Sometimes, a little humor is necessary. When feeling low, what games can you go to for a laugh, as well as some great gameplay? Comedy is a fine art and one that, frankly, many games fail at, yet there are some extremely hilarious games that will have you in stitches.
Whether you want to create jams with strange psychedelic puppets, explore a surreal Cold War world, or visit the realm of a paranoid milkman, there's a game that fits the bill. For corny jokes, weird humor, and much more, these games are perfect comedies.
Updated November 4, 2023, by Jack Nachwalter: There are few kinds of genres as flexible as comedy. Video games, in particular, can incorporate comedic elements in a wide range of ways. Some games organically weave humorous moments into the narrative with writing on par with the famed masters of the genre. Other games are specially developed around a distinct comical idea, with all sense of seriousness being wholly ignored. With how many excellently witty titles are out there, it seemed fitting to update this article and shine a light on some more amazingly funny games.
15 Bulletstorm
Equal Parts Foul-Mouthed And Extremely Lovable
Developer People Can Fly's Bulletstorm is often considered one of the most underrated first-person shooters of the 2010s. While the exciting and action-packed moment-to-moment gunplay takes center stage, Bulletstorm also features an incredibly obscene tone.
Bulletstorm's extremely foul-mouthed and over-the-top writing will most certainly not appeal to everyone's tastes, but there's no denying how charming and endlessly quotable Bulletstorm can be. The voice acting, in combination with the writing, does a phenomenal job of making every vulgar line land perfectly.
14 The Outer Worlds
Incompetent Corporations Rule The Colony
Developer Obsidians' open-world science-fiction adventure romp The Outer Worlds doesn't seem like a comedic game from the outside. Between the serious subject matter and scores of bloodshed across the Halcyon colony, it hardly seems like a place fitted for humor.
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Here are the best video games that focus on corporate greed!Yet, The Outer Worlds is one of the most brilliantly satirical video games ever produced. The corporatocracy-dominated universe Obsidian created is dripping in clever cynicism and biting satire, all of which are expertly written and woven into the narrative in a believable way.
13 Cosmic DJ
A Bizarrely Comical Experience
Cosmic DJ is not like any other game that's ever been made. It's a rhythm game, yet not like the traditional ones you may be thinking of. At its core, the game is all about making music as a, well, cosmic DJ.
Along the way, you meet with strange puppet figures and create psychedelic imagery that has probably triggered a flashback here or there. It's a creative tool with a bizarre sense of humor. Ableton can't do that!
12 South Park: Stick Of Truth
As Crass As It Is, It's Still Endlessly Clever
South Park isn't for everyone, and that's perfectly fine. Yet for those who love South Park's sense of humor, Stick Of Truth (and its sequel, The Fractured But Whole) are incredible experiences.
In contrast to the PS1 South Park game, which is easily one of the worst video games ever, Stick Of Truth is like playing an episode of the TV show. You'll make a character with that typical look and encounter all the usual cast of weirdos you'd expect. It's a fantastic experience.
11 Jazzpunk
Distinctive, Witty, And Completely Strange
For those who like their games weird, they don't come a whole lot weirder than Jazzpunk. It's a game that revels in the bizarre: from its art style down to the way you interact with the world with a giant finger that appears when required, it's a peculiar experience.
Throughout the game, you will use sand dollars as cash, break into a Soviet embassy, meet a caricature of Hunter S. Thompson, and gently brush crumbs off a strange man's face. There's also a strange wedding-themed pastiche of Quake called Wedding Qake that you can play. No, really.
10 The Secret Of Monkey Island
A LucasArts Masterclass In Charming Writing
Often heralded as the masters of the point-and-click game, defunct developer LucasFilm Games has made many high-quality titles. Arguably, the most beloved of all its productions is the critically acclaimed Monkey Island series, with the first game, The Secret of Monkey Island, considered the apex.
The adventures of wannabe pirate Guybrush Threepwood are full of iconic and hilarious moments. The first entry of Threepwood's tale of piracy has the perfect blend of meta-humor, clever gags, and exceptionally brilliant comedic voice acting.
9 Saints Row 4
An Over-The-Top Absolute Blast
If, for some reason, you've never picked up developer Deep Silver Volition's Saints Row 4, there's no better time than the present. It's much more than a run-of-the-mill soulless GTA clone.
You are the POTUS, a gang leader, and the savior of humanity after aliens invade. The game's sense of humor is puerile, stupid, and often full of wit and crass charm. The icing on the cake is the mission design and the selection of superpowers you'll gain access to throughout the game.
8 Fable
A Perfect Blend Of Drama And Python-Esque Comedy
The Fable series is probably mostly known for the grandiose boasts that Peter Molyneux made about the original. While it may have failed to live up to Molyneux's promises, like having trees growing in real-time and a myriad of others, it's still well worth playing.
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Live, die, and repeat the circle of life in these video games!It's a distinctly British game with a Python-esque sense of humor, as well as a genuinely compelling main quest and a ton of side quests. For those who want to explore a fantasy world that's more Cleese than Tolkien, there are few alternatives out there. Play it and be the hero you're destined to be.
7 Psychonauts
Visually Creative And Utterly Captivating
Tim Schafer has built a reputation for being creative, funny, and odd. His catalog of games is a fantastic selection of games, but Psychonauts is the jewel in the crown. You take on the role of Raz, a 10-year-old psychic who must venture into people's minds to help them overcome their issues and help Raz and his organization.
One mission sees Raz having to face down against a milkman who tosses milk at him, all the while talking about how delicious his milk is. To say that this sequence makes a milkman one of gaming's best villains is no exaggeration.
6 Portal 2
A Mix Of Superb Puzzle Design And Exemplary Writing
Portal was a brilliant game, but Portal 2 is far more of a comedy game. Where Still Alive had its poignancy, Portal 2 brings in Stephen Merchant to give a fantastic sense of comedy to the game in the form of Wheatley.
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5 Octodad
Effortless And Hilarious Straight-Forward
Octodad is a strange game from the last decade, and it's oddly charming. You step into the eight shoes of an octopus father of a human family, desperately attempting to fit into human society.
Each of your limbs needs to be controlled, which leads to a lot of flailing and QWOP-esque hilarity.
4 Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon
Awesome 1980s Inspired B-Movie Mayhem
When Ubisoft revealed the spin-off arcade game Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon on April 1, 2013, many considered it an April Fool's joke. Thankfully for gamers everywhere, not only was Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon real, but it was a pretty awesome game as well.
Inspired by '80s B-movies, Far Cry 3: Blood is chock-full of plenty of cheesy one-liners and gut-busting sequences. Whether it be the comedically fantastic tutorial or the hilarious cut scenes, there's no shortage of entertainment to be found.
3 Donut County
Extremely Weird Yet Utterly Hilarious
Donut County is a game that isn't really about donuts. If anything, it's a game about holes. You play as a raccoon that owns a donut shop: when people order a donut, a giant hole appears, which you then use to suck up the entire scene in a very Katamari-esque way.
Watching weird animal villagers fall down a giant hole, to their apparent dismay, is a fantastic way to kill a few hours, and the writing is top-notch humor that's very much like weird Twitter at its best.
2 Hogs Of War
World War 2 At Its Most Comedic
It's an old game but a fantastic one: Hogs Of War could be dismissed as Worms with pigs, but it's so much more than that. You need to fight a thinly-veiled World War 2 with these swine, and the game is packed full of fantastic humor.
The voice acting for the game is provided by Rik "Lord Flashheart" Mayall, which makes playing it a must for any fans of British comedy.
1 Battleblock Theater
Forever Side-Splittingly Iconic
Regarding unique voices in humorous writing amongst game developers, The Behemoth is one-of-a-kind. The game designers behind the critically acclaimed Castle Crashers are known for their outstanding gameplay design, engaging puzzles, and witty humor.
As fantastic as Castle Crashers is, its 2013 launch Battleblock Theater is its comedic magnum opus. Whether it's the game's beloved narrator's endless assortment of quotable hilarious dialogue or the moments of clever visual comedy, Battleblock Theater is one of the funniest games you can spend money on.