Games that bring people together for the holidays

With the gatherings planned for the next few days, this is the perfect opportunity to play some party games with family and friends. The Press suggests titles that should ensure the success of your parties celebrations.

Who knows what?

The Joe Knowing trivia family grew last summer with the arrival of a new member. Entitled Who knows what, this game uses the good old question game formula, but with one particularity: each team must predict the number of correct answers from the opponent to earn additional points. Better, these predictions are made by looking only at the theme of each card and the answers to the questions. The questions themselves (the box has 1100) remain hidden for this phase of the game… This adds suspense and causes some discomfort (like: I underestimated you, darling!). A great idea signed by the publisher Ludik Quebec.

Stephanie Morin, The Press

Up to 8 players aged 16 and over. Price: $27.

Fun Facts

There are games that, in addition to entertaining, allow us to get to know the people sitting around the table better. Fun Facts is definitely in the mix. Here, players must answer personal questions whose answer is a number. On a scale of 1 to 100, how much do they like their first name? How old are they in their head? Which historical year fascinates them the most? Everyone writes their answer in secret on a plastic tile. Players must then estimate the other’s secret answer in an attempt to place the tiles in ascending order. A cooperative game from the Belgian publisher Repos Production that provokes great discussions.

Stephanie Morin, The Press

For 4 to 8 players ages 8 and up. Duration: 30 minutes. Price: $33.

That’s enough !

Small original game which consists in avoiding the reprimands of the school teacher by throwing the blame on the others. We do it with the cards we have in hand, but we can draw others if necessary. Where it gets tricky is that all these jeremiads are done while the teacher is counting aloud, but the students don’t know when she’s going to stop to shout: “That’s enough! To spice things up, students can play cards that can influence the teacher’s decision, a priori or a posteriori. It’s entertaining and we gain rhythm over the games, especially with younger players.

Pierre-Marc Durivage, The Press

For 4 to 8 players aged 10 and over. Duration: 15 minutes. Price: $25.

mystery beer

After the Mystery Wine game, which challenged the taste buds of wine lovers, Quebec publisher Randolph (in collaboration with sommelier Jessica Harnois) is tackling the rich world of local microbreweries. The principle is quite simple: we taste (by the eyes, the nose then the mouth) a Quebec beer among the fifty proposed. On the menu: blondes, pale ales… Each beer is hidden under an opaque sleeve and it’s up to the players to bet on its color, its style, its bitterness. The team with the most points wins. Only problem: the beers that are peeled in Mystery Beer are not necessarily easy to find, even in the specialized shops recommended by Randolph.

Stephanie Morin, The Press

For 2 to 24 players aged 18 and over. Duration: 30 minutes. Price: $40.

You have the choice between, Jo Roberge edition

Comedian Jonathan Roberge has teamed up with Smash editions to concoct a game of party where absurdity steals the show. The goal of the game: to make your opponents laugh by debating on two totally incredible proposals. What choice would you make between confessing your sins in front of a crowded Bell Center or eating a toenail sandwich (2 choices among the 195 offered here, all written by Jo Roberge and his sidekick Mathieu Genest)? Whoever was the funniest during the debate wins the card (and the accompanying point). After a round of the table, the player with the most points is declared the winner. A game just enough nono, where laughter matters more than anything else.

Stephanie Morin, The Press

For 2 to 12 players aged 16 and over. Duration: 30 minutes. Price: $30.

Kesse tu fa la?, family edition

Another popular line of games from the publisher Ludik Québec, Kesse tu fa la is now available in a family version. Here, the basic principle remains the same: you have to make your teammates guess as many words as possible using mimes, sounds, fixed poses. Each time all the elements of a card are guessed before the end of the allowed 60 seconds, the team takes a guest pawn. The first team to collect four guests wins. The game is available in two versions: for ages 16 and up and for ages 10 and up. The guessing words are simpler (and sometimes less naughty) in the Family Edition than in the more adult version. And the kids loved it!

Stephanie Morin, The Press

Up to 20 players ages 10 and up. Price: $27.