The best Trick-taking games 🃏 2026

The Crew: Mission Deep Sea is a cooperative trick-taking card game that embarks players on an underwater expedition to discover the lost continent of Mu. Building on the foundations of its predecessor, The Crew, this game combines the familiar mechanics of trick-taking with unique cooperative elements and a compelling thematic narrative.

A cooperative card game spans eighteen chapters that guide players through the events of The Fellowship of the Ring. Each player assumes a different character, such as Frodo, Gandalf, or Pippin, each with specific goals to achieve in order to progress through the chapters. The game features a set of 37 cards, and as players advance, new characters, items, and challenges are introduced.

The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine is a cooperative trick-taking game that takes players on an adventurous space journey, filled with challenges and strategic gameplay.

Skull King is an exciting and competitive trick-taking game that adds unique twists to the traditional format found in games like Oh Hell!, Wizard, Euchre, and Spades.

Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition is a unique and innovative quantum trick-taking card game that challenges 2 to 5 players to think strategically about color and number. This deluxe edition of the game enhances the experience with high-quality components and new features.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – Trick-Taking Game brings families, teens, and Tolkien fans back to Middle-earth in a cooperative card game with a strong narrative feel. Instead of competing against each other, players work together to complete chapter goals through clever trick-taking. The game captures the mood of the story without spoiling key moments, making it approachable for both readers and newcomers.

Wizard is a captivating trick-taking card game that adds a twist to the traditional deck by including Wizards and Jesters. It's a game of prediction, strategy, and adaptability, where players must accurately gauge their chances of winning tricks.

Jekyll vs. Hyde is a riveting two-player trick-taking game inspired by the classic novella Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. This game pits two iconic characters against each other in a battle of wits and strategy, with one player embodying Dr. Jekyll, striving to maintain his secret and sanity, and the other player taking on the role of Mr. Hyde, seeking to dominate and unveil the dual identity.

Claim is a captivating card game set in a realm thrown into chaos by the sudden death of its king. Players compete to win the support of five factions and claim the throne for themselves. The game is played in two phases: first, recruiting followers, and then using those followers to win over the factions. Each faction possesses unique powers that can influence the game, and these powers may vary between the phases. The goal is to secure the majority of followers in at least three of the five factions to win the game and ascend to the throne.

Potato Man is a trick-taking game centered around the theme of potatoes, where the smallest cards can score the highest points. Players play one card into the middle to form a trick, but each of the four colors can only be played once per round, except in a five-player game where one color may appear twice. Winning a trick allows players to collect scoring cards of the corresponding color, and strategic decisions are key as players balance holding high cards with the risk of being unable to play in later rounds. The game continues for as many rounds as there are players, and the player with the most points at the end wins.

A magical fairy tale book contains three chapters. In 3 Chapters, a trick-taking game with three phases, players experience the story:

Strange things are happening! Someone is trying to disrupt the agents' joint missions. In this "almost" cooperative trickery game, 3-5 players aim to complete as many missions as possible while the insider gathers information and sabotages the team's efforts.

Voodoo Prince focuses on making the necessary tricks as late as possible. Waiting too long, however, may result in not scoring any points at all.

The trick-taking game Wizard uses a deck of 60 cards, which includes a traditional 52-card deck plus additional assistants and fools. Players compete over several rounds to achieve the highest score, with each round featuring increasing card distributions and determining a trump suit. Points are awarded based on players meeting their bids for the number of tricks won, with specific rules for how tricks are won depending on the cards played. The 20th Anniversary edition introduces special cards not found in the standard game, adding new strategic elements.

Stick 'Em, initially released as Sticheln, is a captivating trick-taking card game that turns traditional card game objectives on their head. Players aim to score points by collecting as many cards as possible, except in one chosen color—referred to as their "pain" color—which they seek to avoid. The game involves both strategic depth and a twist of predicting opponents' moves to avoid pitfalls.

Players take on the role of pirate challengers in a dice game where they attempt to predict the outcomes of dice battles. The one with the most accurate predictions emerges victorious.

Euchre is a trick-taking card game that uses trumps. While it accommodates two to seven players, it is best played with four players in partnerships. The game typically uses a 24-card deck, with players aiming to win three out of five tricks. A card is revealed to determine the trump suit, which players can accept or decline, leading to further bidding rounds to establish the trump. The player who sets the trump can choose to play alone or with a partner, with solo play increasing points and penalties.

A complex card game featuring variable partnerships and multiple solo game types. It is very popular in Germany and uses a basic mechanic where tricks are collected, with different cards scoring varying points. The gameplay rules differ across many regions in Germany, with variations in the use of nines, special points, and solo games.

Skat is a traditional German card game for three players, played with a standard deck (excluding 2-6 cards). The game involves a complex bidding process to determine the solo player, who then chooses the type of game to be played in the second phase. Winning players score points based on the announced game type and modifiers, while losing players score double.