Adult Games: A Guide to Mature Party and Card Games

“Adult games” usually refers to party and card games made for mature audiences — titles built around comedy, storytelling and social interaction, often with language, themes or humour that are not meant for children. They are commonly brought out at parties, flat gatherings and game nights to spark laughter and friendly competition. This guide explains what these games are, how the best-known titles work, where you can play them online, what the age ratings mean, and how to choose a game that suits your group.

What counts as an adult game?

In the tabletop hobby, an “adult” or “NSFW” game is one whose publisher recommends it for players aged 17 or 18 and over. The label describes tone and content — crude jokes, sexual innuendo, dark humour or drinking prompts — rather than difficulty. Most are quick to learn, rely on a rotating judge or a shared deck, and reward quick wit over strategy. Because the content can be blunt, they work best with friends who know what to expect. If you want lighter options for a broader crowd, see our roundup of fun card games.

Popular adult card games and how they work

A handful of titles dominate the category, each with a simple loop that keeps everyone involved.

• Cards Against Humanity — Each player holds ten white “answer” cards. A rotating “Card Czar” reads a black prompt card (a question or fill-in-the-blank), everyone submits an answer face down, and the Czar picks the funniest for an “Awesome Point”. Recommended for ages 17+.
• What Do You Meme? — Players pair caption cards with a photo or meme card, and a rotating judge chooses the best match. It shares the humour of Cards Against Humanity but leans on internet culture. Ages 17+.
• Codenames: Deep Undercover — A mature version of the word-association game Codenames. Two teams race to contact all of their “agents” using one-word clues from a spymaster while avoiding the assassin, with cheekier words and art. Ages 17+.
• Joking Hazard — From the creators of the Cyanide & Happiness webcomic, players build three-panel comic strips from a shared deck and compete to finish the funniest or most shocking strip. Ages 18+.
• Exploding Kittens: NSFW Edition — A 2–5 player draw-and-avoid game of roughly 15 minutes. Draw the exploding card and you are out unless you hold a defuse card; action cards let you dodge, peek or force opponents to draw. This edition keeps the original rules but adds explicit art. Ages 17+. Our full Exploding Kittens guide covers every edition.

Other regulars include Monikers, a three-round guessing game where clues shrink from full sentences to one word to charades, and Truth or Drink and Never Have I Ever (Card Edition), which turn classic conversation games into card format. Several of these double as drinking card games, so an alcohol-free version is easy to run by swapping any “take a drink” prompt for a small forfeit.

Where to play adult games online

Physical decks are only part of the picture — several platforms let groups play remotely or try a game before buying.

• Steam — Best known for video games, it also hosts digital versions of many tabletop titles plus social features such as chat and cloud saves.
• Tabletopia — A “sandbox” with thousands of games where you move the pieces yourself; it does not enforce the rules, which suits house-rule tinkering but assumes players already know how to play.
• Board Game Arena — A browser-based platform that automates and enforces the rules, supports live or turn-based play, and is free to join with an optional premium tier for extra features.

These sites focus on board and card games rather than adult video games, so availability of any specific mature title depends on licensing. For the wider picture of tabletop play in Aotearoa, see our guide to board games in New Zealand.

Game styles to match the mood

Adult games fall into a few broad styles, and picking the right one matters as much as the title itself:

• Party card games — Fast, rules-light games built for big groups and laughter, such as Cards Against Humanity and What Do You Meme?.
• Trivia and quiz games — Knowledge-based competition on pop culture, history or science; good when the group prefers a challenge over crude humour.
• Storytelling games — Titles like Once Upon a Time or Dixit invite players to build a shared narrative from prompts or images, rewarding imagination rather than one-liners.

Milder picks for mixed groups

Not every gathering wants explicit content. Several games keep an adult wink while staying tame enough for colleagues or new acquaintances. Pictionary: After Dark uses cheeky drawing prompts, Charades (Adults Only) adds grown-up themes to the classic acting game, and Hot Seat puts one player in the spotlight to answer light personal questions. These sit comfortably alongside relationship-focused options; couples can find more in our list of card games for couples, and hosts planning a bigger night can browse our party games collection.

Age ratings, safety and how to choose

Every mature title carries a publisher age rating — most often 17+ or 18+ — printed on the box; treat it as the baseline, not a formality. Beyond the number, a few checks help you pick well:

• Read the tone first. Look up example cards or a short review so you know whether a game is merely rude or genuinely explicit before you play it with a new group.
• Match content to the room. A deck that lands with close friends can make coworkers uncomfortable; when in doubt, choose a milder title or a family expansion of the same game.
• Mind privacy. Games that ask players to reveal personal experiences work best when everyone opts in freely and any answer can be skipped without penalty.
• Buy from legitimate sellers. Official publisher stores and established retailers such as Amazon and specialty game shops guarantee you receive the genuine, complete edition.

A short history

Party games have tracked changing social customs for well over a century. As leisure time grew among the middle classes in the 1800s, gatherings featured simple parlour games to break the ice. Through the twentieth century these diversified into group activities designed purely for laughter, and their themes gradually grew bolder. The modern wave — defined by Cards Against Humanity’s 2011 release and imitators that followed — combined crude humour, innuendo and social dares into a distinct commercial genre. Traditional board games continue to sit alongside these newer party formats on shelves today.

Communities and where to learn more

An active hobby community surrounds these games. Reddit’s r/boardgames hosts wide-ranging discussion, while BoardGameGeek is the largest public database of game information, ratings and forums. Local and virtual Meetup groups organise game nights where newcomers can try titles before buying. These spaces are useful for gauging whether a game’s humour will suit your group and for finding house rules that soften or sharpen the experience.

Responsible play

Several games in this category pair with drinking. Alcohol is optional in all of them — any “take a drink” instruction can be replaced with a small forfeit — and no game should pressure anyone to drink. In New Zealand, alcohol is sold only to people aged 18 and over. If drinking is affecting you or someone you know, free, confidential help is available from the Alcohol Drug Helpline on 0800 787 797. This section is general information, not medical or legal advice.

Vanliga frågor (FAQ)

What are the most popular adult games for parties?

Cards Against Humanity, What Do You Meme?, Exploding Kittens NSFW Edition and Joking Hazard are among the best known. They are favoured for simple rules, short rounds and humour that keeps large groups involved.

What age are adult games meant for?

Most carry a publisher rating of 17+ or 18+, printed on the box. The rating reflects crude or sexual content and drinking themes rather than difficulty, so treat it as the minimum age for the group.

Can I play adult games online?

Yes. Steam hosts digital versions of some tabletop titles, Tabletopia offers a rules-free sandbox for thousands of games, and Board Game Arena runs rule-enforcing games in your browser, free with an optional premium tier.

Are there milder adult games for mixed company?

Yes. Pictionary: After Dark, Charades (Adults Only) and Hot Seat keep a grown-up flavour without explicit content, and many popular titles sell tamer family editions of the same game.

Where can I buy adult games?

Official publisher stores, major retailers such as Amazon, and specialty game shops all stock them. Buying from established sellers ensures you receive the genuine, complete edition.