5 of 15

Write now Article Tools

You can't play these with a normal set of cards, but if you make your way to a game or hobby store, you should find these:

Fluxx - arguably the #1 card game amongst college crowds, this is also a hit with high school kids, if you can get them to play it. It's not a CCG, so kids probably haven't heard of it. The game is easy enough.
Green cards are keepers. You use them to fulfill the goal to win the game.

Purple cards are the goals.
Blue cards are actions.
Yellow cards are rules.
The object is to meet the current goal to win the game. Alas, the rules are constantly changing. The basic rule is draw 1, play 1, but this will change as people play yellow cards out of their hand to alter the flow of the game.
Highly entertaining, and time will pass very quickly while playing this. Really is a great way to spend an afternoon with friends.

Chrononauts - I've seen this played, but alas, I've never actually played it. It's a time-travel game that uses cards. You have to gather items from various events that took place in the past.

NinjaBurger Card Game - You are a ninja working for a fast food company. Your job is to deliver hot and spicy NinjaBurger food while it's still hot and spicy to the customer. You must not, however, be detected in any way while doing this.
This is done with dice rolls against your character stats. There are items that can help you, and even a way to earn a reroll or two.
Succeed and you shall gain honor. Gain enough and you will be promoted to restaurant manager and win the game.

Munchkin - The #1 non-collectible card game on the market right now. Highly popular with kids and adults, and the expansions just keep coming (currently all decks combined total over 1000 cards).
This is basically an RPG with cards instead of paper. The original version was based on Dungeons & Dragons. Take every wacky thing you've ever heard about any D&D game and you'll find it in the cards.
You start out as a level 1 human. Your goal in the original game is to be the first to make the 10th level. You do this by beating monsters and taking their treasure. This is easier said than done, though.

Three Dragon Ante - This one is going to sound weird to a lot of you. It's based on a poker game, so why would I recommend this for kids? Kids enjoy it, for one. For two, although it's based on poker, this requires much more strategy.
It was created for LARP associations like NERO as they didn't want to play poker at the bar (just didn't fit into the mood, so to speak) but wanted a card game you could gamble on.
The cards are dragons. Each has a power and a number. To decide the ante, you pick one card and put it face down in front of you. When everyone does this you flip them over and the highest number is the ante.
Whoever won the ante places the first card. They automatically get to use their dragon's power (each dragon has a power). In order for the next person to use their dragon's power, they have to play a dragon with a lower number.
You do this for three rounds. At the end of the round, the person with the highest flight (the numbers on their dragons total more than everyone else's) they win the pot.
This requires a lot of planning as you can run out of cards (costs money to get more) and if you can't put together a flight to win the pot, you have to figure out how to get the most of the powers get you enough money or cards to keep you going.

Learn more about this author, Bill Todd.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Recommended card games for teens?
We want to hear your view. Write now!