I find that life can be stressful sometimes; work can be overwhelming, classes can be difficult, and not everyone is a fan of nights out. One great way to combat this is to host a fun game night with your friends! You can never go wrong with gathering your closest friends and relaxing with fun games or creating (mostly) harmless rivalries with a lively, competitive, or even cozy atmosphere. Game nights are always enjoyable, but here are some tips on how to make a good one great!
The Basics
The best thing to do is to start with the basics, as no game night is complete without food or drinks. As a host, you can make fun snacks like a buffalo chicken dip or even put together a charcuterie board if you want to be a little fancy. You can also bake cookies or brownies as a sweet treat.
The classic potato chips and Oreos are always a good staple, too. My recommendation is to have a potluck with enough food and choices for everyone to eat. It’s always good to have sodas, especially ones that you know your friends would like. You could even make a few mocktails for everyone to enjoy. These are the fundamentals of a good game night and are essential for creating a good atmosphere.
The Games
Obviously, you can’t have a game night without any games! The types of games you play are completely up to you and your audience. Card games like Spoons, Blackjack, BS, President, and Uno are fun to create a competitive and loud atmosphere with your friends. I would also recommend Cards Against Humanity if you and your friends are in a more light-hearted, joking mood. Classic board games like Monopoly, Clue, Scrabble, and The Settlers of Catan are always enjoyable, but games like Taboo, Sequence, and Scattergories are cool to try as well.
If they’re available, video games are also exciting. I love Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros., and Mario Party, and if you have a Nintendo Switch, 1-2-Switch generates an energetic environment. This is just a recommendation list; feel free to play anything you want or even tell your guests to bring their own games and learn something new!
The Atmosphere
A welcoming atmosphere is absolutely crucial when hosting a successful game night, and it’s usually easy to achieve. A great start (aside from food) would be with music. If it doesn’t distract them from the game, having music is a significant mood-booster, especially when curating a playlist that everyone enjoys. It could also be entertaining to make it a theme night where everyone dresses up and wears costumes according to the theme. If you really want to make it serious, add real prizes that people could compete to win in the games. The night is completely customizable to you and your friends.
Game nights are always an exciting way to spend time with friends since they usually guarantee a good ending. Between fun-to-make snacks and friendly competitions, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. The night is always up to you, and as long as you have fun with your friends, that’s all that matters.
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