The best party games to play this holiday on PS5
With the holiday season just around the corner, there’s no better time to turn on your PS5 and load up the best party games to play with your family. Sure, we love a board game as much as the next person, but sometimes the simplicity of a video game is what you need. No set up, no fiddly pieces or board to sit around: simply look at the TV and away you go.
The good news is there are lots of great party games on PS5. They come in all shapes and sizes; some are perfect for younger kids, some are strictly just for grown-ups, while others are ideal for the whole family. From Lego Party to Jackbox and everything in between, we’ve got something to suit everyone.
Like to sing and dance? There are games on this list to suit. Would you rather test your brain with a bit of trivia? You’re covered there too. Want something competitive but still fun? Tick, tick, tick.
So: read on to see our picks of the best PS5 party games. No matter what type of party you’re having this festive season, we think you’ll find something to love.
1. LEGO Party
If you’ve played and enjoyed Mario Party, then you’re going to love LEGO Party. It takes on a very similar format, with players making their way around a board. Landing on certain squares will trigger various events, such as minigames, getting to steal coins from another player, and more. Ultimately, the goal is to earn the most bricks, but whether or not you win, you’ll have a riotous time getting there.
The board game element of LEGO Party is wonderful, but it’s the minigames that provide the most fun. After each player has rolled a dice, everyone will be thrown into a minigame. There are dozens of them, and the one you end up in will be selected at random. You might have to survive the longest, race each other, collect items or something completely random. Trust us: chaos will probably ensue, regardless of what game you are playing.
Read our full review of LEGO Party
2. The Jackbox Party Pack 9
There are currently eleven Jackbox Party Pack games to choose from, and each one has its merits. Each one bundles up five easy-to-play party games, but they haven’t all been created equal. You’ll likely find games you like and games that aren’t so great in each bundle. Jackbox Party Pack 9 happens to be one of our favourites, however. Whichever one you choose, there will be at least one or two games in there that you and your party will enjoy.
The great thing about the Jackbox games is that you don’t need multiple controllers to play. Each player just needs their own phone or tablet. Logging onto Jackbox’s website allows you to connect to the game. It also means eight players – sometimes way more – can play at once, which is something most other games can’t offer. With titles like Fibbage, that challenges you to outwit your friends with funny untruths, or Quixort, that tests your general knowledge, there’s a lot of fun to be had with The Jackbox Party Pack 9.
Read our review of Jackbox Party Pack 9
3. Monopoly
Monopoly is an absolute classic game. You probably already own a traditional boxed version of the board game, but let’s face it, it’s a pain in the butt to play. You need to sit around a table, there’s lots of little pieces, those houses easily go flying, and trying to get someone to be a honest banker is easier said than done. Ubisoft’s recent release of Monopoly takes all the legwork away and lets you simply enjoy a game of rinsing your friends and family dry.
It’s a fabulous-looking game, but despite the extra flair, it really is just a standard game of Monopoly. You don’t need to keep track of your money, because the game does it all for you. So pass around a controller, enjoy buying up all the properties, and sit back and watch all the arguments unfold. Because what’s a holiday party without a fight over Monopoly?
4. Let’s Sing
House parties are the perfect time to bring out the karaoke machine. Except: who even needs a karaoke machine in the year 2025? Nobody, that’s who. Thanks to the Let’s Sing series, all you need is a console and a few microphones (or smartphones), and you’ve got a singing party that everyone can get involved with.
Let’s Sing is an annual franchise, with each entry packing in new releases alongside classic songs. You can’t go wrong no matter which year’s release you pick up: they all bundle together 30 tracks; a nice mix of new and old. You can co-operatively sing with your friends and family, or you can challenge each other to see who can get the highest score. There are plenty of ways to play, and so if you and your party enjoy belting out a tune, Let’s Sing is one of the best party games you can play on PS5.
Maybe just apologise to the neighbours next time you see them?
5. Jackbox Survey Scramble
We’ve already had a Jackbox game on this list, but it’s absolutely worth considering Jackbox Survey Scramble. This is an altogether different type of game, and while it’s still made up of several minigames, here they’re all survey based. Each game challenges players to think, testing their creativity and knowledge, in order to rank items, come up with objects within a category and more.
The best part about Jackbox Survey Scramble is that it’s budget priced — you can buy it for less than a tenner. It’s the sort of thing that absolutely anyone can join in on (like other Jackbox games, you’ll play with your phone), and even though one game won’t take more than about 10 minutes, you’ll likely want to play time and time again.
Read our full review of Jackbox Survey Scramble
6. Crossy Road Castle
Don’t write off Crossy Road Castle because it carries the Crossy Road moniker. This fast-paced platforming game is way more fun than it has any right to be, and it’s the sort of thing that’s perfect for the whole family to join in with. Crossy Road Castle challenges you to make your way through numerous short platforming levels, which get more and more fiendish as you progress.
You’ll only lose a life if all players fail the same level, and once all your lives are gone, it’s game over. You’ll need to avoid obstacles, jump over traps and get past enemies in order to reach the end of a level. It might be tricky, but it’s a great deal of fun, and you’ll be cursing and celebrating with each fail and win.
Read our full review of Crossy Road Castle
7. Monopoly Madness
Monopoly is an all-time favourite board game, but Monopoly Madness takes the formula and completely turns it on its head. This isn’t a stuffy game where all players take it in turns to make a move, oh no. In Monopoly Madness, everyone plays at the same time. It’s more of a competitive brawler than a board game, although your goals are very similar to traditional Monopoly. You’re still trying to buy up as many properties as possible to amass the most wealth. But you can literally fight your opponents out of your way… something that’s generally frowned up on in a standard game of Monopoly.
Playing on a small map, houses pop up for action sporadically. You’ll want to outbid your opponents, or simply stop them bidding altogether by pushing them out of the way. Even when you’ve bought property, though, you’ll need to protect it; various power-ups mean your opponents could steal them from under your nose at any moment. It’s chaotic, it’s fun, and it’s one of the best party games you can play on PS5.
Read our review of Monopoly Madness
8. Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl
A Super Smash Bros. type game, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl allows up to four players to compete against each other and, well, brawl to the death. Not actual death, of course: this is a family-friendly game after all. We assure you that all competing characters are absolutely fine after a match. There’s a pretty sizeable roster featuring characters from your favourite Nickelodeon cartoons: Spongebob, Reptar from The Rugrats, Invader Zim and more. Garfield’s available as a bonus character, too.
Each character has a range of moves up their sleeve, allowing them to attack their opponents close up or at range. The goal is to knock everyone out of the area enough times and be the last one standing. When you’re playing with friends and family, it can be riotous – but it’s rather competitive, so be warned! If you’re up for some healthy competition though, this is one of the best party games on PS5.
Read our review of Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl
9. Cake Bash
Cake Bash is not only one of the best party games on PS5, it’s also one of the most adorable. Battling it out? With cake? Count us in.
It’s made up of several minigames, with the overall challenge of being the tastiest, most desirable cake in the cake stand. Some games will have you literally battling it out against other cakes, trying to push them out of the way so you can reign victorious. Other minigames will see you trying to roast the perfect marshmallow (harder than it sounds), or avoiding getting hit by a fork while standing on a cake.
It’s incredibly random, but that’s what makes Cake Bash so much fun. Up to four players can join it at once, and it’s so easy to pick up that anyone can play. It’s almost as fun as actually eating cake. And we love eating cake, so that’s high praise.
10. It’s Quiz Time
It’s Quiz Time is a good old-fashioned quiz game presented with a modern twist. And if you enjoy testing out your general knowledge (alongside movie, games and pop culture trivia), then this is one of the best party games on PS5.
There are over 25,000 questions in the game, so chances are you’ll rarely get duplicates even if you play multiple games. There are multiple modes to choose from, and you can select your favourite topics if you want to ensure you impress your friends with your knowledge. Basically, if you played Buzz! in the days of PS2/PS3, you’ll certainly get a kick out of It’s Quiz Time.
