I have been and always will be a sucker for card games, board games, computer games, you name it! First off, they are such a fun way to bring people together and spend time with loved ones. Games allow you to express your creativity, spontaneity and are a great method for relieving stress. Although you can not currently host an in-person game night due to COVID-19, you can play some of the games listed below over Zoom with your friends and family to spread some joy during these trying times.
I am not even sure where to begin with this game. Just looking at the cover may confuse (and possibly entice) you: “a card game for people who are into kittens and explosions and laser beams and sometimes goats.” You might be wondering what that means, but the only way to understand is to play the game. It can seem quite complicated and daunting at first, but you learn fairly quickly. The main objective of the game is to be the last one left alive; you survive by not picking up the Exploding Kitten card. The other cards in the deck allow you to attack people, skip turns, shuffle the deck, look at future cards and so much more. One game can last for 15 minutes or up to an hour depending on the amount of people playing.
Not to mention, the artwork on the cards is really unique and quirky, and the box plays some cute music when you open it, which really sets the mood for a fun night. There are also several different versions of Exploding Kittens, but my favorite has to be the Party Pack because it allows for up to 10 people to play, unlike the other sets. I definitely recommend buying this game (which is currently 30% off) and playing with your quarantine buddies.
Click here to learn the game!
Palace
I do not think that many people know about this game. I found out about it last fall through a friend and have not stopped playing it since. Even though there are a myriad of different versions of this game out there that all have slightly different rules, you essentially win the game by being the first player to discard all of your cards. The objective of the game is speed. Palace is very addicting, and trust me when I say that you will end up playing this game until three in the morning once you start.
Click here to learn one version of the game!
Coup
This has to be one of my favorite card games of all time, even though I just discovered it a few months ago. If you are good at lying and have a strong poker face, then this is the game for you. You play as two characters, which represent your two lives, and there are various actions and counteractions you have depending on what characters you are dealt. The fun part is that no one else knows what cards you have, so you can lie at any point in the game and pretend to be someone you are not. The trick is to not get caught because that would mean you lose a character/life. You are essentially trying to form a ‘coup’ to take down the other players (up to six people total).
Click here to learn the game!
Jackbox Games
Jackbox is all about bringing people together for a good time. The games that this company creates are all multiplayer and can usually hold between six to eight people, depending on the game. Most of the games are sold in a “party pack,” which is basically a collection of about five games. My personal favorite is The Jackbox Party Pack 3, but they are all so fun and entertaining. These games have filled many of my evenings with so much laughter, friendly competition and happy memories with the people I love.
Jackbox even decided to make one of their games, Drawful 2, available for free across multiple platforms until April 10 (click here to download it) to help bring some comfort and fun entertainment into people’s lives during the COVID-19 quarantine and social distancing. If you do not already have their games, go download a few and play over Zoom with your family and friends!
