Gift guide
Game night gifts
For the person who always suggests one more round. Board games, a quick card game and a puzzle for quieter nights.
Every product below comes from recent independent reviews, and an automated fact check confirmed each detail against its source. We don't test products ourselves. How we pick.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Board game for 2 to 4 players
A board game for game night with 2 to 4 players.
Budget pick
Carcassonne
- Plays 2 to 5 players in about 45 minutes, per Board Game Quest. (Board Game Quest)
- A tile-laying game: players build the board as they play, so there is almost no setup. (Board Game Quest)
- Players build cities, roads, monasteries and farms and score points as they complete them. (Board Game Quest)
- Wargamer's writer calls it the oldest game in their collection and says play gets competitive. (Wargamer)
Recommended in: Board Game Quest, Wargamer
See price on AmazonMid-range pick
Pandemic
- Cooperative: 2 to 4 players work together to control a pandemic and find a cure. (NBC Select)
- Each player takes on a character with their own traits. (NBC Select)
- Board Game Quest lists about 45 minutes per game and calls it easy to learn but very hard to win. (Board Game Quest)
- Wargamer's writer says they are still playing it more than a decade later. (Wargamer)
Recommended in: NBC Select, Board Game Quest, Wargamer
See price on AmazonSplurge pick
Wingspan
- For 1 to 5 players, per NBC Select. (NBC Select)
- Players collect bird species into their aviary, using food tokens and eggs to grow their habitats and score points. (NBC Select)
- Wargamer describes it as an engine-builder that sits between a gateway game and a deeper strategy game. (Wargamer)
- NBC Select calls it educational and good for animal lovers, but notes it may be complicated for some. (NBC Select)
Recommended in: NBC Select, Wargamer, Yahoo Lifestyle
See price on AmazonParty card game
A card game with quick, silly rounds for groups.
Budget pick
Flip 7
- Flipping seven cards ends the round at once, and the first player to reach 200 points wins. (Meeple Mountain)
- Plays 3 to 18 players in about 20 minutes. (Wargamer)
- Wargamer rated it 10/10 in its list of the best card games. (Wargamer)
Recommended in: Meeple Mountain, Board Game Quest, BuzzFeed
See price on Amazon1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle
A big puzzle for slow evenings, solo or with company.
Mid-range pick
Magic Puzzle Company Mystic Maze Puzzle
- Has 1,000 cardboard pieces and measures about 27 x 28 inches when finished. (NBC Select (NBC News))
- Over 50 easter eggs are hidden in the artwork, and a list of them comes in the box. (NBC Select (NBC News))
- The completed picture pulls off a visual illusion, and the box also holds two art posters. (NBC Select (NBC News))
- Reviewers at Engadget found the pieces solid and the art colorful and full of hidden details. (Engadget)
Recommended in: NBC Select (NBC News), Engadget
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