Best Word Games of 2025: Top 5 Reviewed
Words are more than letters on a board; they’re the building blocks of fun! We’re here to spotlight the best ‘word’ board games, perfect for flexing those vocabulary muscles. Our selection process? Simple! We pick games that balance fun and challenge, are easy to learn, and provide tons of replay value. We made sure each game is a word lover’s dream, whether you’re assembling tiles, crafting stories, or decoding words. Get ready to elevate game night with our top picks that promise laughter, strategy, and maybe a little friendly competition. Let’s see who’s the word wizard in your group!
On this list:
5 Wordsy
Wordsy is like the party version of a crossword puzzle, but without the Sunday paper. This fast-paced game is perfect for those who love to flex their vocabulary muscles without being hindered by a rigid grid. The best part? No one’s left sitting around like an awkward letter ‘Q’ without a ‘U’. Everyone is engaged thanks to the real-time action. We spent an entire Saturday trying to beat each other’s scores, and let me tell you, Bob still thinks ‘Xylophone’ is the answer to everything. It’s a game that keeps you thinking on your feet, and laughing a lot.
4 Paperback
Paperback combines two of our favorite things: deck-building and word-building. It’s like if Scrabble and Dominion had a genius child. As you attempt to create words and collect cards, you get to be an aspiring author trying to finish cheesy romance novels. The fun part is realizing your vocabulary is as colorful as one of those supermarket romance covers. Our group had a blast crafting words like ‘Cuddlefluff’ and ‘Smoochington’, which for some reason still didn’t make the bestseller list. Whether you’re aiming for high scores or just giggling at your own creativity, Paperback never disappoints.
3 Bananagrams
Bananagrams is like the rebellious little sibling of Scrabble who never wanted to play by the rules. This game throws the board out the window, and lets everyone build their own crosswords as fast as they can. It’s the word game equivalent of speed dating. You race against your friends to use up all your tiles, and the first one who does wins. Playing this game often ends up with Mitch, sadly staring at his leftover vowels while the rest of us high-five over our brilliant tile combos. It’s a game that’s light, portable and perfect for anywhere.
2 Codenames
Codenames is a thinky word game disguised as a spy thriller. It’s all about giving one-word clues to help your team guess the right words on a grid. The real fun is watching your teammates’ faces as they try to decode whether ‘Snow’ means ‘Igloo’ or ‘Cold’. Last week, we got stuck on a clue that was as cryptic as Aunt Marge’s recipe book, but the thrill of finally figuring it out was worth every head scratch. This one keeps you on your toes and proves how much you may or may not know your friends’ thought processes.
1 Scrabble
Scrabble is the undisputed king of word games and for good reason. It’s the classic you pull out when you want to test the mettle of anyone who claims to be a wordsmith. We’ve lost track of the number of family feuds it has started over whether ‘Qi’ is a real word. But somehow, it always brings us back together for another round. The balance of strategy, vocabulary, and a sprinkling of luck makes it a top choice. Every game is different, and when you finally lay down that triple-word-score seven-letter word, the feeling is incomparable.
