I come back to these kind of randomly every once in a while - I just love the banter, you three just have a great natural rapport and are so distinct from one another. You could talk about anything.
Top 10 most picked games (up to this list, looking at times when all three had lists): Overall: 10. Fury of Dracula (15) 9. Bang! The Dice Game (15) 8. Cosmic Encounter (16) 7. Resistance (17) 6. Race for the Galaxy (17) 5. Pillars of the Earth (17) 4. King of Tokyo (18) 3. Battlestar Galactica (19) 2. Kingsburg (20) 1. Dominion (20) Zee: 10. Five Tribes (6) 9. Ghost Stories (6) 8. Magic: The Gathering (6) 7. Factory Fun (6) 6. Robinson Crusoe (6) 5. Race for the Galaxy (7) 4. Pillars of the Earth (7) 3. Pandemic (7) 2. King of Tokyo (7) 1. Neuroshima Hex! (9) Tom: 10. Pillars of the Earth (5) 9. King of Tokyo (5) 8. Puerto Rico (5) 7. Legendary: Marvel (5) 6. Race for the Galaxy (6) 5. Cosmic Encounter (6) 4. Lost Cities (7) 3. Duel of Ages (8) 2. Innovation (8) 1. Dominion (11) Sam: 10. Small World (8) 9. Memoir 44 (8) 8. Resistance (9) 7. Fury of Dracula (9) 6. Twilight Imperium 3 (9) 5. Bang! The Dice Game (11) 4. Shadows Over Camelot (11) 3. Kingsburg (11) 2. Battlestar Galactica (11) 1. Stone Age (12) Tie-breakers for individual lists are which game was picked in the earlier list, for the overall list is alphabetical order.
Wow, I love that you did this! I am surprised by a few (Sam and Resistance, Tom and Race, and Dominion overall). That being said, could you put the number of appearances in there too? That would also be interesting.
... and updated to include number of times picked. Also, I realised that I'd accidentally left Kingsburg off the Overall list for my calculations, it's been added back into consideration as second place overall.
I guess Tom and Sam should stop giving Zee crap for Pandemic, since both of them have picked games more than Zee has picked Pandemic (and it's not even Zee's most picked).
I love these Top 10 videos. You all have great experience in the hobby, but what really gets me hooked is that each of you brings such a diverse opinion. It all just blends perfectly to make great recommendations.
Alright, enough Sam hate, everyone! For one thing, he's funny! I never get the impression that he's really a negative, unpleasant person, he's just opinionated and not hesitant to offer a dissenting take. The banter between these three guys when they disagree is what keeps me coming back to these videos, and it wouldn't work if they all had the exact same opinions or personalities, or if they all agreed on every game. You can tell they're all making their arguments in good faith, and that they all just get excited when it comes to arguing about games! It's what makes this youtube channel so much fun! Never change, guys, and long live Sam Healey.
As it says in the description of the video... [NOTE: We know Tom's audio isn't great, and for that, we apologize. Our audio tech was not in this day and something went awry at the sound board.]
Tom is not even wired.... :S anyway great list as always and good for us Tom kinda loud guy and we can hear everything he said :P keep up your good work DT
Well, I watched the Boardgame Breakfast first and based on the apology was expecting something far worse than this! No problem Tom, I am glad that you did not feel the need to redo this or scrap it for such a minor fault.
Unusual Suspects sounds like a house variant we have of the old kids game "Guess Who". When played this way we call it Guess How. The rule is you can't ask anything about their appearance. So instead of "Does he have a hat?" You ask "Has he been to prison?". Surprisingly fun for adults this way. But still only 2 people, not a party game.
Wink is a gem of a (party) game! Zee nails it: playing with grandchildren to grandparents, it is super easy to teach and generates lots of laughs. Balderdash is side-splitting hilarity - a classic!
My favorite thing of Deception is having the Forensic Investigator and the killer each describe how they visualized the murder was done, because those stories are often wildly and dramatically different. :)
The main reasons I can say that Deception: Murder in Hong Kong can function as a party game is: A. It can play a small crowd (up to 12 players). B. It's not that hard to set up and get going. C. I've personally seen this game produce some uproarious laughter in most sessions, especially with the witness and accomplice involved. D. It's very brief. (Which can be awesome at times) Our game groups typically ask to play over and over and over again. I can get 3 or 4 games of this within the span of about 2 hours. That's fun!
we had a games day, everyone brought a game. the first game we played was my copy of Deception: Murder in Hong Kong... we had 12 people and everyone demanded we play Deception back to back for four hours straight.
Spyfall theme makes sense, and it's explained, zee failed here. Spyfall theme is that there is a spy in the RADIOCOM, there are say 5 agents in the LOCATION, but the spy ISNT. So the agents got the information that someone in the communications is a spy and is not actually an agent in the location. So the agents, in order to figure WHO in the coms is the spy, considering that the spy isn¡t in the location, and thus DOESNT KNOW Where the agents are, use that to their advantage to figure out who the spy in the coms is.
Great video guys. Love the top 10 lists (only thing I tend to watch). No problem with the audio - I could hear everything Tom said so doesn't matter. Also I didn't think Sam's sniffing was a problem - no different from being in the office this time of year!
Wits and Wagers is great with 7 or even less. We play all the time at home and at my after-school game club. Think Sam is out in the field with this one... And Cash & Guns is totally out - I think the school would freak out and the resource officer might go a little nuts LOL Our Party Favorites: Scattergories, Wits & Wagers, Compatibility, Telestrations, Tsuro, Sequence, Apples to Apples, Crazy Rook (Rook card game w/ house rules?), Mexican Train (Dominoes), Cards Against Humanity
Balderdash is one of my all time favorites, telestrations another recent favorite. You guys should definitely check out The Game of Things. Similar to Balderdash that you write down answers to questions like “Things you shouldn’t say to your mother-in-law” etc. Then one person reads them all and people go around the table trying to figure out who wrote down which answer. Fun, funny, and can turn meta.
Tom, thank you for posting this video knowing you were going to get crap for it. I enjoyed it and it was very easy to overlook the minor oops. Not a biggie. I'm so sorry for the hateful comments you have to deal with. Your ability to keep doing what you do despite the meanie heads out there is very admirable. You are a stand up guy. Much respect.
It is true defining a party game is a little tough, as I will describe more below. I really love social type games, some of the more social games are what I would consider party games and others I feel are not. Here is my list: 1. Bang! The Bullet with BANG! The Valley of Shadows: I do not recommend the base card game by itself. Too many issues, but those issues are fixed with the expansions you can find in or outside Bang! The Bullet. A very social game, it is still my 4th favorite game of all time, just doesn't get played much. 2. Balderdash: I have the original version as well as the old Beyond Balderdash like Zee said. I also played this many years ago the 1st time, before becoming a board game hobbyist at a church gathering in the early 90's. I fell in love with the game immediately and went and bought my copy. It is my favorite "true" party game, and my 21st favorite game of all time. 3. Telestrations: A game that was new for us starting last year. I bought the 12 player party pack on sale. This has gone over huge with my family, and I love it. I think I have laughed consistently harder with this than Balderdash, but Balderdash can be just as funny as well, but usually involves some meta gaming and time. Telestrations is my 28th favorite game of all time. 4. Say Anything: I bought this for my sister 2 Christmas's a go, because I heard great things, I got it on sale for $5. It has gone over huge. My 32nd favorite game. It had been easy to find and cheap. I may have to buy a personal copy since it is going OOP, I love it. 5. The Resistance: Played this a handful of times at a convention over a year ago and loved it. It may be a bit too complex in its nuances for some of my family, so have been hesitant to buy it. My 60th favorite game. 6. Ca$h N Guns: I bought 2nd edition early. I enjoy it, and had reasonable success. Using the player characters has not been so good. I now have 2 expansions, and needs more play. My 64th favorite game. 7. Werewolf/Ultimate Werewolf: Deluxe Edition: This has dropped a bit over the last year. This game has had tremendous success among my family and friends. I just have ran it and played it too much. More running than playing. My 66th favorite game. 8. One Night Ultimate Werewolf: I recently added Daybreak which I think helps the game a lot. This game does great when my family wants werewolf and we don't have enough players. My 96th favorite game. 9. Wits & Wagers Family Edition: I will continue to champion the Family Edition edition, as I think it's mechanics are better. I added more individual player ability with paper and colored and marked poker chips. We seem to like it better with lots of individual players rather than teams. In my wife's top 5 favorite games of all time, but not on my top 100. 10. Spyfall: I bought this game because of the hype, as it did sound interesting, but wasn't as big of a fan, and have since grown even less fond of it, but has done well with my family. So it gets to sneak in at #10. Now there are 2 games, I am not listing on my top 10, even though they may be considered party games. I feel these 2 games are just as much as a party game as Colt Express, Captain Sonar, or Jamaica. And they are: Sheriff of Nottingham: which would have fallen as 5 on my list pushing everything down. Bang! the Dice game as 6. I like Sheriff of Nottingham but 95% of my family LOVES it!!! I tend to dislike games more when they are hyped more than I like, so it has been slowly falling on my top 100. It now sits at #46 and was once in the teens. I will be buying the expansion since my family loves it and we need it to play more people. As far as Bang! the Dice game, it feels more like a filler for me now. Other party games of interest I want to try: Raise your Goblets: Interested in this for my family. Deception: Murder in Hong Kong: Interested in this for my family. Dixit: This had more hype from the Dice Tower in the past and has intrigued me. Insider: I want this!!! Of note: Time's Up: I played this at a convention a year ago, and did not like it. It was fun to watch, but not my style of a game to play. I got accidentally skipped on my turn, but I didn't care because I wasn't enjoying the game.
The list has changed. As of the week of July 20th 2017 I have gotten the game, The Chameleon. It is now my 3rd favorite party game, and my 30th favorite game of all time. It is a HUGE hit with my family as well.
Great list! Although party games are not my favorite, my friends aren't gamers so when we get together I usually have to have a good selection of party games... There are definitely some I added to my "To Buy" list. Thanks guys.
Dice tower is my favorite. I watch it ever day....ever day. Big fan here. That said, I feel like they are the only TH-cam channel with the most issues with audio, considering the money they have probably invested.
Christopher Ramsey they publish poor quality videos that other content creators would not. Which would be a fun game... the Dice Tower is to video quality, as (name a board game company) is to component quality. Wrong answers include Fantasy Flight and CMON. :-)
There's this party game that came out in France last year called Keskifé? We have a version in Canada called Tabarouette, t'es faite! (Sh**, you're done!), which is Spyfall, but with mimes: one player must guess what the others are miming while they're miming it. Incredibly funny.
On Cash n Guns, I actually agree with Zee that the 2nd edition isn't necessarily streamlined and there seems to be a tendency for people in the gaming industry to perceive 2nd editions/reprints as such. I am not a fan of the art style and the elimination of the BANG BANG BANG card in the 2nd edition. Having said that, both editions are not necessarily complex and still fun.
10. Balderdash(would be higher if I had a danish version, so I could play it more) 9. Mysterium 8. Cards against Humanity 7. PitchCar 6. The Resistance: Avalon 5. Sheriff of Nottingham 4. Codenames 3. BANG! The Dice Game 2. Deception: Murder in Hong Kong 1. Spyfall
The best rounds in Time's Up are the later rounds like the one where you have to act out the clues with just your hands behind a couch or the one where you act it out under a blanket. I know that some people think this makes the game a little too long but I think you should use just a few less cards.
I would also add Catch Phrase, Apples to Apples, and in some cases Codenames. I like Dixit as much as the next person, but I find that Apples to Apples is much more versatile.
Looking up Compatibility on BGG it looks like a newer version exists but only in Europe? There was a video with a French gentleman presenting a German version of the game. How/where would I find out if they made an English version?
Tom Vasel in the list you give a list of alternate Party games at the end of the video, Did you say that one is called "Dropometer"? I couldn't find it mentioned anywhere online.
I'll never understand why Tom and Zee hate on Mysterium so much and claim Deception is the "Mysterium-killer." I honestly think they both scratch different itches and Mysterium is great with 4-7 players whereas Deception is truly best at 6-9. And yes I have played Mysterium outside of a spooky, halloween setting, it truly works in any situation for me
The best way to play Telestrations is to take the phrase from both sides of your card and combine them together. Really lets it get absurd.
7 ปีที่แล้ว +1
Also to add my list, I tend to go more for the adult party games so Cards Against Humanity (come at me!), Disturbed Friends, Joking Hazard, Secret Hitler, Scrawl (which is sort of like Telestrations), Superfight, and Cash n Guns. I also love party games!
The max players of Sheriff of Nottingham is sadly only 5. Sam is right very low player count for a party game but it's so much fun if it's a tiny party.
Haven’t played it yet but in Spyfall wouldn’t it make thematic sense that the spy has infiltrated a hideout/lair and is talking to other minions/villains about where their boss is/where their objective is located but everyone is being secretive with their answers because they know they’ve been infiltrated or bugged? I don’t know, makes sense to me. 🤷♂️
Wits and Wagers is fun but it fell flat with my friends cos we had to skip all the questions with inches, pounds etc.It shouldn't have been an issue but for some reason it did put a dampener on the enjoyment.
Nice video. Unfortunately Tom's Mic is not working... I do not know whether there is an English version but I like "Stories - es zählt was erzählt wird" as well.
As it says in the description of the video... [NOTE: We know Tom's audio isn't great, and for that, we apologize. Our audio tech was not in this day and something went awry at the sound board.]
As it says in the description of the video... [NOTE: We know Tom's audio isn't great, and for that, we apologize. Our audio tech was not in this day and something went awry at the sound board.]
"Deception" has an awesome mechanics, hands down the best set among social deduction games. But I really have a problem with the theme here: murder and criminology are not the most fun subjects for me. The language barrier is higher with this game as well, even when the game is translated, because you really have to know the exact difference between the many words meaning the same at their basic level. For example, suffocate/strangle/stew/choke/braise meant pretty much the same thing for me before I started playing. Plus, it's ugly as all get out. I would love to see it re-themed and to be a little bit more language - independent with the future prints.
Spyfall and Say Anything are everywhere. Is it a regional thing? Meanwhile 2 of you put Insider on your list and I don't think that game even exists yet outside of conventions and review copies.
Another good video, but I am hoping that some of this year's funding goes towards the sound and video quality. On a side note: I'd love to see you guys get more creative with camera shots and angels on your game reviews - moving away from the standard standing behind the camera and pointing to / holding pieces as you talk.
Agreed with Jonathan. That kind of visual work would take a lot of time that doesn't really add much to the video for most of us watching. The audio I think is generally excellent. Even with this mic issue I can still hear Tom well. Fancy video effects would likely mean less videos, and I'd rather have more videos than visually stunning productions beyond what they are doing currently.
So is the blue cover shown the newest edition of Balderdash which is technically Beyond Balderdash? Just want to make sure I pick up the correct version of the game.
Guys, guys, Balderdash is good, but there's a much better variant out there: Fictionaire! Instead of words or acronyms or movie titles, it has obscure questions. Try it.
As it says in the description of the video... [NOTE: We know Tom's audio isn't great, and for that, we apologize. Our audio tech was not in this day and something went awry at the sound board.]
How about a top ten list of house rules/gamer group variants that work well? (Either for special games, or even more generally for certain mechanisms) Anything from removing certain cards, drawing more/less cards each turn etc.
Maybe, it's just me... Or does Sam seem like that salty, and disgruntled gamer you meet at gamer conventions. Reminds me of the disagreeing donkey cut away from Family Guy lol.
I don't fully understand, tbh, why Sam needs a theme for a five minute party-style game? Like, I'm not trying to get immersed in my game of Spyfall or Insider, I guess.
Hard to draw a line between party and social deduction. I think complexity of the rules matters a lot. I'd say Deception qualifies but Bang Dice doesn't. It's just a little too mechanical I think. Not that that's a bad thing, I think both are excellent games. But my favorite for party game would probably be Mysterium.
It's on Tom's list, Sam hates Codenames, and Zee thinks it's all right. Dicetower staff doesn't always follow the crowd. I happen to agree with Sam. Codenames is boring.
Taboo and Unspeakable Words are not terrible, they are brilliant, a great learning resource and guaranteed hits. I've played Taboo with +10 different classes and it was always a success, kids loved it.
As it says in the description of the video... [NOTE: We know Tom's audio isn't great, and for that, we apologize. Our audio tech was not in this day and something went awry at the sound board.]
Well, if they have separate microphones and those are separate audio tracks they should have edited that out. Most basic editing software will allow you to apply audio effects like dropping it to zero during a specific part of the track
Of all the games listed there the only one I like is Codenames. I might be the gamer you are describing at the end. I did a quick search of party games I've rated 7 or higher on BGG - only Codenames. The same search yielded party games I've rated 3 or lower on BGG - all the other party games I've played. haha This makes me sound like a curmudgeon, but I'm really not. I don't mind looking or acting goofy in front of strangers (I have a great deal of experience in theater and performance). I just consider the amount of free time I have and where I will get the most enjoyment...and that's never in a party game. Give me some Power Grid or GWT, please. Oh, those are too long? Mint Works or Between Two Cities, please. :)
I really like Unusual Suspects as well. Shouldn't be playing party games with people who take things too seriously anyway. Like you said the game is how the players play it. Just have fun.
So many of these games would be so boring to play at a party. I understand people like different things, but if someone brought out Concept over, lets say Telestrations, I'd leave said "party". Party games need to scream "FUN"...and sadly a lot of these games are not that.
I must live in a parallel universe because there's no way games like Dixit and Codenames could ever work in my classes. Party games have to extremely simple, clear and objective, Dixit is the exact opposite. And Raise your Goblets?! The concept seemed fun at first, but it's too complicated, there are too many components, too many rules and (correct me if I'm wrong) if a player looks into one of the cups, the whole game is ruined.
I enjoyed all their videos in the past so much, but since about a year, sam is kinda annoying :( I'd rather have jason as the 3rd person. Sam seems grumpy, often misses the point of the lists... I don't know. I often skip his parts in videos now, makes it more enjoyable.
*Florian S* I just wish he'd focus on positive things more because that's supposed to be the point of these lists. Unless Dice Tower starts the Ten Worst ______ lists, which would be entertaining
6:25 it sounds like it's just a half version of a cards against humanity'esque game. Write my own shit? Fuck that, that's the game designer's job. I'd vastly prefer Cards against Humanity over this.
I come back to these kind of randomly every once in a while - I just love the banter, you three just have a great natural rapport and are so distinct from one another. You could talk about anything.
Top 10 most picked games (up to this list, looking at times when all three had lists):
Overall:
10. Fury of Dracula (15)
9. Bang! The Dice Game (15)
8. Cosmic Encounter (16)
7. Resistance (17)
6. Race for the Galaxy (17)
5. Pillars of the Earth (17)
4. King of Tokyo (18)
3. Battlestar Galactica (19)
2. Kingsburg (20)
1. Dominion (20)
Zee:
10. Five Tribes (6)
9. Ghost Stories (6)
8. Magic: The Gathering (6)
7. Factory Fun (6)
6. Robinson Crusoe (6)
5. Race for the Galaxy (7)
4. Pillars of the Earth (7)
3. Pandemic (7)
2. King of Tokyo (7)
1. Neuroshima Hex! (9)
Tom:
10. Pillars of the Earth (5)
9. King of Tokyo (5)
8. Puerto Rico (5)
7. Legendary: Marvel (5)
6. Race for the Galaxy (6)
5. Cosmic Encounter (6)
4. Lost Cities (7)
3. Duel of Ages (8)
2. Innovation (8)
1. Dominion (11)
Sam:
10. Small World (8)
9. Memoir 44 (8)
8. Resistance (9)
7. Fury of Dracula (9)
6. Twilight Imperium 3 (9)
5. Bang! The Dice Game (11)
4. Shadows Over Camelot (11)
3. Kingsburg (11)
2. Battlestar Galactica (11)
1. Stone Age (12)
Tie-breakers for individual lists are which game was picked in the earlier list, for the overall list is alphabetical order.
Wow, I love that you did this! I am surprised by a few (Sam and Resistance, Tom and Race, and Dominion overall). That being said, could you put the number of appearances in there too? That would also be interesting.
... and updated to include number of times picked.
Also, I realised that I'd accidentally left Kingsburg off the Overall list for my calculations, it's been added back into consideration as second place overall.
Dragonster16 Tom's list has a few lemons
I guess Tom and Sam should stop giving Zee crap for Pandemic, since both of them have picked games more than Zee has picked Pandemic (and it's not even Zee's most picked).
Dragonster16 Interesting! Only one that surprised me was Magic the Gathering. (which lists was that one in? most played maybe, and...?)
I love these Top 10 videos. You all have great experience in the hobby, but what really gets me hooked is that each of you brings such a diverse opinion. It all just blends perfectly to make great recommendations.
Alright, enough Sam hate, everyone! For one thing, he's funny! I never get the impression that he's really a negative, unpleasant person, he's just opinionated and not hesitant to offer a dissenting take. The banter between these three guys when they disagree is what keeps me coming back to these videos, and it wouldn't work if they all had the exact same opinions or personalities, or if they all agreed on every game. You can tell they're all making their arguments in good faith, and that they all just get excited when it comes to arguing about games! It's what makes this youtube channel so much fun!
Never change, guys, and long live Sam Healey.
Another list on which Tom's microphone doesn't seem to work :)
And another list where Sam makes that terrible noise with his nose...
Sheriff is most definitely a party game
As it says in the description of the video... [NOTE: We know Tom's audio isn't great, and for that, we apologize. Our audio tech was not in this day and something went awry at the sound board.]
Morten Notodden at least he's working on it. In minute 5 he mutters to himself, "I've got to stop doing that."
Tom is not even wired.... :S anyway great list as always and good for us Tom kinda loud guy and we can hear everything he said :P keep up your good work DT
Well, I watched the Boardgame Breakfast first and based on the apology was expecting something far worse than this! No problem Tom, I am glad that you did not feel the need to redo this or scrap it for such a minor fault.
Nice color matching guys!
Thanks guys. Super love these lists. I know they are more work than a half dozen little videos. But they got me hooked on the channel.
Unusual Suspects sounds like a house variant we have of the old kids game "Guess Who". When played this way we call it Guess How. The rule is you can't ask anything about their appearance. So instead of "Does he have a hat?" You ask "Has he been to prison?". Surprisingly fun for adults this way. But still only 2 people, not a party game.
So many people whining about a microphone :) I can hear him loud and clearly, just open your ears folks!
Andreas Hemming i dont think you know what "loud and clear" means. tom admits the audio is bad in the description.
ROOKTABULA just because you didnt pay, doesnt mean everyone didnt pay.
Some people don't have great speakers on their phones.
Think about others.
Sam: Insider's theme makes no sense.
Sam, 10 minutes later: Who cares if Spyfall's theme makes no sense?
Wink is a gem of a (party) game! Zee nails it: playing with grandchildren to grandparents, it is super easy to teach and generates lots of laughs.
Balderdash is side-splitting hilarity - a classic!
Loving the dice tower so far this year 👍
My favorite thing of Deception is having the Forensic Investigator and the killer each describe how they visualized the murder was done, because those stories are often wildly and dramatically different. :)
Nail hit directly on head! Fact is, that's one of my favorite parts as well. The stories that people produce in general are sometimes hilarious!
The main reasons I can say that Deception: Murder in Hong Kong can function as a party game is:
A. It can play a small crowd (up to 12 players).
B. It's not that hard to set up and get going.
C. I've personally seen this game produce some uproarious laughter in most sessions, especially with the witness and accomplice involved.
D. It's very brief. (Which can be awesome at times) Our game groups typically ask to play over and over and over again. I can get 3 or 4 games of this within the span of about 2 hours. That's fun!
we had a games day, everyone brought a game. the first game we played was my copy of Deception: Murder in Hong Kong... we had 12 people and everyone demanded we play Deception back to back for four hours straight.
Spyfall theme makes sense, and it's explained, zee failed here.
Spyfall theme is that there is a spy in the RADIOCOM, there are say 5 agents in the LOCATION, but the spy ISNT. So the agents got the information that someone in the communications is a spy and is not actually an agent in the location.
So the agents, in order to figure WHO in the coms is the spy, considering that the spy isn¡t in the location, and thus DOESNT KNOW Where the agents are, use that to their advantage to figure out who the spy in the coms is.
Waterd Thank you for that ! that is extremely helpful, solves a nagging problem I’ve had with an otherwise neat game 🙂
Great video guys. Love the top 10 lists (only thing I tend to watch). No problem with the audio - I could hear everything Tom said so doesn't matter.
Also I didn't think Sam's sniffing was a problem - no different from being in the office this time of year!
lol watch Sam starting at 42:02. He's shadow boxing in Wink.
Glad you pointed that out, I cracked up hard!
Gyrogyro nice catch ;)
I just started reading the comments to see if anyone else noticed this! When he winked I died laughing!
Not on Tom's list: One Night Ultimate Flick 'Em Up.
LOL
10. Ghost Blitz. 9. Wonky. 8. Guesstures. 7. Cash and Guns. 6. Codenames. 5. Talkin' Tango. 4. Concept. 3. Snorta 2. Dixit. 1. Anomia. Honorary mentions: Fauxcabulary, Bang the Dice game, wits and Wagers, Tapple
Wits and Wagers is great with 7 or even less. We play all the time at home and at my after-school game club. Think Sam is out in the field with this one... And Cash & Guns is totally out - I think the school would freak out and the resource officer might go a little nuts LOL
Our Party Favorites:
Scattergories, Wits & Wagers, Compatibility, Telestrations, Tsuro, Sequence, Apples to Apples, Crazy Rook (Rook card game w/ house rules?), Mexican Train (Dominoes), Cards Against Humanity
Balderdash is one of my all time favorites, telestrations another recent favorite. You guys should definitely check out The Game of Things. Similar to Balderdash that you write down answers to questions like “Things you shouldn’t say to your mother-in-law” etc. Then one person reads them all and people go around the table trying to figure out who wrote down which answer. Fun, funny, and can turn meta.
Tom, thank you for posting this video knowing you were going to get crap for it. I enjoyed it and it was very easy to overlook the minor oops. Not a biggie. I'm so sorry for the hateful comments you have to deal with. Your ability to keep doing what you do despite the meanie heads out there is very admirable. You are a stand up guy. Much respect.
This trio is the best. ❤
It is true defining a party game is a little tough, as I will describe more below. I really love social type games, some of the more social games are what I would consider party games and others I feel are not. Here is my list:
1. Bang! The Bullet with BANG! The Valley of Shadows: I do not recommend the base card game by itself. Too many issues, but those issues are fixed with the expansions you can find in or outside Bang! The Bullet. A very social game, it is still my 4th favorite game of all time, just doesn't get played much.
2. Balderdash: I have the original version as well as the old Beyond Balderdash like Zee said. I also played this many years ago the 1st time, before becoming a board game hobbyist at a church gathering in the early 90's. I fell in love with the game immediately and went and bought my copy. It is my favorite "true" party game, and my 21st favorite game of all time.
3. Telestrations: A game that was new for us starting last year. I bought the 12 player party pack on sale. This has gone over huge with my family, and I love it. I think I have laughed consistently harder with this than Balderdash, but Balderdash can be just as funny as well, but usually involves some meta gaming and time. Telestrations is my 28th favorite game of all time.
4. Say Anything: I bought this for my sister 2 Christmas's a go, because I heard great things, I got it on sale for $5. It has gone over huge. My 32nd favorite game. It had been easy to find and cheap. I may have to buy a personal copy since it is going OOP, I love it.
5. The Resistance: Played this a handful of times at a convention over a year ago and loved it. It may be a bit too complex in its nuances for some of my family, so have been hesitant to buy it. My 60th favorite game.
6. Ca$h N Guns: I bought 2nd edition early. I enjoy it, and had reasonable success. Using the player characters has not been so good. I now have 2 expansions, and needs more play. My 64th favorite game.
7. Werewolf/Ultimate Werewolf: Deluxe Edition: This has dropped a bit over the last year. This game has had tremendous success among my family and friends. I just have ran it and played it too much. More running than playing. My 66th favorite game.
8. One Night Ultimate Werewolf: I recently added Daybreak which I think helps the game a lot. This game does great when my family wants werewolf and we don't have enough players. My 96th favorite game.
9. Wits & Wagers Family Edition: I will continue to champion the Family Edition edition, as I think it's mechanics are better. I added more individual player ability with paper and colored and marked poker chips. We seem to like it better with lots of individual players rather than teams. In my wife's top 5 favorite games of all time, but not on my top 100.
10. Spyfall: I bought this game because of the hype, as it did sound interesting, but wasn't as big of a fan, and have since grown even less fond of it, but has done well with my family. So it gets to sneak in at #10.
Now there are 2 games, I am not listing on my top 10, even though they may be considered party games. I feel these 2 games are just as much as a party game as Colt Express, Captain Sonar, or Jamaica. And they are:
Sheriff of Nottingham: which would have fallen as 5 on my list pushing everything down.
Bang! the Dice game as 6.
I like Sheriff of Nottingham but 95% of my family LOVES it!!! I tend to dislike games more when they are hyped more than I like, so it has been slowly falling on my top 100. It now sits at #46 and was once in the teens. I will be buying the expansion since my family loves it and we need it to play more people.
As far as Bang! the Dice game, it feels more like a filler for me now.
Other party games of interest I want to try:
Raise your Goblets: Interested in this for my family.
Deception: Murder in Hong Kong: Interested in this for my family.
Dixit: This had more hype from the Dice Tower in the past and has intrigued me.
Insider: I want this!!!
Of note:
Time's Up: I played this at a convention a year ago, and did not like it. It was fun to watch, but not my style of a game to play. I got accidentally skipped on my turn, but I didn't care because I wasn't enjoying the game.
The list has changed. As of the week of July 20th 2017 I have gotten the game, The Chameleon. It is now my 3rd favorite party game, and my 30th favorite game of all time. It is a HUGE hit with my family as well.
Great list! Although party games are not my favorite, my friends aren't gamers so when we get together I usually have to have a good selection of party games... There are definitely some I added to my "To Buy" list.
Thanks guys.
Dice tower is my favorite. I watch it ever day....ever day. Big fan here. That said, I feel like they are the only TH-cam channel with the most issues with audio, considering the money they have probably invested.
Christopher Ramsey they publish poor quality videos that other content creators would not. Which would be a fun game... the Dice Tower is to video quality, as (name a board game company) is to component quality. Wrong answers include Fantasy Flight and CMON. :-)
Christopher Ramsey stop being a troll
Cyn R that word doesn't mean what you think it means
Christopher Ramsey good one 🙄
Cyn R good one 🙄
There's this party game that came out in France last year called Keskifé? We have a version in Canada called Tabarouette, t'es faite! (Sh**, you're done!), which is Spyfall, but with mimes: one player must guess what the others are miming while they're miming it. Incredibly funny.
Anyone else notice Sam winking multiple times starting at 43:16?
System Administrator ii
When Sam did that intro, I legitimately thought I'd accidentally clicked on an old Halloween video somehow.
"It's the discussion after the round is over" yes that's what dixit is about. not the points. i feel like people who don't like it just don't get this
Whoa, keep these titles please, absolute winner for skippin back and forth :)
On Cash n Guns, I actually agree with Zee that the 2nd edition isn't necessarily streamlined and there seems to be a tendency for people in the gaming industry to perceive 2nd editions/reprints as such. I am not a fan of the art style and the elimination of the BANG BANG BANG card in the 2nd edition. Having said that, both editions are not necessarily complex and still fun.
10. Balderdash(would be higher if I had a danish version, so I could play it more)
9. Mysterium
8. Cards against Humanity
7. PitchCar
6. The Resistance: Avalon
5. Sheriff of Nottingham
4. Codenames
3. BANG! The Dice Game
2. Deception: Murder in Hong Kong
1. Spyfall
Sam winking the whole time Zee is talking about Wink lol
The best rounds in Time's Up are the later rounds like the one where you have to act out the clues with just your hands behind a couch or the one where you act it out under a blanket. I know that some people think this makes the game a little too long but I think you should use just a few less cards.
I would also add Catch Phrase, Apples to Apples, and in some cases Codenames. I like Dixit as much as the next person, but I find that Apples to Apples is much more versatile.
Aaron Geisel codenames is too much sitting in silence thinking for a true party game.
Trevin Taylor the quiet party.
I lost count of how many times Sam winked.
Looking up Compatibility on BGG it looks like a newer version exists but only in Europe? There was a video with a French gentleman presenting a German version of the game. How/where would I find out if they made an English version?
FYI Spyfall isn't too hard to find now. Target and Barnes & Noble both carry it in stores.
Tom Vasel in the list you give a list of alternate Party games at the end of the video, Did you say that one is called "Dropometer"? I couldn't find it mentioned anywhere online.
I'll never understand why Tom and Zee hate on Mysterium so much and claim Deception is the "Mysterium-killer." I honestly think they both scratch different itches and Mysterium is great with 4-7 players whereas Deception is truly best at 6-9. And yes I have played Mysterium outside of a spooky, halloween setting, it truly works in any situation for me
I have a copies of Balderdash say anything. Love playing them with the wife,Niece and Nephew. Also planning on getting wits and wagers for Christmas
The best way to play Telestrations is to take the phrase from both sides of your card and combine them together. Really lets it get absurd.
Also to add my list, I tend to go more for the adult party games so Cards Against Humanity (come at me!), Disturbed Friends, Joking Hazard, Secret Hitler, Scrawl (which is sort of like Telestrations), Superfight, and Cash n Guns. I also love party games!
CineGamer you think cash n guns is an adult game?
Well....if you think about it, it sort of is. It's about pointing guns at each other. :P
The max players of Sheriff of Nottingham is sadly only 5.
Sam is right very low player count for a party game but it's so much fun if it's a tiny party.
I think 5-6 people for that game is enough.
The only problem with Wits & Wagers is that it is so American that it makes very little sense out here in the rest of the world
"Say Anything" is at Target.
Kidney stones can have blood on them
Haven’t played it yet but in Spyfall wouldn’t it make thematic sense that the spy has infiltrated a hideout/lair and is talking to other minions/villains about where their boss is/where their objective is located but everyone is being secretive with their answers because they know they’ve been infiltrated or bugged? I don’t know, makes sense to me. 🤷♂️
Wits and Wagers is fun but it fell flat with my friends cos we had to skip all the questions with inches, pounds etc.It shouldn't have been an issue but for some reason it did put a dampener on the enjoyment.
Great top 10 as always. Quick suggestion: you could display the numbers rolled on each D20 at the end.
Nice video. Unfortunately Tom's Mic is not working... I do not know whether there is an English version but I like "Stories - es zählt was erzählt wird" as well.
As it says in the description of the video... [NOTE: We know Tom's audio isn't great, and for that, we apologize. Our audio tech was not in this day and something went awry at the sound board.]
Concept \o/
Absolutely love it.
Yay, another great party games from Sam :D
And a possible fight about codenames?
And a soundcheck fail :
As it says in the description of the video... [NOTE: We know Tom's audio isn't great, and for that, we apologize. Our audio tech was not in this day and something went awry at the sound board.]
Sorry, Tom :)
Seems they each have different ideas on what a party is...
"Deception" has an awesome mechanics, hands down the best set among social deduction games. But I really have a problem with the theme here: murder and criminology are not the most fun subjects for me. The language barrier is higher with this game as well, even when the game is translated, because you really have to know the exact difference between the many words meaning the same at their basic level. For example, suffocate/strangle/stew/choke/braise meant pretty much the same thing for me before I started playing. Plus, it's ugly as all get out. I would love to see it re-themed and to be a little bit more language - independent with the future prints.
Spyfall and Say Anything are everywhere. Is it a regional thing?
Meanwhile 2 of you put Insider on your list and I don't think that game even exists yet outside of conventions and review copies.
Concept is fun but it really need way more cards. Don't you guys like mysterium ? or don't you consider it a party game ?
Another good video, but I am hoping that some of this year's funding goes towards the sound and video quality.
On a side note: I'd love to see you guys get more creative with camera shots and angels on your game reviews - moving away from the standard standing behind the camera and pointing to / holding pieces as you talk.
And I'll represent the other side of the argument which really doesn't care about creativity of camera angles. This is information, not pieces of art.
Agreed with Jonathan. That kind of visual work would take a lot of time that doesn't really add much to the video for most of us watching. The audio I think is generally excellent. Even with this mic issue I can still hear Tom well. Fancy video effects would likely mean less videos, and I'd rather have more videos than visually stunning productions beyond what they are doing currently.
So is the blue cover shown the newest edition of Balderdash which is technically Beyond Balderdash?
Just want to make sure I pick up the correct version of the game.
Actually surprised Times Up was behind Spyfall. I've got to try the all spy thing sometime to mess with everyone.
42:02 Instead of Wink check out Shifty Eyed Spies, you need to wink *and* look, so it's more dynamic.
I really like your videos Dice Tower but a list of your picks under "show more" or timestamps when you take turns would be soooo useful :)
Guys, guys, Balderdash is good, but there's a much better variant out there: Fictionaire! Instead of words or acronyms or movie titles, it has obscure questions. Try it.
Tom, was your mic in another room? ;)
As it says in the description of the video... [NOTE: We know Tom's audio isn't great, and for that, we apologize. Our audio tech was not in this day and something went awry at the sound board.]
How about a top ten list of house rules/gamer group variants that work well? (Either for special games, or even more generally for certain mechanisms) Anything from removing certain cards, drawing more/less cards each turn etc.
I'm glad to see games on your lists that are OOP, but I'm still confused on how a game won't be on a list if it was played too much?
Maybe, it's just me... Or does Sam seem like that salty, and disgruntled gamer you meet at gamer conventions. Reminds me of the disagreeing donkey cut away from Family Guy lol.
I don't fully understand, tbh, why Sam needs a theme for a five minute party-style game? Like, I'm not trying to get immersed in my game of Spyfall or Insider, I guess.
Say Anything is easily my number 1
probably my top 5 choices (no particular order) for party games would be:
Punderdome
Dixit
imagine if
telestrations
cranium party playoff
Hard to draw a line between party and social deduction. I think complexity of the rules matters a lot. I'd say Deception qualifies but Bang Dice doesn't. It's just a little too mechanical I think. Not that that's a bad thing, I think both are excellent games. But my favorite for party game would probably be Mysterium.
I consider Bang! the card game more party like than the dice game myself.
Spyfall is hard to find? I see it all the time at Target. I haven't seen Spyfall 2 but the first one is easy to find.
Or via phone of a website. Made waiting in theme park lines with friends bearable.
Why there no Codenames? Is this video so old that it hadn't come out yet?
number #7?
It's on Tom's list, Sam hates Codenames, and Zee thinks it's all right. Dicetower staff doesn't always follow the crowd. I happen to agree with Sam. Codenames is boring.
Hasbro's Taboo is and always will be the greatest party game ever.
Taboo and Unspeakable Words are not terrible, they are brilliant, a great learning resource and guaranteed hits. I've played Taboo with +10 different classes and it was always a success, kids loved it.
Tom, your mic is not working I suppose...
As it says in the description of the video... [NOTE: We know Tom's audio isn't great, and for that, we apologize. Our audio tech was not in this day and something went awry at the sound board.]
Are Zee and Sam angry at each other for some reason or just really tired?
Ok, Sam's cold/sniffles/sinus-clearing was just nauseating, sorry to say that. Couldn't finish the video because of it, just got on my nerves.
Antoine Lefebvre yea. It's tough to keep listening to, especially since his Mic is so much louder
Well, if they have separate microphones and those are separate audio tracks they should have edited that out. Most basic editing software will allow you to apply audio effects like dropping it to zero during a specific part of the track
what about a top 10, about games which rules are overly complicated for what the game is?
Where is Happy Salmon? Not even hot mentoined in the video :(
Have you guys tried Monikers?
Of all the games listed there the only one I like is Codenames. I might be the gamer you are describing at the end. I did a quick search of party games I've rated 7 or higher on BGG - only Codenames. The same search yielded party games I've rated 3 or lower on BGG - all the other party games I've played. haha
This makes me sound like a curmudgeon, but I'm really not. I don't mind looking or acting goofy in front of strangers (I have a great deal of experience in theater and performance). I just consider the amount of free time I have and where I will get the most enjoyment...and that's never in a party game. Give me some Power Grid or GWT, please. Oh, those are too long? Mint Works or Between Two Cities, please. :)
I do have blood I am a stone please don't beat it out of me
I really like Unusual Suspects as well. Shouldn't be playing party games with people who take things too seriously anyway. Like you said the game is how the players play it. Just have fun.
I though it would be a list with games like Mario Party, Crash Bash,...
So many of these games would be so boring to play at a party. I understand people like different things, but if someone brought out Concept over, lets say Telestrations, I'd leave said "party". Party games need to scream "FUN"...and sadly a lot of these games are not that.
I must live in a parallel universe because there's no way games like Dixit and Codenames could ever work in my classes. Party games have to extremely simple, clear and objective, Dixit is the exact opposite. And Raise your Goblets?! The concept seemed fun at first, but it's too complicated, there are too many components, too many rules and (correct me if I'm wrong) if a player looks into one of the cups, the whole game is ruined.
Why doesn't The Dice Tower use a dice tower?
I was hoping to see some love for Why Did the Chicken...?
I just wish the middle guy would stop interrupting the others! lol
It's ok to be not PC now..
daaang sam, they called you OUT on spyfall haha
"Sssssssssssss-fourteen or fifteen" -Sam
Sam is such a Debbie Downer.
I enjoyed all their videos in the past so much, but since about a year, sam is kinda annoying :(
I'd rather have jason as the 3rd person. Sam seems grumpy, often misses the point of the lists... I don't know.
I often skip his parts in videos now, makes it more enjoyable.
*Florian S* I just wish he'd focus on positive things more because that's supposed to be the point of these lists. Unless Dice Tower starts the Ten Worst ______ lists, which would be entertaining
Totally agree. I'm surprised Tom keeps Sam on (prolly a legacy sticker that can't be removed now).
What do u guys think of exploding kittens?
Zee seems a bit down in this list. Also sounds poorly. Sending you good vibes, dude.
What's the game mentioned by Tom at 8:24?
Flavio Sousa "Werewords"
6:25 it sounds like it's just a half version of a cards against humanity'esque game. Write my own shit? Fuck that, that's the game designer's job. I'd vastly prefer Cards against Humanity over this.