With the global health crisis, schools shutting down and people “social distancing,” you might be looking for tings to do. Here is out list of top games that take an hour to play and are a great, fun time to spend together.
UPDATE: We’re no longer stuck inside our houses due to “social distancing” but there are plenty of times where you’re stuck inside–the long cold days of winter, gloomy rainy days, too-hot-to-go-outside summer days. And let’s not forget family game nights, you know he ones where you want everyone gathered for as long as you can keep them!
In this post we’ll cover 10 games that take at least an hour to play. Feel free to add your favorite in the comments! Let’s get to it!
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The First Game that Takes An Hour To Play: Clue
The classic who-done-it game. This is one of our favorite games. Play takes about an hour. With your mind engaged while tracking down clues, the time will fly by and your mind will get a workout too. We’ve played all sorts of ways–including by candle light when the power went out. It never fails to keep us engaged.
Got younger kids? Try Clue Jr. We played this game so many times when the girls were young! It’s a great way to get kids thinking and paying attention.
If you’re a Harry Potter fan, you can try Harry Potter Clue or try Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Mystery at Hogwarts Game. You can read the review here.
Clue also has a line of escape rooms that we highly recommend. You can check them out here. If you’re looking for a new Clue game or need some replacement pieces, you can shop all things Clue here; Canadians here. There are so many editions to choose from it’s hard to have just one!
Number Two on the list: Ticket to Ride
This game is quickly becoming a classic and for good reason. While trying to connect train lines to complete missions, you learn geography and history and critical thinking. Ever changing strategies can keep you on your toes and encourage creative thinking as well as learning to deal with changing plans.
We’ve played this with many different groups of players and everyone loves it. When we first started playing our youngest was well below the suggested age but was very proud of the fact that she was able to play and hold her own. We did give her a four card advantage to start. Of course, they now have a junior edition.
You can travel around the world with the different Ticket to Rides: Europe, the Nordic countries, Africa, Germany, London, Japan and so many more. Play time is about an hour. There’s even a Ticket to Ride card game that you can check out here.
Shop all things Ticket To Ride here; Canadians here.
Number Three on the list: Carcassonne
This game takes just over half an hour to play. Players take turns placing tiles. Trying to figure out where the best place to put your tile is to gain you the most points is engaging. You’ll want to play again right away so half an hour can easily lead to an hour or more.
We’ve played this countless times. It tends to be one of the first games that we pull out on game nights. It’s great to play with beginner board gamers. You can read the full review here.
There are countless expansions too including, The Tower, The South Seas, and The Gold Rush. Yo can even get the Carcassonne Big Box that has 11 expansions in it. With all these expansions there are hours of fun with a new but familiar game.
Shop all things Carcassonne here; Canadians here.
The Fourth Game that Takes An Hour To Play: Pictionary
Another classic game. Trying to guess and draw yourself around the game board takes about an hour. With lots of creativity and laughs, this game will whittle away hours in no time.
This is one of my all time favorites (that comes with sooo many memories!). We have several holiday lists in our shop. We also created our Fish Bowl game with many themed games too. Fish Bowl is Quick Draw, Charades, and One Word clues all rolled up in one crazy game. Check it out here. It’s guaranteed to have you laughing for more than an hour!
You can get your copy of Pictionary here. Canadians can sharpen their pencils and shop here. We also reviewed Pictionary Air Harry Potter here.
Number Five on the list: The Game of Life
There are lots of variations of this game—classic, Zapped, Minions, even a card one. Will you be a dentist? Rock star? Will you climb a mountain or win a cottage? Lots of fun and playability with this game.
As a kid, I played this game for hours and hours. It was our go-to-game for years. We even played so much that we broke one of the tabs off the spinner and we still played! Our kids went through a faze where this was the only game they wanted to play.
This game takes about an hour to play so it’s prefect to spend the day playing (just don’t break the spinner!). You can get your Game of Life copy here. Canadians can see what the Game of Life has for them here.
Number Six on the list: Monopoly
Is there a game that takes longer to play than this one? If the world of property owning is up your ally, then Monopoly will for sure put a dent in the hours. Even if you don’t finish the game, it will keep you occupied for a long time.
When I was a kid four of us started a game on Monopoly in the early afternoon. By supper two of us were out of the game. my brother and older cousin played on and on and on. They stopped late into the night for bedtime. The next morning they picked it back up and decided to call it a draw around lunch when the bank ran out of money. So if you want a game that can eat up hours and hours then Monopoly is a sure hit.
There are so many editions it will make your head spin! But you can find one that fits your family’s interests. You can shop all Monopoly here. Canadians can get their Monopoly here.
The Seventh Game that Takes An Hour To Play: Pictopia
This is a trivia game with a twist. Each card has four pictures on it. Depending on where you are on the board, you could have to answer a classic trivia question or one based on the people who are playing the game. This is a great way to spend an hour testing your trivia and knowledge of each other.
We have both the Disney edition and the Harry Potter one. And I have to say that although I’m not a Potterhead I did win the Harry Potter one! Proof that you don’t need to be the best at trivia to win. Check out our Disney review here.
There’s the Disney Edition, Harry Potter, and a Star Wars one. Who knows what one they’ll make next! Shop Pictopia here; Canadians here.
Number Eight on the list: The Logo Game
This trivia game tests your knowledge of the brands of our world. It’s amazing how much even young kids know about the marketing world. After an hour, you’ll be paying more attention to the marketing of the world that’s for sure.
I wish they had this game when I was in college. It would have bee perfect for a group of Creative Advertising students! Oh the hours we would have spent…
The can read the full review here. You can get your copy of the Logo Game here and Canadians can get theirs here. They have a second edition now, and one for toys and a party edition!
Number Nine on the list: Scattergories
Testing your mind to come up with 12 items that start with N for the specified categories—and the debates that follow—will fill an hour with creative thinking and laughter all around.
This is anohter one of my all time favorite games! Our Fun Library is full of holiday themed games– Valentine’s Day, Summer, Halloween, Christmas and everything in-between. (You can get your password in the black box below.) I was very happy when my kids developed a love of this game. During our online time we played a lot of this game and it’s now a yearly wrap up with my Girl Guide unit.
If you love this game too, check out our review of Scattergories Categories. A fun twist on the classic game. We have several of these games in our shop here.
You can read the full review of the classic here. Americans can shop here, Canadians here.
The Tenth Game that Takes An Hour To Play: Rummikub
Rummikub is a game that dates back decades and is still just as popular as when it came out. In the game you are placing tiles to make runs and books. It’s easy enough that kids can get into it and fun enough that the adults will want to play again! You can play for hours without wanting a break!
It was a day full of winter nastiness when we pulled this game out the first time to play with the kids. They loved it right away and we even picked up the junior version later. We love the clink clink of the tiles.
You can read the full review here. Americans can shop here and Canadians here.
Update – More Games that Take an Hour to Play
It’s been a while since I put this list together and we’ve found some more games to add.
Horse Racing
This game can take as long as you have. Players win and lose depending on what cards they have and what their dice roll is. It’s fun and frustrating in the best way. You can play with coins, candies, or poker chips. It’s great for a crowd or a small group. Learn how to play here.
You can get your copy here or you can get our Turkey Trot game for fall or our Zombie Race version.
Joke-R-Rummy
This is our go-to card game. We love playing on the back deck in the summer. Players have to finish 7 secret missions to win. Some are easy to finish and others will have to scratching your head on how you’re going to complete them.
My number one question is where to buy this game. This is a Canada only game but don’t worry! We have the Sticks Card game that is similar and available right in our store so you can play wherever you are in the world!
Read the review here. Learn how to play Sticks here. And get your copy of Sticks here as well as our Dice Sticks game! If you’re in Canda, you can shop Joker-R-Rummy here.
Escape Rooms
Escape rooms are sure to take an hour to play – or more. If you’re up for the challenge! Here are some of the ones that we’ve reviewed, don’t worry there are no spoilers!
Clue Escape – read the review, shop here; Canadian here.
Unsolved Case – read the review here, shop here; Canadians here.
Cold Case – read the review, shop here; Canadians here.
Exit – read the review here, shop here, Canadians here
If you’re looking to keep the kids busy, check out our line of printable escape rooms here.
How the Hours Fly By
When you need to fill time, these great games will make the time disappear, leaving good memories behind.
What are some of your favorite games that take an hour to play? Let us know in the comments below.
Don’t forget that card games also can take up hours of enjoyable time. Check out our cards games and check out our dice games too. Happy gaming!
