Card games are one of the best ways to bring people together, whether you’re in the mood for cooperative, duel, or even solo games. Some are fast and chaotic, like Exploding Kittens, while others, like 7 Wonders Duel or Citadels, let you plan and strategize like a true king or a general. And if teamwork is more your thing, you might love Rescuing Robin Hood.

With that in mind, no matter what kind of player you are, this list of the 12 best card games for adults has something for everyone. So grab a deck, gather your gaming buddies, and let the games begin!

Best Card Games for Adults Comparison Table

1. The Best Card Games for Adults – Guns or Treasure

Our Rating: 5/5 Stars

Pirates, ships, and sea battles – these are three things you can never get enough of, no matter how old you are. Many people find pirates fun, and some even dream of being one, which is why movies, video games, and card games like Guns or Treasure are so awesome. They bring that vibe and let everyone feel what it’s like to be the captain of their own ship.

Why We Like It

In Guns or Treasure, players are pirate captains who draw cards to secretly build their ships and battle their enemies to claim more loot. Each round, they upgrade their fleet and make their best strategic choices to prepare for the upcoming Marauding Phase, where this game truly shines.

In the Marauding Phase, players compare their ships, and the stronger one takes the other’s loot. But if someone secretly planted a bomb, both sides lose the fight. And that’s how this game plays out – collect the most loot and you win!

With stunning art, tense yet light and strategic gameplay, Guns or Treasure is an awesome card game for adults that every player (and pirate fan) will surely love!

2. The Best Card Games for Adults – Rescuing Robin Hood

Our Rating: 5/5 Stars

I covered pirates, and now it’s time to talk about another cool character many people love. He steals from the rich and gives to the poor – and now he’ll steal your heart with this cooperative board game. That said, let’s see why Rescuing Robin Hood is one of the best card games for adults.

Why We Like It

While it may be more technically a board game, Rescuing Robin Hood’s gameplay puts a big focus on its amazing cards, which is why it’s on this list – plus the fact that it’s a super fun game, of course. Why is it so great? It’s a cooperative adventure for 1–5 players where you build a team of villagers over four days (or rounds) to rescue Robin Hood from the Sheriff’s castle.

Collect skill points, carefully build your crew of four villagers and a leader, and make the right moves so you and your gaming buddies can win and enjoy the game. And you will, because Rescuing Robin Hood is highly replayable and just the right mix of fun and strategy to keep you coming back for more!

3. The Best Card Games for Adults – Exploding Kittens: Party Pack

Our Rating: 5/5 Stars

Russian roulette and kittens – now that sounds… interesting. And it really is! It’s a combo that will give you one of the most unique card games for adults out there. Whether you’re playing with a small group or a large group of gaming buddies, getting this game is truly a must! Trust me, you can’t go wrong with Exploding Kittens: Party Pack.

Why We Like It

Exploding Kittens is a fast-paced game built on luck and clever moves which will keep you in the game while kicking your friends out so you can win. In this fun chaos, every player draws kitten cards until someone stumbles upon the Exploding Kitten, which, as you might guess, blasts them out of the game.

And the Party Pack? It comes with 120 cards, letting 2 to 10 players join. Things can get messy fast, though, and that’s just one more reason why this is one of the best card games for adults.

4. The Best Card Games for Adults – 7 Wonders Duel

Our Rating: 5/5 Stars

A list of the best card games for adults wouldn’t be complete without 7 Wonders Duel being among the top choices, and everyone who’s played it knows exactly what I’m talking about. For those of you who haven’t heard of it, it’s a masterpiece for all history fans and anyone who enjoys resource-management games with tons of replayability. One game, and you will definitely fall in love!

Why We Like It

7 Wonders Duel is one of the most unique card games for adults, simply because it offers three different ways to win and three distinct rounds. And it’s all thanks to its clever card-drafting system, where you lay out the cards in different patterns that make every single move count. Then, your goal is to gather resources while carefully balancing your Military and Science Power to secure victory.

Easy to learn, yet super strategic and incredibly replayable – 7 Wonders Duel is one of my personal two-player favorites and a card game you should definitely check out.  

5. The Best Card Games for Adults – Codenames 

Our Rating: 5/5 Stars

How are your investigation and clue-reading skills? In Codenames, you’ll have to be a good detective if you want your team to win. There isn’t much room for mistakes, however, because making the wrong move can lead to defeat. But that’s perfectly fine, because everyone will have fun either way. Win or lose, you’ll want to play again!

Why We Like It

Okay, spymasters, let’s see what you’ve got. In this game, players split into two teams and set the agent cards facedown in a 5x5 grid, so they can later guess all of the right ones using the clues their teammates give them. Each correct guess grants an extra turn, but picking the wrong card can end your turn – or even cost you the game.

Codenames is a tense game where you have to cooperate without losing focus or getting frustrated with your teammates (which can be tricky) to pull off the win. And the best part is, whether you stick with the same team or mix things up, you and your friends will never get bored playing this game.

6. The Best Card Games for Adults – Jaipur

Our Rating: 5/5 Stars

Jaipur is a classic that’s perfect for any occasion – whether you’re out with friends or staying in for a cozy game night with your partner. It’s easy to learn and play, so you can have some relaxed fun when you’re not in the mood for deep strategy. Oh, and there are lots of camels, too. And laughs. And a very, very fun scoring system!

Why We Like It

What makes Jaipur such a good choice is how simple it is to learn and how fast it plays. It’s the perfect filler that everyone should have on hand, or even a great main attraction for more casual game nights. Because in this game, all you have to do is trade goods to earn the favor of the Maharajas.

And what did I mean by a fun scoring system? Well, while your goal is to collect tokens to gain points, you won’t actually know how many points each token is worth until the end of the game. And the camels? If you collect the most, you get bonus points. That’s pretty much it – trade cards, collect tokens, and enjoy. Jaipur is a good game you simply can’t go wrong with.

7. The Best Card Games for Adults – Citadels

Our Rating: 5/5 Stars

Citadels has everything! There are multiple roles for you to play, each one unique and perfectly in tune with the medieval world in which the game is set. The way you use them is super fun, and when you mix that with bluffing as the main gameplay mechanic, you get one of the best card games for adults!

Why We Like It

Citadels is all about bluffing and a little bit of luck. In this medieval game, there are multiple characters (like the Assassin, King, or Thief) you’ll take the role of each round. Your goal is to use your character’s abilities and collect gold coins to build districts. Once your eighth district is constructed, the game ends, and players count their points gained from different sources.

Replayable, beautifully themed, full of strategic elements that can really make you think, and cool roles that keep every game fresh, Citadels is a title that can easily become one of your all-time favorite card games.

8. The Best Card Games for Adults – The Mind

Our Rating: 5/5 Stars

You may have played plenty of cooperative games, but you’ve never played anything like The Mind. Why? In this game, you don’t just work together to complete tasks or gather resources. Here, you and the other players have to read each other’s minds if you want to win. Sounds hard, right? It can be. But it’s so addictive that you won’t be able to stop playing once you start.

Why We Like It

So, how does this mind-reading work? It’s very simple – all players have to do is, without showing their cards, play every single card between them in ascending order. But here’s the tricky part: if you play a low number like 5, thinking it’s the right move, but a teammate has a 3, you lose.

Thankfully, the gameplay isn’t too punishing, since there are lives you can use to stay in the game. However, you can’t talk about the cards, meaning that all you have to do is trust each other, and you might just win. And even if you don’t – don’t give up!

9. The Best Card Games for Adults – Love Letter

Our Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

When it comes to card games, Love Letter is a true classic that everyone should play. It’s simple, highly replayable, and features one of the fan-favorite gameplay mechanics – bluffing. So, will you be able to keep making the right moves to outsmart your opponents and deliver the Princess her letter?

Why We Like It

What makes Love Letter unique is its gameplay mechanics, where players can only hold two cards and play one per turn. There are different types of cards, each with its own special power, that you can use to knock other players out and get closer to victory. It sounds simple, but there’s so much more to it you’ll love discovering as you play.

And that’s how you play Love Letter. Straightforward, fun, and packed with replayability, it’s the perfect card game for casual game nights – and one of the best card games for adults!

10. The Best Card Games For Adults – Sylvion

Our Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

In Sylvion, you are the forest’s defender, tasked with keeping it safe from the Fire Elemental Lord who’s trying to unleash his powers. His plan? To attack in waves with his minions. And your job? Use your cards and the game’s super-fun tower defense mechanics to fight back. So, will you be able to keep the danger away?

Why We Like It

As the Fire Elemental attacks in waves, you’ll draw and play cards to build your defenses and protect the forest. There are different types of cards and multiple ways to use them, so your strategy will change with every match or round, keeping the game tense and fun.

With that in mind, if you enjoy tower defense games, this one’s for you. It’s best played solo or with a friend, and once you start, you won’t want to stop playing.

11. The Best Card Games for Adults – Hanamikoji

Our Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

In Hanamikoji, you and your gaming buddy have a unique challenge, especially if you’re interested in Japanese culture. Your goal is to win the favor of the seven Geisha, who are skilled and sophisticated women known as masters of entertainment. And, with its beautiful art and fast-paced rounds, this game is all about having fun.

Why We Like It

To set up a game of Hanamikoji, you place the seven Geisha cards on the table, shuffle the item card deck, and then take turns. On each turn, a player can perform one of four actions, depending on the tactics they want to use to win the favor of four Geishas and claim victory.

It’s a simple card game that can become surprisingly complex, giving your strategic skills a chance to shine. Or, you can just enjoy the Japanese vibes and have fun. Either way, Hanamikoji is one of the best card games for adults.

12. The Best Card Games for Adults – Rivals for Catan

Our Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Catan is an amazing game, but have you heard of Rivals for Catan? This game takes inspiration from the classic while adding fresh elements that make it easier to play, all without losing the charm of the original. It’s everything longtime gamers will love, and new players will enjoy learning how to play. So, let’s see what’s new in this Catan card game.

Why We Like It

In Rivals for Catan, both players are princes working to improve their residences by building roads and settlements, which can later be upgraded into cities. There are fewer cards than in the original game, but don’t worry – there are still plenty of actions to keep every turn interesting.

Very similar to the original Catan, but with some fresh card-based gameplay actions and mechanics, this version of the game is definitely worth having.

Final Thoughts on the Best Card Games for Adults

Card games have a way of making any night feel a little more exciting. They’re easy to learn, quick to set up, and perfect for any type of player. However, there is much more to these games because some will test your tactics, others will spark big laughs, and a few might surprise you with how chaotic and tense they can get.

And while a traditional deck of cards and games like Poker are good options, I hope I've made it easy for you to find something new that fits your group’s vibe. So, pick a game (or two, or maybe three), and enjoy!