22 of the Best Card Games to Play with 5+ People

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5-player card games that are fun and fast-paced!

Co-authored by Aly Rusciano

Last Updated: October 28, 2025 References

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Traditional Card Games

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Games to Buy

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Video

Need a card game to play with your 4 friends? Well, you’ve come to the right place! We talked to game expert Jim Dahl from Triple S Games to bring you the best 5-player card games. From games you can play with a regular 52-card deck to card games you can buy, you’re sure to find a game everyone likes!

What’s a good card game for 5 people?

Game expert Jim Dahl from Triple S Games recommends card games like Crazy Eights, Egyptian Rat Slap, and Cat in the Box. These games are strategic, fun, and fast-paced, without being too complicated to learn, making them a great choice for children and adults alike.

Section 1 of 2:

5-Player Traditional Card Games

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Rummy Rummy is an easy card game you can play with 5 or more players. The object of the game is to form as many matched sets as possible, whether that’s three or four of a kind and/or sequences. Each card is worth points: face cards 10, aces 1, etc. The player with the most points after all of the cards are played wins!^{[1]
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- Players: 2-5+
- Age: 8+
- Bored with traditional Rummy? Try your hand at Rummy 500 for an extra challenge!
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Go Fish Go Fish is a classic card game all ages can play, and all you need is a standard 52-card pack to play! The goal of the game is to get as many four-of-a-kind hands as possible. Each player takes turns “fishing” or asking players for their cards. If the player doesn’t have what’s asked of them, they say, “Go fish!”^{[2]
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- Players: 2-5+
- Age: 4+
- Make your game more fun for littles with a specific Go Fish card pack!
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Slapjack Slapjack is a classic and easy card game. The goal? To win all of the cards by being the first to slap each jack. All you need is a standard 52-card pack. Cards are dealt face down until all the cards are dealt. Then, each player lifts one card at a time from their pile and places it face up in the center of the play space. When a jack is revealed, players race to smack it.^{[3]
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- Players: 2-5+
- Age: 4+
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Snap Snap is a classic card game that only requires a standard 52-card pack to play. The goal? To win all of the cards. Cards are dealt one at a time face down. Players take turns revealing the top card of their piles. When someone turns a card that matches the card on another player’s pile, the first person to notice yells “Snap!” and wins both piles.^{[4]
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- Players: 2-5+
- Age: 4+
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Crazy Eights Game expert Jim Dahl recommends playing Crazy Eights with 5 people.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Triple S Games
Game Experts

Expert Interview} Crazy Eights is a fun and easy card game for all ages! All you need for this classic game is a standard 52-card pack. The goal is to be the first player to get rid of all of your cards. Cards are dealt 5 at a time face down. Each player places a card face up on the starter pile, and each card played must match the card below it in suit or denomination.^{[6]
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- Players: 2-5+
- Age: 4+
- Don’t want to play with a boring standard card pack? Invest in a Crazy Eights deck!
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Old Maid Old Maid is the perfect card game for kids and adults! For this classic game, you need a standard 52-card pack with one of the four queens removed (so you’ll have 51 cards). The goal? To discard pairs of cards and not be left with the odd card (the queen) at the end. Players remove pairs of cards one by one until only the odd queen is left.^{[7]
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- Players: 2-5+
- Age: 4+
- Get littles excited about the game with an Old Maid card deck featuring fun pictures!
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Speed Speed is a fast-paced card game great for all ages. All you need to play this game is a standard 52-card pack. Players sit across from each other and deal 20 cards face down to each player, while the remaining cards are separated into 4 piles. The goal? To get all of your 20 cards onto the piles.^{[8]
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- Players: 2-5+
- Age: 12+
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Spoons Spoons is a fast-paced classic card game anyone can play! For this game, you’ll need a standard 52-card deck and a number of spoons minus one for the number of players. The goal of this game is to collect cards that are four-of-a-kind and collect enough spoons to spell “spoon.”^{[9]
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- Players: 3-5+
- Age: 4+
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Egyptian Rat Slap Dahl says that Egyptian Rat Slap is a perfect game to play with 5 or more players.^{[10]
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Triple S Games
Game Experts

Expert Interview} Egyptian Rat Slap (or Egyptian Rat Screw) is a slap-tastic card game you can play with a standard 52-card deck. Cards are dealt face down until everyone has an even number. One card is pulled from the top of the middle pile face up. Cards are played when the top card is a number card. When a face card or ace is played, the next person must play another face card or ace.^{[11]
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- Players: 2-5+
- Age: 8+
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Spades Spades is a traditional card betting game that everyone loves! For this game, all you’ll need is a standard 52-card deck. The goal is to win at least the number of tricks bid. Each player bets on how many tricks they’ll be able to take. Players who win each trick lead the following round.^{[12]
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- Players: 2-5+
- Age: 13+
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Poker Poker is a card game you’ve likely heard of. Known for its betting and bluffing, this classic game isn’t for the faint-hearted. For this game, you need a standard 52-card pack and something to bet with (poker chips, cheese doodles, etc.). The goal of the game is to have the highest hand out of all of the players. The player with the highest hand in the end wins it all.^{[13]
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- Players: 2-5+
- Age: 18+
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President President is a trick-taking card game that only requires a standard 52-card pack to play. Cards are dealt to each player until no cards remain. Players take turns setting down cards. The goal? To be the first person to run out of cards and be named the President.^{[14]
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- Players: 3-5+
- Age: 18+

Section 2 of 2:

5-Player Card Games to Buy

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Cat in the Box For five players, Dahl recommends Cat in the Box.^{[15]
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Triple S Games
Game Experts

Expert Interview} Cat in the Box is a trick-taking card game. The game functions on color, but the trick is, your card’s color isn’t defined until you play it.
- Players: 2-5
- Age: 10+
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Scout Scout is a strategic card game that’s quick and engaging. With each game only taking 15-20 minutes, Scout is the perfect way to pass the time! The goal of the game is to earn more points than your opponents. But there’s a catch…you can’t rearrange the cards in your hand.
- Players: 2-5
- Age: 9+
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Skull King Skull King is the ultimate trick-taking card game that’s full of strategy and fun! The goal? To correctly bid on the number of tricks you think you’ll make to win. With special cards like Mermaids, Pirates, and the Skull King, this game is fun for the whole family.
- Players: 2-8
- Age: 8+
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No Thanks! No Thanks! is the “play or pay card game” kids and adults love! This card game is pretty straightforward—players have to decide whether to take a card or pay a chip. Players bluff and deal their way to the end, with the winner being the player with the fewest points.^{[16]
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- Players: 3-7
- Ages: 8+
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Take 5 Take 5 (also known as 6 Nimmt!) is a fast-paced and simple card game. For this game, you secretly pick a card from your hand to play in one of four rows. And there are only two rules: your card must be higher than the last card in the row, and it must be played next to the closest card in number.
- Players: 2-10
- Age: 8+
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7Wonders 7Wonders is a game of strategy. With this strategic card game, you’re tasked with leading a civilization. Each card can lead your city to ruin or prosperity. The player with the highest score and the most successful city wins!
- Players: 3-7
- Age: 10+
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Uno Uno is a classic card game that all ages can play! Fast-paced and easy, what’s not to love? To play Uno, take turns placing a card that matches the color or number of the face-up deck. But watch out! You never know when someone will place a Special Action or Wild Card that’ll upset your game.
- Players: 2-10
- Age: 7+
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Monopoly Deal Monopoly Deal is a fast-paced card version of your favorite board game! Steal from and scheme against your opponents to earn the most money and become the richest person in town. Each game only takes around 15 minutes, making it a perfect way to pass the time.
- Players: 2-5
- Age: 8+
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Apples to Apples Apples to Apples is a witty, clever word game for all ages. This card game is all about making your friends laugh! To play Apples to Apples, the “judge” picks a word card, and it’s your job to choose a card from your hand that matches it just right. The player with the most word cards in the end wins.
- Players: 4-8
- Age: 12+
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Exploding Kittens Exploding Kittens is an adorable strategic card game that’ll make you laugh out loud! Each card features hilarious kitten characters with special talents (or flaws). The goal? Try not to explode! If you draw an Exploding Kitten card, you’re out of the game.
- Players: 2-5
- Age: 7+