Cranium / Similar games

18 games like Cranium

The best games like Cranium are Decrypto XL, Party Alias and Codenames XXL — the closest of 18 ranked alternatives, scored by shared mechanics and category. Decrypto XL shares party game, word game, team-based game with Cranium.

Every alternative below links to its own Cranium-style fact page, drawn from MeeplePick’s party game / puzzle shelf.

Ranked by shared category (3 pts) and mechanics (2 pts), bonus within 0.7 of Cranium’s 1.4 weight, then BoardGameGeek’s Bayesian rating — one entry per series, 18 shown.

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1. 

   1. Decrypto XL (2018)

   3–8 players · 15–45 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium-light · See Decrypto XL alternatives →

   Shares with Cranium: Party Game, Word Game, Team-Based Game · 3 shared tags · 1 of Cranium’s 6 mechanics (17%)

   vs Cranium: overlaps at 4–8 players · goes down to 3 · ~30 min shorter · +0.4 heavier

   Check price for Decrypto XL →
2. 

   2. Party Alias (2009)

   4–24 players · 30 min · ★ 6.2 · Light

   Shares with Cranium: Party Game, Trivia, Word Game, Acting, Team-Based Game · 5 shared tags · 2 of Cranium’s 6 mechanics (33%)

   vs Cranium: overlaps at 4–16 players · scales to 24 · ~30 min shorter · 0.2 lighter

   Check price for Party Alias →
3. 

   3. Codenames XXL (2015)

   2–8 players · 15 min · ★ 7.6 · Light · See Codenames XXL alternatives →

   Shares with Cranium: Party Game, Word Game, Team-Based Game · 3 shared tags · 1 of Cranium’s 6 mechanics (17%)

   vs Cranium: overlaps at 4–8 players · goes down to 2 · ~45 min shorter · same complexity

   Check price for Codenames XXL →
4. 

   4. Alias (1991)

   4–12 players · 60 min · ★ 5.8 · Light

   Shares with Cranium: Party Game, Trivia, Word Game, Acting, Team-Based Game · 5 shared tags · 2 of Cranium’s 6 mechanics (33%)

   vs Cranium: overlaps at 4–12 players · about the same length · 0.2 lighter
5. 

   5. Imagine (2015)

   3–8 players · 15–30 min · ★ 6.9 · Light · See Imagine alternatives →

   Shares with Cranium: Party Game, Puzzle, Acting, Team-Based Game · 4 shared tags · 2 of Cranium’s 6 mechanics (33%)

   vs Cranium: overlaps at 4–8 players · goes down to 3 · ~37 min shorter · 0.4 lighter
6. 

   6. The Big Taboo (2006)

   4–0 players · 30–60 min · ★ 6.3 · Medium-light

   Shares with Cranium: Party Game, Word Game, Acting, Paper-and-Pencil, Team-Based Game · 5 shared tags · 3 of Cranium’s 6 mechanics (50%)

   vs Cranium: ~15 min shorter · same complexity
7. 

   7. Showtime (1990)

   4–99 players · 10 min · ★ 5.9 · Light

   Shares with Cranium: Party Game, Word Game, Acting, Roll / Spin and Move, Team-Based Game · 5 shared tags · 3 of Cranium’s 6 mechanics (50%)

   vs Cranium: overlaps at 4–16 players · scales to 99 · ~50 min shorter · 0.3 lighter
8. 

   8. Monikers (2015)

   4–16 players · 30–60 min · ★ 7.8 · Light · See Monikers alternatives →

   Shares with Cranium: Party Game, Acting, Singing · 3 shared tags · 2 of Cranium’s 6 mechanics (33%)

   vs Cranium: overlaps at 4–16 players · ~15 min shorter · 0.4 lighter
9. 

   9. Quelf (2005)

   3–8 players · 60 min · ★ 5.3 · Light

   Shares with Cranium: Party Game, Trivia, Acting, Paper-and-Pencil, Singing · 5 shared tags · 3 of Cranium’s 6 mechanics (50%)

   vs Cranium: overlaps at 4–8 players · goes down to 3 · about the same length · same complexity
10. 

    10. Roller Coaster Hippo (1988)

    3–6 players · 60 min · ★ 4.7 · Light

    Shares with Cranium: Party Game, Trivia, Acting, Line Drawing, Singing · 5 shared tags · 3 of Cranium’s 6 mechanics (50%)

    vs Cranium: overlaps at 4–6 players · goes down to 3 · about the same length · 0.2 lighter
11. 

    11. 30 Seconds (2002)

    3–24 players · 30 min · ★ 6.7 · Light

    Shares with Cranium: Party Game, Trivia, Roll / Spin and Move, Team-Based Game · 4 shared tags · 2 of Cranium’s 6 mechanics (33%)

    vs Cranium: overlaps at 4–16 players · goes down to 3 · scales to 24 · ~30 min shorter · 0.2 lighter
12. 

    12. Wits & Wagers Deluxe Edition (2005)

    3–7 players · 25 min · ★ 6.9 · Light · See Wits & Wagers Deluxe Edition alternatives →

    Shares with Cranium: Party Game, Trivia, Paper-and-Pencil · 3 shared tags · 1 of Cranium’s 6 mechanics (17%)

    vs Cranium: overlaps at 4–7 players · goes down to 3 · ~35 min shorter · 0.2 lighter
13. 

    13. Loco Motive (2009)

    4–8 players · 15 min · ★ 6.5 · Light

    Shares with Cranium: Party Game, Puzzle, Acting, Team-Based Game · 4 shared tags · 2 of Cranium’s 6 mechanics (33%)

    vs Cranium: overlaps at 4–8 players · ~45 min shorter · 0.3 lighter
14. 

    14. Time's Up! Title Recall! (2008)

    4–18 players · 60 min · ★ 7.7 · Light · See Time's Up! Title Recall! alternatives →

    Shares with Cranium: Party Game, Acting, Team-Based Game · 3 shared tags · 2 of Cranium’s 6 mechanics (33%)

    vs Cranium: overlaps at 4–16 players · scales to 18 · about the same length · 0.2 lighter
15. 

    15. Blockbuster (2019)

    4–10 players · 30–60 min · ★ 6.7 · Light

    Shares with Cranium: Party Game, Trivia, Acting, Team-Based Game · 4 shared tags · 2 of Cranium’s 6 mechanics (33%)

    vs Cranium: overlaps at 4–10 players · ~15 min shorter · 0.3 lighter
16. 

    16. When I Dream (2016)

    4–10 players · 20–40 min · ★ 7.1 · Light · See When I Dream alternatives →

    Shares with Cranium: Party Game, Word Game, Team-Based Game · 3 shared tags · 1 of Cranium’s 6 mechanics (17%)

    vs Cranium: overlaps at 4–10 players · ~30 min shorter · 0.3 lighter
17. 

    17. Telestrations 12 Player Party Pack (2011)

    4–12 players · 30 min · ★ 7.8 · Light

    Shares with Cranium: Party Game, Line Drawing, Paper-and-Pencil · 3 shared tags · 2 of Cranium’s 6 mechanics (33%)

    vs Cranium: overlaps at 4–12 players · ~30 min shorter · 0.3 lighter
18. 

    18. Time's Up! (1999)

    4–18 players · 90 min · ★ 7.3 · Light · See Time's Up! alternatives →

    Shares with Cranium: Party Game, Acting, Team-Based Game · 3 shared tags · 2 of Cranium’s 6 mechanics (33%)

    vs Cranium: overlaps at 4–16 players · scales to 18 · ~30 min longer · 0.2 lighter

Looking for the original? See the full Cranium fact page — players, play time, age and complexity.