GAMES

Why the boldest box is rarely the best first one

This is the mistake we see most often. Someone picks the wildest-sounding title, opens it with a partner, and the very first card asks for something neither of them is ready to say out loud. The mood goes quiet. The game goes back in the box. Naughty games work best when they start a notch below your comfort zone and climb gradually. Many decks and board games are built that way, with light flirting tasks first and spicier ones later, or with levels you choose yourselves. Before you buy, check the description for levels, rounds or difficulty. If you're unsure, a massage game such as Secretplay's Massage Time is a gentle first step, and our foreplay games stay firmly in warm-up territory.

Cards, dice or a proper board

Card games are the biggest group and the easiest to start with. A deck needs no setup, fits in a bedside drawer and suits a short evening. Kheper Games' scratch tickets, like Let's F*ck! or Oral Sex Scratch and Win, add a little suspense because neither of you knows the task until it's scratched. Sex! Crackers work like Christmas crackers with a cheeky slip inside, which makes them an easy stocking gift.

Dice are the spontaneous choice. One die names an action, the other a body area, and the decision is simply out of your hands. Shy players often find that a relief. Most sets are small enough to pack for a weekend away.

Board games take longer and give the whole evening a shape. The Secretplay Tower of Sex is a wooden stacking game where every block you pull out carries a task, so the tension grows as the tower starts to wobble. Our tip: keep a board game for a night when you have no plans to rush anywhere.

Kits with toys, and the rare group game

Some couples games arrive as a complete kit. Secretplay's Pleasures Box for couples combines dice with a vibrating bullet and a feather tickler, so the game supplies its own props. Treat that bullet like any other toy. Wash it with warm water and mild soap after use, and if it's shared, put a fresh condom on it for each partner, as NHS 111 Wales advises.

Honestly, real group games are rare. Nearly every title here is written for two, and only a handful suit a party crowd. For a hen night, scratch cards and dice tend to go down best because they take seconds to explain and anyone can sit out a round without fuss. Agree at the start that skipping a task is always fine.