Everyone loves an opportunity to impress their friends and family with a display of just how intelligent they can be.
Unlike typical board games that rely more on chance than knowledge, trivia games are an excellent way to put your expertise to the test in a head-to-head battle with your loved ones.
While some trivia board games are notoriously tricky – designed only for the true eggheads amongst us, others are intended for use in virtually any situation – including parties with kids.
These days, there’s a seemingly endless number of trivia board games available to choose from on the market, not to mention dozens of different special versions of things like Trivial Pursuit.
If you’ve been looking for a way to brighten up your evenings with the family, or you need a way to break the ice at the bar or your next house party, we’ve got just the thing.
Here we’re going to look at 10 of the best trivia board games you can enjoy today, and what it is that makes these titles so special!
1. Trivial Pursuit: Best for Traditionalists
It’s hard to create any list of the best trivia board games without mentioning Trivial Pursuit.
After all, it’s the classic choice for anyone who loves putting their brainpower to the test.
Whether you’re looking for something traditional, like the very first Hasbro Trivial Pursuit board, or you want something new, there’s something for everyone on the market these days.
Over the years, games manufacturers have rolled out various versions of Trivial Pursuit to suit everyone from fans of specific franchises (like Disney and Harry Potter), to those from particular generations – like Trivial Pursuit 2000s edition.
Anywhere between 2 and 6 players can enjoy this game at the same time, and all you need to do to win is move around a board, answering questions to fill your board piece with six colored triangles.
The first person to fill their piece and successfully answer a question at the center of the board wins.
2. Best of TV and Movies: Best for Film Buffs
Most of the best trivia board games focus on testing your general knowledge by asking you questions from multiple genres, including art, entertainment, history, and geography.
However, there are also games out there that concentrate on a specific genre above all else.
The “Best of TV & Movies” board game was designed to challenge how much you think you know about both the big and small screen.
This game comes with questions on hundreds of movies and television shows, making it an excellent choice for anyone who loves spending an evening glued to their TV set.
Two to four players can enjoy the game at the same time, and there is fun “special cards” thrown into the mix too, like “fast forward” to skip your turn.
This is an excellent game for anyone in search of hours of family-friendly entertainment.
Just wait until you and your siblings are arguing over what happened on an episode of CSI – you’re sure to have some laughs.
3. Phone Phever – Best for Smartphone Addicts
Let’s face it; we’re all pretty much hooked to our smartphones these days.
That’s what makes games like Phone Phever so appealing.
Compatible with virtually any smartphone model, Phone Phever is one of the most compelling ways to combine old-school board games with new technology.
There are around 1,200 trivia questions to choose from in the kit, which cover a range of categories like music, movies, and history.
The wide range of questions means that there’s pretty much something for everyone.
Unlike other board games that focus on trivia, however, Phone Phever takes a unique approach to how you can answer the questions.
Either you can rely on your own education to give you the answer, or you can search for the information you need on your smartphone.
There are no rules about “Googling” your way to success.
Just don’t be surprised if some of the younger tech-savvy people in your group are more likely to get the answers faster than those who don’t use their phones as often.
4. Smart Ass – Best for Parties
Trivia games can be an excellent way to set the mood at your next house party, but it’s essential to choose something that’s not too stale.
Fortunately, Smart Ass has you covered in that regard.
This unique, fast-paced trivia game is excellent for breaking the ice and getting everyone to join in the fun.
Designed for up to 6 players at a time, Smart Ass is best for adults and teens, as you’re going to have a few rude answers thrown into the questions here.
Plus, the last thing you want is for the kids to get carried away and start screaming at the top of their lungs.
With Smart Ass, every participant takes a turn rolling a dice and reading out clues on question cards.
However, you don’t have to wait until your turn to answer a question.
Instead, if you figure out the answer before all the eight hint cards have been read, then you’re free to shout it as loudly as you can – before anyone else does.
5. Professor Noggin’s – Best for Kids
Often, your opinion of the best trivia board games will depend on who you’re buying for.
If you’re looking for a way to keep your kids’ wits sharp, for instance, then it’s a good idea to try Professor Noggins’ Trivia card games.
There’s a range of options to choose from depending on the niche you want to cover, including games for history, geography and more.
Designed for kids who love to learn, Professor Noggin’s is an excellent way to engage your children in some after-school learning, or just improve their general knowledge levels.
Keep in mind that the game comes with both hard and easy questions, as it’s intended to appeal to children of different ages.
If your kid is struggling with a particular topic at school this can also be a great way to give them an educational boost, without making learning feel too much like hard work.
6. iKnow – Best for Strategy Lovers
One of the most stressful parts of playing a trivia game is knowing that there’s someone on your group that generally wins all the time because of their absurd background in general knowledge.
If you’re sick and tired of that know-it-all in your group, then you can take a slightly different approach to trivia games with the iKnow game instead.
iKnow is a title that’s designed to even out the playing field and give everyone a chance at winning.
Designed for fun for two to six players, iKnow is generally best for adults and children over the age of 15 – as some of the questions are quite difficult.
In the box, you’ll find a game board, 400 cards, six iBet tokens and six iKnow tokens.
The wagering element involved in iKnow is part of what makes it so special.
If you’re not the best at trivia, you can still gain points by betting.
Keep in mind that iKnow has a habit of bringing out your more competitive side – so it might not be the kind of game you want to play with people who can easily get into arguments.
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7. Linkee – Best for fast-paced play
Trivia can have a habit of lasting a long time if you let them.
Unfortunately, if you’re just looking for a way to spend an hour before the kids go to bed, you probably won’t want to get stuck in a marathon game of Trivial Pursuit.
Fortunately, there are options like Linkee that can help you get the most out of your games when you don’t have a lot of time to spare.
Linkee can be played with between 2 and 30 people – so it’s great for big groups – although it’s recommended for people over the age of 14.
When you open the box, you’ll find four pencils, for answer pads, a rule guide, and a range of questions too.
To play, you’ll need to answer four questions on each card and try to figure out what the link is between those questions. Once you’ve got the answer in mind, shout “Linkee” to win the round.
8. Family Feud – Best for Nostalgia
If you’ve ever spent an evening with the family watching family feud on television and trying to play along, then you’ll know how much fun this game can be.
That’s why it had to make our list for the best trivia board games around today.
While family feud might not be the considerable TV show that it used to be, it’s still incredibly popular among every member of the family – particularly when you get to play the game show in your own home.
The original version of the board game was released in 1977, and it’s still going strong today. It works exactly as you would expect, with people offering their answers to questions, hoping to get the highest score for the suggestions that they give.
You may need to set someone aside to play as the “presenter” – but this is a fun role to have.
9. Wits and Wagers – Best for a Spot of Gambling
Wits and Wagers is a game that’s been around for quite some time now, initially arriving on the market in 2005.
However, it’s still a very popular choice for trivia games today.
In this game, everyone attempts to answer ridiculous trivia questions and bet who will get the closest answer.
It’s an easy way to bring a little bit of gambling fun into your trivia experience.
Whether you’re playing on the dramatic “all-in” questions, or you just love the thrill of gathering as many chips as possible, there are plenty of things to love about wits and wagers.
If you’re looking for evidence that you’re going to have a seriously good time with this game, then how about the fact that it won the Golden Geek Award for the Best party game in 2007?
It’s also won numerous other awards too for helping to bring more life into house parties across the globe.
10. Wit’s End – Best for a Challenge
Finally, if you’re bored of the typical experience you get from most trivia board games, and you’re ready to put your knowledge to the test, then you can’t go wrong with Wit’s End.
This unique game is designed to really make you scratch your brain in the search for answers – so don’t play it if you’re the kind of person who gets frustrated when you don’t know the answer to a question.
Best for teens and adults thanks to the complicated nature of the questions, Wit’s End is not for trivia beginners, not for the faint of heart.
However, if you love a challenge, then this could be just the test of mindpower that you’ve been looking for.
You’ll find questions that relate to everything from geography and science, to pop culture and history.
Don’t worry; it’s not all sweating over tough questions – the game has plenty of fun to offer too, with engaging and unique problems that are sure to get you thinking.
