during road trips, this tablet is an excellent investment for young travelers.

Briarpatch | I Spy Travel Card Game, Ages 4+

Overall Score : 9.5/10

The Briarpatch I Spy Travel Card Game is the perfect accessory for keeping kids entertained during car rides. Based on the popular I Spy book series, this seek-and-find card game combines beautiful photos and familiar objects to build vocabulary while providing a fun and engaging challenge. With 48 travel cards and 2 instruction cards, this game is great for short rides or long cross-country road trips. Trusted by parents and approved by kids, Briarpatch games are designed to make learning fun and adventurous. Whether you're on a short trip near home or embarking on a long journey, this I Spy Travel Card Game is sure to keep kids entertained and appreciating the scenery outside their car.

• Perfect for keeping kids entertained on road trips
• Based on the bestselling I Spy book series
• Combines beautiful photos and familiar objects
• Trusted by parents, approved by kids
• Includes 48 travel cards and 2 Instruction Cards
• Color: Multi-color
• Dimension: 0.75Lx3.75Wx5.75H
• Keeps kids engaged during long car rides
• Easy to play and understand
• Fun for both kids and adults
• Great for breaking up boredom on the road
• Promotes vocabulary building and learning
• May be challenging for color deficient individuals
• Some customers received incomplete orders

The Briarpatch I Spy Travel Card Game is a must-have for any family road trip. It keeps kids engaged and entertained while promoting vocabulary building and learning. The game is easy to play and understand, making it suitable for both kids and adults to enjoy. The beautiful photos and familiar objects provide a fun challenge for all ages. However, it’s worth noting that individuals who are color deficient may find certain aspects of the game challenging. Additionally, there have been a few reports of incomplete orders. Overall, the Briarpatch I Spy Travel Card Game is a fantastic accessory for any car journey and receives a high score of 9.5 out of 10.

IQ Six Pro: A Travel Game for Kids and Adults

Overall Score : 9/10

The SmartGames IQ Six Pro is a travel-friendly cognitive skill-building brain game for kids and adults. With 120 challenges in 3 playing modes, this puzzle is perfect for building concentration skills, problem-solving abilities, logic, and planning. It comes with a compact game board, colorful puzzle pieces, and a booklet with challenges and solutions. The portable travel case makes it ideal for on-the-go fun. This award-winning game is suitable for ages 8 and up, providing hours of entertainment and brain-teasing challenges. Whether you're traveling or just looking for a fun and educational game to play, the SmartGames IQ Six Pro is a fantastic choice.

• Travel-Friendly Educational Toys
• Builds concentration skills, problem-solving abilities, logic, and planning
• Suitable for kids and adults (ages 8 and up)
• Includes game board, puzzle pieces, and booklet with challenges
• Multi-level logic puzzles with 120 challenges
• Size: Travel
• Compact and portable for travel
• Promotes cognitive skill-building
• Provides hours of fun and entertainment
• Suitable for solo or group play
• Award-winning game from a trusted brand
• Difficult to close the lid if puzzle is not solved
• Pieces can be challenging to handle and take out

The SmartGames IQ Six Pro offers a fantastic combination of entertainment, education, and cognitive skill-building. With its compact size and travel-friendly case, it’s the perfect companion for long journeys or leisurely evenings at home. The 120 challenges in 3 playing modes ensure that players of all ages will find puzzles that challenge and engage them. This award-winning game is not only fun, but it also enhances concentration, problem-solving, logic, and planning skills. While the lid closure may be a minor inconvenience, the overall quality and benefits of the game far outweigh it. Whether you’re a child or an adult, the SmartGames IQ Six Pro is sure to keep you entertained and mentally sharp. Get ready to put your brain to the test!

Hasbro Guess Who? Card Game for Kids

Overall Score : 8.5/10

The Hasbro Gaming Guess Who? Card Game is a fun, fast-paced twist on the classic Guess Who? gameplay. Perfect for kids ages 5 and up, this game is designed to keep them entertained while on the go. Each player lays out their face cards and picks a Mystery card from the deck. Then, they take turns asking yes or no questions to guess each other's Mystery character. With its compact size, this card game is ideal for travel. It can make a great gift for birthdays, holidays, or stocking stuffers. Hasbro Gaming offers a wide range of classic and active games for families to enjoy.

• Guess Who? card game twist on classic gameplay
• Quick-playing travel game for kids
• Players guess each other's Mystery character
• Great gift for kids ages 5 and up
• One-stop-shop for classic family games
• Color: Brown/a
• Dimension: 0.75Lx3.62Wx5.62H
• Compact and travel-friendly
• Easy-to-learn gameplay for kids
• Can be enjoyed by two players
• Requires minimal storage space
• May be too easy for older children

The Hasbro Gaming Guess Who? Card Game is a fantastic travel accessory for kids. It provides a fun and engaging experience while on the go, keeping children entertained. The compact size and easy setup make it convenient to bring along during trips. While it may be too easy for older kids, it offers a great opportunity for younger children to practice their critical thinking skills. The Guess Who? card game is an excellent addition to any family’s collection of travel games.

Melissa & Doug Flip to Win Travel Memory Game

The Melissa & Doug Flip to Win Travel Memory Game is a wooden board game featuring 7 double-sided cards. It is designed to be a road trip essential for kids aged 5 and above. The game includes a wooden frame with 25 flaps and sliding scorekeepers. It is durable and easy to use, with a bungee-hinge design that improves its strength. The game cards feature colorful illustrations on themes such as colors, zoo, and fruit. It is a great gift idea for kids between 5 and 7 years old. Melissa & Doug is a trusted brand known for creating imagination-sparking products. The game dimensions are 11.70Lx8.70Wx1.20H.

• Wooden board with 25 flaps and sliding scorekeepers
• 7 double-sided laminated game cards
• Durable and easy to use design
• Colorful illustrations on game cards
• Great gift for kids aged 5 to 7 years
• Color: Multi
• Dimension: 11.70Lx8.70Wx1.20H
• Size: 1 Count
• Durable and sturdy construction
• Compact size for travel
• Engaging and educational gameplay
• Colorful and attractive illustrations
• Multiple game options with double-sided cards
• Slightly heavy and bulky for air travel
• Clack-clacking noise when opening and closing doors

The Melissa & Doug Flip to Win Travel Memory Game is a fantastic portable game that keeps kids engaged during long trips. Its durable construction and attractive illustrations make it a great choice for parents looking for screen-free entertainment. Although it may not be the most suitable for air travel due to its weight and noise, it is perfect for road trips and other adventures. The game offers multiple options for gameplay with the double-sided cards, ensuring hours of fun and learning. It is a well-designed, high-quality product that provides excellent value for money.

Big Potato OK Play Game

Overall Score : 9.3/10

The Big Potato OK Play is a multi-award winning game that is perfect for both kids and adults. It's a simple family strategy game that takes seconds to learn but hours to master. The game involves laying down tiles to create a line of five, either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. With its durable and waterproof design, the game is ideal for travel and can be easily clipped to your bag. It has received multiple awards, including the 'Best Family Game' from Imagination Gaming and the 'Parent's Choice Award 2018'. This game is engaging, portable, and suitable for players of all ages and abilities.

• Tiles at the ready, lay down tiles for a line of five
• Durable, waterproof, and travel-sized
• Simple to learn but challenging to master
• Multi-award winning game
• Suitable for kids and adults
• Color: New5
• Dimension: 10.24Lx6.30Wx0.39H
• Easy to learn, tough to master
• Engaging and portable
• Suitable for players of all ages
• Durable and waterproof design
• Multi-award winning

The Big Potato OK Play is a highly recommended game for anyone who loves strategic gameplay. Its compact size and durable design make it the perfect travel companion. Whether you’re playing with family, friends, or even by yourself, this game offers hours of fun and challenges. The game’s simplicity in learning allows players of all ages to enjoy it, while its strategic depth keeps them coming back for more. With its multiple awards and positive reviews, it’s clear that the Big Potato OK Play is a game worth trying.

Pizza Party Dice Game

University Games presents the Pizza Party Dice Game, a fast and fun game perfect for kids and families. Roll the dice to make your own pizza and have a pizza party! This travel-sized game is perfect for on-the-go entertainment, with no screens required. Suitable for preschoolers and older kids ages 6 and up, this game offers a family-friendly activity for all ages. Engage in fast dice gameplay and enjoy the excitement with your little ones. Make pizza toppings, complete your pizza, and have a blast playing together. From Briarpatch, where learning and play intersect.

• Fast dice game for kids
• Make your own pizza food game
• Families can enjoy the fast dice gameplay with kids
• Travel game for kids and families
• Have a pizza party by rolling the dice to make your own pizza
• Family friendly dice game activity
• Perfect for preschoolers and older kids ages 3-5
• Screen free dice game for rainy days
• From Briarpatch, where learning & play intersect
• Color: Multicolor
• Dimension: 4.50Lx4.50Wx1.50H
• Size: 2 player
• Fast-paced and engaging gameplay
• Travel-sized for on-the-go entertainment
• Suitable for preschoolers and older kids
• Promotes family bonding and interaction
• No screens required
• Limited to 2 players only
• Could benefit from including more players
• Game components may be smaller than expected

University Games has created a winner with the Pizza Party Dice Game. This fast-paced and engaging dice game is perfect for kids and families, providing hours of entertainment without the need for screens. Its travel-sized design makes it convenient for on-the-go fun, while also being suitable for rainy days at home. Although limited to 2 players, this game fosters family bonding and interaction as players race to complete their pizza. While some may prefer a larger player capacity and slightly larger game components, the overall fun and educational value make up for these minor shortcomings. Whether you’re looking for a travel game or a family-friendly activity, the Pizza Party Dice Game delivers delicious entertainment for all ages.

GRANDLMOON 6 Portable Travel Game Activities Notepad

The GRANDLMOON 6 Portable Travel Game Activities Notepad is a smart and compact solution for keeping kids engaged during travel or at home. This set includes 2 game pads, each containing 60 sheets of classic paper and pencil games like Hangman, Dots & Boxes, On-the-Go Bingo, Connect 5, TIC-TAC-TOE, and Categories. The sheets are made from high-quality card paper and are printed with non-toxic ink, ensuring safety during play. The pads have a durable cover and a rigid backing, allowing you to play the games on various surfaces. The mini-sized pads easily fit in most regular purses, making them convenient for on-the-go entertainment. Whether you're on a plane, at a restaurant, or waiting for your turn, these game pads provide hours of fun and challenge. The GRANDLMOON 6 Portable Travel Game Activities Notepad is a great companion for both kids and adults and is suitable for both holiday trips and everyday use.

• Smart Design: 6 classic paper and pencil games
• More Sheets with Quality: 60 sheets per pad
• Fun to Play: Keep kids engaged for hours
• Play Anywhere: Mini sized pads fit most purses
• Comes with: 2 game pads with rigid covers
• Dimension: 6.00Lx4.00Wx0.50H
• Great selection of games
• Extra sheets compared to similar pads
• Made from premium card paper
• Printed with high-quality non-toxic ink
• Ideal for restless minds at home or on the go
• Mini sized pad fits in most regular purses
• Can be played on various surfaces
• Easy to tear off individual sheets for play
• All bingo pages in the pad are the same

The GRANDLMOON 6 Portable Travel Game Activities Notepad is a must-have accessory for travel enthusiasts. Its smart design, ample sheets, and compact size provide endless entertainment for restless minds. The variety of classic games ensures both fun and challenge, keeping both kids and adults engaged for hours. The high-quality materials used in the construction of the pads ensure durability, while the non-toxic ink guarantees safety. The convenience of being able to play on various surfaces and easily tear off individual sheets adds to the overall appeal of this product. Although the bingo pages are all the same, this minor drawback is outweighed by the overall value and enjoyment provided by the game pads. Whether you’re going on a trip or simply looking for a way to keep busy, the GRANDLMOON 6 Portable Travel Game Activities Notepad is a fantastic choice.

UNO Card Game for Family Night

Overall Score : 9.2/10

The UNO Card Game is a classic family card game that is perfect for family nights, travel, and gifting to kids. It is easy to learn and provides hours of fun for 2-10 players. The objective is to deplete your hand by matching your cards with the current card shown on top of the deck. The game includes special action cards like Skips, Reverses, Draw Twos, and color-changing Wild cards to add strategy and excitement. When you're down to one card, yell "UNO!" to win. It is suitable for adults, teens, and kids 7 years old and up. The game comes in a collectible storage tin for easy carrying and organization. With durable cards and vibrant illustrations, the UNO Card Game is a must-have for family game nights and a great gift option for all ages.

• Classic family card game
• Match cards by color or number
• Special action cards included
• Suitable for adults, teens, and kids 7+
• Comes in a collectible storage tin
• Dimension: 1.96Lx5.90Wx6.69H
• Easy to learn and play
• Durable cards and vibrant illustrations
• Suitable for large gatherings or small family nights
• Comes in a collectible storage tin for easy carrying
• Fun and exciting with special action cards
• Tape on the tin upon arrival
• Sticky labels on the tin
• No protective covering for the tin

The UNO Card Game is a timeless favorite that brings endless fun to family gatherings and travel adventures. It’s easy to learn for players of all ages and offers enough strategy to keep older players engaged. The collectible storage tin adds convenience and protects the durable cards, while the special action cards add excitement to the game. Whether it’s a large gathering or a small family night, UNO is guaranteed to bring laughter and friendly competition. It’s a must-have for any game collection and makes a fantastic gift for both kids and adults. Get ready to shout “UNO!” and enjoy countless hours of fun!

Vanmor Travel Tangram Puzzle

The Vanmor Travel Tangram Puzzle is a fun and educational toy that is perfect for road trips or airplane travel. It includes 2 sets of magnetic tangrams, a tangram book, and colorful answers to make it easier for kids to solve. The puzzle features 14 colorful magnetic blocks that can be combined into various patterns, enhancing creativity and challenging young minds. Made with safety foam and paper, this travel game is safe for kids and the magnetic bottom ensures that the pieces stay in place. With 368 questions and answers, this toy promotes patience, observation, and hand-eye coordination. The Vanmor Travel Tangram Puzzle is a great gift for kids and adults alike.

• Includes 2 sets of magnetic tangrams
• Colorful answers for easier solving
• 14 colorful magnetic blocks to create patterns
• Safe and durable materials
• Promotes creativity and cognitive skills
• Dimension: 6.30Lx6.30Wx0.10H
• Provides hours of entertainment during travel
• Safe and durable construction
• Magnets are not very strong
• Pieces may fall out easily

The Vanmor Travel Tangram Puzzle is a fantastic travel accessory that keeps kids entertained while stimulating their brains. With its colorful magnetic blocks and variety of patterns, it provides endless hours of fun and cognitive development. The safe and durable construction ensures that it can withstand the rigors of travel, although some users have reported that the magnets could be stronger. Overall, this puzzle is a great educational toy that both kids and adults will enjoy. Whether you’re on a road trip or flying on an airplane, the Vanmor Travel Tangram Puzzle is a must-have companion.

Spot It! Mini Card Game

Spot It! Classic Mini Card Game is a fun and engaging kids game that is perfect for family game night or when you're on the go. It hones players' observational skills and reflexes as they match symbols and pictures. The mini size makes it easy to carry and play anytime, anywhere. This game helps develop focus, visual perception skills, speech-language skills, and fine motor skills. It is designed for 2 to 5 players, ages 4+, with an average playtime of 15 minutes. The portable tin and variety of games modes make it the perfect travel game.

• Classic Spot It! card game
• Five different game modes
• Perfect for family game night
• Develops focus and fine motor skills
• Portable tin for easy travel
• Dimension: 3.13Lx3.13Wx11.50H
• Engaging and tactile gameplay
• Easy to learn and teach
• Compact and portable
• Suitable for all ages
• Smaller cards than expected
• Some confusion with the mini version

Spot It! Classic Mini Card Game is a fantastic travel game and a hit for family game nights. It’s engaging, easy to learn, and portable, making it perfect for on-the-go entertainment. The game offers various modes to keep players entertained, while also helping to develop important skills like focus and visual perception. The only drawback is that the cards may be smaller than expected, but overall, this game provides hours of fun for both kids and adults. Whether you’re looking for a fun activity during travel or a game to enjoy at home, Spot It! Classic Mini Card Game is a great choice.

Disney Eye Found It Card Game

The Ravensburger World of Disney Eye Found It Card Game is a fun and engaging family game that is perfect for both boys and girls ages 3 and up. With vibrant images of hidden treasures and characters from beloved Disney movies like Moana, 101 Dalmatians, The Lion King, Sleeping Beauty, and Lilo & Stitch, this game offers endless entertainment. It not only provides hours of fun but also helps develop important skills such as taking turns, counting, hand-eye coordination, and dexterity. The game is easy to learn with clear instructions, making it accessible for young children. Compact and portable, it is ideal for travel or playing on the go. Overall, the Disney Eye Found It Card Game is a must-have for any Disney-loving family.

• Comes with 57 full-color cards and instructions
• Explore Disney scenes from various movies
• Develops skills like taking turns, counting, and coordination
• Clear and easy-to-follow instructions
• Color: Blue
• Dimension: 0.83Lx3.50Wx5.67H
• Size: Small
• Engaging and vibrant images
• Helps develop important skills
• Portable and perfect for travel
• Suitable for both boys and girls
• Some missing cards reported by customers
• Not ideal for playing in the car

The Ravensburger World of Disney Eye Found It Card Game is a highly entertaining and educational game for children ages 3 and up. Its vibrant Disney scenes and characters make it visually appealing, while the gameplay helps develop valuable skills. The compact size and portable nature of the game make it an excellent choice for travel or on-the-go entertainment. However, some customers have reported missing cards in their sets, and it may not be the best option for playing in the car. Overall, this game is a fantastic addition to any family game night or vacation and will provide endless fun for Disney enthusiasts of all ages.

Travel Games for Kids: A Buyer's Guide

1. age appropriateness, 2. compact and portable design, 3. variety of game options, 4. durability and longevity, 5. educational value, 6. engaging themes, 7. interactive and cooperative play, 8. clear instructions and ease of play, 9. travel-friendly accessories, frequently asked questions about 12 amazing travel games for kids for 2023.

Look for travel games that facilitate multiplayer interactions, allowing several children to participate simultaneously. Cooperative play options can also help engage all the kids cooperatively.

Yes! Many travel games are specially designed for toddlers, featuring larger pieces and simpler gameplay. Look for games that focus on colors, shapes, or basic motor skills.

Some travel games are language-independent or offer multilingual instructions. Check the game’s description or packaging for language options to ensure a fun experience for all.

Opt for travel games with magnetic or attached pieces, compact design, or integrated storage compartments to ensure all elements stay together. Additionally, consider packing the games in a separate zippered bag to keep everything secure.

Yes, some travel games are specifically designed for playing on-the-go, such as magnetic games with foldable boards or card games that can be played on laps or in confined spaces.

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THE BEST Elektrostal Sights & Historical Landmarks

Elektrostal landmarks.

• Monuments & Statues
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Good for Kids
• Good for Big Groups
• Adventurous
• Budget-friendly
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Hidden Gems
• Good for Couples
• Honeymoon spot
• Good for Adrenaline Seekers
• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Statue of Lenin

No. 1 seed Purdue basketball will face 16-seed play-in winner to open 2024 NCAA tournament

Boilers fans won't have far to travel to watch their favorite team in March Madness.

Purdue basketball has earned a No. 1 Midwest Region seed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament behind 7-4 senior center Zach Edey , who recently became the program's all-time leading scorer. Edey, who averages 24.3 points and 11.8 rebounds per game this season, was the consensus 2023 national player of the year and appears to be headed to similar honors this year.

Other key Purdue players: Braden Smith, a finalist for the nation's top point guard (12.7 points, 45.1% 3-point shooting, 7.2 assists, 5.9 rebounds, 1.7 steals); Lance Jones (12.3 points, 1.4 steals); Fletcher Loyer (10.5 points, 43.8% 3s).

Purdue wants to erase the memories of recent seasons , when it has lost to double-digit seeds in tournament action. As a No. 1 seed last year, the Boilermakers lost to No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson in the first round, just the second instance of a 16 beating a 1 in tournament history.

Bilas believes: Analyst says Purdue has 'best draw of any one seed'

FOLLOW THE MADNESS: NCAA tournament brackets, scores, schedules, teams and more.

Who is Purdue basketball playing in the NCAA Tournament?

The winner between Wednesday's play-in game between Montana State and Grambling State

When is Purdue basketball playing in the NCAA Tournament?

7:25 p.m. ET Friday, March 22, 2024

Where is Purdue basketball playing in the NCAA Tournament?

Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

What channel is Purdue basketball on in the NCAA Tournament?

TV : TBS, with Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Dan Bonner and Stan Van Gundy (analysis), Andy Katz (sideline reporting)

Radio :  Purdue Sports Network  (96.5 FM in Lafayette, 1260 AM in Indianapolis), with Rob Blackman (play-by-play) and Bobby Riddell (analysis).

Streaming : Varsity Network ,  ESPN+ ,  Fubo ,  Paramount+ ,  Sling

Purdue basketball schedule

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USA TODAY 10Best

Gastronomic grandstands: Readers rank the 10 best MLB stadiums for food

Best Baseball Stadium Food (2024) March 20, 2024

While peanuts, Cracker Jacks, and hot dogs remain game day staples at ballparks across the country, fans these days are treated to a whole range of creative culinary offerings. These 10 stadiums — selected by an expert panel and voted by readers as the best for food — serve up some of the tastiest bites in baseball.

No. 10: Globe Life Field - Arlington, Texas

No. 9: Great American Ball Park - Cincinnati, Ohio

No. 8: Guaranteed Rate Field - Chicago, Illinois

No. 7: Petco Park - San Diego, California

No. 6: Progressive Field - Cleveland, Ohio

No. 5: Nationals Park - Washington, D.C.

No. 4: Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

No. 3: Oriole Park at Camden Yards - Baltimore, Maryland

No. 2: American Family Field - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

No. 1: Citi Field - Queens, New York

About 10best readers' choice awards.

Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best .

The Experts

Alex tantum.

Alex Tantum is the founding director of MLBFITS...   Read More

Alex Tantum is the founding director of MLBFITS (@mlb.fits), an Instagram account with a mission of marketing MLB players and connecting them with fans in new ways by showcasing their personalities through their off-field fashion, on-field customized gear, and intersections between baseball and pop culture. Since its launch in October 2019, the account has grown to over 95K followers, including hundreds of active MLB players and top prospects. MLBFITS frequently engages with MLB players, collaborating with superstars such as Manny Machado, Francisco Lindor, and Jazz Chisholm, amongst many others, and working with media companies in the industry such as Bleacher Report and Jomboy Media. Alex also travels around the country interviewing players as an extension of the mission of helping players market themselves and helping fans to get to know them better. MLBFITS has been featured in publications including the New York Post, Bloomberg, and GQ and recognized on MLB Network. Alex is a Villanova University graduate, Class of 2022. You can follow MLBFITS on Instagram  @mlb.fits, and Alex on his personal Instagram @alextantum  and TikTok  @alextantum . You can also connect with him on LinkedIn.

Cameron Guzzo

Cameron Guzzo is an avid baseball fan who shows...   Read More

Cameron Guzzo is an avid baseball fan who shows off his love for the game through short and long-form videos on social media. His videos focus on all aspects of the baseball world outside of its gameplay, such as ballparks, uniforms, food, experiences, and more. While he has only been making videos for a few years, Cameron’s baseball knowledge has been acquired through many years of passionately studying the game and its intricacies. His main goal is to inspire the next generation of baseball fans to love and appreciate the game as much as he does.  You can find Cameron on YouTube , Instagram and TikTok .

Jack Dopp is a lifelong baseball fan, having grown...   Read More

Jack Dopp is a lifelong baseball fan, having grown up in Philadelphia and spending many years in New York. Jack is a former sports memorabilia vendor who specialized in baseball cards. He grew up in Philadelphia, watching games at Connie Mack Stadium, then Veterans Stadium, and now Citizens Bank Park. Despite having gone to countless games in the last 70+ years, Jack has yet to catch a foul ball in any ballpark. In 1992, he married his wife Donna and moved to New York. In 2013, Jack set out to visit all the ballparks in the MLB. It took 9 years, but in 2022, he was able to complete his journey in Chicago, where the Sox and Cubs both rolled out the red carpet for him.

Jessica DeLine

Jessica is a lifelong baseball fan and has been...   Read More

Jessica is a lifelong baseball fan and has been lucky to have been  writing about the sport since 2016. She is the former editor in chief of  the SB Nation Angels fan site Halos Heaven and is current editor in  chief and co founder of the Angels fan site Crashing the Pearly Gates.  Jessica has been to 28 of 30 MLB stadiums, a handful of MiLB stadiums  and attends games frequently in Anaheim and San Diego where she now  lives. You can find her on Twitter @abaseballchick .

Malcolm MacMillan

Malcolm MacMillan is a writer, avid baseball fan...   Read More

Malcolm MacMillan is a writer, avid baseball fan and founder of  The Ballpark Guide . His website features tips to help fans get the most out of their ballpark visits, including advice on how to save money on parking, find the ultimate seat, eat the best food and snag baseballs. Malcolm also writes a  travel blog  that takes the reader, through his stories and photos, on his road trip adventures to new ballparks each summer. He has been to more than 80 affiliated stadiums across the major and minor leagues since 2010, and his work has been featured in USA Today, Forbes and ESPN Radio.

Catherine Smith

Catherine Smith, Readers' Choice Awards...   Read More

Catherine Smith, Readers' Choice Awards Production Manager and Social Media Director for USA TODAY 10Best, has a special interest in unique culinary experiences and  off-the-beaten-path adventures. Catherine is the founder of  Her Bags Were Packed  where she focuses on helping  women release emotional baggage through solo travel and self-discovery.

10Best Editors

USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,...   Read More

USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.

Best Theme Park Restaurant

Best Public Market

Best Food Tour

Best Food Hall

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Browse the best.

Best Ski Restaurant (2023)

Best Stadium Food (2023)

Best Stadium Food (2018)

Best Ballpark Food (2016)

Best Minor League Ballpark (2024)

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