How to Introduce a Game Night to Your Friend Group

The long work week is almost over and you’re thinking about how to kick back and have fun with a few close friends over the weekend. As you head home, it suddenly dawns on you — game night.

What kind of games do you bring to a game night? How many people should you invite? Read on to learn some helpful information.

Start Planning Your Game Night

To get started on planning your game night, there are two things you need to start thinking about. How many people do you want to invite, and what kind of food and drinks will you and your friends be noshing?

Inviting the Right Amount of People

If you’re the kind of guy that makes a lot of friends, your first thought is to invite them all. Good on you for wanting to include everyone, but having too many people might complicate the night. 

To begin with, most party games can accommodate four to eight players at the most. Any more than that and people will have to wait their turn. That can be a huge buzzkill — half of your friends have to stand around awkwardly while watching the others play the game.

About four to eight people is the sweet spot for a typical game night. That number can ensure all your friends can play together at once. If you want to invite everyone, consider setting up a few board and lawn games so they all have something to enjoy.

Get the Right Foods and Drinks

Getting the right food and drinks is essential for setting the mood. When you think of a fun time with friends, you think of foods like pizza, chips, dip, and wings with plenty of sauce and napkins. In other words, the perfect foods are easily accessible and not too filling. The same can be said for drinks — your favorite beers or soda go perfectly with friends and games.

That said, this is your game night and you know what your friends like. So if you prefer more than simple chips and dip, feel free to experiment. A cheese and cold cut platter paired with a nice cocktail might be more your thing — or maybe some chili and cheese soup in small servings.

What Games Should I Bring?

Of course, you can only have a game night with games! Board games are a classic staple and there are plenty of them to choose from. Here are some suggestions.

1. Cards Against Humanity

Cards Against Humanity is — in their own words — “a party game for horrible people.” Once you start playing, you’ll see why. Players grab a set of white cards with half a sentence each on them. The Card Czar puts down a black card with another half of a sentence and players have to finish it with a prompt from one of their white cards.

It’s easy to grasp and once everyone’s had a few drinks, things can get pretty wild — in a hilariously good way. Remember that some of the sentences you and your friends can come up with are definitely not for the pure ears of children.

2. Monopoly

If Cards Against Humanity is a modern-day classic, this game is a timeless classic. Monopoly has been the centerpiece of game nights since what seems to be time immemorial. It might not be everyone’s thing, but those who do enjoy it enjoy the heck out of it. Who knew real estate could be such a fun game?

3. Uno

This game can jokingly be considered the friendship killer of card games. Uno is basically a new take on Old Maid — the player who removes all the cards in their hand first wins. The difficulties arise when the game gives the other players plentiful ways to ensure you never do. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. A game of Uno is always a roller coaster of emotions.

4. Video Games

Board and card games are great, but there are other options. If your group has a strong gamer lean, feel free to bust out that Nintendo Switch or PS5 and get gaming.

You can always go right with the Mario Party and Mario Kart series. They’re simple to play, even for people who’ve never played a video game. Your group is guaranteed to get into it after the first mini-game round.

If you lack a Nintendo Switch, you can boot up the Jackbox Party Pack. This series offers a bunch of bite-sized party games anyone can play. Notable games from this series are Drawful, Zeeple Dome and the Trivia Murder Party series.

The Most Important Thing Is to Have Fun

Hopefully, you found these tips helpful in getting your game night started. Remember, you know your buddies best. As long as you keep in mind what they might find fun, that’s already a good start. You’ve got a game night to plan!