Choosing board games for large groups is not the same as for a dinner for four. With 16, 20 or 25 people, two- or three-player games leave most people watching. What works are team games, games for lots of players and games you can explain in a minute.
At Can Micos we have been welcoming groups like this for 26 years and we see which games come out every night in the lounge. In this guide we tell you which ones to bring, how to organise a games night with lots of people and which games you will already find at the house for time in the garden.
| Already at Can Micos | Ping-pong, table football, pétanque and a badminton or volleyball net |
| Board games | Bring your own: our list is below |
| Where to play | Dining room for up to 30 people and a 60 m² lounge with fireplace |
| Ideal for | Group evenings, rainy days and winter breaks |
| Gaming tables | 9 tables: 6 that combine in the dining room (4 of 180×90 cm and 2 of 120×90 cm), 2 of 220×90 cm in the covered barbecue area and 1 of 180×90 cm in the lounge |
How to choose board games for a large group
The most useful rule is simple: if a game can’t be played in teams or with more than eight people, save it for when the group splits up. With lots of people, the best games are about laughing, guessing or talking, with no long rulebook to read and everyone taking part at once.
It also pays to mix: one longer game for the evening, a quick one for after-dinner coffee and something for the children if they are coming. And if the group is competitive, a small team tournament with running scores keeps the whole weekend going.
The board games we recommend for large groups
These are the ones that work best with groups like the ones who come to Can Micos.
| Game | Players | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| The Werewolves of Millers Hollow | 8 to 18 | The classic group game: secret roles, debate and lots of laughs |
| Codenames | Teams | Two teams guessing words from one-word clues |
| Time’s Up! | Teams | Guess famous people with words, one word and mime |
| Pictionary | Teams | Draw and guess, perfect for all ages |
| Party & Co | Teams | A mix of challenges: drawing, mime, questions and words |
| Trivial Pursuit | Teams | General knowledge questions played in teams |
| Uno | 2 to 10 | Quick, known by everyone and good for children |
| Dobble | 2 to 8 | Two-minute rounds, ideal with coffee |
| Virus! | 2 to 6 | Fast card game for small groups within the group |
For serious gamers: deduction, Magic, role-playing and wargames
If your group includes people who take their games seriously, having a whole house for the weekend is the perfect chance for sessions that don’t fit at home. A gaming club from Sabadell has already stayed with us twice, and these are the formats that work best here.
Blood on the Clocktower
Social deduction for 5 to 20 players with a storyteller running the game. It is the evolution of Werewolf: every player has a character with their own ability, the dead keep taking part and the game is won through logic and conversation, not luck. With a group of 15 to 20, few games come close.
Magic tournament: Commander and Commander Duel
Commander is played in pods of four and Commander Duel head to head, one against one, so it suits a weekend tournament with rounds on Saturday and a final on Sunday. With our 6 tables (4 of 180×90 cm and 2 of 120×90 cm) you can run up to 6 games at once: four Commander pods of four players and two duels, around 20 people playing at the same time. And if you need more, there are the two 220×90 cm tables in the covered barbecue area and the one in the lounge.
Role-playing: Dungeons & Dragons, Vampire or Call of Cthulhu
A weekend is enough for a short campaign or several one-shots. And an 18th-century farmhouse sets the mood on its own: a game of Vampire: The Masquerade or Call of Cthulhu at night, by the fireplace and with the house to yourselves, feels like nowhere else. The 180×90 cm table in the lounge, next to the fireplace, is the ideal spot to leave it set up.
Miniature wargames
In the dining room the tables can be combined as you need: two 180×90 cm tables make a 180×180 cm board, bigger than the standard 6×4 ft (180×120 cm), and with the four large ones you can set up two battlefields at once. And in the covered barbecue area, the two 220×90 cm tables together give you another one of 220×180 cm. Bring your armies and scenery and leave the game set up all weekend.
Games that need nothing
If you forget the games at home, there are classics that only need paper, a pen or a pack of cards: werewolf or mafia with an ordinary deck, guess who you are with a sticky note on your forehead, taboo-style forbidden words or charades with film titles. They work just as well with 10 people as with 25.
Games you will find at Can Micos
When the weather is good, the games move outside. In the house and the 4,000 m² garden you have all of this, with nothing to bring.
Ping-pong and table football
- For everyone
- Tournaments
The ping-pong table and table football are what groups use most: perfect for a quick tournament before dinner.
Pétanque
- Garden
- All ages
A pétanque court in the garden, the most relaxed game for sunny afternoons with a drink in hand.
Badminton and volleyball
- Garden
- Teams
A net in the garden for badminton or volleyball, ideal for getting the group moving in the morning.
Room to run
- 4,000 m²
- Enclosed garden
The enclosed garden has plenty of space for a football match or for children to play safely.
Can Micos: a house for playing all together
Can Micos is an 18th-century Catalan farmhouse in Riudarenes (Girona) rented in full to groups of 16 to 25 people. It has a dining room with a table for up to 30 and a 60 m² lounge with a fireplace, so the whole group can play in the same room, and outside, an enclosed 4,000 m² garden with a pool open from April to October.
We are Carmen and Dani and we have been welcoming groups for 26 years; we will help you organise your stay.
- 9 bedrooms: 8 with private bathroom
- Dining room for up to 30 people
- Lounge of 60 m² with fireplace
- Ping-pong and table football
- Pétanque and badminton or volleyball net
- Enclosed garden of 4,000 m²
- Pool 9×4 m (April–October)
- Covered barbecue area of 115 m²
4.8 out of 5 on Google, with more than 220 reviews from groups who have stayed.
Frequently asked questions
Which board games are best for large groups?
Games played in teams or that take many players: The Werewolves of Millers Hollow (8 to 18), Codenames, Time’s Up!, Pictionary or Party & Co. For short breaks, Uno and Dobble work really well.
Are there games at Can Micos?
Yes: a ping-pong table, table football, a pétanque court and a badminton or volleyball net in the garden. Board games are best brought along, and the dining room and lounge have room for everyone to play at once.
How do you organise a games night for 20 people?
Split into teams of 4 or 5, pick team games and run a small tournament with points per round. That way everyone plays at the same time and nobody is left waiting for their turn.
Which games should you bring with children?
Uno, Dobble or Virus! are quick and easy to explain. And outside, ping-pong, pétanque or badminton for the sunny hours.
Is there room for everyone to play together?
Yes. The dining room has a table for up to 30 people and the 60 m² lounge has a fireplace and sofas, so the whole group can play in the same room.
Can you run a Magic tournament or a role-playing session at Can Micos?
Yes. We have 9 tables: 6 in the dining room (4 of 180×90 cm and 2 of 120×90 cm) that can be combined as you need, 2 of 220×90 cm in the covered barbecue area and 1 of 180×90 cm in the lounge, next to the fireplace. They work for Commander tournaments, miniature wargames or role-playing sessions, and the house is just for your group. A gaming club from Sabadell has already stayed with us twice.
Bringing the games?
Tell us your dates and how many you are and we will help you plan the stay: rooms, meals and things to do for the whole group.
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