Almost every weekend I try to do something with my friends virtually so we can all de-stress and get a break from reality. Usually we watch a movie together through Netflix Party, but we’ve found that having a virtual game night is actually very entertaining too. We had started our game nights with playing Among Us back in the fall, when it was very popular and somewhat of a trend. However, we got tired of it and wanted to try other games, and we quickly found some great ones to include in our game nights over Zoom and Discord calls. These are my recommendations for some of the best (free) games you can play if you’re having a virtual game night with friends!
Skribbl.io
I think one of the most popular online games to play is Skribbl.io. It is very easy to use and you can have up to 12 people playing if you create a private room. In each round, each player takes a turn drawing a word they choose, and the other players have to guess the word based on the drawing. The more you guess correctly, the more points you get, so whoever accumulates the most points wins. It’s okay if you’re not very artistic, because the worse you are at drawing, the more fun and entertaining it is!
Gartic Phone
This game is basically the online version of Telestrations, and is quite similar to Skribbl.io. Also called The Telephone Game, Gartic Phone is like playing telephone but with drawings. At the beginning, each person writes down a sentence or phrase, which is then passed on to someone else who must draw what is happening in the sentence. The drawing is then passed on to someone else who has to guess what the sentence is, and then gets passed onto the next person to draw and so on. At the end, you get to see everyone’s original sentences and the hilarious ‘telephone line’ of drawings and guesses.
Codenames
Originally a card game, Codenames is now available online to play with four or more of your friends. Everyone must be split into two teams, with each team having a spymaster and several operatives. The aim is basically for the operatives to guess the codenames that belong to their team, which only the spymaster knows so they have to guide the operatives to guess correctly. The rules are a bit complicated, so I’d probably recommend playing this game with someone who has done it before so it is less confusing!
Buzzfeed Quizzes
Okay technically this is not a game, however my friends and I usually incorporate it into our game night because of how fun it is. You can do a Buzzfeed Quiz Party, where you can take quizzes with friends and get to see everyone’s results. There are many different categories of quizzes, including trivia, so I guess it can count as being a game!
We’re not really strangers
This is a game I have not yet tried with my own friend group, but I have played it during club meetings to make stronger connections. We’re not really strangers is available to play online and it’s meant to foster deep conversations to learn more about yourself and your friends. This game has three levels of questions; perception, connection and reflection. Each level gets more reflective and really makes you think about who you are. I would say this is a more serious game, but is nonetheless an interesting and entertaining game to try.
Hopefully, you give some of these games a try. I guarantee you will have a great virtual game night if you do!