If you’ve played with the word fridge magnets before, Ransom notes will give you an instant shot of nostalgia. It also has what I think is the most important quality of a party game: it doesn’t need complicated rules, setup or explanation. Each round begins with an open-ended question card, such as “describe a frightening medical condition.” Players get a few magnetic word tiles that they arrange into a (usually slightly nonsensical) response to that round’s prompt. Each “ransom note” can be as detailed (or not) as you like. You may have the perfect phrasing to craft a believable answer but, more often than not, you need to be a little creative in your answer. Sometimes, all you need is a word or two.

Either way, the mix of word tiles, which leans a little on the PG-13 side but isn’t as mouthwatering as more “mature” party games like Cards Against Humanity, is so close fun will happen. Officially, each round must have a “winner,” with the game ending after a predetermined number of rounds have been completed. But it’s just as fun if you forget about trying to keep score and let everyone try to make the funniest and biggest notes they can dream of. – Karissa Bell, Senior Reporter