Have you been swept up into the Wordle craze? Have you been dying to continue the fun off-screen? Well, there’s a board game for that. There’s one for every kind of word lover, whether you and your crew loves find-the-villain deduction games or you’re into traditional crossword challenges.
Revelrous Board Games for Word Lovers
Vocabulary-building diversions
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Growing up with an English teacher as a parent and a grandma that practically slept next to the dictionary, word games are practically in my DNA. I’m not saying that I’m an expert, but (*brushes shoulder*) I am. After years of testing and even exploring new-to-market games, we culled the best word-related board games for every group, setting, and mood. Our top pick is (no surprise here) Scrabble—because every house should have a board—followed by a handful of other suggestions worth trying. Hey, don’t mess with perfection, am I right?
What should you consider before picking out the right word game for you?
- Level of difficulty: While most of our picks are fun for any age group and skill level, some are more enjoyable for teens, adults, and kids with advanced vocabularies.
- Setup and rules: Some games require more setup time or are more difficult to learn than others. Keep that in mind, especially when choosing a game to play at a party or with children who may get bored easily.
- Duration: Speaking of boredom, take the expected playing time of the game into account. Some of our choices, like Big Boggle, can be played in three minutes, while others take half an hour or more.
- Number of players: There are options on our list for teams, parties, small groups, and even single players.
Keep the fun going with our recommendations for the best board games for family game nights or learn a new language to really up your word-game game.
Our Top Picks
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Pros
- Simple, easy-to-learn rules
- Various themed and childrens’ editions available
- Minimal setup required
Cons
- Requires pen and paper for scorekeeping
Product Snapshot
Since its creation during the Great Depression, Scrabble has been manufactured in 30 languages and sold 150 million boards across the world. Although it has inspired countless tabletop, computer, and smartphone games, the classic is a must in every home, and its simplicity makes it adaptable for many ages and skill levels.
Specs
- Players
- 2 to 4 players
- Age
- 8 years and up
- Duration
- 60 minutes
Pros
- Simple, easy-to-learn rules
- Good for parties
- Social deduction element
Cons
- Included wipeable marker requires some cleanup
Product Snapshot
Part mystery and part word game, Chameleon is perfect for parties, as well as families with older kids. All players—except for one!—get a secret word at the start of the game and must use carefully chosen phrases and codes to figure out who the hidden “Chameleon” is before time is up.
Specs
- Players
- 3-8 players
- Age
- 14 years and up
- Duration
- 15 minutes
Pros
- Can be played for any amount of time
- Small and portable
- No setup required
Cons
- Pieces are easy to lose
Product Snapshot
Bananagrams turns any surface into a Scrabble board: picnic blankets, airplane tray tables, and more. Packable and self-contained, it’s a good game to have on hand to keep kids (and adults) entertained during travel, in waiting rooms, and anywhere else boredom may strike.
Specs
- Players
- 2 to 6 players
- Age
- 7 years and up
- Duration
- Up to 30 minutes
Pros
- Can be played quickly or for as long as desired
- Engaging and fun for all ages
- Suitable for groups
Cons
- Challenging for children who are not confident writing by hand
Product Snapshot
It’s Boggle, but bigger. Shake up the letters, see where they fall, and start the timer. Each player writes down as many words as they can find. The game’s fast pace keeps kids engaged and lets you decide for how long you want to play, making it ideal for families.
Specs
- Players
- 2 or more players
- Age
- 8 years and up
- Duration
- 3 minutes
Pros
- Beautiful design
- Deduction element
- Encourages conversation
Cons
- Expensive
- Complicated rules can be difficult to learn
Product Snapshot
From design-minded brand CMYK Games, Wavelength is a guessing game for people who are good with words. Teams use clever clues, observational skills, and their knowledge of other players to “read each others’ minds.” Ideal for groups, Wavelength helps players get to know each other in new ways and sparks conversations.
Specs
- Players
- 2 or more players
- Age
- 14 years and up
- Duration
- 30 to 45 minutes
Pros
- Great for parties
- Can purchase expansion packs
Cons
- Not ideal for young kids
Product Snapshot
As far as party games go, Scattergories is an oldie but goodie. With the ability to play individually or as teams, you can have a roaring good time with a small or large group. The object of the game is to think differently. Someone rolls a 20-sided die with letters on it. Whichever letter is chosen, each person or team has to come up with answers that start with that letter for a variety of categories. You only score points if you come up with a word that no one else has. It certainly allows for your creative brain to participate in full force.
Specs
- Players
- 2 to 6 players
- Age
- 13 years and up
- Duration
- 3 minutes per round
Where to Buy
Pros
- Good for younger kids
- Rotating game board
Cons
- Similar to Scrabble
Product Snapshot
When you think of crossword-style or word search-esque board games, you probably think of Scrabble. Upwords, however, is like Scrabble 2.0. Unlike Scrabble, you can actually stack (yes, stack) game tiles on top of existing letters on the game board. In doing so, you can turn “dog” into “fog” and then into “log,” racking up points along the way. For adults, it’s challenging and strategic. For kids, it’s a great way to teach them about rhyming words.
Specs
- Players
- 2 to 4 players
- Age
- 8 years and up
- Duration
- 45 to 90 minutes
Pros
- Good for young kids
- Includes English and Spanish tiles
Cons
- Game pieces are made out of cheap materials
Product Snapshot
Another word game that is great for the whole family is Dabble. In this game, players are given 20 letter tiles and race to use all tiles to spell five words. Children as young as eight years old can play and the game format serves both individuals and teams well. As an added bonus, this game also comes with English and Spanish tiles.
Specs
- Players
- 2 to 4 players
- Age
- 8 years and up
- Duration
- 5 minutes
Where to Buy
Pros
- Short rounds
- Less packaging than before
- Good for younger kids
Cons
- Needs more cards
Product Snapshot
Enter all the cow-related jokes for this game. Similar but completely different to Scattergories, Herd Mentality requires you to not stand out. Just like the name suggests, you have to think of answers that go with the rest of the herd. Not only do you have to be creative in your answers, but you also have to demonstrate your knowledge about the rest of the group. Think of it as a board game version of “The Match Game.”
Specs
- Players
- 4 to 20 players
- Age
- 10 years and up
- Duration
- 20 minutes
Pros
- Good for young kids
Cons
- Not challenging after you've played multiple times
Product Snapshot
Speech pathologists love this game for its ability to build vocabulary and improve concentration. In this game, there are 100 cards (300 words total) that have letters in random order. Your mission is to figure out what the word is before anyone else. The game is easy-to-learn and simple but can lose its challenge for adults if played frequently.
Specs
- Players
- 2 to 6 players
- Age
- 10 years and up
- Duration
- 30 minutes
Where to Buy
Pros
- Fun for parties
- Best to play with adults
Cons
- Not for younger kids
Product Snapshot
Similar to Chameleon, this game requires players to be skilled actors as well as creative. Each game card lists a question from one of four possible categories of content: people, words, initials, and movies. Once a question is read, each player must write down what they think the definition or answer is. According to the rules, in order to win the game, players must decipher between answers that are phony and answers that are true.
Specs
- Players
- 2 to 6 players
- Age
- 12 years and up
- Duration
- 60 minutes
Where to Buy
Compare
Best Overall Game
Best Deduction Game
Best Travel Game
Best for Family Game Night
Best-Looking Word Game
Best Party Word Board Game
Best Crossword-Style Game (That's Not Scrabble)
Best Word Game for All Ages
Best Word Game for Zoom Calls
Best Word Game for Building Vocabulary
Most Hilarious Word Game
Pros
Pros
Pros
Pros
Pros
Pros
Pros
Pros
Pros
Pros
Pros
Pros
- Simple, easy-to-learn rules
- Various themed and childrens’ editions available
- Minimal setup required
- Simple, easy-to-learn rules
- Good for parties
- Social deduction element
- Can be played for any amount of time
- Small and portable
- No setup required
- Can be played quickly or for as long as desired
- Engaging and fun for all ages
- Suitable for groups
- Beautiful design
- Deduction element
- Encourages conversation
- Great for parties
- Can purchase expansion packs
- Good for younger kids
- Rotating game board
- Good for young kids
- Includes English and Spanish tiles
- Short rounds
- Less packaging than before
- Good for younger kids
- Good for young kids
- Fun for parties
- Best to play with adults
Cons
Cons
Cons
Cons
Cons
Cons
Cons
Cons
Cons
Cons
Cons
Cons
- Requires pen and paper for scorekeeping
- Included wipeable marker requires some cleanup
- Pieces are easy to lose
- Challenging for children who are not confident writing by hand
- Expensive
- Complicated rules can be difficult to learn
- Not ideal for young kids
- Similar to Scrabble
- Game pieces are made out of cheap materials
- Needs more cards
- Not challenging after you've played multiple times
- Not for younger kids
Players
Players
Players
Players
Players
Players
Players
Players
Players
Players
Players
Players
2 to 4 players
3-8 players
2 to 6 players
2 or more players
2 or more players
2 to 6 players
2 to 4 players
2 to 4 players
4 to 20 players
2 to 6 players
2 to 6 players
Age
Age
Age
Age
Age
Age
Age
Age
Age
Age
Age
Age
8 years and up
14 years and up
7 years and up
8 years and up
14 years and up
13 years and up
8 years and up
8 years and up
10 years and up
10 years and up
12 years and up
Duration
Duration
Duration
Duration
Duration
Duration
Duration
Duration
Duration
Duration
Duration
Duration
60 minutes
15 minutes
Up to 30 minutes
3 minutes
30 to 45 minutes
3 minutes per round
45 to 90 minutes
5 minutes
20 minutes
30 minutes
60 minutes