Board Games for 8 Players: Finding Quality at Scale
Finding excellent board games for exactly 8 players is surprisingly challenging. Most strategy games max out at 4-5 players, while games claiming "8+ players" often become shallow party experiences or suffer from excessive downtime and ballooning play length.
This guide identifies 10 board games that genuinely work well with 8 players—from party games creating guaranteed laughter to rare strategic experiences maintaining meaningful decisions at scale. We've tested these recommendations with actual 8-player groups to ensure they deliver enjoyable experiences, not just technically support the player count.
The Four Challenges of 8-Player Gaming
Understanding why 8-player games are rare helps you evaluate which games genuinely work
Player Elimination
Games with elimination leave players waiting 30-60 minutes while others finish
Solution: Look for games where everyone plays until the end or eliminated players get meaningful observer roles
Excessive Downtime
Turn-based games become boring as you wait for 7 other people to take their turns
Solution: Prioritize simultaneous play or very quick turns (under 30 seconds per player)
Ballooning Play Time
Games that work in 60 minutes with 4 players often take 2+ hours with 8
Solution: Choose games specifically designed for large groups, not 4-player games "expanded" to 8
Loss of Strategic Depth
Many games become purely social/party experiences at 8 players, losing meaningful decisions
Solution: Select games that maintain strategic choices even with maximum players, or embrace pure party games
Party Games: Social Fun for 8+
Accessible, laughter-filled experiences perfect for large mixed groups
Codenames
Czech Games Edition
£15-20
Two teams compete to identify secret agents from a grid of words using one-word clues. Scales brilliantly to 8+ players through team-based gameplay.
Why This Works at 8 Players
With 8 players, you get ideal 4v4 teams creating perfect competitive balance. The team format means everyone stays engaged even when not actively giving clues.
Strengths:
- Spiel des Jahres winner - proven design
- Teams naturally accommodate any player count
- Quick rounds encourage multiple games
- Extremely affordable for 8-player capacity
- Works with mixed ages and gaming experience
Considerations:
- •Requires at least 4 players minimum
- •Teams can become unbalanced with odd numbers
- •Clue-givers need creative thinking
Best For:
Game nights with exactly 8 people who enjoy wordplay and team competition. Perfect icebreaker.
Wavelength
CMYK
£25-30
Teams guess where on a spectrum a clue-giver is indicating. With 8 players, the discussions and debates become hilarious as different perspectives emerge.
Why This Works at 8 Players
Eight players means 4v4 teams with diverse perspectives. The spectrum debates become richer with more viewpoints contributing to discussions.
Strengths:
- Flexible player count (works great at 8)
- Generates amazing discussions and laughter
- No right answers - subjective and personal
- High-quality physical dial mechanism
- Reveals how differently people think
Considerations:
- •Abstract prompts confuse some initially
- •Cultural context affects interpretation
- •Higher price than other party games
Best For:
Groups of 8 who enjoy discussion and discovering personality differences. Great for couples gathering with friends.
Telestrations
USAopoly
£20-25
The "telephone game" meets Pictionary. Players alternate drawing and guessing as prompts hilariously deteriorate around the table.
Why This Works at 8 Players
Telestrations is designed for exactly 8 players maximum. The longer chain of drawings and guesses creates more opportunities for hilarious misinterpretations.
Strengths:
- Consistently hilarious with 8 players
- No artistic skill required (bad drawings funnier)
- Everyone plays simultaneously - zero downtime
- Includes 8 sketch books and markers
- Perfect for mixed groups and families
Considerations:
- •Requires exactly 4, 6, or 8 players (not flexible)
- •Limited strategic depth (pure party game)
- •Some find drawing stressful
Best For:
Groups of exactly 8 wanting guaranteed laughter. Perfect for family gatherings and casual groups.
Decrypto
Scorpion Masqué
£15-20
Teams give clues to help teammates identify codes while avoiding enemy interception. The tension builds as opponents learn your clue patterns.
Why This Works at 8 Players
Eight players create 4v4 teams with enough members for diverse clue interpretations while maintaining team cohesion and strategy.
Strengths:
- Cleverly scales to 8 through team format
- More engaging than similar party games
- Builds tension across multiple rounds
- Compact and affordable
- Accessible but rewards clever play
Considerations:
- •Requires understanding team dynamics
- •Can be intimidating initially
- •Best with consistent groups (learning opponent patterns)
Best For:
Regular groups of 8 wanting party games with slightly more depth. Great alternative to Codenames.
Strategic Games: Rare 8-Player Depth
Exceptional games maintaining strategic decisions with 8 players
Smoothie Wars
Dr Thom Van Every
£34.00
Compete as smoothie vendors on a tropical island, choosing locations and setting prices in simultaneous secret decisions. Designed specifically to maintain strategic depth at 8 players.
Why This Works at 8 Players
Smoothie Wars is specifically designed for 3-8 players with simultaneous play. At 8 players, the market dynamics become more complex and psychological reads more challenging—the sweet spot for the game.
Strengths:
- Rare: genuine strategic depth at 8 players
- Simultaneous decisions = zero downtime
- No player elimination - everyone plays to end
- Playtime stays 45-60 min regardless of player count
- Strategic complexity increases with more players
Considerations:
- •Requires minimum 3 players
- •Economic theme may not appeal to casual groups
- •Competitive nature can be intense
Best For:
Groups of 6-8 wanting competitive strategy, not just party fun. Excellent for families with teens and adult game nights.
"I had a bunch of friends over for my birthday, and even though we had tons of games to choose from, we ended up spending most of our time playing Smoothie Wars. Everyone got super competitive trying out different pricing strategies ... One of the highlights of the day!"
— Santiago, Board Game Fan
7 Wonders
Repos Production
£35-40 (+£25 for 8-player expansion)
Build ancient civilizations through simultaneous card drafting. The Cities expansion adds an 8th player. Zero downtime makes this work at high player counts.
Why This Works at 8 Players
The simultaneous play means 8 players doesn't extend playtime. However, requires the Cities expansion to reach 8 players, adding £25 to total cost.
Strengths:
- Kennerspiel des Jahres winner
- Everyone plays simultaneously - no waiting
- Consistent 40-minute playtime at any count
- Deep strategy despite quick play
- Iconic theme and beautiful production
Considerations:
- •Requires expansion for 8 players (additional cost)
- •Overwhelming card variety for new players
- •Iconography learning curve
- •Limited direct player interaction
Best For:
Experienced gaming groups of 7-8 wanting strategic depth. Requires buying base game plus expansion for 8 players.
Captain Sonar
Matagot
£35-40
Two submarine crews (4v4) hunt each other in real-time. Each player has a specific role (Captain, First Mate, Engineer, Radio Operator). Chaotic and exhilarating.
Why This Works at 8 Players
Captain Sonar is designed for exactly 8 players (4v4 submarine crews). This is THE 8-player strategic game if your group commits to learning it.
Strengths:
- Designed specifically for exactly 8 players
- Intense, exhilarating team-based gameplay
- Unique real-time mechanics
- Defined roles create structure
- Memorable, dramatic moments
Considerations:
- •Requires exactly 6 or 8 players (inflexible)
- •Real-time mode is loud and chaotic
- •Steep learning curve for all roles
- •Not suitable for quiet or casual groups
Best For:
Groups of exactly 8 who want intense, team-based strategic action. Best for energetic, competitive groups.
Social Deduction: Hidden Roles for 8
Bluffing, deduction, and psychological gameplay for larger groups
Secret Hitler
Goat Wolf & Cabbage
£30-35
Liberal politicians try to stop the Secret Hitler in 1930s Germany. Hidden roles, voting, and accusations create intense psychological gameplay.
Why This Works at 8 Players
Eight players hits the sweet spot for Secret Hitler—enough players for complex voting dynamics without becoming unwieldy. Roles feel balanced at 8.
Strengths:
- Scales excellently from 7-10 players
- Intense dramatic moments and accusations
- High-quality production (free print-and-play also available)
- Balanced gameplay across player counts
- Creates memorable stories
Considerations:
- •Controversial theme (Nazis) not for all groups
- •Can create genuine tension/arguments
- •Requires players comfortable with deception
- •Not suitable for families with young children
Best For:
Adult groups of 8-10 comfortable with mature themes and social deduction. Best for regular groups who trust each other.
The Resistance: Avalon
Indie Boards & Cards
£15-20
Good knights try to complete quests while evil minions sabotage. Avalon's special roles (Merlin, Assassin) add depth to classic Resistance.
Why This Works at 8 Players
Avalon's special roles (Merlin, Percival, Morgana, Assassin) create interesting dynamics at 8 players. Enough players for complex deduction without chaos.
Strengths:
- Excellent at 8-10 players
- Quick playtime encourages multiple rounds
- Special roles add strategic depth
- Fantasy theme more accessible than mafia/werewolf
- No player elimination
Considerations:
- •Requires players comfortable with lying
- •Can feel repetitive without role variety
- •Quiet/shy players can be excluded
- •Best with experienced social deduction players
Best For:
Groups of 8-10 who enjoy social deduction and bluffing. More accessible theme than Secret Hitler.
Two Rooms and a Boom
Tuesday Knight Games
£25-30
Players split into two rooms with hidden roles. The President's team tries to keep President and Bomber apart. Chaotic, social, and hilarious.
Why This Works at 8 Players
With 8 players, Two Rooms splits into manageable 4-person rooms. Enough players for interesting dynamics without overwhelming chaos.
Strengths:
- Scales from 6 to massive groups (tested to 30)
- Quick rounds perfect for parties
- Minimal components (mostly cards)
- Creates hilarious social chaos
- Works with mixed gaming experience
Considerations:
- •Requires space for two separate rooms
- •Chaotic (not for strategic players)
- •Limited depth - pure social experience
- •Can feel random with new players
Best For:
Large parties of 8+ wanting chaotic social fun. Perfect for casual groups and parties, not serious gamers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about 8-player board gaming
Why are there so few good strategy games for 8 players?
Game design faces fundamental challenges at 8 players that most designers avoid rather than solve. First, turn-based games create unbearable downtime—if each player takes 2 minutes per turn, you wait 14 minutes between your turns, killing engagement. Second, balancing 8-player interactions is exponentially harder than 4 players; with 8, there are 28 possible pairwise interactions versus 6 at 4 players. Third, playtime often doubles or triples as player count increases, making games impractically long. Fourth, many mechanics (area control, direct conflict) become chaotic or unmanageable with 8 players. The solutions are rare: simultaneous play (Smoothie Wars, 7 Wonders), team-based formats (Captain Sonar, Codenames), or accepting pure party experiences over strategy. Most publishers target the 2-4 player sweet spot where most gaming happens, making 8-player strategy games commercially risky. This explains why Smoothie Wars' genuine strategic depth at 8 players is so unusual—it required designing specifically for large groups with simultaneous decisions from the ground up, not stretching a 4-player game.
Should I get party games or strategic games for 8 players?
This depends entirely on your group composition and preferences. Party games (Codenames, Wavelength, Telestrations) work brilliantly for mixed groups with varied gaming experience, ages, or commitment levels. They generate laughter, create icebreaker moments, and accommodate casual players beautifully. Choose party games if: your 8 includes non-gamers or children, you want maximum accessibility, social interaction matters more than strategic depth, or you need games playable at parties with alcohol/distractions. Strategic games (Smoothie Wars, Captain Sonar, 7 Wonders with expansion) require committed gaming groups who value meaningful decisions and competitive depth. Choose strategic games if: all 8 players enjoy deeper gameplay, you have regular gaming sessions with the same group, you want games offering mastery over multiple plays, or pure social fun feels too light. Many groups benefit from both: start evenings with quick party games (Codenames) to warm up, then transition to strategic experiences (Smoothie Wars) once everyone's engaged. Social deduction games (Secret Hitler, Avalon) split the difference—more engaging than pure party games but less brain-burning than heavy strategy. For most groups of 8, owning 1-2 party games plus 1 strategic option provides ideal variety.
How do I prevent downtime with 8 players?
Downtime kills 8-player gaming, so choose games designed to minimize waiting. The gold standard is simultaneous play where all players make decisions at once—Smoothie Wars, 7 Wonders, and Telestrations eliminate downtime entirely through this mechanic. Look for games where you're thinking about your next turn during others' turns (Codenames team discussions). Quick individual turns (under 30 seconds) also work—games like Just One or Decrypto keep momentum through rapid play. Team-based games naturally reduce downtime since half the table plays at once (Captain Sonar, Wavelength). Avoid: turn-based games where each player takes 2+ minutes (your turn comes every 15+ minutes), games with complex decision trees requiring analysis, anything with player elimination (eliminated players wait 30-60 minutes), and "tactical" games where you must react to changing board states visible only during your turn. Even well-designed games can drag with analysis-prone players; consider gentle time limits (30-second timers) if someone consistently slows play. Party games naturally mitigate this through team formats and simple decisions. For strategic depth without downtime, simultaneous secret decisions (Smoothie Wars) represent the best solution—everyone stays engaged while maintaining meaningful choices.
What about splitting into two groups of 4 instead?
Splitting 8 players into two 4-player games is often the better solution, despite seeming less social. The advantages: access to the vast library of excellent 4-player games (Wingspan, Splendor, Azul, Ticket to Ride), shorter playtimes, deeper strategic experiences, and easier teaching/setup. You can run concurrent 4-player games in the same space, creating parallel social atmospheres that reconverge between games. Many gaming groups prefer this approach for serious gaming sessions. However, splitting sacrifices the communal experience of everyone playing together—you can't share moments, jokes, or dramatic game events as one group. For parties, family gatherings, or groups that value unity over strategic depth, staying together with 8-player games (Codenames, Smoothie Wars) creates stronger social bonds. Consider a hybrid approach: split for deeper strategy games when your group wants focused gameplay, but use 8-player games for opening icebreakers, final "everyone together" games, or casual social sessions. If half your group are serious gamers and half are casual players, splitting lets each group play at their preferred complexity level. Practically, splitting requires owning multiple games, sufficient table space, and someone willing to teach/facilitate each table. For one-off gatherings, the logistics often favor a single 8-player game.
Can we play 4-player games with 8 people using expansions?
Some games offer expansions increasing player counts, but results vary dramatically. Successful examples: 7 Wonders Cities expansion adds an 8th player while maintaining the simultaneous play that makes the base game work—worth it if you regularly have 7-8 players. Ticket to Ride maps vary; some accommodate 5-6 but none genuinely support 8. Catan offers 5-6 player extensions but game length balloons unacceptably and downtime frustrates—generally not recommended even for 6. The fundamental issue is most 4-player games aren't designed architecturally for 8 players; expansions often "hack" more players in without solving core problems (downtime, play length, balance). Games with simultaneous play scale better through expansions than turn-based games. Before buying expansions, research whether the expanded player count actually works or just technically fits. Many reviewers note "supports 6 with expansion" is very different from "works well with 6." For the cost of expansions (£20-30), you might buy dedicated 8-player games instead. The exception: if you already own and love a game and regularly have exactly 6-7 players, expansions for games like 7 Wonders or Wingspan can justify costs. But don't expect 4-player games to magically become great 8-player experiences through expansion alone.
Are 8-player games good for families with mixed ages?
Large families (parents, teens, younger children, possibly grandparents) can enjoy 8-player games but need careful selection. Party games work beautifully across ages: Telestrations requires only basic drawing/guessing (age 8+), Codenames works when youngest players understand word associations (age 10+), and Wavelength creates fun debates everyone can contribute to (age 12+ for abstract thinking). The inclusion of all ages in one activity creates memorable family moments impossible when splitting groups. Strategic 8-player games (Smoothie Wars, 7 Wonders) work better for families with older children (12+) who can handle economic concepts or iconography; younger children may struggle or slow gameplay frustratingly. For wide age ranges (6-18, plus adults), lean toward party games or create teams pairing older/younger players. Teams let experienced players mentor newer ones while keeping everyone engaged. Social deduction games (Secret Hitler, Avalon) generally require ages 13+ due to deception complexity and mature themes. Consider game length—families with young children need 30-45 minute games maximum before attention wanes. The ideal family 8-player game: simple rules anyone can learn (10 minutes), engaging for all ages without age-based advantages, encourages collaboration or laughter over pure competition, and creates stories everyone enjoys retelling. Codenames and Wavelength particularly excel for multigenerational families.
How much should I spend on 8-player games?
Eight-player games offer exceptional value when measured per-player-hour. A £30 game played with 8 people for 3 hours provides 24 player-hours of entertainment—£1.25 per player-hour. Compare this to cinema (£12 for 2 hours = £6/hour) or going out (£40+ per person for 3 hours). Even expensive games (Captain Sonar at £40, 7 Wonders with expansion at £60) justify costs through replayability and player count. Budget strategically: Core 8-player collection starts around £60-80 total: one party game (Codenames £18 or Wavelength £28), one strategic game (Smoothie Wars £34), optionally one social deduction game (Avalon £18 or Secret Hitler £32). This covers most 8-player scenarios. Add party alternatives (Telestrations £22, Decrypto £18) as budget allows. Expensive options (Captain Sonar £40, 7 Wonders+expansion £60) suit dedicated gaming groups who'll play repeatedly. Free or cheap alternatives exist: Two Rooms and a Boom offers free print-and-play, many social deduction games have budget versions. Avoid false economy: buying cheap unknown games that flop wastes money versus investing in proven designs. For one-off large gatherings (holidays, parties), rent from board game cafés or borrow from gaming groups. For regular 8-player sessions, investment in quality games pays dividends through years of use. Prioritize games your specific group will actually want to play repeatedly over collecting variety.