The best card games to challenge your mind

Elevate game night with these mind-challenging card games. From party-style to family-friendly games, this list has something for everyone.

Do you organize game nights? Keep things interesting with card games that go way beyond poker and rummy. Game night can be riveting and full of engaging puzzles and storylines when you add these mind-challenging card games to your get-togethers.

Related: Top board games of the week: Moon, Halves, and Weird Little Elf

If you’re looking for games that suit the whole family, check out Grab Your Breakfast or Halves. Both stretch your strategic skills as you play against the people you know and love.

Meanwhile, character and story-driven card games like Splintered Lands and Feralis: Obscure Land have you competing for resources and time, drawing you into the narrative and playing to win.

Host game parties everyone wants to attend with these cool selections.

1. The Splintered Lands deck-building card game has you defend a post-apocalypse society and gather your natural resources.

Resources are everything in the Splintered Lands deck-building card game. Requiring at least 2 players and suitable for ages 13 and older, this card game relies on Authority, which you’ll spend to gain allies, earn power, and assert yourself.

Preorder it on Kickstarter for $35.

2. The CryptoMages Duality Smart Cards trading card game connects to the digital world. It lets you join online tournaments, guilds, and more.

Enjoy the best of the physical and digital worlds with the CryptoMages Duality Smart Cards trading card game. Each card in this META-Trading Card Game contains its own NFT. It connects you to the Metaverse community and storytelling components of online games.

Preorder it for about $82 on Indiegogo.

3. The Grab Your Breakfast family card game helps families reduce screen time and bond while trying to grab the heartiest breakfast.

The Grab Your Breakfast family card game treats your family to good old-fashioned fun. It’s one of our favorite strategic card games since you’ll compete with your fellow players over who can earn the most points for creating the heartiest breakfasts. It’s one of our favorite mind-challenging card games.

Preorder it for about $12.99 on the official website.

4. The Feralis: Obscure Land deck-construction card game relies on time. It’s your only resource, so you have to manage it wisely.

Use your time management skills when you play Feralis: Obscure Land deck-construction card game. During the game, you select your allies to overcome the Aesyrs, earning your rightful place in the world of Morkh. Even better, you can change the game each time you play.

Preorder it for about $49 on the official website.

5. The Presidential Old Maid political decks are inspired by the classic card game, so you don’t want to be stuck with the presidential Old Maid.

Have fun with friends and family while learning about US history with the Presidential Old Maid Political decks. As you play, you’ll learn all the US presidents’ names and the order in which they were president. Moreover, you’ll have healthy conversations about your constitutional right to vote.

Get them starting at $14.99 on the official website.

6. The Light in the Mist tarot deck features beautiful illustrations and entertains with mystery and puzzle-solving.

Solve your way through various puzzles when you play the Light in the Mist tarot deck game. This character-driven experience is explained through the memories of a friend who has gone missing. You try to overcome the challenges without losing your way in the mist, making it one of the best mind-challenging card games you can play.

Get it for $32 on the official website.

7. The KOMBIO all-in-one card game combines skills like memory, strategy, and speed, keeping game night riveting for everyone.

Keep everyone engaged when you play the KOMBIO all-in-one card game. The portable game comes with 70 cards that stretch your mind in enjoyable ways. Take it on vacation or your next family trip for a game that uses your brain power.

Get it for $17.99 on the official website.

8. The Sheep in Disguise vibrant party game relies on strategy. How will you protect these adorable, helpless sheep from dangerous predators?

Protect your cute flock of sheep from outrageous predators in the Sheep in Disguise vibrant party game. You’ll need to use strategy and wit to get foes out of your way and secure your flock.

Get it for $20 on the official website.

9. The Spillin’ Beans party game is a bawdy adult card game where players spill the beans on their secrets for group fun.

Learn more about your friends than you ever wanted in the Spillin’ Beans party game. In this card-based game, you’ll wager beans and play the hilarious, competitive cards that get the whole group chuckling. It’s one of the best mind-challenging card games you can buy.

Get it for $27 on the official website.

10. The Halves word game is a cutthroat way to pass the time. Winning the challenges is the easy part, but staying ahead is complicated.

Use your grit to prevail in the Halves word game. In this fun yet challenging word game, you guess the word on your opponent’s card to earn points. However, you can guess, bluff, swap, or steal to stay in the lead.

Preorder it for about $18.

Strategy is what makes card games fun and exciting. Strengthen your skills while having a blast when you go for the card games above. What are your favorite card games? Let us know in the comment section.

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