As of Jan. 23, 2026, there is a major winter storm heading toward the U.S., set to take place Sunday, Jan. 25 to Monday, Jan. 26. This major weather event could result in school and work closures for a lot of people in the area, as it is the best way to keep people off the roads and safe during these extreme conditions. This, of course, means a lot of people will potentially be spending a day or two indoors.
Regardless of the outcome of this particular storm, snowstorms (or major weather events of any kind, for that matter) are bound to happen at some point, and staying inside is oftentimes the best course of action when they happen. But staying inside can be quite boring — especially since you’re usually supposed to refrain from using your phones and other devices in order to conserve power — you know, in case there are any power outages and you need to make calls or stay informed in the event of an emergency. Unfortunately, this means no doomscrolling or playing games on your phone for the entire day. But don’t worry, you don’t need your phone or tablet in order to have a good time.
Analog games (aka, games that aren’t digital or electronic) are actually a great way to pass the time if you are stuck inside because it is an activity that doesn’t take up much space, require a lot of supplies, or require you to use your phone. It is old-school, but it’s fun. So if you are a gamer at heart that wants to play games with your roommates or family to pass the time, here are 11 analog game ideas you can play.
Two Truths and a Lie
Two truths and a lie is fun because it’s a guessing game. The player whose turn it is says three statements or stories about themselves — two are true and one is false. The other players have to guess which one is the false statement. Not only will you be passing the time, but it’s also a bonding opportunity that allows you to get to know more about your roommates.
Would You Rather?
This game really gets you thinking about different hypothetical scenarios and can reveal the type of person you are. As the name states, this game forces you to evaluate what you would rather do between two given options. So it can be something simple, like “I would rather have waffles than pancakes” or “I would rather have the power of invisibility over flight.” Or, you can get as weirdly specific as you’d like!
Tile Games
Tile Games are, as the name implies, any games that use some form of tile. A specific unique set of tiles is usually required depending on the specific game you are looking to play. Some examples include Mahjong (a game originated from China in the 19th century), Scrabble, or Dominoes.
Board Games
Board games are a classic for any bad-weather day that requires indoor activities. This is a broad category due to the practically endless amount of possibilities. The many options available will keep things exciting: There are childhood classics like Candy Land or Chutes and Ladders, modernized games that were popularized on social media like Hues and Cues, and long-play options like The Game of Life or Monopoly that can take hours to get through — meaning it will surely keep you busy the entire day while stuck inside so you won’t get bored (pun intended).
Truth or Dare
An old faithful since middle school: Each player gets asked Truth or Dare, if they select truth, they must answer a question that is asked truthfully (even if it’s something they wouldn’t want to admit). If they choose to dare, instead of answering the personal question, they must do a task assigned by the other players (typically something silly or that they won’t want to do).
Never Have I Ever
Never have I ever” is basically the party game name for the social media trend of “Put a Finger Down if…” You say a prompt starting with the phrase “Never have I ever…” or “Put a finger down if…” and follow it with something you haven’t done. If a person has done it, they would put a finger down; if they haven’t, they would keep it up. The person with the most fingers up at the end is the winner!
Who is more likely to?
“Who is more likely to?” is also a fun game that became a trend online. In the viral version, there would be either two people (or sometimes a group) and they would hold a shoe, a picture of the other people, a paper with everyone’s names written down, or use another way to call out individuals. The players would be asked for a prompt. (For example: Who is more likely to sleep through their alarm on the day of a final exam?) From there, everyone would choose the person they think most likely matches the prompt. It’s funny to see if everyone agrees that it would be the same person, or if everyone has different answers.
The Imposter Challenge
Speaking of viral games, this one is probably the most recent challenge that has gone viral online. Essentially, there is a group of players and one hidden imposter. Everyone except the imposter is given a secret word, but the imposter doesn’t know what the word is. Each player goes around saying a word that relates to the given word, without explicitly stating it or giving it away. Since the imposter wasn’t shown the word, they have to try on the fly to say a clue that matches the word that everyone else received (based on what the others say) and not get caught as the imposter at the same time. Everyone guesses at the end who the imposter is. If the imposter doesn’t get caught by a majority of the players, they win the round.
Card Games
This is also a broad category simply because of the amount of options out there. They’re also convenient, because all you need is a deck of cards (if you are playing a game that requires a standard 52-card deck). You and your friends likely have a deck lying around in a drawer somewhere; if not, they’re inexpensive (just order them before the storm hits!). Some examples of card games like this include Old Maid, Go Fish, Poker, Solitaire, Blackjack, Spoons, and Crazy Eights. And this isn’t even including different types of card games outside of ones that use the standard 52-card deck — think Uno, Five Crowns, or Cards Against Humanity.
20 questions
In the game 20 questions, one player thinks of a person, place, or thing and it is the responsibility of the other players to figure it out — and they have 20 questions to do so. If they guess correctly within 20 questions, they win; if they don’t, they lose. Simple as that!
Tabletop Role Playing Games
A table-top role playing game (TTRPG) is a collaborative game in which players get to use their creativity and imagination. So, if you like fantasy or storytelling, then these types of games are for you. There are players who are characters, and then there’s a Game Master who guides and moderates the game’s story. There are a shared set of rules, but you essentially act out as the character. The most popular type of TTRPG game that you might have heard of is Dungeons and Dragons, but there are also other games from a wide array of genres, like Pathfinder and Call of Cthulhu.