If you’re looking for easy family party games to play, Taboo and games like Taboo usually fit the bill perfectly.
Taboo game rules will give players an object or animal and a list of words that are Taboo, i.e., words that players are not allowed to say to help describe what is on the card.
The game heavily relies on wordplay and the act of thinking of different ways to communicate with other players to get the correct answer – it’s a game that rewards creativity.
Alternative games like Taboo also follow this same idea. Usually, there is a rule which makes communication harder than in other party games, and this is what makes them entertaining!
We’ve selected 14 of the greatest games played very similar to Taboo but have different ways you play them that make great substitutes.
14 Awesome Games Like Taboo
GUESSTURES
Players: 4 – 12 players.
Playing Time: 10 – 30 minutes.
Age: Ages 8+.
Game Type: Card game, Party game.
Publisher(s): Hasbro.
Game Overview:
Split your group into 2 teams in Guesstures, as both teams will compete head-to-head to gain the most points throughout the game. Each team needs to nominate someone who will use classic charade techniques to act out each word on a card for their team to guess. Teams earn 1 point for every correct answer, and the most points at the end win.
RELATED: Guesstures Rules.
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THAT’S IT!
Players: 3+ players.
Playing Time: 15+ minutes.
Age: Ages 10+.
Game Type: Card games.
Publisher(s): Gamewright
Game Overview:
A quick party game, That’s It! can either be played in teams or as solo competitors. A player draws a topic card and reads the listed categories to the group for them to guess the answer. Whichever player manages to guess the category gains the card, which equals a point. At the end of the game, the player with the most points wins the game.
PICTIONARY
Players: 2 – 4 players.
Playing Time: Approx. 30 minutes.
Age: Ages 8+.
Game Type: Party game.
Publisher(s): Mattel.
Game Overview:
Using drawings instead of descriptions, Pictionary is a game where players need to draw a concept while the other players attempt to guess what is being drawn. Whether playing in teams or as individuals, a card gets drawn with a description of what needs to be drawn.
The player or team with the most correct guesses at the end takes the win.
RELATED: Pictionary rules.
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SPEAK OUT
Players: 4+ players.
Playing Time: 15 – 30 minutes.
Age: Ages 8+.
Game Type: Party game.
Publisher(s): Hasbro.
Game Overview:
Speak Out requires players to wear hilarious mouthpieces, which muffles speech and makes it hard for teammates to gather what players are saying. Divide the group into teams, and hand out cards for players to attempt to say. If a team can correctly guess the word, then they earn their team a point. The most points after everyone has had a go at speaking wins.
RELATED: Speak Out rules.
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WATCH YA MOUTH
Players: 4+ players.
Playing Time: 15 minutes.
Age: Ages 4+.
Game Type: Party game.
Publisher(s): Self-published.
Game Overview:
Played similarly to Speak Out, Watch Ya Mouth also features a hilarious mouth guard designed to distort speech. Place people into 2 teams, and each team takes turns trying to understand a word or phrase being uttered by their teammate. 1 point gets awarded if a team can guess the word within the time limit. The most points at the end win.
RELATED: Watch Ya Mouth rules
CODENAMES
Players: 4 – 8 players.
Playing Time: 15 minutes.
Age: Ages 14+.
Game Type: Party game, Family game.
Publisher(s): Czech Games Edition.
Game Overview:
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Teams compete head to head to crack the code in Codenames, with the winners being the team who can crack the code first. 1 team is the spies, and the other are the assassins, the spies are the team who use descriptions to guess each word that is hiding the code.
Once the code has been cracked, the game ends.
RELATED: Codenames rules.
WHAT’S YOURS LIKE?
Players: 4+ players.
Playing Time: 20 – 40 minutes.
Age: Ages 12+.
Game Type: Party games, Card games.
Publisher(s): Playmonster.
Game Overview:
What’s Yours Like? is a game that starts with players getting cards with objects on them. The aim is for players to ask vague questions to try to work out what is displayed on the card. The holder of the card can only answer vaguely as well. Whoever guesses it correctly gains a point, and the player with the most points at the end of the game wins.
RELATED: What’s Yours Like? rules.
ARTICULATE
Players: 4 players.
Playing Time: 30 – 60 minutes.
Age: Ages 12+.
Game Type: Party games, Board games.
Publisher(s): TOMY
Game Overview:
In Articulate, players compete against the clock to draw a card and then describe what is displayed on the card to other players. If they can get what’s on the card correct, then they can move up the game board. The first player who is able to get to the end of the game board wins.
ROLLICK
Players: 2 – 6 players.
Playing Time: 10 – 20 minutes.
Age: Ages 13+.
Game Type: Party games, Card games.
Publisher(s): The Game Chef.
Game Overview:
Begin by splitting players into 2 teams, Rollick requires both teams to get the correct answer to a word or phrase within 60 seconds, except nobody is allowed to speak. Players need to use classic Charades techniques to act out the answer.
Teams take turns to guess their word or phrase and gain a point if successful. The most points at the end win the game.
5 SECOND RULE
Players: 2 – 6 players.
Playing Time: 10 – 20 minutes.
Age: Ages 10+.
Game Type: Party game, Board game.
Publisher(s): Playmonster.
Game Overview:
In 5 Second Rule, each player gets given a topic and 5 seconds only in which they have to name 3 different things that fit the topic, so the pressure really is on. Players compete on a gameboard, moving forward if they are successful in correctly giving 3 answers in time. Whoever can navigate to the end of the board first wins.
RELATED: 5 Second Rule rules.
SCATTERGORIES
Players: 2 – 6 players.
Playing Time: Approx. 30 minutes.
Age: Ages 12+.
Game Type: Party games.
Publisher(s): Hasbro.
Game Overview:
A simple party game, Scattergories requires players to be given a letter and/or a topic, and they must list as many correct answers that fall under that category within a set time limit. After the time is up, players take turns to read out their answers. Any that other players also have is removed, as this isn’t allowed. The most correct answer at the end wins the game.
RELATED: Scattergories rules.
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HEADS-UP
Players: 2 – 6 players.
Playing Time: 20+ minutes.
Age: Ages 8+.
Game Type: Party game.
Publisher(s): Spin Master
Game Overview:
Heads-Up is a hilarious party game that requires players to wear a headband on their head displaying a word that they cannot see. Other players need to use descriptions to help the player wearing the headband successfully guess what is written on their card.
Each player has 60 seconds to make their guess, and the most correct guesses at the end win the game.
OUTBURST
Players: 2 – 20 players.
Playing Time: 30 – 60 minutes.
Age: Ages 16+.
Game Type: Party games.
Publisher(s): Hasbro
Game Overview:
Outburst is a game for adults that requires players to guess as many answers as possible within a specified category. The back of each category card has the top 10 answers (similar to the Family Feud card game rules), and a point gets awarded for each matching answer a player gets. The first player to get to 60 points wins the game.
RELATED: Outburst game rules.
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CONCEPT
Players: 4 – 12 players.
Playing Time: Approx. 40 mins.
Age: Ages 8+.
Game Type: Board games.
Publisher(s): Repos Production.
Game Overview:
Like other games on this list, Concept is all about being able to communicate with other players without speaking in order to advance on the game board. There are icons displayed on the game board that players use to give clues as to what the hidden word or phrase is. Points are given to players depending on if they can successfully guess the word/phrase.
