Which Type of Board Games Do Teenagers Like to Play?
If you have teenagers in your home, or if you have grandchildren who are teenagers, you may have wondered from time to time what kind of board games they would prefer to play.
You may not be aware of the hundreds of board games for teenagers available today. I’ll give you a few examples below to get you started in your search for just the right one.
Years ago, the standard fare was Monopoly, Clue, Risk, and the like – games that you can find in almost any department store that carries a few games. Today, while you may not find them in every store, you have literally hundreds, if not thousands, of wonderful board games from which you can choose. For example, there’s even a large selection of zombie board games – if your teens are into the apocalypse like I was!
There are many types, or categories, of games in the market. Here are just a few of your options.
- Deduction
- War
- Party
- Dexterity
- Roll & Move
- Word
- Area Control
- Trivia
- Cooperative
If any of these sound like a genre of games that the teenager you have in mind might like, you’ve got a good start on your search for just the right game for him or her.
How Do I Narrow My Choices to One Specific Game?
Let’s take a look at some of the games in two of these categories – party games and cooperatives (co-op games, for short).
Both of these game types require several players, but that usually isn’t a problem where teenagers are concerned. They often enjoy socializing in groups of 4, 5, 6, or more, and that’s exactly what many of these games need.
Party games for teenagers could include any in the following list. You can click any of the games in the list to check prices on Amazon.
- Dixit
- Telestrations
- Wits & Wagers
- The Werewolves of Miller’s Hollow
- Say Anything
- Ca$h ’n Gun$
- Jungle Speed
Dixit is a relatively new game; the original edition was published in 2008. It is a storytelling game reminiscent of the classic dictionary game.
The storyteller selects one picture card from his hand and describes it somewhat vaguely. Other players select a card from their hands that they think closely matches the storyteller’s description. All of these cards are shuffled and displayed. Players then choose the card they think was held by the storyteller scoring points if they are correct.
Telestrations is a drawing game along the lines of Pictionary. Each player simultaneously draws a picture based on a word. When time runs out, drawings are passed to the next player. Each then tries to guess what the drawing shows – hopefully the same as the original word. Each player’s guess is passed on and drawn. More drawing ensues, and so on.
Wits & Wagers is a sort of trivia games where all the answers are numbers. After you and other players guess the answer to a question, all answers are laid out on a wagering board. You then place your bet on which answer you think is closest to the correct answers, without going over.
The Werewolves of Miller’s Hollow needs at least 8 players to play properly. Each player is secretly assigned the role of a specific villager in Miller’s Hollow or of the werewolf. The villagers try to discover the identity of the werewolf during the day before each of them is killed at night.
Say Anything is sort of a cross between Wits & Wagers and Apples to Apples. You read a question aloud and other players write down an answer. You secretly choose which answer you think is best. Others bet on which one they think you have chosen.
Ca$h ’n Gun$ pits you against other gangsters vying for control of a pot of cash. You “shoot” at other gangsters using cards and real foam pistols. If you are amongst the survivors of the round, you split the pot evenly with other live gangsters.
Jungle Speed requires keen powers of observation along with quickness of hand. Everyone plays a card. If two match exactly, those players make a grab for the totem pole in the center of the table. The slower player must take all the cards held by the faster, with the goal of getting rid of all your cards.
Do any of these games sound like something your teenager and friends might enjoy?
Here are just a few in the co-op group that you might consider. You can also click these to check Amazon prices.
In Mage Knight, you are one of (up to) four knights working with one or more other knights to conquer dreadful beasts and powerful cities as you explore unknown territory. You can also play this game competitively or solo.
Pandemic forces you to work with other players to prevent the spread of diseases around the world. You all win the game together or the game; that is, the diseases, beat all of you.
Space Alert is mostly played in real time using a 10-minute soundtrack. You and fellow space travelers fight off aliens and try to keep your ship in one piece and functioning properly.
How about any of those for your teen?
Where Can I Find These Special Games for Teens?
You likely can’t make a trip to your local Walmart, Target, or other large department store chain to pick up any of these board games. These games are just not mainstream enough yet for the big guys to carry them.
What you can do is find a specialty game store that handles these board games and dozens more. You can also look online for game store sites and possibly at auctions sites like eBay, UniSquare, and OnlineAuctions. Large sites such as Amazon may have some of these games too.
Shop around because prices can vary greatly from one merchant to another. If you want the game right now, get it from your local game store. If you can wait a little longer, shop online.
Board Games for Other Age Groups
If you want more ideas for teens, check here.
If you’re also looking for games for younger kids, older kids (aka college students), or really old kids (that is, adults), check out the respective pages for more ideas.
Board games for…