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What Do You Meme? took the judge-and-caption format and gave it a photo. One player flips a picture into the easel, everyone else plays the funniest caption from their hand, and the judge picks a winner. If your group has played the deck so many times that everyone knows the punchlines, these games like What Do You Meme keep the same quick laughs with comics, word magnets, gibberish phrases and a family version for mixed ages.
Closest game to What Do You Meme: Joking Hazard
Finish a three-panel comic with the worst possible last panel, judged one round at a time. It costs about $25.
Price band: $20–$30 (about $25) · Check today’s price on Amazon
1. Joking Hazard — the closest swap for meme fans
Players: 3 to 10, adults · Price band: $20–$30 (about $25) · Pick for: The closest swap for meme fans · See Joking Hazard on Amazon
Joking Hazard comes from the Cyanide and Happiness webcomic team. The judge lays down one or two comic panels and everyone plays a card to finish the strip. Because the cards are drawings instead of text, the jokes land the same way a meme does: the picture sets it up and the caption you choose knocks it down.
The humor is darker than What Do You Meme, so it suits groups that already like edgy comedy.
Skip it if: you need something for work parties or teens; it is firmly adult.
2. Cards Against Humanity — groups who want the original formula
Players: 4 or more, adults · Price band: $20–$30 (about $29) · Pick for: Groups who want the original formula · See Cards Against Humanity on Amazon
The fill-in-the-blank game that started the whole genre. A black card has a prompt with a blank, players answer with white cards and the Card Czar picks a favorite. It has no photos, but the rhythm of play is identical, and almost everyone at a party already knows the rules.
Our What Do You Meme vs Cards Against Humanity comparison covers the differences in detail.
Skip it if: the crowd is easily offended or includes kids.
3. Ransom Notes — players who like to build their own punchline
Players: 3 or more, adults · Price band: $30+ (about $40) · Pick for: Players who like to build their own punchline · See Ransom Notes on Amazon
Instead of picking a finished caption, every player gets a pile of tiny word magnets and assembles an answer to a prompt, like a note from a kidnapper. The judge picks the best one. It is slower than flipping a card, but the answers are original every time and the clumsy grammar is half the fun.
Skip it if: your group wants rapid rounds; building sentences takes a minute or two.
4. Incohearent — fast rounds from the same publisher
Players: 3 or more, adults · Price band: $10–$20 (about $16) · Pick for: Fast rounds from the same publisher · See Incohearent on Amazon
Incohearent is made by Relatable, the same company behind What Do You Meme. The judge reads a phrase of nonsense words, and the first player to work out what it sounds like when said out loud wins the card. It is a race rather than a vote, which keeps energy high when the meme deck starts to drag.
Skip it if: your group is shy about shouting answers; speed rules this one.
5. Apples to Apples — family nights and mixed ages
Players: 4 to 8, ages 12+ · Price band: $10–$20 (about $15) · Pick for: Family nights and mixed ages · See Apples to Apples on Amazon
The gentle ancestor of the caption game. The judge plays a green card with a description such as Crunchy or Dramatic, and everyone plays a red card with a person, place or thing that fits. It keeps the judge-picks-a-favorite format with clean content, so grandparents and middle schoolers can play together.
Skip it if: the group wants shock humor; this one stays family friendly.
Meme game alternatives compared
| Game | Players | How you score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| What Do You Meme? | 3 or more | Judge picks the best photo caption | about $30 |
| Joking Hazard | 3 to 10 | Judge picks the best comic ending | about $25 |
| Cards Against Humanity | 4 or more | Card Czar picks the best answer | about $29 |
| Ransom Notes | 3 or more | Judge picks the best magnet sentence | about $40 |
| Incohearent | 3 or more | First to decode the phrase | about $16 |
| Apples to Apples | 4 to 8 | Judge picks the best match | about $15 |
What makes a meme card game work
Every game on this list rotates a judge, so no one has to be the funniest person in the room every round. They are also easy to teach in one sentence, which matters when guests arrive mid-game. The big differences are the tone of the cards and whether you pick an answer, build one or race to shout one.
If you have never played the original, What Do You Meme? Core Game (about $30) is still the easiest place to start, and it pairs well with any one of the games above for a full party night.
Picking the right one for your crowd
- Close friends who like dark humor: Joking Hazard or Cards Against Humanity.
- Creative groups: Ransom Notes, where every answer is built from scratch.
- Loud, competitive parties: Incohearent, because it is a race.
- Families and classrooms: Apples to Apples.
A good rule for hosts is to bring two games with different tones. Start with something clean while people settle in, then switch to the adult deck once you know the room. Rotate the judge clockwise and play to a set score, such as five wins, so the game ends while everyone is still laughing.
Games like What Do You Meme FAQ
What is the closest game to What Do You Meme?
Joking Hazard. It uses pictures for the setup and lets players choose the punchline, just like a meme caption.
Is there a family-friendly game like What Do You Meme?
Apples to Apples keeps the judge format with clean cards for ages 12 and up.
Which game like What Do You Meme works for big groups?
Joking Hazard supports up to ten players, and Cards Against Humanity stretches to large parties as long as you have enough cards.
