Playing board games is my favorite way to spend time with my friends and family. They force everyone to put down their phones, pick up a stack of cards, and have good old-fashioned fun! In the midst of the pandemic, playing board games with your loved ones is a great way to social-distance from the rest of the world while breaking up the routine of a world ruled by Zoom.
While a lot of the following games aren’t conventional “board” games (most of them just consist of cards), they comprise a fantastic set of entertainment for beating the pandemic blues. For more board game suggestions, check out my previous list here.
- One Night Ultimate Werewolf
-
If you loved playing “Mafia” in elementary school, you’ll love this game! The premise of “One Night Ultimate Werewolf” is very similar – each player is assigned a role, and each role has a specific function. There is one moderator (or for those who wish to play all at once, there’s a phone app to moderate for you) whose job is to guide the players throughout the night of the attack. Everyone closes their eyes, opens them when said, and is able to move cards around (a.k.a., swap someone’s role). At the end of the night, everyone must unanimously decide who the werewolf is – if they get it wrong, the werewolf wins.
- The Mind
-
This game is by far the most stressful, fun, and cathartic of them all. Composed of 100 cards numbered one through 100, the goal of the game is simple: each player must play the cards in order from smallest to largest without speaking, gesturing, or communicating at all. For example, if four people are playing, they would each have a different card to start the game. Without communicating, the goal must be achieved. It’s incredibly satisfying when the game is won, but it’s equally frustrating when one misses their chance to play a card.
- Pandemic
-
I know what you’re thinking: “I don’t want anything else to do with a pandemic right now.” We’re all tired of living through a pandemic, but this game is fun. It’s a great escape from the Covid-19 pandemic, serving as a source of humor and stress-relief in an otherwise difficult time. In this game, players travel around the board trying to research and cure deadly diseases that have taken over Earth. Each player deploys special actions, and the whole team must work together to save the world. It’s a wonderful cooperative game, which takes away the stress of competition against others and keeps the Game Night group at peace.
- Mysterium
-
“Mysterium” is a whirlwind of a game. Difficult to learn, but fun to play, it’s best for those who play board games often and are willing to devote time to learning the mechanics. Set in the 1920s, “Mysterium” is a ghost-hunting adventure, in which mediums (the players) must work in tandem with the ghost to uncover the murder mystery lurking in the shadows. Fighting against the clock, each player must interpret clues from the ghost to uncover the murderer, murder weapon, and murder location. The kicker? The clues from the ghost are whimsically drawn “paintings” that have almost nothing to do with the suspects. Good luck with your seance!
- Here to Slay
-
I saved the best for last (in my opinion)! “Here to Slay” is, in one word, adorable. The characters on the cards are the cutest woodland creatures you will ever see, and they contain a powerful punch. The goal of the game is to collect one hero of each “class,” meaning you want to end up with one bunny, pony, bear, fox, squirrel, and cat. Alternatively, players can win by defeating three monsters. While the game is fairly simple, it’s full of endless opportunities for collecting cards, fighting monsters, and manipulating your opposing players’ chances at survival. Anyone can play this game, and it’s part of what makes it so fun!
The next time you get the urge to have a social night, grab one of these games, snuggle up in a blanket, and play the night away (socially distanced, of course)!
Want to keep up with HCBU? Make sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, check out our Pinterest board, and read our latest Tweets!