What is a "Party Game"?

Who said video games are a solitary hobby that isolates you from your loved ones?

That person has clearly never spent hours laughing with family or friends, controller in hand, during a wild multiplayer session—whether in co-op (cooperation) or competing against each other.

Party games are made for exactly that.
No stress, just pure fun and shared moments.

From the English term “party game”, these games sometimes get a bad reputation from so-called “hardcore gamers.” When they don’t like a game, they dismiss it—wrongly—as a party game! But in terms of game design, creating a truly original and effective party game is a real challenge. That’s why the classics of the genre remain timeless—you don’t necessarily need the latest version to have a blast. In fact, some players still prefer the originals.

More than just game mechanics, graphics, or animation quality, a great party game is all about accessibility and pure fun, where laughter comes first. The goal is to play locally, with 2, 3, or 4 people on the couch, having a great time with fun, easy-to-pick-up games. Sure, you’ll need multiple controllers, but it’s well worth it to bring people together—young and old alike.

One thing’s for sure: a great party game needs simple controls accessible to players as young as 6 or 7, a good dose of speed, and often mini-games to break ties—all wrapped around a fun, easy-to-grasp concept.

Take Overcooked, for example: the goal is to prepare and serve dishes as fast as possible in a chaotic kitchen. Nothing groundbreaking, right? But in multiplayer, it’s absolutely hilarious—especially when you’re accidentally pushing each other, yelling across the room that you’re out of lettuce, shrimp, or even clean plates, and frantically relying on your teammates to help out.

Simple, but incredibly effective. Just like Frog Climbers, where you play as a frog trying to climb over your friends—and knock them down—to reach the top first.