25 Essential Party Games On PC And Console To Play With Family And Friends
- 22 July, 2022 14:00
We have a sweet spot for party games. Gaming with friends and family can be riotous fun. From deadly co-op puzzlers to quirky competitive dating sims there are so many options available. This is our definitive list of the best party games out there, regardless of whether you play on a PC or a console. There are even a few Australian-made games in there.
Be sure to consult this list before heading away for your next family trip or orchestrating your next games night. There’s something for everyone here.
Overcooked 2
Developers: Ghost Town Games
Platforms: PC (Windows) PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Players: 1-4
Credit: Ghost Town Games The sequel to Overcooked is just as chaotic as the original. It features new interactive levels, including moving platforms, as well as brand new costumes and recipes. Overcooked 2 introduces a big game changer in 'ingredient tossing' that lets you toss items onto cutting boards, burners and even to your teammates. You'll have tonnes of fun mastering it with friends and family.
Where to buy? Amazon, Steam, Epic Games, Microsoft
Weird Hat Fight
Developers: Hatquarters
Platforms: PC (Steam)
Players: 2-4
Credit: Hatquarters This game resembles Sumo wrestling but with crazy novelty hats. To play you and up to four of your mates enter an arena and must fight each other to the death with nothing but your hat as a weapon. While still in early access, the devs already have 4 maps available and have promised more outlandish headwear will be added soon.
Where to buy? Steam
Sackboy: A Big Adventure
Developers: Sumo Digital
Platforms: PS4, PS5
Players: 1-4
Credit: Sumo Digital This LittleBigPlanet spinoff off has stolen many hearts because of its charming graphics and focus on co-op play. The game world is incredibly detailed and is brought to life with a host of materials that adds to the gameplay experience - such as tuffs of thread and wool. It also features a colourful cast of voice actors, one being Dawn French from the hit UK TV show, The Vicar of Dibley.
Where to buy? Amazon, PlayStation store, JB Hi-Fi
Tricky Towers
Developers: Weirdbeard Games
Platforms: Steam (Windows/Mac/Linux), Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch
Players: 1-4
Credit: Weirdbeard Games A fun twist on the classic Tetris formula, Tricky Towers mixes up the old school style with real-world physics and magical wizard abilities. Although these additions sound simple, they make each of the three main modes a joy to play and worth returning to over and over with friends.
Where to buy?: Amazon, Ozgameshop, Nzgameshop
Rocket League
Developers: Psyonix
Platforms: Steam (Windows/Mac/Linux), Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch
Players: 1-4
Credit: Psyonix Every match of Rocket League is fast and frantic in all the right ways, regardless of whether you’re smashing into opponents, taking ridiculous shots or scoring unbelievable goals. Since launch, the game has been updated to feature several unique new modes, including ice hockey and basketball.
Where to buy?: Amazon, Ozgameshop, Steam
Gang Beasts
Developers: Boneloaf
Platforms: Steam (Windows/Mac/Linux), PS4, Nintendo Switch
Players: 1-4
Credit: Boneleaf Gang Beasts is a game as silly as it looks. You and friends take control of odd coloured people wearing strange costumes trying to throw one another out of whatever arena you find yourself in. Whether you’re brawling on a blimp, in a train station or a boxing ring, the goal remains the same and the antics that ensue each round always ensure a good, wacky time.
Where to buy? Steam, Ozgameshop, Catch
Jackbox Party Game Series
Developer: Jackbox Games
Platforms: Steam (Windows/Mac), PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Players: 1-? (depends on the specific game! Can be dozens, or even hundreds taking part)
Credit: Jackbox Games Featuring games such as the comedy trivia quiz You Don’t Know Jack, the hilarious bluff-oriented Fibbage, the oft-ridiculous Quiplash and various other titles in each Jackbox will ensure you’ll be entertained for hours. What’s more, the series’ use of smart devices (mobile phones, tablets) as game controllers means it's easy to set up and play even in bigger groups!
Where to buy?: Amazon, Green Man Gaming
Overcooked
Developer: Ghost Town Games
Platforms: Steam (Windows), PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Players: 1-4
Credit: Ghost Town Games Overcooked is a chaotic cooking game like no other, as you’ll need to work together as chefs to prepare, cook and serve up a wide variety of dishes in a series of increasingly bizarre kitchen locations. From the deck of a pirate ship to the top of a moving truck, you’ll need to communicate like never before to get orders out on time in this silly and fun cook up.
Where to buy?: Amazon, Ozgameshop, Nzgameshop, Green Man Gaming
Party Golf
Developers: Giant Margarita
Platforms: Steam (Windows), PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One
Players: 1-8
Credit: Giant Margarita Party Golf’s randomly generated levels and accessible gameplay makes for one of the best golf games you can find, with plenty of replay value. The 2D style and physics may seem simplistic at first, but there is a lot of skill required to sink your ball, even more-so when your friends are trying to get in the way!
Towerfall: Ascension
Developer: Matt Makes Games
Platforms: Steam (Windows/Mac/Linux)
Players: 1-4
Credit: Matt Makes Games Despite how the fast and fierce the gameplay of Towerfall can look, it’s easy enough for anyone to pick up and play due to the simple mechanics and fast rounds. Killing your friends in this beautiful pixel-art archery platformer requires you to be on your toes and think your way towards creative strategies.
Nidhogg 1 & 2
Developer: Messhof
Platforms: Steam (Windows/Mac), PS4
Players: 1-2
Credit: Messhof A more-intermittent affair for just two players, Nidhogg 1 and 2 are games about long, intense sword fights. Both the original and sequel have plenty of depth to their combat, and matches are often long enough to gives each player time to learn the game’s controls on the fly and develop their own strategies.
VIDEOBALL
Developer: Action Button
Platforms: Steam (Windows), PS4, Xbox One
Players: 1-4
Credit: Action Button VIDEOBALL is a party game for players who love thinking up tight strategies and clever moves to outwit their opponents - and then mashing buttons when all that collapses in on itself and you need to defend your goal at all costs. With punchy tunes and quirky announcers accompanying every match, VIDEOBALL is a blast.
Octodad
Developer: Young Horses
Platforms: EVERYTHING (Including Steam, PS4, Xbox One | Xbox X/S
Players: 1-many tentacles
Credit: Young Horses Octodad involves helping a loving father, who also happens to be an Octopus, get through the rigors of everyday human life one tentacle at a time. You’ll have to navigate supermarkets, parks and weddings, with each player controlling one or multiple of OctoDad’s tentacles. Success here is as hard as it sounds, but the inherent hilarity makes it a joyful romp regardless.
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Move Or Die
Developer: Those Awesome Guys
Platforms: Steam (Windows, Mac, Linux)
Players: 1-4
Credit: Those Awesome Guys Move or Die is a game where you and your friends have to keep moving, or you’ll perish if you stand still for too long. Additionally, every 20 seconds the mechanics of the game change, forcing you to adapt constantly. Be ready for a frenzied time and crazy moment-to-moment action.
Ultimate Chicken Horse
Developer: Clever Endeavour Games
Platforms: Steam (Windows, Mac, Linux), PS4, Xbox One
Players: 1-4
Credit: Clever Endeavour Games A deadly party platformer in which you need to navigate several hazardous levels whilst deploying traps to slow your friends down. Ultimate Chicken Horse can even be fun when everyone is failing, because at least you’re failing together.
Mount Your Friends
Developer: Stegersaurus Software Inc
Platforms: Steam (Windows)
Players: 1-4
Credit: Stegersaurus Software Inc In Mount Your Friends, you’ll literally be doing just that: taking turns to see how far you can climb a slowly growing mountain of naked men you’re friends have built with you, within a time limit. It’s ridiculous - but there’s a surprising amount of strategy to creating obstacles that’ll slow down your friends.
Death Squared
Developer: SMG Studio
Platforms: Steam (Windows, Mac), PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, IOS & Android
Players: 1-4
Credit: SMG Studio One of the deadliest co-op puzzle games ever made, Death Squared sees you guide a set of fragile cubes through a series of deadly tests. The puzzles themselves can be quite clever and it’ll usually take a few tries as you and friends accidentally and inevitably end up killing each other, over and over again.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Developer: Bandai Namco
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Players: 1-8
Credit: Bandai Namco Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a fighting game featuring some of our favourite characters from the Nintendo universe and other franchises. For a not too serious tussle with family or friends, it's riotous fun. The player roster is extensive and the action is quick with plenty of variation in play. It's also great for noobs, since battles can turn on a dime - especially when you have eight players all duelling it out.
Where to buy? Amazon, JB Hi-Fi, Mwave, Nintendo online
Screencheat
Developer: Samurai Punk
Platforms: Steam (Windows, Mac, Linux), PS4, Xbox One
Players: 1-8
Credit: Samurai Punk ‘Screen-cheating’ has always been a part of the party game experience - but what if there was a game in which you had to screencheat to win? Armed with wacky weapons, Screencheat is a multiplayer shooter where everyone is invisible and you have to look at their screen to find where they are and take them out.
Push Me Pull You
Developer: House House
Platforms: Steam (Windows, Mac, Linux), PS4
Players: 2-4
Credit: House House Push Me Pull You is as about as wacky as they come as you and your partner, joined at the waist, share a single wormy, human body and must wrestle other humanoid people to win control of a ball. If that sounds unapologetically weird, that’s because it is. It’s a hilariously strange game about working together and being the best wormy-sports-ball-person you can be.
#IDARB
Developer: Other Ocean
Platforms: Windows, Xbox One
Players: 1-8
Credit: Other Ocean Born out of random features suggested by fans on Twitter, #IDARB is a chaotic and frantic sports game that lets spectators influence the match. Two teams battle for the control of a ball, with the goal of scoring through the opponent’s goal, while spectators can change elements of a match, from adding fireworks, changing physics and more.
Starwhal
Developer: Breakfall
Platforms: Steam (Windows, Mac, Linux), PS4, Xbox One, Wii U
Players: 2-4
Credit: Breakfall Never has there been a party game so graceful and comical as Starwhal. Playing as narwhal in space, you’ll often find yourself in a beautiful dance of death, chasing each other across 2D neon space maps trying to pierce one another with your deadly horns.
Monster Prom
Developer: Beautiful Glitch
Platforms: Steam (Windows, Mac, Linux)
Players: 1-4
Credit: Beautiful Glitch A multiplayer take take on the dating sim genre, Monster Prom puts you up against your friends as you each try to find a date for the monster high school prom. The writing is deliciously funny and with hundreds of unique scenarios there is a ton of replayability. You can derail your friends and even attempt to seduce the same character.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Developer: Nintendo
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Players: 1-4
Credit: Dominic Bayley / IDG Mario Kart 8 is arguably Nintendo's best racing game, featuring all the DLC from Mario Kart 8 plus extra content too. There are a whopping 48 courses to ride, and a diverse character list of 42. Unique characters to the game include the Inklings from Splatoon as well as Bowser Jr. There are also tons of vehicle mods and you can also choose a ride from the super fast 200cc vehicle category if you have a need for speed.
The Jackbox Party Pack 8
Developer: Jackbox Games Inc
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X/S, PC, Mac, Linux, PS5, PS4, Xbox One
Players: 2-10
Credit: Jackbox games Jackbox releases Party Packs every now and then, but this one packs some of our favourites mini games including 'Job Job' - a twisted interview game where you use other players' answers to score a job and 'Weapons Drawn' - where you have to solve murders while hiding others. For some games you'll need up to 4 players to play, so you'll want to plan an evening of fun with friends and family to get the most from it.
