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They're a surefire way to get the party started.

Being a great host or hostess takes a lot of work: you have to prepare food and drinks, create an ambiance in your space that is both fun and inviting, and, if you don't want your event to become a snoozefest, supply some entertainment, too. If you already have the food, drinks, and décor, all you need is an activity that will get your guests talking to one another and enjoying themselves. Party games are among the best ways to keep your guests entertained for hours on end—and we've rounded up the best ones on the market, whether you're hosting an intimate gathering with your inner circle or a larger event with folks you're eager to befriend.

Before stocking up on party games, you have to think about the types of games you want to play (whether they're card-based, board-based, or more physical), the number of guests you plan to host, and the ages of said guests. You'd also be wise to consider both the amount of time you plan on playing for and the amount of space you'll need for a particular game—some games have multiple rounds that will require a significant investment of time, and others may take up a lot of space with a mat or board. Nonetheless, having a game on hand for any type of gathering with friends or family will make it that much more enjoyable, and will have everyone raving about just how fun of a host or hostess you are.

While searching for some of the best party games on the market, we considered our favorites from experience, while also consulting research done by Best Products and The Spruce to figure out which games rank highest among users. After carefully considering all possible options, we’ve rounded up the 10 best party games out there, ideal for casual gatherings with family, late nights with friends, first (or second) dates, or even work events.

A cult favorite, Apples to Apples is a must-have for any party or gathering with friends and family. It provides fun for four to 10 players and doesn’t take up much space, considering all you need are the cards (and a witty imagination for making outrageous comparisons).

Playing Apples to Apples is simple: One person is elected to be the judge and holds all the cards (literally). To initiate gameplay, the judge turns over a green card to show the rest of the group, and the other players select a card from their hand of red ones that best describes the green card. The catch is to make the comparison as funny as possible so the judge picks your card.

In the end, the person with the most green cards—or best comparisons—wins.

Admit it: you’ve probably fallen victim to searching for some truly outrageous things out of either interest or boredom. If you consider yourself something of a search savant, you’ll love this game that shows you other crazy searches people have made (and it may make you feel a bit better about asking Google if dinosaurs had eyelashes).

Weird Things Humans Search provides players the first part of a search query and tasks them with figuring out what the second part is. For example, if the first part of a search is “Why does my dog…” you have to be creative—and witty—to come up with the second half. The person judging the players’ answers will rank them, and the one with the highest score wins.

If you want to dominate at this game, consider keeping track of your recent searches and see if any of them were crazy enough to make the cut.

Once all the food and drinks are gone after hours of hanging out with friends, you’ll need something to bring up the mood and keep people entertained. Quickwits is the perfect game to keep the party going long after after the last hors d'oeuvres have been passed.

In this game, players from opposing teams draw cards and place them on the table. When the symbols on their cards match, players have to come up with examples pertaining to the categories listed, which range from types of red wine to bald actors. Some of the categories are adult-themed, so this game is best for those who are 17 and older.

Aside from the matching cards, the game comes with link cards, battle cards, trivia cards, and charade cards, keeping you and your opponents on your toes—and in stitches—round after round.

If you and your significant other are looking for something fun to do on a rainy night at home, this game would be perfect (and is actually fun). What’s great about this game is that it’s not overly mushy, and the prompts aren’t designed for you to “get to know each other,” but rather intended to strengthen your relationship.

The game includes 150 questions broken up into three categories: “match,” “best,” and “me or you.” One person will select a card from one of the categories you’ll each write your answers on the provided dry-erase boards. From there, you’ll figure out just how much you really think alike—and you're sure to bond over what you discover along the way.

While calling out your friends and family members’ quirks in casual conversation may not win you any fans, playing this game allows you to do just that—albeit in a way that will have you laughing instead of arguing. In a group of four or more of your closest friends or family members, you’ll be able to select one of the 250 prompt cards to decide who in the group is “most likely to.”

For instance, you may find yourself calling out your friend who's most likely to buy coffee every morning or your sister who carries a refillable water bottle around everywhere. Once you all decide to end the game—or after one specific person has been put on the spot one too many times—whoever has the most "most likely to" cards wins.

While playing with a larger group makes this game more enjoyable, you can keep the group relatively small and still have a great time.

Young adults can recognize a viral meme from a mile away, from Salt Bae to galaxy brain. And if you happen to number among the meme-savvy, this game could be exactly what you need to liven up your next party.

What Do You Meme? pulls some of the best memes on the internet for players to work with when analyzing a designated prompt. The selected judge will pull a captioned card for everyone else to see, while other players need to pick the meme that best describes it (or makes for the funniest comparison). Some of the references are easy enough for anyone to understand, but those familiar with popular memes will really get a kick out of this game.

Get to know your closest friends and family better with this quick-paced—and hilarious—card game. Brain Freeze will have you shouting out what you know (or think you know) about your opponents—and they'll have to confirm whether you’re correct or not.

To play, each player simultaneously draws a card from the deck and flips it over for everyone to see. If two players have the same icon on their cards, those opponents have to shout out the answers to the prompts listed. For example, if you draw a card with a matching icon as someone else, and your prompt is “What’s my favorite color?” then the other person has to quickly guess it. If they’re right, they get to keep the card.

The person with the most cards—and ultimately, the most knowledge about their friends or family members—will win.

If you're looking for an interactive game to play with friends and family—and have plenty of space—then Twister Ultimate is a great choice. Many of us grew up playing Twister in our living rooms or basements, hoping to land every move and getting tangled up with fellow players. Now, with the Ultimate version, even more people can play at once for hours of fun.

If you’re not familiar with this classic game, it’s pretty simple: One person spins a dial to figure out which hand or foot has to touch a certain colored circle on the mat. Then, another person will spin and figure out where they have to land. Basically, the game will have everyone twisting and turning to get themselves on the mat—and stay on the mat—to win.

There's no way to create a thorough roundup of party games without mentioning Cards Against Humanity. This card game will get just about everyone in your group laughing at how wild it is. The game's makers call it an activity for “horrible people,” so if you and your friends are willing to admit you're members of that group, this game is a must-have

Intended audience aside, this game is very similar to one of our prior selections, Apples to Apples, but Cards Against Humanity is for a more mature audience. The rules, however, are still the same: The player selected as judge picks a black card with a prompt from a pile. Then, all the other players have to sort through their white cards to finish the prompt in the funniest, most outrageous way.

Whichever completed phrase the judge deems funniest wins the round, and the player who submitted the winning card gets to keep the black card it went with. In the end, the person who racks up the most cards wins.

As summer quickly approaches, and gatherings move outside once again, you may find yourself searching for games that can be played al fresco. This giant version of Jenga is the perfect game to play with friends and family in the warmer months, or even inside on a rainy day. If you’re familiar with classic Jenga, you're sure to love this oversized version.

Whether you choose to play alone or with a group, the rules are pretty simple: Just stack the blocks and take turns removing a single piece at a time. The key is to make sure the tower never falls. If it does, however, all you have to do is build it back up to play another round.