Top board games for a group of friends at home. Rating of the best board games for the whole family that have become classics. Hunt for the ring
Don't know how to spend your free time? We present to your attention the best board games for adults that will not let you get bored together or in a group.
Twister
Monopoly with bank cards
Junta
Lovopoly
Fanta
Nobility obliges
Lier's dice: Animal's house
Gassy Gus
Svintus
Knock it over
From 2 players
A visual way to check the girl you like for availability, dexterity and flexibility. Here these qualities will come in handy more than ever. The game does not require any mental effort or analytical skills. The presenter gives the players the same task - to place their right or left hand or foot on a circle of a certain color. If there is an appropriate composition of the company, relaxation and a certain attitude, the game can develop from innocent fun into better prelude to group sex. After all, already on the third move, players find themselves in completely unambiguous poses - above, below, on the side and between.
Buy Twister on OZON.ru2-6 players
One of a dozen variations the most famous economic game, which everyone has played at least once. The essence of Monopoly, even with bank cards, remains the same: wander around the field, buying up everything you can get your hands on, and having taken possession of at least one monopoly, build it up with houses and ruin your opponents. You can get hold of an inexpensive monopoly and quickly collect money (for some reason, rivals most often end up in the sectors of the cheapest streets) or save up for a long time for the “golden mile”.
The absence of shabby looking pieces of paper gives this board game solidity, depriving the banker of the opportunity to cheat, and not very clean players from stealing money from the bank. In addition, non-cash payments to hotel builders seem more plausible than payment in ten dollar bills.
The thoughtful design is also pleasing: in the margins there are not only names, but also images of streets, and the ironic figures of an iron, a dog, and a hat have been replaced with more modern mobile phones, airplanes, and racing cars.
Buy the game on OZON.ru2-7 players
A diplomatic board game about wars between gangster clans for control of a banana republic. The degree of this control is directly proportional to the amount in the Swiss bank account.
Everything is just like in life: players have at their disposal a full range of criminal methods of influencing competitors - from intimidation to murder. During the game you can be executed or “ordered”, which, however, does not entail loss. Real “death” comes only when the money runs out. One game often lasts six hours straight, so you'll have to stock up on a fair amount of alcohol.
Buy the game on AMAZON.com2 players
A cynical mixture of romance and commercial warfare based on the same "Monopoly". The field is made individually for each player, several online stores accept orders, and you will have to wait quite a long time, but the game is worth it. In the center of the playing field are photographs of customers, and instead of the usual streets - the names of parks, cafes, restaurants, cinemas and other memorable places.
2-10 players
A moderately romantic board game for adults with no winners or losers. It comes in many variations. The choice depends on the number and degree of intimacy of the participants, as well as their willingness to experiment sexually.
The game may be limited to light flirting, but can help you stage a real orgy. For example, “Shayk” is suitable for a company of up to 10 people. “Pepper” is good for a new acquaintance or one-night stand. And then there is “Resort Romance”, “Sweet Couple”, “Shura-Mura” and the like.
The only rule is to fulfill the desires indicated in the cards. The degree of frivolity of the task depends on the color of the card. Almost every set contains accessories such as brushes, fur mittens, masks, blindfolds or an adapted edition of the Kama Sutra, as well as instructions for the most effective use of sex toys.
Buy the game on OZON.ru2-5 players
Calm board game about, as the name suggests, noble collectors. Each player is an Englishman, a lover of antique masks, candelabra, night vases and other expensive antiquities. Collectors are not particularly picky about the methods used to obtain new exhibits. Players secretly make a decision from each other: attend an auction, arrange an exhibition, steal an exhibit from an opponent, or set a bloodhound on the thief. After each move, one of the gentlemen moves forward along the playing field, approaching the final - an exhibition at which the winner will be revealed. The one with the most extensive collection wins.
4 players
Board game of dice in the setting of the movie "Menagerie" - extremely tasteless, but terribly funny 1978 strip about college fraternities. To win, all you need to do is bluff and lie.
The set includes four beer cans and dice featuring a bra, a car, a laurel wreath, a fight, a loudspeaker, and a beer mug. Participants roll the dice at the same time, but the result is not communicated to their opponents. Next, the first player bets on how many images of, for example, a car are dropped in total. The next one can either raise the bet or check it - in the second case, everything is revealed. If the player who made the bet did not lie, then victory is his. If the number of matching dice is higher or lower, the one who checked wins.
Buy the game on AMAZON.com2-4 people
Vulgar fun in the spirit of American teen comedies: it must feed the fat guy all the food, but so that he does not emit gases. Players take turns carefully inserting cards with pictures of broccoli or bacon and eggs into the plastic fat man Gaz. Next, Gaz gets hit in the head by the player and inflates his stomach. If he holds back, the move was successful. If not, you will hear it immediately. That, in fact, are all the rules. Without unnecessary gibberish and unnecessary subtleties - just sleight of hand.
Buy the game on AMAZON.com2-14 players
Banter over corporate practices- and who doesn’t like to make fun of office plankton, especially if he himself works as a manager? In the minds of the creators of this board game, office workers consider each other to be a bunch of losers and are constantly trying to screw over the other or turn the tables on him. However, this is just the surroundings: the rules are somewhat similar to the “Drunkard”, which everyone played in the pioneer camps.
Players receive eight cards and take turns laying them out. Each next one must correspond to the previous one either in value or in suit. In addition, there are a number of specific cards and rules: for example, when you get rid of the penultimate card, you need to shout: “Pig!”
Buy the game on OZON.ruFrom 2 players
This board game is the best way for a drinker to spend his free time and have fun in good company at the same time.
A not very stable tower is built from wooden bricks. Next, everyone takes turns pulling out a brick from it and placing it on the very top of the structure. The one on whose brick the tower falls fulfills the task written on the fatal brick. For example, “Pour 100 grams. Everyone drinks” or “Have a sip of beer.”
The main goal of this board game for adults is to get drunk, the secondary goal is to prevent the tower from falling. Since they contradict each other, we have to choose. As a rule, everyone wants to get drunk and strives to achieve the first one. This game is good for greeting guests - instead of the banal greeting “drink a free drink”, invite everyone to pull out a brick. The main thing is to start sober. Firstly, you need attentiveness and accuracy. Secondly, you'll get drunk anyway.
The best way for productive communication and spending time together between adults and children has always been and remains a game. Today, board games, among other entertainment, are highly popular and quickly and firmly enter people’s lives. At first glance, it may seem that this activity is only for children, but this is far from the case, because in almost each of them you need to carefully think through the current situation, choose the right way to solve the problem, deceive and confuse the enemy in order for the party to remain with you. The top ten best board games in the world today, which will be of interest to both children and adults, include:
Alias
"Alias» or "Say otherwise" Recently it has been receiving increasing recognition from fans, which has earned it tenth place in the ranking of the best board games around the world. The point of the game is to explain as many words as possible from your card in one minute. There are several variations of this game: the explanation should be accompanied only by gestures or emotions, using a certain story that surrounds the word being explained, or you should even guess not just an encrypted key, but some celebrity. The game is perfect for entertainment even in the company of unfamiliar people or people you don’t know at all.
- a very non-standard game that is becoming very popular in the world, and receives ninth place in our rating. What is its meaning? It is necessary to come up with associations for the cards from the game set. The difficulty lies in the fact that the images on the cards are far from simple, and sometimes it even seems that they were drawn by some not entirely mentally healthy person, which makes it even more interesting. Having voiced his association, the player places the card face down on the table, and the rest must choose from their set the cards most suitable to what was said and place them next to each other. You will win if at least one person finds yours in the total mass of cards (ideally: all but one). Another variety of this game, which also does not leave the ratings of world board game bestsellers, is considered “Dixit”.
How can a list of the best board games be compiled without "Monopolies", which has long since achieved worldwide fame and appreciation? Despite the fact that the variations of this game currently simply cannot be counted (“Classic Monopoly”, “Manager”, “Monopolist”, “Kremlin”, etc.), the essence still remains the same: wander around the playing field, buy everything you see on your way, increase your capital, buy up real estate from your opponents and try in every possible way to develop your business. The main goal: to ruin the enemy and elevate yourself to the rank of millionaire and monopolist.
"Uno" A pretty simple and fun card game. It was included in the ranking of the best board games in the world due to its simplicity, simplicity, and the ability to play for both adults and children. The game begins with the distribution of game cards. Players take turns throwing their own card, matching the color or value, on top of the opponent’s card. If there is none, then you will have to draw from the deck until the required card is found. The goal of the game is to discard everything in your hands as quickly as possible. The last one to do this will be the loser. A game very similar in meaning to “Uno” is “Svintus!”.
or "Erudite" is a game that needs no introduction, as it is familiar to every person, regardless of age and gender. Its meaning is to form words using the chips received at the beginning of the game. Players are awarded points for the number of letters in the word laid out. Scrabble is popular not only in Russia, but also in European countries, where even serious businessmen play it when going on a long business trip for work matters.
is a floor game rather than a board game, but it is also wildly popular, especially among active young people. The game does not require any mental effort or thought process. What is important here is your flexibility, dexterity, as well as the desire to win. With each new move, the players' limbs become more and more entangled with each other, sometimes giving the person the most unimaginable poses. The winner is the one who was the last one to remain on the playing mat while maintaining a pose and not fall. Despite the fact that today “Twister” occupies not the last place in the top of the best games in the world, at the very beginning of sales, tons of criticism and negativity fell upon the company that produced such entertainment. There are several varieties of the game, and one of the latest to be created is a truly desktop version, when only the fingers of the participants participate in the gameplay.
, Of course, it stands out somewhat from the previous list, but it should definitely have a place in the list of games with the highest appreciation. Most often, the game involves a standard 52-sheet poker deck of cards. There is a certain ranking of the seniority of card combinations (four of a kind, full house, royal flush, etc.) After the deck is dealt, each player can make a bet or pass. The winner is the one who has the best combination in his hands or the one who knows how to mislead opponents, thereby forcing them to fold and change bets.
Mafia
"Mafia"- quite a fun and interesting game, suitable for a large and noisy company. Purpose of the game: to rid the civilian population of criminal elements. So, at the beginning, the presenter distributes one card to everyone, thereby distributing roles: honest citizens (red) and mafiosi (black). Until a certain moment, no one except the player himself should know about his card. When night comes, the mafia can get to know each other, and during the day, each player expresses his opinion about the others, thus at the end of the day, all players must vote and “kick” someone out of the game. The winner is the team whose representatives at the end have more representatives or when all the criminals are identified and neutralized. “Mafia” received its place in the top of the best board games thanks to its simplicity and great gameplay possibilities.
Codenames
"Codenames" is a legendary game that everyone who has played at least one game is crazy about. For its fun and simplicity, Code Names have received all the prestigious international awards, including the Oscar in the world of board games - Game of the Year in Germany.
From two to ten people can participate in this phenomenal team confrontation. Players, with the help of the captains' hints, take turns trying to find all their words among the cards laid out on the playing field. The scope for hints is limited to just one (!) word spoken out loud. In such harsh conditions, captains shine with associative thinking, and teams surprise with mutual understanding on a telepathic level.
The game was created by the recognized board game guru - Vlada Khvatil. He made sure that players could replay Codenames with interest as many times as they wanted. In gratitude, even the most reputable and discerning gaming community in the world, BoardGamesGeek, ranks Code Names at the top of the world's ranking of the best board games for groups and parties.
Since its inception (1995), the board game has not left the top of the best games for a company gathered around the table. Today she is given first place in our TOP 10 ranking. It is simply impossible to count the number of awards she received, and there are no people left who would not know about her existence. Colonist players "land" on a desert island full of wood, brick, wool, grain and ore. Everyone’s goal is to build as large a settlement as possible and develop it better than their opponents. For each construction and development a certain number of points are given. The one who scored 10 points before others won.
You can buy it in the GaGa.ru store
One of the most useful ways to relax together has always been and will always be games. They are held not only in the fresh air and in specially prepared places, but also at a simple table. The modern world of board games is so huge that it is difficult to count. Any player can find an activity that fully suits his interests. Our rating presents the most popular board games of our time.
The first place in popularity is occupied by “Colonizers”, which has not left the top of the best board games for more than 20 years. During this time, the game has won a lot of fans and awards. The secret of "Colonizers" is simple - accessible rules, attractive background, bright features.
The game is designed for 3-4 participants. The playing field is 19 hex cards. Each one depicts a landscape surrounded by sea water. The goal of the participants is to build the largest and most developed settlement on the island. The winner is the one who scores 10 points first.
All elements of the island have their own number. Each landscape has a specific resource (stone, wool, wood, etc.) that can be used as needed. The game contains a lot of combinations of events and a wide range of strategic actions, which has won the long-term love of adults and children.
Unusual in its simplicity, but attractive in terms of motor skills, a game that can be played endlessly. Several people of different ages can play at the same time. "Jenga" is intended for balanced people and has an architectural focus.
The main task is not to destroy the blocky vertical tower. Players take out the pieces one by one and move them to the top of the structure. The game requires accuracy and attention, since any careless movement can end in disaster.
The tower is made of 54 blocks. Their width is equal to 1/3 of the length, and their height is half the width. Most often, an 18-story tower is built first - 3 blocks per tier. Only one hand “participates” in the game. On average, one game lasts about half an hour. The game develops many useful qualities, including composure and concentration.
Another popular board game is Mafia. It develops intuition, observation, communication, and helps to reveal the meaning and motives of the behavior of others. The goal is to rid the civilian population of criminals.
In the classic version, exactly 10 players should participate, but now few people adhere to these principles. However, with a small number of people, it is not interesting to play. On the other hand, if there are more than 20 participants, then the discussions will drag on too long and the rules will not be followed.
First, the presenter distributes roles, distributing red and black cards. During the game, participants vote against one of the players. The team that manages to retain its representatives wins.
One of the most unusual board games that develops attentiveness and reaction speed. With its help, an ordinary quiet evening will turn into a funny, noisy competition for dexterity and speed reaction. The competition is for an ancient wooden totem! 
A firm hand and external calm are a couple of things that will definitely come in handy for participants. "Wild Jungle" contains 2 main parts - a wooden totem, which is installed in the middle of the table, and a set of cards, equally divided between the participants.
Each player strives to be the first to discard his cards, revealing them one at a time. Once two participants have the same drawings, they must try to capture the totem (whoever is first). It seems very simple. But the game also has its own tricks: for example, the cards can be similar, but slightly different.
The rules of "Wild Jungle" are mastered in a few minutes, and the fun will last for more than one hour. Kids and adults will spend time with undisguised delight “getting a totem.”
Fantasy role-playing game with parody content. Intended for young audiences. It is recommended to play in a group of 3-6 people. The goal is to reach the last level. During the game, participants must fight monsters by trading equipment or using special cards.
The set includes a six-sided die and a pair of decks: treasure and doors. The battle with the monster consists of comparing the combat prowess of the monster and the player. A participant can increase his military capabilities through “clothes” and disposable glasses.
You can escape from a stronger monster by rolling a die. If the escape fails, the participant is subject to punishments written on the card, ranging from loss of items to "death".
Munchkin is a special game. It allows dishonest actions, for example, unselfish help, friendship with a monster, quarrels between players, etc.
It is included in the list of the most popular board games on the entire planet. Compiled according to the crossword principle. Ideal for a company of 2-4 experts. The goal is to use 7 letters to form a word on the field.
The main set is chips with letters, the task is to get the maximum number of points. The dice have different values, which determine the number of points scored.
The playing field is made in the form of a 15x15 square, divided into 225 parts, which serve as “houses” for letters (like in a crossword puzzle). By filling them out, players create words. At the beginning of the game, each expert holds any 7 chips. The first word is lined up in the center, and then participants try to form them vertically or horizontally.
Scrabble is a great game for family fun and a good time with friends. It increases ingenuity, intelligence, level of thinking, and vocabulary. Some regions host special Scrabble competitions and tournaments.
An interesting team word guessing game. Based on the exchange of ideas between participants. All known forms of description are used: facial, graphic, verbal. As the game progresses, the words become more complex, and who will become the leader is not known until the very end.
4 teams are participating. The player's main task is to explain what is written on the card without saying the word itself. You can use facial expressions, synonyms, a drawing, the main thing is that the name can be guessed in one minute.
The triumph of the team depends on the resourcefulness, intelligence and friendly contact of the participants. If the rules are violated, the move is immediately transferred to the opponents.
The popularity of this board game has been proven over the years. This is an economic strategy, the main goal of which is to build your business. Designed for players aged 8 years and older. Each participant becomes the owner of certain property, which he can use as he wants.
The players' task is to achieve personal economic triumph while simultaneously ruining their rivals. The playing field contains squares arranged in a circle, divided into 2 types: events and assets. The number of moves is determined by the numbers on the dice that the players roll.
In 1935, Monopoly was the top-selling board game in the United States. Today they hold tournaments with real cash prizes.
A fun, simple, compact card game that is loved by many people around the world. Designed for any age group. The goal is to discard all the cards in your hands as quickly as possible.
Uno is not like other card games. The numbers, colors and drawings here are very bright and easy to remember. Participants take turns covering the opponent’s card with their own card of the corresponding value or color, and if there is none, then they draw from the deck until they find the one they need.
An unusual but very popular board game based on making associations. Aimed at a creatively seasoned audience. Its difficulty lies in the fact that the cards can depict far from simple drawings.
The player says what the image on the card looks like. Then he puts it face down, and the rest of the participants find in their set the pictures that are most similar in their opinion and place them next to the main card. The player wins if at least one of the cards matches the hidden one.
The game ends after all cards have been used. The winner is the one who is in the leading position and has completed the maximum number of full circles. One of the famous varieties of “Imaginarium” is the game “Dixit”, which also does not leave the first steps of the ratings for board games in the world.
A board game is an ideal option for continuing the party when the feast is over and the drunken adventures have not yet begun. We have compiled for you the top of the most exciting board games that all those who like to host friendly gatherings should stock up on.
Uno or Svintus
Uno is the most popular and perhaps the best-selling board game in the world, capturing the hearts of millions of people. Svintus is its domestic analogue, in no way inferior to the original in humor and excitement. The game is intended for a company of two to ten people, the process is based on the thirst of the participants to get around and defeat others by any means. The motto of the Russian Svintus is “Put a pig on your comrade.” The names of the cards also sound very funny, for example: “Tikhohryun” and “Polysvin”. The point of this difficult game is to place the cards according to color on time and correctly, but it will not be easy. Your opponents will be on guard every second, and if you hesitate, someone will definitely screw you over. A cheerful group will certainly burst into laughter and play this board game again and again. Please note that Swintus has several different versions, each with its own unique features.
Criminologist
The game is very similar to Mafia, but with new interesting details and makes the participants think intently. Criminologist can be played by 4 to 12 players, each one will transform into one of the characters: an investigator, a killer, an accomplice, a witness and the criminologist himself, who here plays the role of the presenter. It is during this game that the hidden sides of your friends will be revealed - someone will turn out to be an excellent liar, someone will show talent in solving puzzles, and someone will show excellent knowledge of human psychology. Yes, yes, everything is so serious! Fans of the classic Mafia will definitely be delighted, and those who found the famous game uninteresting will perhaps discover an exciting version with more complex rules.
Ruff
Non-drinking groups can certainly pass this game by, but those who like to brighten up the evening with alcoholic drinks will appreciate Ruff. From 4 to 9 people can participate and must be over 18 years old, since the game involves alcohol. The meaning of Ruff is this: from the deck, everyone takes turns drawing cards on which tricky tasks are written. If you refuse to complete the given task, then you... drink. The goal of the game is to stay sober, and believe me, this will not be an easy task, since some tasks put you at risk of getting thousands of views on YouTube. As a result, the bravest ones remain sober, while shy and bashful people get drunk. By the way, for completing a task you are entitled to an equally intriguing bonus - you can force any player to perform a certain action and he has no right to refuse, as this is required by the rules of the game. This tabletop has 2 versions - the classic Ruff and Ruff Bath.
Codenames
Code Names was voted the world's best party game by the most respected board game site, BoardGameGeek, and received, among other numerous awards, the title of Game of the Year in Germany. The game already has a sequel, Code Names: Pictures, which is no worse than the first version. This board game teaches you to feel your native language, be smart and be sensitive to each other, because without mutual understanding it will be difficult for a team to win. One game flies by unnoticed, but you want to play again and again - some want to win back, while others want to prove that it is impossible to defeat them.
Honey mushrooms
This is one of the craziest board games you can find. You can play with a group of 3 to 7 people. There is a doctor and a patient suffering from hallucinations. They sit opposite each other, and behind the doctor are the patient’s Glitches, who are holding a large deck with words of different categories in their hands. When the countdown begins, the Glitches begin to depict the task, and the patient must guess it. As a result, the doctor must guess the category of the word, the patient must guess the word itself. With all this madness, it is important to remember that the Glucks are not for one thing - one helps the doctor, and the other helps the patient. To make it even more fun, the game process can be complicated with special cards - experimental drugs. A doctor can use one of them on a patient to prevent him, for example, from laughing or making a certain sound. With such a tabletop you are guaranteed to laugh until your stomach hurts!
Series of games Jenga and Tower
This is a very famous and loved game by many, the rules of which are explained in one minute. The meaning of the tabletop is extremely simple: you need to build a tower from 54 wooden blocks, which are removed from the base and placed on the top. The task is not to collapse this entire structure. Over time, the tower becomes unstable, and the one who brings it down is considered a loser. The winner is the player who moved second to last. Success in the game is guaranteed not only by sleight of hand, but also by ingenuity, because in order to win, you need to force the next player to remove the wrong block from the foundation. The games Jenga and Tower have many variations, including alcoholic ones. Choose the one that is most interesting for you and build your own skyscraper.
500 evil cards
A game for those who like to have a good laugh and are able to guffaw at vulgar and absurd jokes. The set includes 500 cards with questions and answers, and their content is such that the board is designed for a group over 18 years of age. From 3 to 8 players can participate. Everyone is dealt 10 cards with answers. The presenter draws a card with a question and reads it out, and the players deal their answer, chosen from the cards they have in their hands. The result is the most incredible combinations that can amaze with both wit and utter stupidity, but absolutely everything causes bursts of laughter. Each time the host chooses the best answer, and the player who gave it gets a bonus. At the end of the day, the participant who has collected the most of these bonuses wins. The board has 2 options: old and new, supplemented with fresh cards.
Overboard!
A game for small companies (4-6 players), similar to Mafia, but distinguished by a well-developed plot and greater peacefulness. The idea of the game is simple: you need to get a boat to the nearest shore, since your ship has sunk. Together with you, your best friend, your worst enemy and some strange people are rowing to the shore. How is the game similar to Mafia? To win, you need to be able to negotiate. If diplomacy does not help, then according to the rules of the game you can start a fight - and this is the most interesting thing! Suddenly it turns out that the opponents called to battle have a weapon or an intercessor. The game is well thought out - each character has their own abilities and special skills that need to be taken into account during the game. A wonderful board game that develops communication skills and team spirit.
Imaginarium
An amazing association game designed for 4 to 7 players. All participants are given cards with images. The illustrations, by the way, were drawn by artists with clearly extraordinary imagination, so get ready that you will want to look at each picture for a long time and with interest. You make an association on one of your cards and place it face down on the table. Other players select their picture based on the association you voiced and also place it on the table. The cards are then shuffled and turned face up. What happens next? Players guess who suggested which picture. This involves a subtle psychological game, knowledge of the people present, their thoughts and emotions. The loser in this circle is the one whose illustration was guessed by everyone or no one guessed. Over time, you will understand how to choose associations that are confusing, but at the same time clear enough that only half of the players will guess you.
Having fun after a hard week at work is the dream of any company, no matter how old you are. If you are tired of going to bars and restaurants, if the weather outside is not pleasant, and finally, if you like relaxing at home, then interesting board games for a large company can be an excellent option.
Wide selection of board games for large groups
When inviting friends to a party, you can offer to take them on an exciting journey through the world of board games, offering them classic or modern options. It doesn’t matter how long you have known each other, what the composition of the company is and how many people there are in it. Buying board games for a group of friends is a very smart investment. The main thing is to choose the right one!
We offer you the following varieties:
- A classic of the gaming genre. Everyone knows these games! Whether it's Pigtail, Munchkin or Jenga, you know how to play it. If you don’t know, there will probably be people in the company who will explain it to you without instructions. At the same time, make friends if you were just acquaintances before!
- Card. If your familiarity with such games is limited to “Mafia” and “Uno”, you can look for something else. For example, “Fly Swatter”, in which such dubious characters as Jam or Trash Can await you.
- Intelligent. If you are ready to stretch your mind, you can suggest the games “Drummer” or “Tick-Tock Boom!” Or maybe you’ll like “Imaginary”?
- For children, for colleagues, for close and distant friends, games of ingenuity, imagination, cunning, dexterity... Believe me, it is simply impossible to stop the list!
Popular party games are presented in our online store. All you need to do is select a product and order it. In this case, energy, laughter and overflowing fun are guaranteed!