During the past five months, we have all learned to be creative with our socializing skills. Time has flown during our indoor stay for COVID-19, and it has been made bearable by staying in contact with friends and family by any means possible. While I am a huge fan of catching up over FaceTime and Zoom, sometimes I find myself just wanting to share a laugh as well. This has become worlds easier with the help of digital games that you can play in different places and even time zones over Zoom!
Get the scoop on what games you can play with your friends and family to make your next Zoom session even more fun!
1. Psych!
Psych! is an app by the same creators of Heads Up that you can download on your smartphone and play while on Zoom! Within the app, there are sixteen games that you can play. Like the name implies, many of the games center on tricking your friends. For example, in the game "Movie Bluff," the players make up a plot for an obscure film with an odd title. Players get a point for tricking other players into believing theirs was correct. However, my favorite is "The Truth Comes Out," which is a fill in the blank type game about fellow players. A question may be "If Person A were to get arrested, what would it be for?" Then everyone who is not Person A provides an answer and the group votes. People are very creative and come up with some great answers.
2. Skribbl
This website allows players to navigate Zoom and Skribbl at the same time. You can watch YouTuber, Ryan Higa, play this while socially distanced with his friends. Skribbl is similar to Pictionary, except it is not a team effort and everyone is playing for themselves, which is ideal if you're like me and are extremely competitive. Your competitors guess in real-time what you are drawing and are provided a few letters throughout your drawing time as a hint. My favorite part about playing this over Zoom is hearing people say "You are a terrible artist!"
3. JackBox Games
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JackBox is a series of video games meant for parties and social events. This website will require both your laptop and a phone. There is a price tag, but there are some games available for as low as $5! I recommend splitting the cost with the people you will be playing with as only one person needs to own the game. JackBox has written a very helpful article on how to play their games socially distanced!
4. Spyfall
Spyfall is a less story-based version of the sleepover game, Mafia. The YouTube gaming channel, Polygon, recently played this over Zoom and had a great time. This is another web game and the premise is that everyone playing is an FBI detective, but a spy has infiltrated your ranks. All detectives are provided the same location and their position at the location. All except the spy. The game begins by one player asking another player about the location. The goal is to find the spy, and the spy's goal is to determine the location. People who are quick on their feet do very well in this game and it is very fun seeing people turn on each other trying to figure out who the spy is.
5. Werewolf Online
This game will ruin friendships in the best way possible. Werewolf is very similar to the card game One Night Ultimate Werewolf, which you can watch the Polygon channel play above. Again, it is similar to Mafia as players are trying to find the "werewolf" of the group. Each player is assigned a role and must defend themselves if they are being accused of being the werewolf. It is a game of deception and at times, teamwork.
6. Playing Cards
I do not want to brag, but I am very good at Go Fish. With the website Playing Cards, you can play Go Fish, Checkers, Chess, and more with friends and family. All you need to do is start the game and send them the room code to join you. Who doesn't love the classics?
7. Scattergories
Our final Zoom game is Scattergories, a popular board game turned web game that you can play here. The generator provides you with a category and a letter and the players make a list of words that apply to the category that starts with the provided letter. The goal is to create a unique list of words. You will only receive points if no one else has the same answer.
Even though your friends can't visit, you can still throw a party for yourself! Set up a charcuterie platter, pour yourself a glass of wine, curl up with a cozy blanket, and get ready for a fun night of games!
With many creative people, I'm sure there are plenty more games to play over Zoom. Let us know in the comments which games are your favorite to play!
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