Buzz
Starting in March, when California's stay-at-home orders were put in place, my friends and I have consistently hosted a virtual game night every Saturday. Initially, we stuck to knockoff versions of Cards Against Humanity and Pictionary, but over time, we've introduced new games to keep things fresh.
Discovering new games proved to be more challenging than expected. Despite the abundance of online adaptations of classics like Yahtzee and Monopoly, locating an affordable version that allows you to play with friends instead of strangers can be quite difficult.
If you're tired of the same old Cards Against Humanity and Pictionary routine, here are some additional options I've tried and tested in recent weeks. Have you found something amazing that I haven't listed? Share your favorite games in the comments below.
Codenames
Codenames was a game I hadn’t encountered until a friend introduced it to our group. The concept is straightforward: split your friends into two teams, red and blue. While the traditional version uses physical cards, the virtual adaptation requires you to visit this site. You’ll generate a unique URL for your group, ensuring everyone accesses the same game board.
Each team designates one member as the “spy master.” This person will click the “spymaster” button located at the bottom right of the page, revealing which cards belong to their team’s color.
The gameplay revolves around each spy master providing their team with a single-word clue and a number to help them identify the words matching their team’s color. For instance, a clue like “Russia, 2” might lead teammates to guess Moscow and Europe based on the provided screenshot.
Your team’s turn ends if they guess incorrectly, selecting either a word belonging to the opposing team or one of the neutral options on the board. Additionally, there’s a death word; if either team picks it, the game ends immediately.
It took us a couple of rounds to fully grasp the rules, but once we did, it quickly became a favorite in our group. If my explanation was unclear, here’s a video of someone demonstrating how to play the card-based version:
Jackbox Games
Early in the pandemic, a friend suggested Quiplash to me, but I didn’t try it until last week. I regret not giving it a chance sooner.
You might recognize Jackbox Games from their popular trivia game, “You Don’t Know Jack.” The company offers a variety of games sold in bundles known as party packs. Last week, we started with Party Pack 3, and after having so much fun, I bought Party Pack 6 to expand our options.
Every pack contains five unique games. In a typical setting, you’d display the game on your TV, and your friends would use their phones as controllers. For virtual play, the process is nearly the same. You launch the game on your computer, share your screen with friends, and they join your session through Jackbox’s website using a four-digit code.
The setup is incredibly straightforward, even if your friends might have enjoyed a drink or two before starting.
Our top picks include Trivia Murder Party, a trivia game with mini-games as penalties for wrong answers, and Tee K.O., where you design t-shirts and pit them against each other. Other highlights include a cruise ship joke game, a murder mystery where you identify the alien among friends, and a game where you invent wild definitions for made-up words.
Each game lasts 20 minutes or less, and we’ve enjoyed every one. Last week, we spent an entire 5-hour game night exclusively playing Jackbox games. They’re incredibly entertaining.
While the Party Packs aren’t free, they’re affordable. Only the host needs to purchase a pack, with prices ranging from $12.49 to $20.99 for the six available options. It’s a small investment for five games, costing less than a round of drinks at a bar.
Dice Games
Nearly any dice game you enjoy can be adapted for online play. My friends and I are big fans of Quixx, which we often play at bars. Recently, we’ve been playing it over video chat, using our own dice and scorecards at home.
During our game nights, we’ve played Yahtzee using an online dice roller like this one, with one person keeping score on a physical sheet. We’ve also tried Pass the Pigs using an online pig roller, paired with a homemade score sheet.
Dice games are generally very easy to organize, especially if someone has a physical score sheet to track everyone’s progress or if you can find an online version of the score sheet for your preferred game.
Skribble
You might have already stumbled upon this gem, but our group has thoroughly enjoyed Skribble. It’s essentially a Pictionary-inspired game. The site simplifies setting up a private room for friends and automates the turn-taking process.
The game provides word suggestions (you can choose from three options) and allows you to add custom phrases or inside jokes to the mix, making them potential drawing prompts.
What I love most is that players guess by typing their answers, eliminating the chaos of figuring out who shouted the correct answer first on Zoom. The game also tracks scores, and if you’re feeling social outside of game nights, you can play with strangers on the site.
