Parlor Games: What They Are and the Best Ones to Play

By Jim Markus · Published September 28, 2026

Let’s talk about parlor games. They’re (usually) fun social games you can play in a single room. My top three favorites are Mao, Inhuman Conditions, and Encore.

And here’s something to note: Parlor games can be party games, but not all party games are parlor games. That’s inconvenient, but it’s accurate.

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What Are Parlor Games?

When I think of a parlor game, I think of a game you can play in a single room, like a parlor or a den or your basement.

A party game is something that can be played in any of those locations, but might also be played in a gymnasium, or it might be played in a field or outside.

A party game can be larger than just a parlor game.

My Top Three Parlor Games

Some of my favorite small party games are just board games and card games that play well in front of an audience.

And that shouldn’t be surprising. A good party game should be just as much fun to watch as it is to play.

Mao

One of my favorite party games is a card game that I played a lot back in college. It’s called Mao, and the fun thing about Mao is that it’s built on an oral tradition. The best way to learn Mao is by watching other people play it. The challenge is you’re not allowed to ask questions about it, and the players aren’t allowed to tell you the rules while they’re playing.

If you’ve got a deck of cards, Mao is free.

Inhuman Conditions

I’m a huge fan of Inhuman Conditions, which is just two players. It’s engaging as a player, but it’s also fascinating to watch as an audience member. That’s true for Mao, too.

Encore

Despite my fear of singing in public, Encore is one of my favorite party games. We played with a group of eight people a few months ago and, while I intended only to watch, I ended up having a good time singing songs with my team.

Encore is 2 to 8 players and lasts about 45 minutes. I found used versions of it on eBay for about $20, but it’s also something you could make yourself if you know how to play.

I played Earworm in a consuite at Gencon more than five years ago. It was a joy.

I’d consider Earworm another good option for people who like Encore or other musical party games.

Charades, the Classic Parlor Game

My go-to classic parlor game is probably charades. I’ve played it countless times. It’s a common parlor game because you can play it with all ages, and you really just need a minimum of four people.

Charades is such a double-edged sword as a parlor game. It’s a real classic, and it feels like a traditional parlor game. That said, some players hate participating as the actor. I’ve played it a bunch, but it isn’t my top choice for most gatherings.

Victorian Parlor Games That Still Work Today

When I think of Victorian games that still work today, I think of parlor games like Snap Dragon.

Snap Dragon

Snap Dragon is where you put raisins in a bowl of flammable liquid, then light the liquid on fire, and people try to snap the raisins out of that liquid without getting burned. Snap Dragon began as a winter holiday game and has been brought over in some part to Halloween parties now. It’s something that you can play in a parlor.

It is dangerous, but it is still something exceptionally fun to watch and to play, and there’s a bit of a risk to it that makes it a fun option if you’re going for more of a traditional parlor game. So Snap Dragon is a parlor game, but it’s also dangerous and not one that I would recommend most people play in their parlors.

Are You There Moriarty?

Are You There Moriarty is another old option. It’s not as old as Snap Dragon, but it’s just as absurd.

Picture two different players on their stomachs facing each other about an arm’s distance apart. Each of them has a rolled up newspaper, and they take turns trying to smack each other in the head with the newspaper.

I love that image.

The game becomes apparent when you realize that each player is allowed to roll to their right or to their left to avoid being struck, and the strike of the newspaper is limited to moving straight up and straight down.

That means there’s a chance of missing. It is not something that I’ve ever seen played in real life. I’ve only read about it being played by people in Victorian times. Still, it sounds pretty enjoyable.

Parlor Larps: The Modern Parlor Game

I wouldn’t consider most parlor larps to be parlor games (at least not in the traditional sense). That said, parlor larps are sometimes an ideal alternative.

A parlor larp is a larp that can be played in a few rooms within a house. It’s very rarely a boffer larp. And parlor larps are very rarely events where people are hitting each other with weapons.

Usually, a parlor larp is more concerned with players taking on different characters and playing those roles.

That can be political roles, or it can be social deduction. It can be collusion and deception.

The most enjoyable parlor larps I’ve played have included all of those elements.

Parlor larps I’ve made

When I make games, sometimes I make them specifically for play in a small place. I like games where you’re getting up from the table and talking when you are playing as a character, when you’re talking with different people, and Crypt Kickers is a good example of the kind of game that I like playing and designing.

It can be played in a single room. It can also be played on Discord. It’s free. If you’re looking for an easy party game for a parlor or for a group of people who aren’t too familiar with parlor larps, Crypt Kickers is a really good place to start. Essentially, you’re just playing as monsters arguing over where the next monster party is going to happen.

Crypt Kickers can be played in a single room or over discord.

My newer games, like The Elderflower Inn, are more traditional parlor larps. You are still playing characters, you’re in a cozy setting, and you’re solving a mystery, and everyone has a secret that they’re trying to hide and a reason to expose the person who’s stolen something or done something wrong. These games are usually played in under a few hours, and they can be a party in themselves, or they can be played as part of a larger party.

A parlor larp is a destination

Games like parlor larps are usually much more engaging and envelop the time in which they’re played than games that can be played in the background or alongside other activities at a party.

If you’re playing a card game like Mao or if you’re playing charades where people can come in and drop out, party games like that are a little bit less of a destination themselves.

If you’re playing charades, it’s common for other people to be talking in the kitchen or running to get drinks or anything.

If you’re playing a parlor larp, usually you are just playing a parlor larp.

Find a Parlor Game

And so these are some of the best parlor party games I’ve seen.

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More from Autumnal Games

• The best party games by group size
• Party games for large groups, with the full rules for Mao
• Christmas party games, where Snap Dragon started
• Crypt Kickers, a free parlor larp and a good first one
• The Elderflower Inn, a cozy mystery parlor larp
• Browse all our games

Jim Markus

Jim makes games and events that invite people to embrace a shared fiction.