Board games for adults

[AvocadoAndToast]

Inspired by the kids games thread. I am looking for new games to play with my friends for the Christmas period.
We like: classics: (scrabble, trivial pursuit etc), strategy (risk, Catan), funny (shot in the dark, cards against Disney).

Any recommendations appreciated, we will likely have a good few afternoons to fill .

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MNHQ Update
This thread is a few years old now, but if you've landed here while on the hunt for board game ideas, our guide to the best board games has been recently updated to reflect current availability. Though many options are geared towards younger players, it includes a large number of more adult-friendly board games too - all tried, tested and approved by Mumsnetters. We hope it's helpful!

Ticket to ride

Labyrinth

We are saving Richard Osmond’s House of Games for Xmas but don’t know what it is like.

Have you considered Mah Jong?

Azul

Ticket to ride
Quirkle
Azul
Carcassonne
Sushi go

Chameleon
Codenames
Magic Maze

Sequence

Azul, reef, carcassonne, forbidden island, quirkle, war on terror, where on earth

The Really Nasty Horseracing Game will destroy your family and any friendships you have.

We really like Labyrinth in this house too, great fun for the adults and kids. Loath monopoly, takes too long and causes so many fall outs. I've heard exploding kittens is fun, but more of a card than board game.

Pandemic

Pandemic legacy

Code names

Suburbia

Splendor

Second lots of these. Carcasonne is a total classic, splendor is great, ticket to ride good fun.

Agricola is great - build your farm in stages.

We had to stop playing pandemic legacy - I am wondering if their market has shrunk or expanded this year.

Resistance is good for ruining relationships too?

Ticket to Ride is brilliant - probably our most played game on the shelf.
Also love Azul, Clank, Quacks of Quedlinburg and Dice Forge.

For fun and easy - Camel Cup
For more serious rule learning - Root / Tzolkin

Codenames, Chameleon, Ultimate Werewolf and Really Nasty Horseracing Game are brilliant.

I have currently got Confident and Herd Mentality in my Amazon basket for this year.

Ticket to ride

(Check you're not buying an extension pack thought if you don't have a main one already)

Not a board game as such but someone on another thread recently recommended Blockus and we loved it

Azul. Absolutely love it. No kidding - dh and I have played it most days since we got it the Christmas before last!

Oh and Go. That one will take a while to master...

Go Fish
UNO
Outburst
Mind the Gap
Scrabble
Bingo
Operations
Snap
Blokus
Exploding Kittens

@mdh2020

Labyrinth

We are saving Richard Osmond’s House of Games for Xmas but don’t know what it is like.

Have you considered Mah Jong?

I found The House of Games board game is sadly quite awkward to play, it’s hard for everyone to see the question cards etc at the same time, for example, they are too small I think. I like many of those mentioned, also Munchkins.

Frenetic

Amazing, thank you! I’m going to research these - especially the ones that keep coming up. Love getting new games

We particularly love:
Carcassonne (a firm favourite with anyone who plays)
Plague Inc
Pandemic
Kingdomino
Exploding Kittens
Forbidden Island
Terraforming Mars (this is a long game and takes a while to get the hang of though)
Betrayal at House on the Hill

And some two-players:
7 Wonders Duel
Patchwork

And a game that goes down very well with the wider family is 30 Seconds. We have the Irish version but I think there's a UK version too.

Agree with lots of these games. I don't think anyone has mentioned 221b Baker Street. I think it's definitely better suited to adults. Children can play it but might struggle to make deductions that solve the crimes. If you enjoy detective programmes you should enjoy it.

Blokus is fab. So simple to learn but not simple to win.

Our latest board game is Memoir 44 based on real military battles. We are just learning how to play but it seems to have potential.