Party On!

Super Smash Bros. is one of the most creative fighting game franchises ever devised. While traditional tournament fighters simply task players with depleting their opponent’s life bar, the goal in Smash is to beat your foes down and send them flying off the stage. The stages themselves are remarkably varied, and platforming skills are paramount if you want to taste victory. Further complicating things is the abundance of items that may randomly appear in the battle arenas. You’ll find weapons that increase your attack power, recovery items that increase your health, and an assortment of other weapons that create total chaos. There are also various stage hazards to be mindful of, including rising acid and random airstrikes. The biggest draw of the Smash games is its massive roster of iconic video game characters. The series started as a showcase of Nintendo all-stars, but the concept has expanded to include third-party characters as well. As of this writing, the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate roster features a staggering 80 characters, and everyone from Pac-Man to Minecraft Steve is included. If you’re even remotely interested in video games, you’ll be able to find a character that suits your style. Although the specific moves and abilities differ drastically from one fighter to another, the game lends itself to experimentation since the basic controls are the same for most of the characters. The only reason why Super Smash Bros. Ultimate isn’t ranked higher on this list is because of its high skill ceiling. It’s an easy game to jump into, but inexperienced players might be overwhelmed by all of the variables and advanced strategies.

WWF No Mercy was the sixth (and final) Nintendo 64 wrestling game developed by Asmik Ace Entertainment and AKI Corporation. Although it was released before the turn of the century, many people consider it to be the single best wrestling game of all time. WWF No Mercy was released at the height of the wrestling boom, and it perfectly captured the spirit of the WWF’s “attitude era.” It had an expansive roster that included over 80 wrestlers, and the characters closely emulated their real-life counterparts. (The graphics are blocky by today’s standards and their limbs don’t always stay connected to their bodies, but it would be hard to find fault with the animation.) The driving force behind pro wrestling has always been its larger-than-life personalities, and No Mercy captured all of their trademark moves and mannerisms. Players also had the ability to edit the appearance of each wrestler, and they could even expand the roster with the game’s comprehensive “create a wrestler” mode. Although No Mercy features a vast repertoire of maneuvers, the play mechanics are surprisingly intuitive and the reversals are easy to pull off. This ultimately leads to dramatic momentum shifts like you’d expect to see in a “real” wrestling bout, and it keeps the matches exciting from bell-to-bell. The control scheme is remarkably easy to understand, and this makes it a perfect party game. Since there are over a dozen match stipulations to experiment with, it’s also the type of game that you can easily sink hours into without even realizing it.

I’m 90% sure that it would be illegal to make a countdown of best party games without including Bomberman somewhere on the list. The majority of consoles that were released in the ’80s and ’90s only had two controller ports, so you had to give gamers something special if you expected them to fork out extra money on a multitap accessory. There have been dozens of Bomberman games released over the years, and most of them follow the same formula. The goal is basically to walk around and blow shit up while trying not to get yourself killed in the process. The action is typically confined to a single screen, and this lends itself well to a party environment since the games don’t require you to memorize complicated maps or learn complex moves. It’s hard to choose a single Bomberman game for this list, since they all build off each other. (Bomberman ’94 marked the introduction of ridable kangaroos, for instance, while remote bombs were added to the mix in Super Bomberman 2.) Saturn Bomberman seems like a logical choice for this list since if allows for ten people to play at the same time, but it’s a lot more manageable if you stick to the seven-player mode. Bomberman Generations features more options, but Saturn Bomberman had a better selection of maps. I also prefer pixel art to polygonal graphics, since the hit boxes seem less ambiguous. It’s always exhilarating when you avoid an explosion by a single pixel.

In Overcooked!, players assume the role of chefs in various restaurants. The object is to prepare ingredients, cook meals, serve food, and clean up after it’s all done. These tasks have to be completed within a narrow time frame, of course, so the chefs have to work together in order to succeed. Different types of meals are presented in a queue, and it’s not always easy to coordinate within the group. The layouts of the kitchen change with each level, too, so the chefs will often wind up bumping into each other and losing precious time. Some of the layouts are downright absurd. (In one stage, the kitchen is located on the back of multiple trucks that are moving down the road at different speeds.) The entire game requires players to have excellent communication skills, and it’s as hilarious as it is hectic. Overcooked! 2 had a handful of new features – including the ability to throw ingredients from afar – and the kitchen layouts were even more ridiculous. Preparing sushi in a hot air balloon isn’t normal, but in Overcooked! 2 it is! One of the reasons why Overcooked! and its sequel are so compelling is because they have a universal premise. Most people have cooked meals in their life and we’ve all dealt with deadlines, so it’s easy to relate to the game’s time-management challenges even if you have no experience working as a chef.

Board games have a much broader appeal than video games do, and they’ve been around for a lot longer to boot. Although video game publishers have been experimenting with digital board games dating back to the 1970s, Hudson Soft and Nintendo helped popularize the concept with the release of Mario Party. The series combines the layout of a board game with dozens of competitive mini-games. There are plenty of random elements thrown in for good measure, but that’s exactly what you’d expect from an actual board game. The aforementioned mini-games reward you for skill, but a string of bad luck can completely tank your chances of winning. The ability to screw over other players also keeps things interesting, but it never seems to turn into a “fight in a box” like Monopoly does. There have been 16 Mario Party games released thus far, but the second entry is still my favorite. The boards were interesting without being too convoluted, and the game had a good balance between luck and skill. I also liked how each board had its own theme. Mario and his friends would even change their outfits so they’d fit with the respective theme of each board! (They look adorable when they’re dressed like cowboys!) The Mario Party franchise has experimented with many gimmicks over the years, and not all of them have been successful. You can still have fun with any game in the series, but Mario Party 2 is the one that’s brought me the most enjoyment.

Super Mario Bros. is one of the most recognizable video games of all-time, and it changed the entire industry overnight. Side-scrolling platformers dominated the gaming scene in the years that followed, and the genre didn’t lose steam until developers started favoring polygonal graphics in the mid ’90s. Although I immediately embraced games like Super Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie, I’d be lying if I said 3D platformers had the same mainstream appeal as their 2D predecessors. Super Mario Bros. was one of the most complex games of its day, but there was a beautiful simplicity to the game mechanics that everyone could grasp. There was a renaissance of 2D platformers in the 2000s, and the New Super Mario Bros. games were at the forefront of the movement. New Super Mario Bros. Wii sold over 30 million copies alone, and its focus on cooperative multiplayer made it an ideal game fit Nintendo’s blue ocean console. The levels were filled with enemies and environmental hazards, and the action was frenetic when four people were playing at once. Some critics complained about how hectic the action was and argued that the characters shouldn’t be able to bump each other around so easily. The ability to push other players into harm’s way, jump off of their heads, or throw them off cliffs is precisely what makes the game so fun! New Super Mario Bros. U felt remarkably similar to New Super Mario Bros. Wii and it even used the same art design, but I think it had slightly better level designs. The Deluxe version is being singled out since it’s even more appropriate for inexperienced players. The inclusion of Nabbit as a selectable character is tantamount to an easy mode, and it makes the experience even more accessible.

Like its predecessors, Worms Armageddon is a turn-based strategy game that borrows elements from side-scrolling platformers. The object is for players to control a team of worms and wipe out the opposing teams using an assortment of ridiculous weapons. Some of the items are self-explanatory (such as shotguns, bazookas, and sticks of dynamite), but you’ll also have access to absurd artillery like exploding sheep and homing pigeons. When you’re not dishing out punishment, you can take a defensive approach by burrowing underground or constructing barricades. You can also build bridges, reach remote locations with your ninja rope, or teleport to safety. The random level layouts and item placements create an unpredictable environment that lends itself perfectly to multiplayer sessions. Everything could be going perfectly for you, but then you could accidentally step on a land mine and wind up rolling down the side of a mountain and knocking all of your teammates into the abyss. It’s impossible to play the game for any length of time without genuinely laughing out loud. There are more Worms games than I can count on both hands, but Worms Armageddon got everything right and there’s a reason why its widely considered to be the best game in the series two decades after its release. Some of the games have sharper graphics or more elaborate weapons, but Worms Armageddon is the most fun. Worms Armageddon still has an active online community on the PC, but I’d much sooner gather around a television to play it. If you want to play the game on a console, I’d recommend the Nintendo 64 version since it’s the only one that supports multiple controllers.

Everybody wants to be a rockstar, but few of us have enough talent to climb the mountain of success. That’s why Guitar Hero was able to make such an impact in 2005. You’d have to invest thousands of hours to develop skills on a real guitar, but anyone could master a plastic guitar with five color-coded buttons. Rock Band took the concept in a logical direction in 2007 by throwing plastic drum kits and USB microphones into the mix. While Guitar Hero let you play lead guitar alongside a virtual in-game band, Rock Band gave you the opportunity to form a complete band with your friends. The array of instruments gave the game an even wider appeal than Guitar Hero had. (If you were given the role of lead singer, Rock Band barely felt like a video game at all!) Even those who were otherwise uninterested in video games were drawn to the concept of forming a rock band in their living room. There was a three-year period where every house party I went to had a Rock Band setup, and it occupied the same space that karaoke systems had in the past. The reason why I’m recognizing The Beatles: Rock Band is because its music has truly stood the test of time. Beatles songs have cross-generational appeal, and this means that players of all ages can enjoy the game. There are some really great guitar riffs, and the melodies are catchy enough for people to pick up along the way on the off chance that they’re unfamiliar with the music. One of the best things about The Beatles: Rock Band was its visual representation. The psychedelic dreamscapes can potentially entertain people who are merely watching the screen, and this makes it an especially appropriate game for large gatherings. It’s unfortunate that the industry basically killed the Rock Band concept through oversaturation, but that’s another story entirely.

I considered putting The Jackbox Party Pack on this list, but it felt unfair to mention a compilation instead of an individual game. You Don’t Know Jack – an irreverent trivia game where high culture collides with pop culture – helped establish Jackbox Games in the first place, but Fibbage offers near-infinite replay value. The game presents players with obscure facts that are missing one key detail, and the objective is to fill in the missing word or phrase. After secretly entering their answer (usually on a phone or tablet), players have to convince everyone else that their response is the legitimate one. The wide range of topics creates an even playing field for everyone, so a Rhodes scholar isn’t necessarily going to have an advantage over the guy who spends all day watching inane sitcoms. Anyone can have fun by making up silly lies to trick their friends! The game will be completely different depending on who you play with, of course, since everyone will bring their own sensibilities to the table. Fibbage first appeared on the Amazon Fire TV before being ported to other platforms, and a handful of sequels followed. The Fibbage games are interchangeable for the most part, but Fibbage 3 offers more questions and, therefore, more fun. If you’re the type who’s into social distancing, then you’ll be happy to know that Fibbage has a strong online component. (That’s one of the reasons why the game has developed such a strong following in the streaming community.) For my money, however, its hard to beat local multiplayer foolishness.

The Mario Kart series has been around for nearly three decades, and it has even more mainstream appeal than the mainline Mario titles. Super Mario Kart pretty much created the weapons-based kart racing genre in 1992, and we’ve seen countless imitators over the years, but Mario Kart is still on top of the podium. Although some people feel that luck plays too big of a role in the game, the truth of the matter is that experienced players will almost always have an advantage over novices. That being said, the players in the back will typically get better items than the individuals who are leading the races. This creates an environment where the races always feel exciting. Even if you’re in last place, you’ll feel like you’re still in the game. Likewise, you’ll feel pressure even when you’re way out in front, so you’re unlikely to become bored even if you’re opponents aren’t especially skilled. Certain items or scenarios can completely change the layout of the race, and in this capacity Mario Kart could be likened to a good board game. Everyone who plays the game is likely going to be engaged until the end of the race, and this is one of the things that makes the series so special. Every Mario Kart game has been entertaining, but we’re signaling out Mario Kart 8 Deluxe because it had the most creative course designs. Whether you’re racing up waterfalls or bouncing around on clouds, it’s the most visually interesting game in the series. If you grow tired of racing, you can simply jump into the Battle Mode and try to bombard other players with weapons. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe also gives players the opportunity to play on their own respective Switch screens. That means you can play the game even if the television is otherwise occupied.