Most people have great stories about the card games they played as they were growing up. Whether you enjoyed some Go Fish with your parents, poker with your cousins, or Blackjack with friends in high school, you likely have great memories of playing card games.
There is something so simple and effective about playing a game. Whether you play slingo online or you are engaged in a high stakes game of Texas Hold’em, the thrill and excitement is hard to beat.
That is why finding great card games is so much fun. Perhaps there are some enjoyable games you don’t even know existed.
Here are the four best card games ever invented:
1. Dominion
One of the most engaging card games is Dominion. It involves building up a kingdom and vying for domination against other players. Think of Dominion as a combination of a card game and a board game, as there are elements of both within its gameplay.
Dominion involves each player getting a turn, where they play action cards. These cards are taken from the centre of the table, and they allow you to take specific actions within the game. Even though there is a limited number of cards that you can choose, there are so many ways that you can use those cards to impact the game and the other players.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of playing Dominion is when you are playing for the first time. Most people have a limited understanding of the game, but it is easy to pick up, which is why you can have so much fun during the first run through. Everyone is trying ridiculous strategies, and whoever comes up with the best actions is the one who will emerge the winner.
2. Spades
If you were to ask ten people about a card game that they have played more than one or two times, most of them would answer with Spades. One of the most popular card games on the planet, and among the easiest to learn, Spades has been around since the 1930s.
The reason Spades became so popular is that it was a faster and more exciting alternative to a game like Bridge, where everything happens a little too slowly. The concept of Spades is to get more tricks than the other players, and you can do that by using your spades to trump any other cards that may be presented within a round.
If you are playing four-person Spades, then you are in teams of two, working with each other to attempt to defeat the other team. Even if you have friends that have never played Spades, they can learn it within minutes, which is why it is among the best card games ever to have been invented.
3. Texas Hold’em
The most popular version of Poker in the world, Texas Hold’em is a fantastic card game that you can play during any game night or gathering. The concept of Texas Hold’em is very simple. You are dealt two cards each at the beginning of each round. You then go through several turns placing bets, with cards being revealed in the centre of the table.
The first round sees three cards revealed, while another card is shown in the subsequent round. The final round, or the river, sees the final card revealed. Before that happens, players who are still in the game can make their final bets. Since the players cannot see each other’s cards, Poker is very much a game about who can bluff their way to success.
Texas Hold’em is so popular because the game is engaging enough to play for hours but simple enough that a person can learn without much effort. The only challenging aspect is remembering the different hands and their ranks, but many people create a cheat sheet on their phones to help them during games.
Nowadays, there are computer bots that can beat the professionals at Texas Hold’em. As long as you are playing against humans, the game is a lot of fun!
4. Uno
If you are planning a family game night, and some of your relatives are bringing their kids, you will hope to play a game that everyone can enjoy. Rather than trying to play Poker, Blackjack, or a more complex card game, you should stick with Uno.
The game requires a special deck of cards that is only used for Uno, but when you have that deck, you can whip this game out anytime you are bored. Uno is such a great way to pass time, while the games can become very competitive in the right circumstances.
Each player is given a set number of cards at the start of an Uno game, and the goal is to lose all your cards before the other players in the game. The cards have different colours, while they also have numbers or actions.
If someone puts down a green card with a 4, then you can either put down a 4 or a green card, otherwise, you have to pick up a card from the deck. Actions within Uno include reverse, skip, draw two, and draw four. The latter is a colour-free card that can be played at any time, on top of any other card.
Even though Uno may seem like a simple game, there is a lot of strategy involved, as you must know the precise moment to play your action cards. If you play them too early, you may be unable to stop someone else from losing all their cards before you.
Elevate Your Game Nights
If you enjoy having a few friends over for a game night, where you are playing different card or board games, you may want to find a new game to keep everyone occupied.
Rather than playing the same games you have already been through so many times, you can try something new.
Each of the card games we have reviewed above is a delight to play. These games can elevate your game night to another level, as your friends and family will get to experience a new card game that will entertain them for hours.