In this guide, we’re looking into the best games for hosting a games night with friends. There are many options to have a fantastic time with your friends, and maybe have a few drinks and snacks and make an evening you won’t forget in a hurry.
Let’s dive into the best games night games.
Mario Kart (any version)
Yes, even the retro ones stack up. Mario Kart is one of the best 4-player Wii games out there and you can even use the updated versions on Nintendo Switch.
Mario Kart doesn’t take long to learn to play, and has a lot to like even for beginner gamers. There are a load of whimsical characters and maps, and the game is a thrill a minute.
With loads of pitfalls in the game, people can go from winning the race to finishing last in a matter of seconds, so even if you’re struggling in the game, you’re not going to be out of it, which is one of the reasons why this stays so fun for everyone playing.
Fun, intuitive and you get to play as Mario or Yoshi, or any of the other members of the gang. What’s not to like?
FIFA (or other sports games)
We’ve picked the soccer franchise of FIFA, but this can really be any sports game you like. While this game doesn’t exactly have amazing reviews across the board, it is great for getting a few friends together.
You can set up custom tournaments and this means that you can play against each other in a battle for who is going to be the best among your friends. You can make the games short, so you don’t have to play long, intense battles among your buddies.
There are a lot of other sports games out there so you can choose whichever is your favorite before making your choice. Madden games, and even NHL games are great choices.
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire (or other trivia games)
Trivia games can be a wonderful option with friends. Of course, you have the option to play trivia games in a lot of different ways, or to make up your own quizzes, but ready-made games such as Who Wants To Be A Millionaire are good fun to play individually to see how far you can get or as a team.
There are a lot of other trivia games and apps that you can choose to play, which provide the perfect opportunity for hosting a games night among your friends. None of you have to do the token job of being a “quizmaster” either, which you would have to do without a game.
Golf With Your Friends
It’s another sports game, but it is worth its own mention, as Golf With Your Friends is absolutely frantic, and full of twists and turns. It has a bit of a Mario Kart feel, but with golf!
The controls are easy, and you don’t have to know a thing about golf to be able to enjoy the game. It provides you with some guaranteed laughs.
Jackbox Party Packs 1-7
The Jackbox Party Pack games provide a really fantastic option for playing with your buddies. One controller sets it up on your console, but then your friends can link their own devices to play, which is an ingenious way to get everyone involved.
Once set up, there are lots of different mini games that you can play, featuring a lot of fun and hijinks. This is a wonderful way to keep things simple, but also to give you something fun to play. With a huge selection of games, if you don’t like one, you can just switch to another.
Summary
Sure, we can always get out the cards or board games for a game night with our friends, but some of us would rather enjoy some of the functionality that Xbox, PS5 or other console gaming offers.
Everyone will enjoy something different, so it is a good idea to have a lot of options, and games such as the Jackbox Party Packs give you exactly that, so you can see what your friends actually want to play.
