And the game can be as easy or as hard as you’d like, which makes it great for people of all ages, including children.

Have you played truth or dare? Looking for some similar party games? Then you’re at the right place. We’ll be sharing some fun alternatives below- keep reading to find out what they are!

Top 10 Best Games Like Truth or Dare In 2026

Without further ado, let’s take a closer look at some of these social party games.

1. Twenty Questions

Twenty Questions is great in that you can play it almost anywhere. Start by picking one person to be the “answerer”. They’ll choose an object, which they’ll keep as a secret. Everyone else will take turns asking questions. Ultimately, the goal is to find out what the object is. The only thing is that the question must be answered with a “yes” or “no” (the answerer won’t be able to elaborate further).

For example, they can ask questions like, “is it bigger than a piece of bread?” or “is it heavier than a television?”.

If the people asking questions can’t figure out what the object is in 20 questions, the answerer wins. They’ll then play the answerer again for the next round. If someone figures out what the object is before 20 questions, that person will be the winner and they’ll be the for answerer the next turn.

2. Two Truths and a Lie

Two Truths and a Lie can be played with a small group of people. The premise of the game is simple. One by one, each person will say three statements about themselves. Two of them must be true and one of the must be a lie.

The other people will then try to guess which out of the three statements is the lie.

To make it more fun, try to incorporate facts that are borderline unbelievable. For example, you can say things like “I rode on an elephant before” or “I went to school with Steve Jobs.” The more creative you are with the facts, the more fun it’ll be!

3. The Winking Assasin

Wink Murder is a party game where one player “kills” others by winking at them. Start by picking a “wink murderer”. We recommend having a moderator pick someone while every one has their eyes closed.

Once the murderer has been picked, everyone will start wandering around the room (it should be big enough so that everyone has space to sit and stand comfortably), making conversation, including the murderer. Make sure to make eye contact with each other while you’re chatting as the murderer will “kill” their victim by winking at them. They must do it secretly so that no one knows they’re doing it—besides the victim.

If you’ve been winked at, you must “die”. We recommend waiting a few seconds before doing this, otherwise, it’ll give the mystery away too quickly. For those who have died, you can observe the rest of the game from the side of the room.

The other players will then try to figure out who the murderer is. They’ll do this by saying “I accuse” followed by the name of the person they suspect of being the killer. The accused must answer them by saying “yes” or “no.”

If the accusation is wrong, the person must leave the game as a penalty. The game will then continue until the wink murderer is identified. If you guess right, you win. From there, you can start a new round.

Tip: Dying dramatically (e.g. clutching your chest before falling to the ground) will make things more entertaining.

4. Random Word Game

The Random Word Game is a great way to challenge your knowledge and vocabulary. While you can play it anywhere, it’s best if everyone can sit in a circle. That way, it’ll be easier to know whose turn it is.

The first person will start by choosing a category. For example, they can choose “animals” or “food”. They’ll then say the first word. The second player must then come up with a word that starts with the last letter of the previously said word. It must also be in the same category.

For instance, if the first person chose food as the category and said “toast”, the second person must then come up with a food word that starts with “t”, such as “tea.” The third person must then name a food item that starts with “a”. This will continue until you can’t come up with any more words.

Another variation of the game involves naming items in a set category in alphabetical order. For example, if the category is animals and the first person says “anteater”, the second player must come up with an animal that starts with b, such as “bee.”

5. Name That Tune

Name That Tune is a great game for music lovers. First things first, you want to choose one person to be in charge of the music. The rest of the group will break up into teams of 6 (or fewer depending on the number of people).

The person who’s in charge of the music will then play a random music track for five seconds. During that period, the teams will have to work together to try and identify the song. The first team to correctly shout out the song’s title will win a point (the teams can also identify the artist for additional points).

The game will continue for several rounds and the team with the highest score will be declared the winner.

Once the round is over, the group can select a new person to be in charge of the music and start a new game.

6. Charades

For this game, you’ll need at least two teams with two players each. A person from one of the teams will then pick up a card, one with a specific object or phrase. They must then act it out without making a sound. The other player on their team will have to try and figure out what the object or phrase is.

Once they get it right, the other person will pick up a new card with a new object or phrase. The goal is for the other player to guess as many of them as possible.

Once time is up (you can specify a certain time period for each round- for example, you can make it so that each team gets one minute to act out the phrases and objects), a player from the second team will do the same thing. They’ll act out an object or phrase and their teammate must guess what it is.

The team with the most correct guesses will win the game (and bragging rights).

7. Desert Island

Desert Island is a fun game that can also be a great team-building activity. The way it works, everyone must choose and describe one thing that they would bring with them if they were to be stranded on a deserted island. Not only that but they must also explain why.

The objects don’t have to be realistic to the setting either. For example, someone can choose a dog if they’re an animal lover or a piano if they like playing music.

Once everyone in the group has chosen and talked about their object, the group will break into smaller teams. They will then decide which of the objects to combine to increase their chances of survival on the island. If you want, you can even add additional items; just make sure to use all of the ones that have already been mentioned.

8. Paranoia

Paranoia is a fun and easy question-and-answer game. The rules are simple, you just have to whisper a question to the person sitting next to you.

Start by sitting in a circle. For example, you can sit around a table or gather around in a circle. Once everyone’s in place, decide who is going first. The first player will then whisper a question to the person next to them. While the question can be about anything, we highly recommend choosing a theme for the questions as that might make things easier. The question must also start with “Who is most likely…”

The player who’s asked the question will then say who they think is the best answer to the question out loud (the player who’s answering the question and the player who asked the question cannot be the answer).

The person whose name was said can then choose to let it pass or find out what the question was. If they choose the latter, they must drink a shot (this can be replaced with another action for non-drinkers).

After they take a shot, the next player will start the next round by whispering a question to the person on their right. The game will ultimately continue until everyone has had a chance to ask a question (or until people decide to give up).

9. What Are the Odds

What Are the Odds is very similar to Truth or Dare in that you dare another person to do something potentially ridiculous. Instead of being able to choose what do to, however, the first person asks the second how likely they are to complete a dare. The second person then selects a number ranging from 2 to 100 as the limit.

Both players will then select a number within the stated range. If the first player says the same number as the second player, the latter must follow through with the dare that’s given to them. For example, if the second player replies “1 in 30”, both will have to choose a number between that range.

Once both players have a number in mind, they will look at each other in the eye and start a five-second countdown. When it reaches zero, they will both reveal their number. The person who was dared can then choose the next dare for the next player.

Ideally, everyone should have a chance to accept a dare (assuming you’re playing with more than 2 people). As the game goes on, you can gradually increase the difficulty.

Some easy dares include hugging a stranger or switching clothing with a friend. Or if you want to turn things up a notch, you can choose a harder dare such as singing a song in public or licking a chair.

10. Make Me Laugh

The premise of the game is simple; you want to make the other people laugh while maintaining a straight face. First things first, you want to divide your group into two teams. One will be “on stage” (the ones trying to make the others laugh) while the others will be on the “hot seat” (the ones trying not to laugh).

Set a timer for 2 to 3 minutes. Once it’s started, those that are “on stage” will try to make those in the “hot seat” laugh. Since snorts, giggles, smiles, and laughs can be hard to distinguish from one another, it’s best to set a rule where if you show your teeth, you’re out.

Members of the “on stage” team can work individually or together to try and make the others laugh as long as they’re not making fun of or tough the other team. If someone laughs, their team will then go on stage. If they manage to keep a straight face for the entire duration, they’ll win a point for their team.

The post Top Best Games like Truth or Dare In 2026 appeared first on Gazette Review.

5. Foretravel ih-45 – $1.3 Million

Starting off our list of the most expensive RV’s is one which is the product of 5 decades of refinement. The ih-45 is now the flagship of the Foretravel brand and like any good flagship, this vessel has more than a few amenities for the entire crew. This RV is fitted with a Cummins ISX engine, and is fitted with a customized Travelride II chassis to ensure you can get where you need to go, and do so comfortably. Internal amenities include dual satellite systems, a Road i-Q Camera system, real quartz tabletops, and a king sized bed made with the Slumber Ease System. There’s an internal 12.5kw generator included, and for a small bit more you can also get a full solar package for gaining energy for entertainment, cooking and the like in a slightly cleaner way.

4. Prevost H3-45 VIP- $1.6 Million

The next on our list of expensive and luxurious RV’s is the Prevost H3-45 VIP, the sleek, modern and tall series from Prevost. Boasting a road to roof height of 12 feet and 5 inches, this RV will keep even the tallest occupants from getting too stiff on the highway. And it can offer plenty of space to pack away your stuff for when you’ve reached your destination with over 500 cubic feet of storage space under the floorboards. On the inside, this model has stone floors, a modern design for the bedroom including a circular king sized bed and all the bits and bobs that would make for a decent standalone apartment, especially if you’re from a big city.

3. 2017 Prevost H3-45 Quad Slide “Oasis” – $2 Million

A variant of the previous model, this 2014 Prevost Quad Slide is nicknamed “Oasis” and was custom designed by Outlaw Coach. This vehicle very much lives up to its name, whether you are traveling across the Mojave or through busy city streets. For the driver, this diesel fueled 45 foot bus conversion allows features like a quad-screen backup camera, side mounted cameras, XM/FM/AM radios, and a 40 channel CB radio to name just a few. In terms of seating, both passenger and driver can enjoy Isri Air Ride seats, with full heating and 6 directional adjustment capability. GPS, as one could imagine, also comes standard. Once you’re parked, everyone can enjoy television with full surround sound, an internal 20kw generator made by Kohler, and furiniture fit for a king. Marble floors, leather couches, a full compact kitchen and refrigator are only a turn away from the drivers seat. If you decide to get some rest in, the bedroom is full of pleasant surprises, including full climate control without even getting more than a finger out of bed. For outdoor enjoyment, one side panel gives way for a full television and speaker system so you can watch sports while also grilling up some hotdogs for the family.

2. Featherlite Vantare Platinum Plus – $2.4 Million

Have you ever wanted one of those RV’s that can carry a car in a hidden compartment? Well, if you have around 2 and a half million dollars to burn, this may be just the one for you. The Platinum Plus really shines on the inside, as you have Italian leather making up the ceiling, sofa, and chairs where you can enjoy wine from the liquor cabinet which is filled with a Neiman Marcus decanter as well as glasses designed by Michael Weems. In the bedroom is a Plasma TV which rises from the flooring to give your King Bed a real theatre feel to it. The kitchen is likewise well made, and for those exercise junkies out there, there’s even a treadmill included in one of the closets. Talk about being a road runner.

1. Marchi Mobile EleMMent Palazzo – $3 Million

You know, at the right angle this gargantuan and luxurious vehicle could be mistaken for the Oscar Meyer Mobile, but there’s absolutely nothing about this vehicle is baloney. This 28 ton behemoth features a Volvo 600HP engine, and a whopping 732 square feet of living space. Starting with the bedroom, this RV has a bed made from the same manufacturer that the British Royal Family trusts, alongside an ornately carved headboard and state of the art slide door. The main seating area is also reminiscent of royalty with a golden flower pattern, rare wood floor and a clean communal couch and table. Also included is a full kitchen and bathroom, as well as two big screen LCD tv’s. Climate control is customizable per room, and a continuous convection system allows for active air purification both on and off the road. For the driver as with the passengers, no expense has been spared. Many will first notice the odd cyclopean appearance of the front windshield. This is build to resemble helicopter windshields both for a better road view and with tint that allows for comfortable driving even towards the sun. This tint can be darkened at the push of a button near the custom designed, aviation inspired steering wheel, and allow for more or less darkness as needed. Other key features include an electric sliding door, full GPS support, and an original Askania onboard flight instrument which is used as a luxury clock. For safety reasons, I’d never advise flying down the road, but driving this RV may make you feel like you are doing just that.

This has been our list of the most expensive RV’s with some of the best luxury features on the market. Did we miss one that you’ve happened to find? If so please feel free to share it with us in the comments section.

The post The Top 5 Most Expensive RV’s – 2018 Update appeared first on Gazette Review.

#5 – KO_OP

You may not have heard of KO_OP, but I have a feeling that you’ve heard of some of the games that they’ve produced. KO_OP is an independent studio that is run and owned by artists, and this small team has gotten a lot done during their time in the industry. You probably know them best for their work on Lara Croft GO: The Mirror of Spirits. KO_OP created this game in partnership with Square Enix Montreal, and it has gone over very well with critics. Lara Croft GO is currently available on the PlayStation 4 and the PlayStation Vita, and it’s going to be coming soon to other platforms including Android, iOS, and Steam. Outside of that game, this developer has also done work on a couple of other games that you may have heard of, including Cancer of Time and RigBMX.

One of KO_OP’s most recent projects, however, is what has earned them their spot on this list. GNOG is a puzzle game that this developer has been working on for a couple of years now, and it already has people excited from gameplay trailers alone. GNOG is a game that has the player solving all different kinds of tactile puzzles in a beautiful and colorful environment. It is currently set to release first on the PlayStation 4 sometime this year, and it will come to iOS and Steam shortly after that. I would say that KO_OP’s biggest games up to this point are Lara Croft GO and RigBMX, so this will really be one of their first “independent properties” to generate a lot of buzz. I would definitely keep my eye on this one, if I were you.

#4 – Freebird Games

Next, we’re brought to Freebird Games. Again, this is a studio that you may not have heard of, but you may have heard of some of their games. This very small independent team has created five games over the course of their existence, including The Mirror Lied, Do You Remember My Lullaby?, and Quintessence: The Blighted Venom. This developer specializes in more narrative-based games, which place greater emphasis on story and soundtrack than fleshed out gameplay. The most popular game to come from this studio is without a doubt To The Moon, an adventure RPG about two scientists who are looking to fulfill the dying wish of an old man. Although the gameplay elements in this game are admittedly lacking, the story and the soundtrack are deeply stirring and thought-provoking.

After the success of To The Moon, Freebird Games didn’t seem content to remain a one hit wonder. They also released A Bird’s Story, a game that exists in the same universe as To The Moon. In 2017, the studio will continue to develop this compelling world through the release of a new game entitled Finding Paradise. Finding Paradise, which is set to release this year, will involve the two scientists in the original game looking to fulfill yet another dying wish. The kicker? They’re fulfilling the dying wish of the main character of A Bird’s Story. Outside of that, Freebird Games will also be releasing a remastered version of To The Moon that is compatible with mobile devices. Needless to say, this independent developer is going to be working very hard in 2017.

#3 – The Deep End Games

For #3 I want to talk about an independent developer that is a little less proven. The Deep End Games is a very small developer that hasn’t actually released any games yet. Smart gamers will know that that’s a huge red flag, but I should note that the people behind this studio are highly experienced in video games. The team behind The Deep End Games has worked on critically acclaimed video games like BioShock Infinite, BioShock, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Just Cause 3, Dead Space, and Burial at Sea. This isn’t a group of high schoolers who work out of a basement. These are industry veterans who have come together to create some awesome games.

I mentioned before that The Deep End Games hasn’t actually released any games yet, which is true. In 2017, they are set to release their debut title, a unique horror game called Perception. Perception first attracted attention in the media last year through their Kickstarter campaign, which ultimately raised around $170,000. This game is a unique horror game because the player character is blind, and the player navigates through their environment using echolocation. It’s definitely a cool premise, and it creates a striking atmosphere for the game right off the bat. Perception promises to deliver a horror experience that is equal parts innovative, bold, and yes, scary.

#2 – Supergiant Games

I think that it isn’t much of an exaggeration to say that Supergiant Games has yet to produce a bad title. This independent studio is run by a small team, but they’ve been able to crank out some real winners over the years. You may know Supergiant best for their first game, Bastion, an action roleplaying game that has the player venturing through a fantastical post-apocalyptic landscape. Bastion was released in 2011, and it was showered in rave reviews. You may also know Supergiant for Transistor, a more science-fiction based roleplaying game that features a voiceless protagonist who is being pursued by a shadowy organization for the giant sword (the titular Transistor) in her possession. Transistor is personally one of my favorite games of all time, and so Supergiant has definitely earned my personal respect.

Bastion came out in 2011, and Transistor was released in 2014. If you follow the pattern, then they’re going to be coming out with a game this year, right? You would be right about that. Supergiant Games is going to be releasing a game in 2017 called Pyre, which promises to deliver an experience that is radically different from that of Transistor and Bastion. Pyre is going to combine elements of visual novel games, sports games, and party roleplaying games to create a unique and innovative gameplay experience. Just like every other title produced by this developer, it will feature stunning visuals, well-written characters, and an amazing soundtrack. Gamers should be able to get their hands on this game sometime in 2017, on both Microsoft Windows and the PlayStation 4.

#1 – Plarium

Up until now, I’ve mostly talked about developers that specialize in creating single player games. These are games that you play by yourself, they’re self-contained, and they’re typically kind of short. Independent game developers tend to create these sorts of games because, to put it simply, they’re easier to create. Plarium is uniquely ambitious in their field, in that they’re a developer that specializes exclusively in MMO and MMORPG titles. To take it a step further, they sort of made a name for themselves by having browser-based MMO and MMORPG titles. If you’re like me, you grew up on browser-based games. These sorts of games aren’t nearly as popular as they used to be, but Plarium is definitely working to keep the dream alive by releasing innovative titles like Pirates: Tides of Fortune, Total Domination, Stormfall: Age of War, and Nords: Heroes of the North.

That doesn’t mean that Plarium doesn’t keep with the times, though. They obviously understand the value of keeping up with mainstream trends, which is why they’ve also released a few games onto mobile devices. Their mobile titles include the likes of Throne: Kingdom at War, Stormfall: Rise of Balur, and Total Domination: Reborn. Just looking at the quantity of quality of this developer’s output, I think that you can piece together yourself just how impressive their whole operation is. Most recently, Plarium took one of their most popular mobile titles Vikings: War of Clans, and made it compatible for play through a web browser. Now, fans of the game will be able to get their fix without needing a smart device nearby. Plarium has made a lot of really great games, and I think it’s safe to say that they’re going to continue to make games like this in the future. Due to the large amount of blockbuster games Plarium is cranking out, the multiple platforms they develop for, and the fact that all of their online games are free to play Plarium locks down #1 on list of who you should be keeping an eye on in 2017!

That closes out my list of the top five game developers to keep your eye on in 2017. Obviously, there are a lot of different game developers out there, and a lot of them don’t get the attention that they rightfully deserve. Did I happen to forget about one of your favorite developers? Feel free to go into the comment section below and share.

The post Top 5 Game Developers to Look Out for in 2018 appeared first on Gazette Review.

MechanicalEagle Z-77

If you are unsure about the mechanical keyboard or want to see why it is a better experience than regular old keyboards, the MechanicalEagle Z-77 is a great entry level keyboard. This keyboard only costs $39.99 from Amazon, and even includes free shipping. This keyboard is a 10-keyless keyboard, which means you lose the entire right side of the keyboard to give it a much more compact form factor. The z-77 is also equipped with blue switches, which give a loud tactile clicking sound to signify that the button has been pressed and a signal has been sent – not great for those who find themselves doing a lot of typing, but fantastic for those who are able to zone out purely on the clicking.

The Z-77 is individually lit, and each key can be designated to glow a specific color thanks to the included software that gives the user greater control over their Z-77. For the price that the Z-77 retails at, this is a sure deal for anyone who wants a mechanical keyboard experience but does not want to pay the mechanical keyboard price.

Razer Blackwidow Chroma

The Razer Blackwidow may be a staple of any gamer’s kit. While the Blackwidow originally came in many different versions, it now comes solely as a Chroma product. The Chroma series of products, named after the Greek root for the word “color,” are equipped with individually-lit LEDs. The Razer Blackwidow is also equipped with the proprietary Razer Synapse software, which allows for the user to not only customize the colors, but also customize the strokes of each key and what function is received – for example, if you are playing a game and want to use your arrow keys as your WASD keys, you can easily rebind them through the Razer Synapse software.

The Razer Blackwidow is easily the most expensive keyboard on this list, and it runs upwards of $149.99 for a fresh one – however, other, older models of the Razer Blackwidow can be found for cheap, and although they do not have the variety of colors that the Blackwidow Chroma has, they are also equipped with the Razer Synapse software. It is also equipped with Razer’s proprietary mechanical keys (remember that a mechanical keyboard uses individual switches to send signals instead of a membrane overlay which receives pulses to send signals), which are a somewhat soft tactile sound. If these are too loud, you can change them out to include rings which will soften the sound.

The Razer Blackwidow Chroma is a very, very special keyboard because it also has a “live” function, where it will react to things that are happening in the game. One big example is that a team kill in Overwatch, where the entire opposing team is killed and waiting to respawn at the same time, will cause the keyboard to rapidly flash colors and give a very nice eye-catching visual. This is definitely the keyboard for enthusiasts and hardcore gamers.

Logitech K350

The Logitech K350 is a wireless keyboard, which can be considered cheating, but is actually the #1 best-seller in various categories on both Amazon and Newegg’s listing of their best-selling keyboards. The K350 features a curved layout, which is ergonomical to keeping your left hand centered on the keyboard always. This is a membrane keyboard, which is to be expected of a wireless keyboard. There are also a variety of media keys at the top of the keyboard, which are primarily used for controlling your media and volume – there are a few additional media keys scattered throughout the keyboard, but these are used for features such as bringing up the keyboard software for whatever use you might find.

The K350 is available for the price of $39.99 and is a very comfortable setup, but again, it is wireless – wireless keyboards may not have the speed and precision that wired keyboards have, but this could easily be one of the best-selling keyboards of all time. There are no fancy features here, and just a hearty, good keyboard.

DBPower DB-A8

The DBPower DB-A8 looks very much like a mechanical keyboard, but it is definitely not – this is a membrane keyboard available for the low price of $22.99, and even eligible for additional savings through Amazon Prime (including free shipping!) This is a full keyboard, which means you get the additional 10 key and some extra media keys – it also has N-Key rollover, which means that you should not find any “ghosting” when you find yourself typing fast and furiously and letters mix themselves up. However, the DB-A8 is equipped with a specific type of proprietary key that delivers a very satisfying “click” like its mechanical cousins.

The DB-A8 is equipped with tri-colored LEDs (glows in red, blue and purple colors) and has the ability to “breathe,” where the keys will softly glow and give it a pulsating effect. The software included also has the ability to sense if you are working or gaming, based on the programs launched in your session of windows. As mentioned, there are a few media keys – chiefly, media keys that allow for control of music without requiring an alt-tab. This keyboard is perfect for the entry-level gamer or someone who just wants a cool, glowy keyboard; for the price of $22.99, you will be hard-pressed to find a keyboard equipped with as many features as the DB-A8. DBPower even offers a 24 month warranty, and a 30-day trial with refund or replacement available should you find yourself not pleased with your purchase.

Logitech K120

The K120 is not a gaming keyboard, but rather just a keyboard – still, it has more than 3,200 customer reviews on Amazon and just south of 2,000 reviews on Newegg, and both of these websites combine to give the K120 at least a 4.5 star rating over many, many different reviews. This keyboard is absolutely nothing fancy – no media keys, no FN (which stands for function, by the way) keys, and no fancy or obnoxious LEDs. Instead, it is just a simple membrane keyboard available for the low price of $9.99 and serves one basic purpose – work as a keyboard.

This works as a quiet, work environment-friendly keyboard. There are a few LEDs in the top right to signify if the caps lock, num lock, or scroll lock are on, and that is about it for the features – it plugs in through USB. This is a keyboard that is an excellent, sturdy replacement to always keep on hand if you find that your ricer keyboard is starting to die out on you, or if the cable is starting to kink and cause damage.

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Dota 2: More than $50 million

Starting off the list is DOTA 2, which has always managed to have incredible prize pools. Valve Software, the publishers and creators of DOTA 2 (which in itself is just a mod of a game that gained huge amounts of popularity back in 2002 when it was a simple WarCraft 3 mod) host an event once every year, typically in July or August, that is named “The International.” At the International, a variety of teams from all over the world play each other for a trophy, The Aegis of Immortals, and to a huge prize pool. However, Valve does things right by allowing the community to directly fund and contribute to the prize pool through the purchasing of ingame items, which include cosmetics that directly benefit the players and a compendium that gives the players ample activities to do.

The compendium will offer unique challenges for the players, which will increase their in-game cosmetic item drop rates and quality and also allow them to gain unique benefits, such as receiving even more in-game cosmetic items. The compendium typically costs around $10 USD, but has recently gained the option to “level up” through either playing the game and receiving points, or using an item to give your compendium experience. This has proven to be a successful tactic and has driven the prize pool up from a meager $10.9 million dollars at 2014’s event up to 2016’s $20.7 million prize pool.

DOTA 2 also has a number of Major tournaments that happen throughout the year, which are typically named after they are hosted in a location – for example, 2016 hosted The Manila Major 2016 and The Shanghai Major 2016, both of which boasted prize pools of more than $3 million dollars. Both the officially-hosted Valve tournament and the other tournaments boast massive prize pools, which has driven the competitive nature of the game. Dota 2 is the #1 frequently played game on the Steam service, which can also be attributed to its free to play nature.

Dota 2 typically has 4 large tournaments a year, with The International serving as the end of the season. The International 2016 just occured in July, and we are now looking towards the next Major event, which will hopefully have an even more incredible prize pool.

League of Legends: $8 million

League of Legends, another multiplayer online battle assault (MOBA) game and DOTA 2’s direct competitor, does not quite crack the top 10 prize pools ever given but consistently has large prize pools. League of Legends’ strength is its widespread accessibility, and as you progress further down the list, the prize pools do not change for the game – prize pools typically hover around $300,000 to $500,000 for smaller tournaments, while the top 4 largest tournaments for League of Legends have had prize pools of around $2 million dollars each time.

Since the Season 2 World Championship for League of Legends, which happened in 2012, the prize pools have consistently hovered around $2 million – the largest League of Legends Prize Pool was the 2014 world Championship, which had an overall prize pool of $2,130,000. The 2015 prize pool was the exact same, but Riot games has confirmed that the 2016 prize pool will actually end up at around $2 million, meaning there will be no increase. To my knowledge, Riot does not crowdfund the prize pool, and instead opts for a more direct method of supporting the players through the purchasing of available skins.

However, Riot does offer a very unique opportunity for the winners of their championship series; the winning team composition will receive a unique set of skins, which is put up available for purchase on the League of Legends cosmetics shop. A portion of the proceeds goes towards the players and their organization, and the skins also serve as a commemorative token of sorts. While this means that the winning team receives some guaranteed income over the following year, the other players do not receive as much financial support to keep their organizations running.

Call of Duty: $6 million

Interestingly enough, Call of Duty always has a very consistent $1 million dollar tournament with the release of each of their games, starting with the release of Black Ops 2 in 2012. Since then, Activision has officially sanctioned a Call of Duty championship each year that consists of 8 4-man teams. These are typically held immediately after the release of the game, giving the players little time to find the best strategy or adjust to how to formulate any strategies as a team; this type of tournament is also a great marketing tool, and typically helps drive sales and revitalize the competitive scene at the beginning of each year.

This year, the tournament will also offer another $1 million and is sponsored by the Playstation 4. Information can be found on Call of Duty’s website, which introduces the players to the teams and the overall structure of the tournament.

Counter Strike: Global Offensive: $3.5 million

Counter Strike: Global Offensive is a 4-year old game, and is finally starting to gain some traction with their large prize pools. While CSGO has not received substantially large individual prize pools, there are many, many smaller tournaments offered to more casual players through various matchmaking services. These services are an alternative to the official matchmaking services, and typically include higher quality servers and do away with some features, such as friendly fire (and even including a knife round to determine who attacks and who defends).

CSGO’s largest prize pool was recently the first season of TBS’s ELeague show, which saw a prize pool of $1.4 million dollars given out to 16 different teams. ELeague is returning for a second season and will have yet another $1.4 million prize pool, and will still be shown on TBS; the first season of ELeague was a success, and had partnered with organizations like Progressive Insurance and the Arby’s fast food restaurant.

Outside of ELeague, CSGO has decent prize pools consisting of around $1 million through 3 different events, and consistently has prize pools that are higher than $300,000 – surprisingly enough, Counter Strike: Source, CSGO’s predecessor, is still ranked in the top 40 largest prize pools for competitive gaming tournaments.

CSGO does not offer any options for crowdfunding prize pools, and the tournament structure is rather disorganized – there are large tournaments that do not receive a lot of attention, although the player can view the tournaments ingame and is typically notified through the landing screen when an important match is in progress. There are, however, cosmetic stickers that can be added to weapon skins, and proceeds from these cosmetic stickers either go towards supporting individual players or supporting organizations.

Smite World Championship: $2.6 million

This one is quite surprising; Smite is not actually a large game compared to League of Legends, CSGO, or even Call of Duty, but still has managed to gather an astonishing $2,612,259 prize pool for the Smite 2015 World Championship. This prize pool is so odd due to the crowdfunding that was allowed, although the winning team took home roughly $2 million dollars. The developers have agreed to reduce the prize pool, and all the players were unhappy due to low financial game for so much time spent – the playerbase has been torn over this, and are divided between wanting a more competitive scene with higher risk and wanting more fair circumstances for all the players.

The Smite 2016 World Championship has been reduced to a meager prize pool of $1 million dollars, and there has been no confirmation about the possibility of crowdfunding the tournament to increase the prize pool.

Runner-Ups / Honorable Mentions

While these games do not necessarily have large prize pools, their presence in the list is shocking or surprising due to a number of reasons.

Halo 5: Guardians: $2.5 million

Surprisingly enough, Halo 5: Guardians has a place among the top 10 highest prize pools of all time with a $2.5 million prize pool. This type of tournament was used similar to Call of Duty’s, and was more of an exhibition and marketing tool than it was a tournament to decide the best players. With the eventual release of Halo 6, however, Microsoft has confirmed that they will give the Halo series more competitive support moving forward.

The Halo 5: Guardians tournament saw the winning team, Counter Logic Gaming, take home $1 million. 16 different teams competed, with the bottom-ranking teams taking home $25,000 each. This event took place in March 2016, and there is a strong possibility that we could see a Halo World Championship happening in 2017 and beyond with the continual rise of competitive gaming.

Heroes of the Storm: Under $2 million

Blizzard’s foray into the MOBA market, Heroes of the Storm, may not be as popular or as successful as League of Legends or DOTA 2, but still has a consistent prize pool of around $500,000 at least two or three times per year. Heroes of the Storm has a much, much more limited fan base due to the aggravating mechanics that make the game far more accessible to casual and lesser-skilled players, which is why it will unfortunately see a large prize pool of more than a few million dollars.
Still, Blizzard supports their game with large supplements of cash prizes, and events have taken place at both the Blizzcon (Blizzard’s convention for their own products) and at the massive local arena network party, DreamHack. These events have been funded by Blizzard themselves, and unfortunately, Blizzard has not confirmed any possibility of ever allowing their players to crowdfund the tournaments.

Turbo Racing League: $1 million

Surprisingly enough, Turbo Racing League is a mobile game released for Android and iOS games. The game is a runner type game based on the Dreamworks movie under the name Turbo, as well. This event took place in 2013 and was based around the mobile game, which saw the players controlling a snail that would progress through the level. The goal of the game was to either collect items on the course or to gain points through tricks like grinding and doing flips.

Eight players were selected for prizes, with the 7th and 8th place players receiving $10,000 and the first place player receiving $250,000. This is still ranked as one of the top 40 prize pools of all time, beating out games like World of Tanks and even Overwatch, which have found some trouble in getting any traction in the competitive video gaming scene.

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Counter Strike Global Offensive

Counter Strike may have been one of the first-ever competitive games, challenging Quake for the title of “oldest competitive game.” Counter Strike has gone through numerous iterations including the base Counter Strike back in the late 1990s, which was a Half Life mod originally, 1.6 (considered the best iteration), Source, and now Counter Strike Global Offensive.

Global Offensive differs from the previous games in that it has changed a lot of mechanics and quirks of the game in order to be more accessible and make the game flow better. Global Offensive now officially supports a 5 versus 5 format, based around the Counter-Terrorists fending off the Terrorists from either bomb sights or intending to rescue hostages. There are a variety of maps, but there are only two game modes; these are destruction and hostage rescue.

Global Offensive is hyper-realistic, with recoil being a huge mechanic in the game; unlike games such as Halo, you will not be able to jump around like a madman and still make accurate shots. Instead, the game takes a very realistic approach with real guns, such as the Soviet AK-47, a typical sawed-off shotgun, and a wide variety of sidearms (Glock is used by its name!). Terrorists and Counter-Terrorists share some weapons, but have a different type of arsenal; the Counter-Terrorists have more accurate weapons, while the Terrorists typically have weapons that are higher-power and lower reliability.

In addition to the competitive gamemode, there is also a casual mode, an “arms race” (gun game, where you must progress through the game’s guns and achieve the next with a certain number of kills), and a more relaxed version of the competitive server; of course, this is all in addition to the wide number of community-hosted servers that are available, which may host games like Zombie Panic or Jailbreak. The game also has wide customization support, allowing for players to purchase gun and knife skins, stickers, and soundtracks. There is also a rumor that Valve, the company that made Global Offensive, may be including purchasable sprays soon, as well.

Counter Strike Global Offensive is available on Steam for the price of $14.99, yet typically goes on sale; for any PC gamers, this one may be a must-have in your inventory. While Global Offensive has appeared on the last-generation of consoles (Xbox 360 and PS3), the game has not been supported and would not be worth playing on them.

Overwatch

Overwatch is the baby of the list; having only been released in May, Overwatch has struck a chord with many people for its colorful cast and accessible gameplay. While I personally am not a fan of Overwatch anymore, I cannot deny the merits in the mechanics and integrity of the game.

Instead of relying on typical faceless characters or archetypes, Overwatch instead introduces each character as a real organism. There is a huge cast of characters with more characters intended to be added each year (for a long time, as Blizzard has great support for their games) that all have special abilities; to list them all and describe how they work would require a guide for each and every individual character. However, the characters are broken up into four class archetypes; attack, defense, support, and tank. The most interesting thing to note about Overwatch is that the game involves a small arsenal for each character, typically one or two weapons, and a number of abilities; the abilities are what change the game. Each character has two abilities that are on a shorter cooldown, and one “ultimate” ability that is a real game changer. Players build up their ultimate ability meter by dealing damage, taking damage, and some passively generate the charge.

Overwatch has both a competitive and casual mode, and is only based on a 6 versus 6 format; no more than 12 players can join in a game. The competitive mode has a restriction of forcing only one character per team; for example, you cannot run a composition of 5 Soldier 76s and 1 Lucio anymore. Competitive mode typically encourages players to use the voice feature included with the game. There are a number of maps, which unfortunately do not display their game mode for players to know. The three types of game modes are payload, king of the hill and capture point.

Overwatch is the most casual, newbie-friendly game on this list; the game runs a bit slower and is very accompanying to all playstyles. Unfortunately, the lack of accuracy in the action is why I found myself playing it less and less; the netcode of the game is quite poor, as things will take a few moments to register. This makes things sometimes seem unfair. Players that are looking for customization will find a great deal of it; Overwatch has customization in the form of character skins, emotes, phrases, sprays, and now even weapon skins.

Overwatch is available on PC for a digital download that costs $40, or is available in a $60 edition (the “Origins Edition,” which includes nothing more than some exclusive goodies like skins) which also includes availability for Xbox One and PS4.

Call of Duty

Call of Duty, as much as it may get made fun of, is a very competitive game that has wide support. Despite there being more than 10 main line releases, there is a lot of freedom in being able to pick and choose what type of game you want to play; while the older games may not be supported as competitive anymore, the new ones are always finding themselves embroidered in the competitive gaming history.

Call of Duty may be the single most popular game on this list, and does not need much of a run-down; the game focuses on iron sights/aiming down sights for a realistic effect, as well as giving players little health. This makes it a very guerilla-friendly game and encourages hit and run tactics, and also contributes to the fast paced nature of the game. There are a variety of weapons available including submachine guns, light machine guns, assault rifles, shotguns, carbines – you name it. Call of Duty may be the ultimate game for customization-enthusiasts. In addition to a variety of weapons, there is a further variety of add ons for the weapons such as scopes, rails, mounted add-on weapons like shotguns and grenade launchers, and a whole lot more. You can even customize the skin and texture of your gun! There are a variety of game modes, but the most popular is the ever-infamous deathmatch mode.

Call of Duty is typically played competitively in a 4 versus 4 format. The latest release, Black Ops 3, features heavily in the esports community and even has the developer’s sanctioned approval and support. However, for those not looking to play in the latest game, there is a “Pro Mod” variant available for the 4th release, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. This version is hailed as the holy grail of the Call of Duty series, and takes away a lot of features to make the game far more competitive; an example is the removal of the minimap and weapon add ons.

The beauty of the Call of Duty series it is magnificent gameplay, which really does not change from release to release; why fix what isn’t broken? Call of Duty can be found on a variety of consoles and systems, starting with 4 being available for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, and including a remastered version for the Xbox One and PS4. Typically, the games can be found for around $30 but enter retail at $60 with a release every November.

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege

Having only been released last year, Rainbow Six: Siege is making waves with the community. While only around 15,000 people play on PC daily (with about twice that on consoles), the game has been hailed as deviating from a safe formula and introducing some new twists and mechanics to a tactical first person shooter.

Rainbow Six: Siege bases around a team of a Counter-Terrorist Unit versus a team of terrorists; typically, the Counter-Terrorist Unit will be the attackers and the terrorist team will be the defenders. Each team has a choice of four different characters, which all specialize in interacting with the environment in some way (a HUGE part of Siege). These characters can be upgraded and somewhat customizable, although the customization is far more restrictive than most other games on this list. The fifth player will play as a “recruit,” which is just a character without any special abilities; however, they do have far more customization options than the named characters.

Players engage in 5 versus 5 combat, and the game is centered around a “siege” format; the maps are rather close quarters and take place in locations like houses, universities, and other tight-quarter buildings. Siege encourages players to think tactically and creatively, as the environment can be manipulated to allow for new paths to be created and offer alternate decisions in order to go about the match. While the game is restricted to 5 versus 5 for the player versus player aspect, there is also a player versus environment aspect that is not as tense and much more friendly. The competitive mode does include ranks and offers some slight changes, such as allowing players to decide their spawn.

Rainbow Six: Siege is available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC for the price of $49.99. There are some expansions added on which require a purchase, but will add in additional maps, operators, items, and even game modes and events.

Team Fortress 2

Rounding out the list is a classic yet an old goodie, Team Fortress 2. Team Fortress 2 is nearing its 10-year anniversary (released on October 10, 2007) as The Orange Box, which contained Team Fortress 2, Portal, and the Half Life Series, yet shows no signs of slowing down; more than 50,000 people still play the game daily, on average.

Team Fortress 2 is a class-based first person shooter, with nine distinctive classes. These are broken down into assault, support, and defense archetypes; the Scout, Soldier, and Pyro are the assault classes, the Demoman, Engineer, and Heavy are the defensive classes, and the Medic, Sniper, and Spy are the support classes. In addition to having nine separate classes, each class has an armory of weapons that they can additionally equip. Take the double jumping Scout, for example; the Scout’s default primary weapon is a “scattergun” (sawed-off shotgun, perfect for close quarters), but there is also the option to equip another gun called the “Force of Nature.” The Force of Nature allows for the Scout to essentially triple jump at the cost of losing 4 ammunition in his magazine, and forcing the weapon to empty both chambers when fired. The little details like “side-grading” weapons give Team Fortress 2 its legendary longevity, and allows it to accustom to all play styles.

Team Fortress 2 comes stocked with a variety of modes, one of which is the recently released competitive mode; the competitive mode is a 6 versus 6 format. The competitive format is much more focused and less hectic than typical servers, which usually support anywhere from 18 to 32 players. One noteworthy mode that is not officially supported, yet might be more popular than the competitive format, is the Highlander mode, where the server will force itself into a 9 versus 9 situation. All 9 players on each team must choose a separate class. In the competitive gamemode itself, there are a variety of different modes; payload, king of the hill, capture the flag, capture point (one attacks and the other defends), and assault. Assault falls under the Capture Point map abbreviation, but is called a different name to deviate between the two game modes. It is a back-and-forth battle between capturing a series of points, where each team starts with two control points and must capture the neutral one and push on to take the other team’s capture points

Team Fortress 2 is now free to play using Steam (and has been since 2012!), but competitive mode requires a “premium account;” simply spend $5 to upgrade your account to premium, or if you are lucky, purchase a copy of The Orange Box from stores. The Orange Box is available on Xbox 360 and PS3 as well, but should not be purchased for the sole intent of playing Team Fortress 2 due to the lack of support – it has been over 6 years since the last update.

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5. Post-Modern Hippie and Grunge

So far in 2018, we have seen many style choices that are callbacks to the 1970’s and 1990’s. Particularly prominent hairstyles from these eras were decidedly non-conformist in that they did away with clean lines and an ordered shape. Instead, more and more men are seeing the potential of the look that’s most recently graced such stars as Chris Hemsworth in the Thor and Avengers films. The secret to this look are two qualities: patience, and somewhat fine hair. If you are transitioning from a shorter hair style, to achieve proper length for your face shape can easily take months to have locks that reach the jawline,and over a year for considerably longer. Likewise, it’s somewhat hard to achieve this style for fuller hair (or very curly hair for that matter) as it is likely to not cooperate very well with most variants. That shouldn’t discourage you from experimenting, however. For most face shapes, it’s best to have a sweeping part that either flows down the side, or against the flow and over the top of the rest of the hair. Layering done at a barber shop or tying your hair to the back in a mid-rise bun has proven to be very popular in 2018. As for products to keep the look, what’s commonly termed as “Sea Sprays” may prove useful, as will a very hydrating shampoo and conditioner combination, especially in dry environments where frizz and broken ends will be prevalent.

4. Chopped Short

If long hair isn’t quite your style, then perhaps something equally carefree in appearance but in shorter order may be a better option. For those who have thinning hair this style can give significant volume in appearance. To achieve the look, be sure to have your hair cut close to the sides, and leave a bit more length on the top (around an extra inch from the side length at least). Also, instead of combing your hair as you would for most other styles, it gives a slightly more authentic and improvised appearance if you use a small amount of styling paste and pomade and run it through your hair by tousling it about with your fingers. This will give a look that says “I woke up this way” but also will pair wonderfully with a suit. If you’d prefer a slightly less wet look that would be given from a pomade and paste combination, a texture dust used instead of pomade will give the same look but far less shiny.

3. Big and Bold

Are you the kind of person who admires the classic punk style, especially tinted with 50’s flavor? Then this style may be for you. While this is a time intensive style to keep (think around an hour a day, depending on conditions), it will draw attention to those who don’t mind a bit of dedication. To get this style, first ensure your hair is long enough. A decent measure is to pull a lock of hair down onto your face; If it reaches the bottom of your nose, it should be just fine. Next, have your barber shorten up the sides considerably, not buzz cut, but short enough to be distinct from the top of the hair, and have the crown trimmed with clippers for a better contrast. For personal styling, the most popular is the swept back quiff, which entails the following. First, find your natural part and use a bit of salt spray, ensuring the part stays divided. Next, apply a bit of paste to the hair after it’s been slightly dampeded. Then using a blow drier with a vented tip, blow up the hair a bit and brush, sweeping it back and away from the part so as to maximize flair and volume. This can be either smoothed out for a more modern professional look, further raised with products to make even Elvis proud, or tousled around for a more punk appeal.

2. The Conservative Quiff

For some people, a mix of bold and approachable is the best bet in terms of style. The most popular style in 2018 for these sort of individuals would be the conservative quiff, which much like the previous style does have plenty of flair, but allows allows for less maintenance. The cut is again similar, but this time ensure that the top of your hair is only about an inch to an inch and a half longer. When personally styling it out, find what works best for you. Some prefer to use a styling clay to gently matte the hair in a subdued shape, or in contrast using your fingers and a pomade to twirl your hair into a more curly and windswept style.

1. The Wet Look

In terms of mass popularity, the casual wet look is by far the best of hairstyles present in 2018. While sharply parted, “office worker” wet styles have somewhat diminished, the more broad, lightly spiked variants have been gaining as a great general style. The slightly swept style in particular, with a more volumized top by using a broader toothed comb can be achieved with almost any length of hair, and thus typically gives both barber and customer some freedom of cut, and allowing for this style to be a great designated “back up” for a busy day.

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