While you may not be able to gather around a table for game night with friends or family in person, playing party games over video call can be a great way to bond with others online.
Games can take a bit of extra preparation. Still, they're worth the effort to break up the monotony of a group video call. They help make people feel present in a shared space and build camaraderie.
If you've been wanting to play games over Zoom, Skype, or Google Hangouts, here are some of the best party games that are both fun and easy to learn.
Lightning Scavenger Hunt
This is one of the easiest games to play over Zoom with friends. Someone creates a list of items everyone is challenged to scavenge around their home. Everyone brings back the item on the list to show on the screen and earn points.
Things to scavenge could be something red, a favorite mug, a book you didn’t enjoy, or whatever is in the pockets of a winter jacket. Winners should be encouraged to tell a tale or two about the scavenged items.
Trivia Night
This fun game tests your knowledge on a variety of random topics. Compile a list of trivia questions and use the breakout room feature on Zoom to split everyone into teams. Pose a question and send the teams to their breakout rooms. The first ones to return with the correct answers win a point.
Finding answers to obscure facts is always exciting, and it's a great way to work together as a group with friends while also showing off your general knowledge.
Quiplash
Out of all the online games to play, Quiplash is one of the best. Quiplash is an online version of Mad Libs. Everyone who participates must come up with the wittiest responses to the questions the game provides.
Up to 8 players can participate simultaneously, but it is just as entertaining for the audience. The participants then vote on the best answers. The actual game needs to be purchased, but it is well worth the investment for the fun that it brings.
Virtual Murder Mystery
Everyone loves a good murder mystery game and playing an online version can be just as much fun. Red Herring Games offers affordable options to play virtual murder mystery games on their site.
Simply download the game, send a link to all your friends who want to participate, and let the fun begin. Everyone will be assigned a role and a script, and you’ll all be tasked to root out the murderer amongst you.
Zoom Codenames
Codenames is normally an in-person card game, but this fun game can also be played virtually. The game is about guessing which codenames in a set are related to a hint word that a player gives.
The participants must be divided into two teams, one blue and one red, and a spymaster must be chosen. One player, who is not the spymaster, shares their screen. Send the teams into breakout rooms as they try to guess the card their spymaster hints at. The team that guesses all the cards successfully while avoiding the forbidden card wins the game.
When it's time to hop on Zoom to connect with friends and loved ones, it's natural to want to plan something a little more interactive than just chatting. Playing games is a fun and effective way to spice up the video meeting.
These games are easy to learn and play even if you’re new to them. Make sure to talk about which games to play with your group before the call so that everyone has fun during the event.
Oxford at Estonia Apartments in San Antonio, TX