Let’s chip away at that pesky awkwardness and get to know each other with these 10 best icebreaker board games!
Icebreaker board games are an awesome option to add to your board game shelf. You never know when you’ll need to break one out to introduce a new friend to the group or to help dig a little deeper.
What’s great about these board games is that they can be played by pretty much all ages and levels. They’re perfect for a classroom activity, teambuilding for the office, or a dinner party with new friends, icebreaker board games are sure to heat up the conversion.
🏆 Our Top Picks for Best Icebreaker Board Games
In a hurry? Take a quick peek before you go at the Best Icebreaker Board Games.
Best Icebreaker Games
Dixit
Players: 3- 6
Playing time: 30mins
A picture is worth a thousand words, so get to guessing!
Dixit is a simple, lighthearted game of storytelling and guesswork. Your imagination will unlock the tale, so what story will your picture tell?
In this creative guessing game, one player chooses a card and then thinks up a clue inspired by that card. The other players will then pick cards they think best matches the clue. The cards are shuffled and revealed. Players secretly vote for the card they think best suits the narrator’s story.
If you’re looking for a game that’ll get the creative cogs turning, Dixit has gorgeously illustrated cards that help players delve into dreamlike situations.
Dixit is a great icebreaker game for all ages, especially kids, as there’s no reading involved, the rules are simple, and it’s very inclusive for all players.
Let your ideas carry you away!
Wavelength
Players: 2-12
Playing time: 30- 45mins
A game of deep thoughts and high fives, Wavelength is like Codenames, but weirder.
Wavelength reveals people’s own internal gauges of things and how they may be similar or different from others. One player spins the red dial and secretly views where it lands. A card is drawn, telling players the two ends of the spectrum of a topic. The player has to find a way to represent where the red dial landed.
For example, the clue is “coffee”. On a spectrum from hot to cold, your teammates will try to guess where a target is secretly located. Your team will move the red dial to where they think “coffee” is located. Once guessed, the target is revealed. The closer you get to the target the more points you gain.
You’ll definitely get to know people well as you laugh and learn what people think about an array of topics.
A bonus, the box is beautifully illustrated and looks like a piece of art on your shelf.
On a Scale of One to T-Rex
Players: 2- 8
Playing time: 15mins
If you’re bad at charades, On a Scale of One to T-Rex is the perfect game for you!
How does it work? There are a bunch of action cards placed on the table, which all players can see. Every player is given an Intensity card, which tells them how intensely to perform their action on a scale of one to ten.
Next, it’s time to act it out! Perform your actions at the same time. The goal is to figure out which players are performing on the same intensity level as you. If you guess correctly, you get points.
If you’re looking for an icebreaker game that’ll get you moving, On a Scale of One to T-Rex will have everyone looking silly and laughing!
Love Letter
Players: 2- 6
Playing time: 20mins
The Princess seeks a partner. Will you help her with royal responsibilities and assume the throne?
Love Letter has players try to outwit others with the hopes of getting their love letter to the Princess. They’ll also need to ensure that they keep other player’s letters away
It’s a quick game of bluffing, deduction, and a little luck. The game has simple rules so players can pick up the game easily. You may start with a powerful card, which is great, but it’ll also put a target on your back. It’s a balancing act between powerful and weak cards.
Will you earn the love and trust of the Princess?
Happy Salmon
Players: 3- 8
Even though it’s a 90-second game, you’ll be playing for hours!
Happy Salmon is a simple but addictive party game that’s perfect for an icebreaker activity. Players try to move faster and shout louder in a free-for-all party battle. You’ll be laughing, sweating, shouting, and celebrating all at the same time.
A player flips their card and calls out the action listed. The twist is that everyone does this at the same time! When two players match, the action is complete, and players can move on to their next cards. The player who is out of cards first wins.
Happy Salmon is a fun, quick, and energetic game that’ll get everyone on their feet and laughing.
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza
Players: 2- 8
Playing time: 10- 30mins
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza is as fun as its name!
Keeping five crazy words in mind, players wait until there is a match between a card and a spoken word. Once there is a match, players race against each other to slap their hands on the central pile of cards.
It’s a simple game, but under pressure, your mind starts to play tricks on you, and you race to be the first to get rid of all your cards.
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza is a convenient size making it travel-friendly.
Apples to Apples
Players: 4- 10
Playing time: 30mins
A favorite for many years, Apples to Apples is simple to play and good-hearted fun, making it a great classroom icebreaker game.
Apples to Apples challenges players to think on their feet as they pick the closest “Apples to Apples” comparison. Players take turns being the judge and pulling a Description card. The rest of the players pick the best matching card from their hands.
What makes Apples to Apples the ultimate icebreaker game is that you’ll choose your card based on what you think the judge will like, so if you get to know the judge a little better, you’re more likely to win!
Throw Throw Avocado
Players: 2- 6
Playing time: 15mins
Throw Throw Avocado is a combination of a card game and dodgeball. Don’t worry, the avocado is super soft and squishy.
A sequel to Throw Throw Burrito, players go head to head collecting cards, earning points, and throwing avocados at each other.
The game is hilarious and entertaining for all ages and perfect as an outdoor icebreaker activity.
Timeline
Players: 2- 8
Playing time: 15mins
Timeline is an engaging and educational trivia game where each card shows an invention, historical event, or discovery. Players need to figure out when each event took place in chronological order.
To start, one randomly drawn card is placed in the middle of the table. Each player places a card from their hand before or after it, creating a chronological timeline. The first player to get rid of their cards wins!
There are awesome expansion packs so you can break the ice, have fun and learn more!
Welcome to the Dungeon
Players: 2- 4
Playing time: 30mins
Dungeon dive in this push-your-luck game that’ll test your courage and choices.
Welcome to the Dungeon is a fun card game where players dare their opponents to enter the dungeon with less and less equipment. Players face dangerous dungeon monsters as they fight to prove who’s the bravest and perhaps, the craziest.
In the game, you’ll be betting and bluffing with each round as more and more monsters fill the dungeon. There are two ways to win. Beat the dungeon twice or be the last warrior standing.
Welcome to the Dungeon can play up to 4 players, so it is better suited to smaller groups.
Wrap-Up
We hope you enjoyed our list of the best icebreaker board games! Do you have an icebreaker board game you bring out to ease the tension with new and unfamiliar groups? Let us know in the comments below! We’d love to hear from you.
Ready Player Christine. Since my first D&D game, which took a turn for the weird and wacky (probably my influence), the world of board and tabletop games came alive. Now today, I get to write about these fantastical, fictional, and downright fun worlds.