Bored? Play Some Board Games!

Scattergories

Play over zoom or a facetime call with at least 2 people

How to Play: Roll a scattergories die or google scattergories die to get a random letter. Pick a list for everyone to use and start a timer for 2 or 3 minutes, your choice. The goal is to get as many answers as you can that start with the letter for the category. For example, if the letter is B and the category on the list is fruit, an acceptable answer would be banana. You get two points if there are two words that start with that letter, for example, mickey mouse for cartoon characters, three points for three words, etc. The articles “A”, “An” and “The” cannot be used as key letters. The same answer cannot be given more than once in the same round. After time is up, compare your answers with the other players. If any other players have the same answer as you, neither of you get the point. Players can challenge other players’ answers. Add up the amount of points for that round and pick another list and letter to play another round. Here are some online resources for lists you could use or come up with your own!

https://hobbylark.com/party-games/scattergories-lists

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/10722/scattergories-refill

http://scattergorieslists18.blogspot.com/

http://scattergorieslists18.blogspot.com/ (pick and choose your own categories)

https://swellgarfo.com/scattergories/ (random list generator)

Code names

Play with this website with at least 3 people over zoom or facetime https://www.horsepaste.com/bless-prayer 

How to Play: In a scenario with four people, two people are the blue team and two people are the red team. One person on each team will be the “spymaster” and the other will be the “field operatives”. The spymaster looks at the page that says spymaster with colors. The red cards are for the red team, the blue cards are for the blue team, the cards with black text and no background are neutral and the card with black text and a black background is the assassin card. The goal of the game is for the spymaster to get their field operative to guess their color words by only using a one word hint. It is best to try to get them to guess multiple cards with one clue. For example, if they want them to guess the cards “ocean” and “glass”, the spymaster could give the clue “water”. The trick is to pick clues so their teammate won’t guess their opponents’ words. Also, if they guess the assassin card, they lose. The spymaster that has 9 cards will start and give the clues over a zoom or facetime. Once the field operative guesses, they have to press end the turn. For playing with three people, have two spymasters and one field operative guessing for both teams. For playing with any more than four people, just add people onto teams. For more clarifications of the rules, visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codenames_(board_game). 

Settlers of Catan

Play with any amount of friends or AIs on the website. https://catanuniverse.com

You need to make an account on the website and then “friend” your friends to play a game together. Catan is too complicated to explain in text, but there are probably lots of videos and online resources if you want to learn how to play. It’s one of my favorite games, definitely worth it!

Card Monopoly

If you hate how long monopoly takes, card monopoly is a great solution! The website is a little glitchy but better than nothing. Use this website and “friend” your friends on the site.  https://playmdeal.com/showlobby.php.

It’s hard to see the cards in the game but here’s a website to see descriptions. http://monopolydealrules.com/index.php?page=cards

Basically, there are money cards, property cards, rent cards and special cards. The goal of the game is to get three monopolies with property cards. You can charge other players rent on properties you have paid, and then they have to pay with their money cards or property cards if they don’t have money. Some of the special cards include stealing/trading individual properties, stealing entire monopolies, houses and hotels, and cards refusing to pay or exchange cards. If you’re as bad at the game as I am, here’s a website with some strategies https://howdoyouplayit.com/monopoly-deal-card-game-strategy/

Monopoly

If you have nothing better to do than play a 14 hour long game of monopoly, here is a link to do so

 https://www.pogo.com/games/monopolyclassic 

Poker

Honestly I don’t know how to play poker, but my dad plays over zoom with his friends on this site. https://www.pokernow.club/

So props to you if you know how to play, but hopefully you don’t lose $50 every time like him. 

Gin Rummy 

https://cardgames.io/ginrummy/

https://www.cardzmania.com/games/GinRummy/1309

There are so many card games you can play, either with your family or online with friends. Gin Rummy is a great one where you have to make runs (ex. 2, 3, 4 of clubs) or sets (ex. 3 sevens of different suits). The goal is to get to 500 points, but that can be modified. Face cards (king, queen, jack, ten) are 10 points, aces are 15 points and everything else is 5 points. If you play the cards, you get the points, but if they are still in your hand when someone has no cards left, then you lose the points.