The Wirecutter Show A Game Night Survival Guide
Join James Austin, a Wirecutter staff writer specializing in games and hobbies, for a fun and enlightening discussion on hosting unforgettable game nights. He shares tips on picking the right games for your group vibe, keeping the atmosphere light, and even navigating mixed-age gatherings. Discover kid-friendly options like Rhino Hero and strategic favorites for adults such as Codenames. Plus, learn how to avoid awkward conversations with games designed to keep everyone engaged and entertained!
36:19
Played Hundreds Of Games For Wirecutter
- James keeps an Airtable of tested games and has played over 320 titles for Wirecutter.
- He often plays solo because his playgroup isn't always available during work hours.
Prep And Teach Games With Energy
- Read or watch the rules beforehand so you can teach the game instead of reading the rulebook aloud.
- Provide snacks, show enthusiasm, and focus your teach on theme, objectives, and how to win.
Shepherd The Table, Not Just Your Score
- During play, monitor vibes and offer options to confused players rather than optimizing only for your own strategy.
- Prioritize everyone having fun to ensure they return for future game nights.
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Intro
00:00 • 5min
James explains his board-game testing role
05:12 • 3min
How to prepare to teach a game
08:10 • 4min
Running game night and monitoring vibes
12:10 • 1min
Picking games to match the crowd
13:32 • 2min
Handling mismatched player expectations
15:20 • 4min
Games for kids and families
19:26 • 2min
Games to avoid political talk or silence family
21:34 • 2min
Party games for mixed-age groups
23:23 • 2min
Games for language or literacy gaps
25:02 • 38sec
Games that work for boozy groups
25:40 • 1min
Alternatives for Catan lovers
27:02 • 3min
Card-only game recommendations
30:08 • 1min
Two-player game picks
31:37 • 56sec
Solo tabletop games to play alone
32:32 • 2min
Advice for gifting board games
34:32 • 1min
James's favorite recent purchase
35:51 • 4min
Outro
39:25 • 50sec
#68114
Splendor
A Luxe Novel
Anna Godbersen
Set in the opulent world of Manhattan's elite, 'Splendor' follows the lives of Elizabeth and Diana Holland as they navigate love, secrets, and societal expectations.
The novel explores themes of ambition, romance, and the cost of a life of luxury, culminating the dramatic storylines of the series' characters including Penelope Schoonmaker and Carolina Broad.
#65426
The coup
John Updike
The Coup is a novel by John Updike that tells the story of Hakim Felix Ellellou, the ex-dictator of Kush, a fictional Islamic state in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Narrated from his exile in France, the novel explores his rule over a drought-ridden country on the brink of humanitarian crisis, his hatred of the United States, and the political intrigue involving American food aid and oil rights.
The story is a darkly comedic examination of power, ideology, and international relations.
#78271
Sushi Go!
The Pick and Pass Card Game
Phil Walker Harding
Sushi Go! is a quick and easy-to-learn card drafting game where players pass sushi-themed cards around the table to collect the best combinations and score points.
Players aim to gather sets like maki rolls, sashimi, and nigiri, with special cards like wasabi that multiply points.
Designed by Phil Walker-Harding, the game is praised for its engaging gameplay suitable for all ages, strategic depth, and charming sushi theme.
It was originally self-published via crowdfunding before being picked up by Gamewright and has celebrated over a decade of popularity.
#26427
• Mentioned in 2 episodes
CATAN
K. E. A. Tolgu
#38344
A Fake Artist Goes to New York
Jun Sasaki
A Fake Artist Goes to New York is a party game for 5-10 players that combines creativity, deduction, and bluffing.
One player serves as the Question Master who sets a category and writes a secret word on dry-erase cards distributed to other players, while one player receives only an 'X' instead—making them the fake artist.
Players then take turns drawing clues to the word without revealing it, and must identify who the fake artist is before they guess the actual word.
#66516
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective
Suzanne Goldberg
Gary Grady
Raymond Edwards
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective is a game book authored by Gary Grady, Suzanne Goldberg, and Raymond Edwards, published by Sleuth Publications.
It presents players with intricate mysteries set in nineteenth-century London, challenging them to follow clues and solve cases like the famous detective Sherlock Holmes.
The book combines narrative storytelling with investigative gameplay, allowing readers to immerse themselves in the role of a consulting detective.
#55615
Star Realms: Rescue Run
Jon Del Arroz
Star Realms: Rescue Run is a novelization of the popular Star Realms card game universe.
The story follows Joan Shengtu, a smuggler and thief who, after being court-martialed by the Star Empire, becomes embroiled in a high-stakes mission involving the Star Empire and the Trade Federation.
The novel combines fast-paced space opera action with intriguing characters, including a strong female lead and her AI companion, appealing to fans of the game and science fiction readers alike.
#28791
• Mentioned in 2 episodes
Final girls
Riley Sager
#81580
The Gang
Frederick Thrasher
#45020
Anomia
Jade Wallace
#30584
AUNTY MARGARET: Little Dan's Toilet Training
Dixit
Dixit is an author with a portfolio of 80 books and 550 ratings on Goodreads.
The most popular book attributed to Dixit is 'AUNTY MARGARET: Little Dan's Toilet Training'.
Further details about the book's content or the author's biography are not available from the search results.
#37994
The Crew
Joseph Kessel
The Crew (French: L'Équipage) is a 1923 war novel by Joseph Kessel.
It centers on the crew of a two-man reconnaissance plane during the First World War, exploring themes of love and duty as the pilot is in love with the wife of the observer.
The novel was a bestseller and helped secure Kessel's membership in the Académie Française.
It has been adapted into films multiple times.
#82334
Rhino Hero: Super Battle
A Turbulent 3D Stacking Game
Scott Frisco
Steven Strumpf
Rhino Hero: Super Battle is the stand-alone sequel to the fan-favorite Rhino Hero game.
It features four superheroes—Rhino Hero, Giraffe Boy, Big E., and Batguin—who compete by stacking floors to build a wobbly skyscraper while engaging in dice battles when heroes land on the same floor.
Players must also fend off hanging spider monkeys.
The game supports 2-4 players, lasts about 10-20 minutes, and combines dexterity with strategic combat, making it enjoyable for children and adults alike.
#24597
• Mentioned in 2 episodes
Brass Birmingham
Matt Tolman
Gavan Brown
Brass Birmingham è un gioco economico ambientato durante la rivoluzione industriale inglese.
I giocatori assumono il ruolo di imprenditori che cercano di sviluppare le proprie industrie e costruire una rete di trasporti.
Il gioco si concentra sulla gestione delle risorse, la pianificazione strategica e l'interazione con gli altri giocatori.
I giocatori devono costruire canali e ferrovie per collegare le proprie industrie e trasportare merci.
Il gioco è noto per la sua complessità e la sua profondità strategica, offrendo molteplici percorsi verso la vittoria.
La combinazione di pianificazione a lungo termine, tattica a breve termine e interazione sociale rende Brass Birmingham un'esperienza di gioco avvincente e gratificante.
#72043
Moniker: Identity Lost and Found
Kurt Tors
Moniker: Identity Lost and Found by Kurt Tors delves into the complexities of identity, exploring how it can be lost and rediscovered.
The book has received attention for its thoughtful treatment of personal and social identity issues.
#79918
Bohnanza
Uwe Rosenberg
Bohnanza is a classic card game designed by Uwe Rosenberg where players plant different types of beans in their fields, trade cards with other players, and harvest beans to earn gold coins.
The game is notable for its unique rule that players cannot rearrange the order of cards in their hands, adding a layer of strategy to trading and planting.
The goal is to accumulate the most gold coins by the end of the game through careful management of bean fields and trading with opponents.
#57238
Rhino Hero
HABA Games
Rhino Hero is a popular dexterity stacking game released in 2011 by HABA Games.
Players take turns stacking cards to build a tower while trying to keep it from collapsing.
The game is praised for its simplicity, fun gameplay, and appeal to both children and adults.
It has inspired sequels such as Rhino Hero: Super Battle, which adds new elements and variety to the original gameplay.
#21343
• Mentioned in 2 episodes
Carcassonne
Pierre Embry
#84537
Wavelength
A. J. Betts
When the holidays roll around, many of us romanticize the idea of a cozy game night—only to remember the part where someone has to read the rules, explain them, and keep the vibes going while everyone tries not to flip a table. If you’ve ever sighed at the sight of a board game box (or struggled through a four-hour strategy game you didn’t sign up for), this episode is for you.
James Austin, Wirecutter’s staff writer covering games and hobbies, shares how to host a game night that actually stays fun, how to pick games that match your group’s vibe, and which games work best for kids, adults, mixed-age families, multilingual gatherings, or friends who are already a few drinks in.
If you crosswords and other NYT games, check out Puzzle Mania! from The New York Times Games editor Joel Fagliano.
James’s favorite resources to learn new games:
- If you don’t want to read the rules, Watch It Played and Good Time Society have videos explaining how to play many board games
- BoardGameGeek can tell you how to play a game your interested in
- Board Game Arena is a great resource for playing digital versions of board games
- Pagat.com explains the rules to every card game
Games for kids
- Rhino Hero (age 5+) and Rhino Hero: Super Battle (age 5+)
- First Orchard (age 2+)
Games for mixed-age groups or families
- A Fake Artist Goes to New York - especially good for avoiding awkward conversations
- The Gang - cooperative but silent play
- The Crew - no talking!
- Sushi Go! - adorable and easy to play
- Monikers - great for big groups
- Anomia - a great starter game
- Dixit - a visual game without reading, good for kids and non-english speakers
- Carcassonne - interactive and easy to understand
- Coup - quick to play
Party Games for adults (including boozy groups)
- Codenames - match words by meaning
- Wavelength - opinion-based fun
- Anomia - lots of shouting!
Strategy games
- Catan - the original “Euro” style game
- Bohnanza - if you like the interactive trading of Catan
- Brass: Birmingham - if you want a complex strategy game with a lot going on
Games you can play with just a deck of cards
- Oh Hell! - James’ family-favorite, trick-taking game
Two-player favorites
- Splendor - can be played with more than two as well
- Star Realms - build decks of cards that become more powerful as you play
Games for solo play
- Final Girl - a horror-movie themed game
- Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective - solve challenging mysteries just like a famous detective
James loves:
- The Stormlight Ring by Thorum (his wedding ring)
Additional reading:
- 18 Best Board Games of 2025
- Board Games We Love for Kids and Families
- The 8 Best Two-Player Board Games of 2025
- The 4 Best Solo Board Games of 2025
- The 5 Best Party Games of 2025
- The 6 Best Card Games of 2025
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The Wirecutter Show is executive produced by Rosie Guerin and produced by Abigail Keel.Engineering support from Maddy Masiello and Nick Pitman. Episodes are mixed by Catherine Anderson, Efim Shapiro, Rowan Niemisto, Sophia Lanman, and Sonia Herrero. Original music by Dan Powell, Marion Lozano, Elisheba Ittoop, and Diane Wong. Wirecutter’s deputy publisher and general manager is Cliff Levy. Ben Frumin is Wirecutter’s editor-in-chief. Hosted by Rosie Guerin, Caira Blackwell and Christine Cyr Clisset.
Find edited transcripts for each episode here: The Wirecutter Show Podcast