The best board games to keep you entertained for hours: trivia, music, mystery and more

Gather around the table and unleash your competitive spirit amongst friends and family with a fun board game to get stuck into. A great way to bring everyone together of all ages and stages, old-school board games are an exciting alternative to screens and technology and keep that mind active and stimulated.

Whether in teams or playing as individuals, test the limits of your loved ones, laugh the afternoon away, and learn some random facts and figures along the way.

From trivia questions and calling each other’s bluff to murder mysteries and describing games, The Recommended has scoured the web to find to best board games for the whole family to enjoy. Read on for some of our favourites.

The best board games at-a-glance:

• Best for big groups: Herd Mentality: The Udderly Additive Family Board Game
• Best talking game: Articulate Family Board Game
• Best trivia game: Colourbrain Family Board Game
• Best question game: The Logo Board Game
• Best word game: Scrabble Crossword Board Game
• Best family game: Monopoly Family Board Game
• Best simple game: Confident? Board Game
• Best music game: Top of the Pops Music Board Game
• Best mystery game: Cluedo The Classic Mystery Board Game
• Best bluffing game: Sounds Fishy Family Board Game

The best board games

Best for big groups: Herd Mentality: The Udderly Additive Family Board Game

A game of social intel

The aim is to follow the crowd in this board game - write down what you think the majority will answer and be part of the herd mentality.

Featuring tons of random questions, win cows as you answer the same to your fellow players. The odd one out will be given the Pink Cow and is stuck with it until the next person falls. Suitable for ages 10+ and 4-20 players.

Best talking game: Articulate Family Board Game

Quickfire describing

Split into teams and get talking with this fast-paced board game.

As you move around the board and land on different categories, describe the names, places, objects and actions to your teammates before the time runs up. Quick thinking and guessing are required. Suitable for ages 12+ and 4-20 players.

Best trivia game: Colourbrain Family Board Game

Test your general knowledge

Know your colours? Whizz through more than 300 quiz questions, from flag patterns to superhero costumes, and guess the correct answer - they’re all colours.

This board game is easy to pick up, can be enjoyed by the whole family and is a great way to learn new facts! Plus, if others get it wrong, you score points! Suitable for ages 12+ and 2-20 players.

Best question game: The Logo Board Game

Think fast!

This board game will test your consumer knowledge - guess the logos, brands, flavours and characters as you hop around the board to win.

There are three different types of cards in this board game, including pictures, potluck, and common theme questions. Answer correctly and move towards the winning zone. Suitable for ages 12+ and 2-6 players or teams.

Best word game: Scrabble Crossword Board Game

Improve your vocabulary

Pop tiles in crossword style across the board and spell out words to win points in this board game.

Earn the highest score by creating words across and down and playing until all the tiles are used. Learn new words as you go while impressing your opponents. Suitable for ages 10+ and 2-4 players.

Best family game: Monopoly Family Board Game

Buy, sell and get competitive

This much-loved board game will provide hours of fun with the whole family - until someone ends up bankrupt, and the winner is in the black!

Move around the board in this game, buying and selling properties to add to your neighbourhoods. Build houses and hotels, charge rent to other players, and pick up community chest and chance cards along the way. Suitable for ages 8+ and 2-6 players.

Best simple game: Confident? Board Game

The ultimate guessing game

Read out a range of random questions and use the wipe-clean boards and pens included to write down your answers.

Don’t know the answer? Be confident and get guessing – no knowledge is required. Easy and quick to play, this board game is a great option for the whole family to play, score points and laugh out loud. Suitable for ages 10+ and 2-30 players or teams.

Best music game: Top of the Pops Music Board Game

Spot the tune

Go head-to-head with your friends and family in this board game and show off your musical knowledge.

With tunes from the 80s, 90s and naughties, name the song titles and describe, sing and kazoo famous artists to your teammates to take the lead. Collect artist cards from every decade to win. Suitable for ages 14+ and 4+ players.

Best mystery game: Cluedo The Classic Mystery Board Game

Who dunnit?

Six suspects, different rooms, numerous weapons - but one combination. In this board game, you are the detective.

Move from room to room to solve the murder and win. Using your cards, make guesses each round based on a process of elimination and tips from other team players. Suitable for ages 8+ and 2-6 players.

Best bluffing game: Sounds Fishy Family Board Game

Fake it to make it

How well can you convince your friends and family? And how well can you call out their bluffing? In this family-friendly board game, spot the fake answers to win points.

East to pick up, listen out for the strange and silly answers invented by other players and call their bluff. The correct answer is on the back. Suitable for ages 10+ and 4-10 players.

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