Jon Purkis

Game Expert

Jon Purkis is a Board Game YouTuber based in London, England. For the past ten years, Jon has managed his YouTube channel Actual Lol, where he shares board game reviews and other related content to his over 136k followers. His content focuses on modern board games and is suitable for those who are new to the hobby and seasoned gamers alike. Jon previously worked as a Communications Manager for the critically-acclaimed board game, Fog of Love. He is also a freelance comedy writer with experience writing sitcoms for TV on the BBC, Cartoon Network, and Comedy Central.

Professional Achievements

  • One of the biggest board game reviewers in the world
  • Has been reviewing board games on YouTube for 10 years

Favorite Piece of Advice

Forget Monopoly, there's a whole world of incredible modern board games to explore.

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Forum Comments (4)

Do you have recommendations for 2-player board games?
There are many great two-player board games I'd recommend:
  • Lost Cities, which is a wonderful card game with simple rules, but it’s all about risk and timing. You're trying to complete sets while preventing your opponent from grabbing valuable cards.
  • Patchwork, which is fantastic for couples.
  • Onitama, which is like a lighter, shorter version of Chess—very strategic but with rotating moves that level the playing field.
  • Fungi is a charming game about foraging mushrooms on a woodland walk, if you want something cozy.
  • Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective is a story-based game where you work together to solve a mystery by choosing which leads to follow. It’s like cooperative detective work.
What are the best adult party games?
One of the best adult party games is Scroll. It’s a drawing game, like Telestrations, but with more adult humor in the prompts. You draw something, pass it on, the next person guesses what you drew, and the illustration keeps evolving. The results are hilarious, and it’s not too crude. It’s definitely my top pick!
The best games to play at sleepovers
A game that would be fun for teenagers are hidden traitor games—like The Resistance or One Night Ultimate Werewolf. They’re a bit like Among Us, which has obviously been popular with teens. In these games, a couple of players are secretly traitors, trying to lie to their friends without being found out, while everyone else tries to expose them. It’s all about conversation—accusations, bluffing, lying to each other's faces. It can definitely get heated, but I think teens would have a blast with them. I would’ve loved to play those games at that age.
What are the best board games of all time?
That’s a tough one! I do have personal favorites, but I’m always a little hesitant to claim “best of all time” publicly, since games can be so subjective. I'll try to stick with more universal picks. So, I’d say Pandemic is one of the best of all time. It’s a cooperative game about trying to save the world from diseases (it came out long before COVID) but it’s widely considered the definitive cooperative board game. Another one would be Ra, an auction game set in ancient Egypt, where you’re collecting items to build the best civilization. It’s fantastic. And, if I could pick one more, I’d go with Codenames. You play on teams with a clue giver who gives one-word hints to help their team guess certain words in a grid. It’s a race against the other team, and it’s fascinating both to give and interpret the clues. Just a super fun and clever team game.

If you're a fan of board card games, one of the best board card games is Clank! It’s a deck-building card game where you are an adventurer sneaking into a dungeon to steal treasure from a dragon. You can’t make too much noise, or the dragon will catch and kill you before you escape.

Q&A Comments (3)

Co-authored Articles (9)

320+ Best Truth or Dare Questions for Teenagers

Expert tips for a safe game of Truth or Dare (over text or in person)Truth or Dare is a classic party game, but you can play it anywhere—even over text. Watching your friends do funny dares or answer silly questions wi...

2 Player Uno Rules & How to Win

Plus, learn the subtle differences in how the Action cards workWhen it comes to playing a fun, competitive card game like Uno, you might think that the more players you have, the better. But is that really true, or can 2...

How to Make a Board Game: Prototyping, Playtesting, & Publishing

Create your own game to have fun and play with friendsDo you have an idea for the next big tabletop game and want to bring it to life? Making a board game can be a lot of fun, and it’s pretty easy to get started with y...

15 Best Dice Drinking Games to Play at Your Next Party

Spice up tonight's get-together with an awesome dice game You're hanging out and having a few beers. It's a good time, but conversation is starting to lag. Why not try a drinking game to break the ice and get the party s...

24 Creative Game Night Ideas for Family & Friends

Group activities to turn your living room into the ultimate fun zoneLooking for ideas to shake up your next game night? Whether you’re playing with your family or a group of friends, we have all the best game ideas for...

How to Play UNO House Rules (with Fun Options to Try)

Plus, exciting variations for a standard UNO gameIf you’re looking for a way to customize your UNO game, then playing the House Rules version of the game is the perfect choice. While the basic game is the same, UNO Hou...

The 30 Funniest Board Games for Your Next Gathering

Take a look at these hilarious games for adults and kids!So, you’re planning a fun night with friends. Are there any games you can play that are totally fun and absolutely ridiculous? You bet! Take a look at the list o...

50 of the Best Games to Play with Seniors and Elderly People

Fun games to keep seniors engaged and entertained If you have a senior in your life who you love, or if you’re an older adult yourself, you may be looking for some fun senior-friendly games. Games can help older adults...

30+ Best Date Night Games for Couples

Make the most of your date night with these games & activities You can't go wrong with the classic dinner and a movie, but if you really want to make date night unforgettable, invite your date to play an exciting board g...