We’re sure that you would agree that the best people in your life deserve the best game gift ideas.
Have a look at some of our recommendations of games picked by our very own GG101 experts based on their popularity, quality and replayability value.
So, if you’re someone looking for either a game that is completely different from the norm, or are looking for a spin on a classic well-known game be sure to read our extensive list of the latest game gift ideas for any situation.
See Also: Game Night ideas
Games Gift Ideas by Age
Game Ideas for 2-4 Year Old’s
The following game gift ideas will suit toddlers and pre-school-aged children alike. If you’re having trouble thinking of a fun game to get a young one, these are all great games they will enjoy playing.
CANDYLAND
Ages: 3+
Number of Players: 2-4 players.
Game Overview: Become the first player to traverse through Candyland and reach the finish line. Race against other players and advance by rolling the dice and picking up cards to help progress.
RELATED: How to play Candyland
This Disney edition Candyland board game by Hasbro with its fantasy characters and set-up is sure to fascinate the kids.
ZINGO BINGO
Ages: 4+ years.
Number of Players: 2-6 players.
Game Overview: Zingo Bingo is perfect for helping young kids to develop their reading skills. Once a player has seen an image that matches their tile, then they can add it onto their game board. The first player to completely fill in their gameboard wins.
PASS THE POTATO
Ages: 4 – 15 years.
Number of Players: 4+ players
Game Overview: It’s the classic game of Hot Potato, except Pass The Potato is for younger kids. Gather players in a circle, and pass it around as it gets hotter and hotter. Avoid being the person holding the potato when it explodes.
BLUEY: SHADOWLANDS BOARD GAME
Ages: 3+ years.
Number of Players: 2 – 4 players.
Game Overview: In Bluey the board game, players need to collect 5 cupcake cards to be the first person to the picnic. Players must only stay in the shadowy parts of the game board but can turn the palm tree to change which areas of the board are in the shade.
Game Ideas for 5-7 Year Old’s
The following game gift ideas will suit young children by the ages of 5-7.
EXTREME EGG TOSS
Ages: 3+ years.
Number of Players: 2 – 4 players.
Game Objective: All the fun of tossing an egg with none of the mess. Crack open Extreme Egg Toss for your kids, gather them in a circle and have them toss the ‘egg’ to one another. The egg can detect how hard each player throws, so if it gets thrown too hard then it cracks and the offending player is out. Last player standing at the end wins.
MONOPOLY JUNIOR
Ages: 5+ years.
Number of Players: 2 – 4 players.
Game Objective: Monopoly Junior takes the standard game of Monopoly and adjusts some of the rules to make them more kid friendly. The player with the most cash at the end of the game wins. It uses single notes to make gameplay easier, but still encourages kids to go round the board counting money to improve their numeracy skills.
BATTLESHIP
Ages: 7+ years.
Number of Players: 2 players only.
Game Objective: Battleship is the classic naval strategy game which pits 2 players against each other to determine who rules the sea. Players take it in turns to guess which coordinates their opponent places their ships, sinking them once a player finds the location of the entire ship. The winner is the first player to sink every last ship that their opponent has.
RELATED: Battleship rules
SMACK IT
Ages: 6+ years.
Number of Players: 2 – 7 players.
Game Objective: An easy to learn card game for kids, Smack It has the simple goal of becoming the last player to still have cards in their hand. To do this, players lay cards down until they see a card that says ‘Smack It’ with the first player to gently smack the pile winning the cards in that pile. Once a player is out of cards, they are out of the game.
QWIRKLE
Ages: 6+ years.
Number of Players: 2 – 4 players.
Game Objective: Qwirkle is the matching tile game for kids that encourages them to naturally develop their problem-solving skills whilst they play. Players build lines by matching tiles based on either their color or shape which gives them a score. The player with the highest score after players use all the tiles wins the game.
RELATED: Qwirkle rules
BANANAGRAMS
Ages: 7+ years.
Number of Players: 2 – 8 players.
Game Objective: Bananagrams is similar to other wordy games like Scrabble or Boggle, but more suited for a younger audience. Players use their designated tiles to spell out words found in a dictionary, with the player who manages to get rid of their tiles first winning the game. Give bonus points to whoever can spell the longest word, however.
RELATED: How to Play Bananagrams (Rules and Basic Instructions)
Game Ideas for 8-12 Year Old’s
The following are game gift ideas that are perfectly suited for kids and teenagers aged 8-12+ years of age.
WHAT DO YOU MEME?
Ages: 8+ years.
Number of Players: 3 – 20 players.
Game Objective: In ‘What Do You Meme?’ players compete against one another to create the best memes based on well known pictures turned memes. A rotating judge scores each player or teams created memes based on different factors including how funny the creation is. Match cards with phrases to the picture to create your memes.
GRANDPA BECK’S COVER YOUR ASSETS
Ages: 7+ years.
Number of Players: 4 – 6 players.
Game Objective: Cover Your Assets is the game where players compete to become a millionaire first. Players build sets of assets that match, or steal sets from other players to raise their portfolio whilst the stakes continuously rise. Fast-paced and competitive, Cover Your Assets works best in slightly larger groups of players.
TELESTRATIONS
Ages: 8+ years.
Number of Players: 4 – 8 players.
Game Objective: In Telestrations, a player receives a card with a word or phrase, and must sketch out a drawing of the word/phrase. The next player along must guess what the drawing is and draw what they think the word/phrase is also. Keep going until the last player in the group who tries to guess the original word. Give points out to successful guesses.
PICTIONARY
Ages: 8+ years.
Number of Players: 4 players or more (enough for 2 teams).
Game Objective: One player chooses a Pictionary card which describes what they have to draw. The rest of the team have to guess what their teammate is drawing within a time limit to get awarded a point. Team with the most points or correct guesses at the end of the game wins.
Games Gift Ideas by Type
Arcade Game Ideas
POP-A-SHOT
Ages: 6+ years.
Number of Players: 1 – Unlimited.
Game Objective: If you’re a fan of basketball arcade machines or looking to improve your shooting, then Pop-A-Shot offers players the chance to play in their very own home. The electronic display gives players access to 6 different classic arcade games including both solo and team games.
KLASK
Ages: 8+ years.
Number of Players: 2 players.
Game Objective: Using the power of magnets, Klask is an air-hockey type game where 2 players compete to score goals into the others net. The game is portable, so you can take it anywhere and play wherever there is a flat surface. Players control a magnetic handle underneath the table which influences the direction of the ball.
RELATED: Guide to Klask rules
Klask was ranked as the #1 party game of 2015 in Sweden and Norway!
Carefully designed in the finest regions of Denmark with a lovely wooden finish to help the game stand out.
PAC-MAN MINI ARCADE GAME
Ages: 5+ years.
Number of Players: 1 player.
Game Summary: This miniature sized Pac-Man game brings the classic Pac-Man gameplay usually found in arcades directly into your pocket. Guide Pac-Man through the maze gobbling up Pac-Dots while also avoiding the ghosts. This also keeps a record of the highest scores, so play with your pals to see who can set the biggest.
ELECTRONIC TABLE-TOP AIR HOCKEY
Ages: 5 + years.
Number of Players: 2 or 4 players.
Game Objective: Either play in solos with 2 players or in doubles with 4 players, Electronic Table-Top Air Hockey brings the fun of air hockey straight to the home. The disc glides on the air powered table, and players use paddles to attempt to slide the puck into the goal. The first player or team to reach 7 points first wins the game.
RELATED: How to Play Air Hockey
DESKTOP MINI BOWLING
Ages: 6+ years.
Number of Players: 1 player.
Game Objective: If you’re a fan of bowling but struggle to get to the alley, then the Desktop Mini Bowling set may be ideal for you. Perfect as an addition to your desk, this miniature version of America’s favorite pastime requires you to know over 10 pins using a mini ball. Write out a proper bowling scorecard and host mini tournaments with your friends.
Board Game Gift Ideas
MONOPOLY
Ages: 8+ years.
Number of Players: 2 – 6 players.
Game Objective: Unlike Monopoly Junior, the full version of Monopoly includes all of the standard rules including the ability to buy hotels and negotiate with other players. Buy, sell and invest in properties and places around the board to accumulate the most wealth by the end of the game.
SEQUENCE CLASSIC
Ages: 7+ years.
Number of Players: 2 – 12 players.
Game Objective: To win a game of Sequence, simply match 5 in a row. Play a card from your hand to be able to place a chip on the corresponding space that is on the game board. However, each player is also attempting to match 5 in a row as well, so use plenty of strategy to block other players whilst avoiding getting blocked yourself.
RELATED: How to play the game Sequence.
TROUBLE
Ages: 5+ years.
Number of Players: 2 – 4 players.
Game Objective: Become the first player to safely guide your 4 game pieces into the home slot. Trouble is the game with the ‘pop-o-matic- die in the middle which players click down to determine how many spaces a piece can move. Avoid other players lapping your game piece otherwise you piece gets sent back to the start.
RELATED: How to play Trouble: A Classic Kids Dice Board Game.
SCRABBLE
Ages: 8+ years.
Number of Players: 2 – 4 players.
Game Objective: Spell the words that score the most points to win at Scrabble. Players take it in turns to use their dealt tiles to place letters onto a board to score points. The words that use the most obscure letters get awarded the most points, so try to use words that include an X, V or Z.
SORRY!
Ages: 6+ years.
Number of Players: 2 – 4 players.
Game Objective: Players draw cards to determine how far they can move their pawn along the gameboard. In Sorry, players can also bump other pawns to send them back to the start. Once a player manages to get all 3 of their pawns to home, then they win the game. Players also compete to stop that from happening, however.
RELATED: How to Play Sorry! Ca
CATAN
Ages: 10+ years.
Number of Players: 3 – 4 players.
Game Objective: Catan is the grand strategy game of trading, tactical skills and a little bit of luck. Each player’s goal is to send their settlers across the land of Catan to establish a settlement and thrive by collecting natural resources to use and trade. Whoever earns the most victory points by the end of the game wins.
Card Game Gift Ideas
TACO CAT GOAT CHEESE PIZZA
Ages: 8+ years.
Number of Players: 3 – 8 players.
Game Objective: The winner is the first player who gets rid of all their cards. Players need to remember the words Taco, Cat, Goat, Cheese, Pizza as each time there is a match between a card and one of these spoken words, players slap their hands into the middle. Last player to do so picks up all the cards already played.
CARDS AGAINST HUMANITY
Ages: 18+ years.
Number of Players: 4 – 20 players.
Game Objective: The original adult party card game, Cards Against Humanity requires players to fill in missing words on a black card with words on a white card to create an offensive phrase. Whoever can create the phrase that garners the most laughs with the group gets given the black card to add to their total. The player who collects the most black cards is not only the winner, but is also King or Queen of dark humour.
FIVE CROWNS
Ages: 8+ years.
Number of Players: 1 – 7 players.
Game Objective: Five Crowns is a version of Rummy which adds a new suit to the game to mix up gameplay. Like other forms of Rummy, the goal is to get the lowest score by forming melds of sets or runs with the cards. The lowest score after the game finishes wins, with scoring based upon whatever cards are left in a player’s hand at the end.
RELATED: Five Crowns Card Game rules.
SKYJO
Ages: 8+ years.
Number of Players: 2 – 8 players.
Game Objective: Players attempt to get as low a score as possible in Skyjo by trading, flipping and collecting cards throughout the game in each round played. A round ends when a player doesn’t uncover all their cards, so this can happen at any point. Skyjo encourages players to not only be wary of the game, but also of other players as well.
RELATED: Skyjo rules
TACO VS BURRITO
Ages: 7+ years.
Number of Players: 2 – 4 players.
Game Objective: Taco vs Burrito requires players to come up with the weirdest, wackiest meal to win the game. Players gain points depending on the ingredients that get added to the meal, and lose points if the meal gets ruined in any way. Once all the cards in the draw pile are gone, count up everyone’s points with the winner the player with the most.
GUESS IN 10
Ages: 6+ years.
Number of Players: 2 – 6 players.
Game Objective: Guess In 10 is the card game in which players try to guess what is on the card by asking a maximum of 10 questions per card. Go around the circle with each player asking a question and then having a guess. Whoever is successful in identifying what is on the card wins the point, with the most points at the end of the game winning.
UNSTABLE UNICORNS
Ages: 14+ years.
Number of Players: 2 – 8 players.
Game Objective: Unstable Unicorns is a strategic card game where players collect Unicorns to amass the strongest Unicorn army. Whoever has the most Unicorns by the end of the game wins, but different cards have different actions which can drastically alter the game as you play. Compete against one another to limit the other players chances to win.
RELATED: How to Play Unstable Unicorns.
EXPLODING KITTENS
Ages: 7+ years.
Number of Players: 2 – 10 players.
Game Objective: Russian Roulette in card game form, Exploding Kittens is the tense yet strategic game of chance. Draw cards from a pile, anyone unfortunate enough to draw an Exploding Kitten card is out of the game. However, players may have a card in their hand that stops the explosion or passes it onto someone else. Last player left in the game wins.
RELATED: Exploding Kittens rules
UNO
Ages: 7+ years.
Number of Players: 2 – 10 players.
Game Objective: There are many different versions of UNO to play, with the most iconic being the standard edition. Players need to get rid of all their cards first, but not before saying the phrase ‘UNO’ when they only have 1 card left. Cards get played if they match the color or number of the previous card on the discard pile, with wildcards also involved to hinder the others too.
RELATED: Spicy UNO rules (aka Crazy UNO), How to Play UNO Flash, UNO Attack rules.
Dice Game Gift Ideas
FARKLE
Ages: 6+ years.
Number of Players: 2 – 6 players.
Game Objective: The goal of Farkle is to be the first player to amass 10,000+ points. Points get accumulated by throwing the dice and getting different combinations with the 3 dice on the same throw. Take it in turns to throw the dice numerous times to multiply your score, with successive throws that are the same scoring the most points.
RELATED: Farkle Rules and Gameplay Guide
LEFT CENTER RIGHT
Ages: 5+ years.
Number of Players: 3+ players.
Game Objective: Start the game of Left Right Center by giving each player 3 chips or 3 of some other object and decide who rolls first. Out of the 3 dice, roll 1 for each chip that a player possesses and follow the instruction on the dice which tells the player what to do with each chip. If a player loses all of their chips, they are out of the game. Last player with chips left wins the game.
RELATED: LCR Game rules
YAHTZEE!
Ages: 8+ years.
Number of Players: 2+ players.
Game Objective: Yahtzee requires players to roll out combinations that fit into the most category descriptions, and gaining points every time this is done. Players get 13 rounds each to achieve a perfect combination so they can tick off a specific category. Each round a player achieves a score, with the player with the highest total at the end winning.
RELATED: Yahtzee! Game Rules.
QWIXX
Ages: 8+ years.
Number of Players: 2 – 5 years.
Game Objective: Qwixx is the dice game that makes math fun! The goal is to gain the most points tallied from the number of crosses marked on your scoreboard. If a penalty gets incurred, then points get reduced. Base scores on the color of the die that get rolled and the combinations that players make as a result.
RELATED: How to Play Qwixx.
Floor Games Gift Ideas
BEAT THAT!
Ages: 9+ years.
Number of Players: 2 – 8 players.
Game Objective: Compete in up to 160 different challenges against your friends and family to become the Beat That Champion. The game comes with 80 betting tokens which act as the points, players need to bet tokens based on their confidence of winning each game. Once all players are satisfied with the number of games completed, count up the tokens to see who is the ultimate winner.
POP THE PIG
Ages: 3 – 10 years.
Number of Players: 2 – 6 players.
Game Objective: Feed the greedy pig burgers until he bursts! Pop the Pig is a simple game where players take turns feeding him hamburgers equal to the number rolled on the dice. At some point, the pig will have enough and will burst with the player who last fed him becoming out of the game.
RELATED: Pop the Pig (Instructions and Gameplay Rules).
JENGA
Ages: 6+ years.
Number of Players: 1+ player/s.
Game Objective: Jenga is the precision game where holding your nerve and having steady hands is key for victory. Stack the jenga pieces into a neat tower, and then take turns removing blocks from the tower’s middle to place on top of the structure. Whoever makes the tower tumble over loses the game.
RELATED: Monopoly Jenga rules
THE FLOOR IS LAVA
Ages: 5+ years.
Number of Players: 2 – 6 players.
Game Objective: The physical leaping game The Floor Is Lava requires players to stand on a tile when the name of the game gets shouted out by the games referee. The spinner tells players which color tile is the safe one to jump onto. If a player touches the part of the game mat that is ‘lava’, then they are out of the game with the last player standing winning.
RELATED: The Floor is Lava rules
Games Gift Ideas by Occasion
Christmas Game Gift Ideas
CHRISTMAS CAROLS AND SONG GAME
Ages: 5+ years.
Number of Players: 2 – 6 players.
Game Objective: With 300 questions about well known Christmas Carols and Songs, this game will really test everyone’s knowledge on the most popular festive songs and films. Divide players up into fair and even teams and answer trivia questions, with correct answers advancing a team on the game board. The team who gets to the end first wins the game.
THE SANTA CLAUSE GAME
Ages: 3+ years.
Number of Players: 2 – 4 players.
Game Objective: The Santa Clause game is the ideal way to teach young kids that giving presents can be just as much fun as receiving them at Christmas. Each player chooses a sleigh filled with presents, and they must fly across the game board giving presents to as many players as they can along the way. The player who gives away all their presents first wins the game.
NUTCRACKER RING TOSS
Ages: 5+ years.
Number of Players: 1+ player/s.
Game Objective: This Christmas themed Nutcracker Ring Toss game brings a retro carnival game straight into your very own home. Each soldier has a different score written on it’s chest which signals the score that gets given if a ring is successfully tossed onto it’s hat. Once all players have thrown their rings, count up the scores and award the win to the player with the most points.
Easter Games Gift Ideas
EASTER CHARADES
Ages: 5+ years.
Number of Players: 2+ players.
Game Objective: Easter Charades is the classic game of charades with an Easter theme, making it ideal for any Easter parties or gatherings. This set includes all possible Easter charade suggestions, meaning all your friends and family have to do is come up with the correct actions. Split into teams and award points for each correct guess, with the winning team being whoever has the most points.
EASTER TOSS GAME
Ages: 5+ years.
Number of Players: 1+ player/s.
Game Objective: Toss the beanbag through the hole to score points. Recommended for younger kids, the Easter Toss Game is like Cornhole where points get awarded based on which hole the beanbag gets thrown through. Make it into a tournament where each player has 3 bags to score as many points as possible. The winner is whoever gets the most points.
Mothers Day Game Ideas
BUBBLY: A GIRLS NIGHT PARTY GAME
Ages: 21+ years.
Number of Players: 2 – 12 players.
Game Objective: In Bubby: A Girls Night Party Game takes part in different challenges and answers questions that are usually reserved for girls only nights! Play for fun rather than keeping score so that the evening is kept light-hearted. Treat your mom to a night out she deserves, and start off with playing this game first.
ICONS – WOMEN WHO PLAY TO WIN!
Ages:. 7+ years
Number of Players: 2 – 5 players.
Game Objective: Celebrate some of the most renowned women through history on Mother’s Day with Icons – Women Who Play To Win. Collect the different Icons based on their different achievements within leadership, human rights, science and innovation. Use skill and strategy to hinder opponents to end the game victorious.
Fathers Day Game Ideas
YOU ARE NOT THE FATHER
Ages: 18+ years.
Number of Players: 2 – 5 players.
Game Objective: The most well known phrase from The Maury Show, You Are Not The Father is the board game based on the show. Play action cards to counter arguments, steal the round and win over the audience and prove to everyone that you aren’t the dad. Buy this one if your dad is a fan of the show and of ironic presents.
THE WHISKY GAME
Ages: 21+ years.
Number of Players: 2 – 6 players.
Game Objective: Ideal for fathers who consider themselves to be whisky connoisseurs, The Whisky Game lets your dad put his expertise to the test. Answer questions on history, mixology and connoisseurs to collect different varieties of whisky. The player who collects the most whisky by the end of the game wins.
Valentines Day Game Ideas
TOILET TAG
Ages: 17+ years.
Number of Players: 2 players.
Game Objective: Toilet Tag is a unique couples game as it is played over days rather than hours at random points throughout that period as well. Questions will be asked about your partner and you must write down what you think the answer is. When nature calls for your other half, they mark your answers and give a score.
OUR MOMENTS: COUPLES
Ages: 18+ years.
Number of Players: 2 players.
Game Objective: Play this when it’s date night, Our Moments: Couples teaches you and your partner different things that may have gone unnoticed within your relationship. These conversation starters can really turn into deep and meaningful conversations that enrich anyone’s relationship.
Halloween Game Ideas
BITE-ME
Ages: 8+ years.
Number of Players: 2 – 6 players.
Game Objective: Bite-Me is the Halloween game where players attempt to bite and infect their opponents to turn them into monsters. Once these players turn into 1 of 3 specific monsters, then you need to slay them. The winner is the player who manages to slay one of each monster and still be a human by the end of the game.
THE HAUNTED MANSION – CALL OF THE SPIRITS
Ages: 9+ years.
Number of Players: 2 – 6 players.
Game Objective: Based on the Disney movie, The Haunted Mansion encourages players to collect matching sets of ghost cards by exploring all the rooms of this spooky house. Avoid letting the Hitchhiking Ghosts follow you home so you don’t lose the game however. The player who collects the most sets of ghosts wins the game.
STUPID DEATHS
Ages: 12+ years.
Number of Players: 2 – 6 players.
Game Objective: If you have a dark sense of humor, Stupid Deaths will be the game for you. Identify whether a person’s cause of death was fact or fiction. Play against the Grim Reaper, losing a life every time a player incorrectly identifies a cause of death as fact or myth. Either be the first player to reach the finish or last player on the game board to win.
Thanksgiving Game Ideas
FAMILY FEUD
Ages: 10+ years.
Number of Players: Up to 8 players.
Game Objective: Celebrate spending Thanksgiving with your family by playing the original family game. Family Feud, based off the hit TV show, pits 2 teams against each other who have to guess top answers to different categories. The team who gets the most points across the 4 rounds wins the game.
RELATED: Family Feud card game rules | Thanksgiving game ideas
