Party games come in all shapes and sizes. From the likes of the popular and quirky Jackbox games to the unique board game offerings from the Mario Party franchise. While those games are all well and good, what about the smaller experiences that come from the indie scene? Fortunately, there are myriad party games that have been created to fulfill that social desire of joining together to have a good time.
No matter the mood, there is likely an indie party game to match. Heck, some of these games can even be enjoyed by yourself with AI opponents. For the purposes of this list, we will be focusing on some top-notch indie party games that are great to play with friends or family. A blend of competitive and cooperative elements makes these games an utter blast to play.
5 Cake Bash
The sheer concept of playing as a sweet and adorable cake whose sole objective is to be the absolute tastiest might sound completely bonkers but it makes for a downright enjoyable party game. In Cake Bash, players take on the role (pun very much intended) of one of a plethora of tasty desserts that can be customized in a manner of colorful ways. From there, it's a matter of competing in mini-games to make the most coins in order to don the player's cake with all manner of sweet additions.
This four-player indie party game features both local and online play. Game modes include cooking the perfect marshmallow, stacking perfect scoops of ice on delicate and delectable cones, and even a mini battle royale game set atop of large cake. This game is such lighthearted fun and makes for a great party game because it's easy to get into, highly customizable, and provides plenty of laughs. Just make sure to have enough sweet treats on hand because this game will get players craving lots of sugar.
4 KeyWe
Part puzzle game, part cooperative game, and part party game, KeyWe is an avian fan's dream come true. Taking place in the rugged outback at a unique postal office location, players must guide kiwi birds Jeff and Debra through all manner of quirky games. These games are centered around mail and parcels, ensuring the aforementioned post is sent out correctly and in a timely manner. KeyWe starts off simply enough with five different mini-games; however, the insanity quickly ramps up as the seasons progress.
What makes KeyWe such a great party game is that the experience is diverse and customizable. Players who want to just progress the story mode can do so with a friend or family member in tow, earning stars and coins along the way. Alternatively, KeyWe features a host of off-the-wall extra games to enjoy such as one that requires players to pop as much bubble wrap as quickly as possible. Oh, and the adorable kiwi birds can be customized with charming hats, backpacks, sunglasses, and colors.
3 Gang Beasts
Gang Beasts has become somewhat of a cult classic phenomenon in the indie party game scene mostly due to its incredibly wonky physics and controls. Gang Beasts, for all intents and purposes, is a party brawler game that sees players pummel each other with their gooey, gel-like blob characters. The premise of this game couldn't be more simple: battle each other until one person is left as the victor. However, doing so won't be as easy as it seems given the crazy controls and movements of the titular Gang Beasts.
Where many games seek to provide pinpoint accuracy when it comes to controls, Gang Beasts eschews this in favor of a control scheme that barely seems to function. Fortunately, this makes for a great party game that will fill everyone with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. Punching, kicking, and lunging at the other blob characters is hilarious, especially because each whimsical stage features traps and hazards to add to the shenanigans.
2 Very Very Valet
The concept of a party game centered around driving and parking cars might sound a bit mundane and drab; however, this couldn't be farther from the truth when it comes to Very Very Valet. This game provides plenty of off-the-wall party hilarity as players take on the role of various cartoony valet employees who must serve customers by parking their cars at various venues and locations. Of course, much like Gang Beasts, the game features purposefully wonky control and physics systems to keep players guessing.
Featuring four-player cooperative gameplay, Very Very Valet is equal parts fun and goofy. Each stage offers new ways to drive a patron's car around and a higher ranking comes from taking care of as many customers as possible with minimal damage. This won't be easy since cars will need to be driven over jumps, on rooftops, and through other hazards. The sense of playfulness in this game makes it a standout for fans of indie party games. Perhaps, it's best to wrap a car in bubble wrap before bringing it to one of these silly valet employees.
1 Boomerang Fu
Boomerang Fu is a true hidden gem that most certainly deserves more time in the limelight for fans of indie party games. For the uninitiated, Boomerang Fu is a goofy top-down party game that sees players take on the role of a cartoony food-centric character who must use their powerful boomerang to slice and dice the competition. Set across a host of creative and colorful stages, this game is about as simple as party games come. Fortunately, the game's simplicity is what leads it to be so darn fun.
The main objective of each round is to move a player's chosen food character around while trying to aim and throw their boomerang to take out an opponent. However, the boomerang might not always return back to the player so keeping a close eye on where it lands or gets stuck is of utmost importance. Players can stumble across a host of unique powerups that can quickly change the tide of battle. Boomerang Fu is surely a party game that fans of the genre will return to time and time again (pun very much intended here too).