The 25 Best Board Games for Teenagers 2023

Best board games for teenagers and college kids. (Post Updated 9/2023)

There are some things in life you just never outgrow and board games are one of them. Our kids might not be playing Chutes and Ladders like they did when they were five, but there’s a whole new slew of board games on the market that are giving teenagers and college kids alike a reason to revisit an old favorite pastime.

Don’t worry, Monopoly and Sorry will never lose their appeal, but the newest games on the market are offering up some crazy fun and adventure that’s hard to pass up. From Exploding Kittens, (yeah, that’s an actual name of a game), to Relative Insanity, (so you can admit just how crazy your family really is), there’s a game out there for everyone!

We couldn’t list them all (there are just too many cool games out there), so we pulled together the hottest and best list of board games for teenagers and college kids this year! Grab the family, grab your friends, or grab a few strangers and get your game on with these BEST board games for teenagers and college kids.

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, visit our Policy Page.

Banana Grams

Grab your friends and family for a fun game (that’s also educational, but don’t tell the kids) where players race against each other to build crossword grids. Truth be known, this game will drive you bananas!

Not Parent Approved

Want to get your tweens and teens to put their phones down (if only for a while) and battle their boredom? Not Parent Approved is an inappropriately appropriate hilariously funny game that was designed to reintroduce a love of family games in these screen-obsessed times.

Pandemic

It’s not surprising that Pandemic tops the list of games for teens and college kids. As skilled members of a disease-fighting team, players work together as a team to treat infections around the world while gathering resources for cures.

“double ditto”

Simple and hilarious fun the entire family will enjoy! Pick a card, read it out loud and then quickly write down two answers you think other players will also write. Award-winning game and Amazon bestseller!

Relative Insanity

Relative Insanity is a hilarious game about crazy family members and even crazier situations – perfect for game nights with friends, family or college roomies!

5 Second Rule

5 Second Rule is a fast-paced party game where players pick a card, read the seemingly easy topic, then start the timer! With only 5 seconds to name 3 things that fit with the topic, it’s a lot harder than it seems!

Catch Phrase

Not your typical “board game,” Catch Phrase offers up hours of laughs for tweens, teens and college kids. Players are challenged to guess words and phrases while on the clock. Even if you only have a few games on your shelf, be sure this is one of them.

Ticket to Ride

Train to Ride is a fun, fast-paced, award-winning board game where players connect iconic North American cities and build train routes to earn points.

Unstable Unicorns

A strategic card game for teens and adults that will destroy your friendships… in a good way, that is! More than a million sold worldwide!

Betrayal at House on the Hill

In this hauntingly fun game, players must work together to survive a nightmare. With 50 blood-curdling scenarios, each trip to House on the Hill promises fresh horrors for players.

SKYJO

The goal with SKYJO is to get as few points as possible by flipping, trading and collecting cards throughout several rounds. This one is fun for the whole family!

Spontuneous

This game is perfect for anyone who loves to sing or has a song for everything! (We all know someone like that.) You’re given a word and challenged to think of a lyric with that word in it. Pitch perfect or not, just start singing!

Scrabble

Classic games like Scrabble never go out of style! Grab your friends or family and get ready for a wordy showdown where every letter counts.

Blokus

Blokus is the perfect strategy game for the whole family! It takes less than a minute to learn to play with fun challenges for every age. Players take turns placing their 21 pieces on the board; each piece must touch one another of the same color, but only the corners.

Exploding Kittens

Exploding Kittens is the perfect card game for adults, teens and kids who are into kittens, explosions, laser beams and sometimes goats. With more than 9 million copies sold, this is a great game that will get the entire family laughing!

Monopoly Cheater’s Edition

A new twist on a classic game, Monopoly Cheater’s Edition actually encourages players to see what they can get away with. Get caught and you’ll get cuffed!

Taboo

Get teammates to say the guess word without saying the forbidden words. Oops! Say a forbidden word and you get the squeaker!

Smart Ass

Be the first to answer the Who, What, and Where Am I questions, and move closer to being the ultimate Smart Ass!

Catan Trade Build Settle

Catan is an award-winning civilization-building board game that challenges players to harvest and trade resources. Beware of this game – it’s easy to get addicted!

Telestrations

The telephone game sketched out. No drawing skills are required. Just stick figures and a sense of humor!

Sequence

Easy enough for kids, but challenging enough for adults, Sequence is an exciting game of strategy. Play a card from your hand, and place a chip on a corresponding space on the game board – when you have five in a row, it’s a Sequence!

GAMES FOR KIDS 17+

Cards Against Humanity

The crudest, rudest, most politically incorrect (and totally fun) party game you’ll ever play! For younger teens, be sure to check out Kids Against Humanity. (Best suited for 17+)

That’s What She Said

Great for the family or parties! That’s What She Said is a fast-paced game that packs in laughs at every turn. Get ready – it’s as twisted as your mind wants it to be. (Best suited for 17+)

What Do You Meme?

This game takes memes to a whole new level! Players will have tons of laughs as they compete with friends and family to create the funniest memes and determine who will be crowned the meme queen and king. (Best suited for 17+)

Codenames

Codenames is a game that’s simple to explain, easy to understand, fun to play and draws everyone in. If you’re looking for a fast and intense game experience, this game is for you! (Best suited for 18+)