Lovely time indoors — my favorite and not-so-popular board / card games
Guest Contribution
Would you love to miss a pub crawl and rather host a cozy game night? If Yes, then I have some amazing recommendations for you. These are all my lesser-known favorites, standing apart from giants like Catan and Poker which have 3–6 hour playtime.
- Seep or Sweep (4 Players)
Difficulty level : Advanced
Luck:Skill :: 1:5 (Random starting cards)
Game play : 15–30 minutes per game
This is the most addictive game that I have ever played. It can keep on going for hours and days. I have spent an entire new year’s long weekend break playing sweep while hogging a prime table in a cliff-side open air restaurant. People may at times compare it to Bridge.
2. Twenty-Nine (4 Players)
Difficulty level : Advanced
Luck:Skill :: 1:5 (Random starting cards)
Game play : 15–30 minutes per game
One of the favorites during the college days. A game where even the weakest cards in hand can be made most powerful.
Rules of Card Games: Twenty-Nine
3. Monopoly Deal (2–6 Players)
Difficulty level : Intermediate
Luck:Skill :: 1:2 (Random draw from the drawing pile)
Game play : 15–30 minutes per game
There is a mobile version as well from Hasbro, easy to play there too but can’t play against other human players.
https://medium.com/media/452ef700e9f4bb85012997b0c2e56bd3/href
4. Exploding Kittens (2–5 Players)
Difficulty level : Beginner
Luck:Skill :: 1:3 (Random draws but strategic placement)
Game play : 15–30 minutes per game
Buy the NFSW version for loads of crazy humor. Easy to start during any brunch or evening meetup.
https://medium.com/media/c962b45d06521a4bd159d85b66afb4ae/href
5. Sequence (2–12 Players)
Difficulty level : Intermediate
Luck:Skill :: 1:3 (Random draws but strategic placement)
Game play : 30–45 minutes per game
I will recommend you to play with atleast 6 players (3 teams) as the game becomes truly challenging. At times you may feel that this game is driven by luck, but just wait to have the players level-up. All your early moves will get a ‘nip in the bud’.
https://medium.com/media/1811aba21b8ee40900c5fb209e5606f9/href
6. Blokus (2–4 players)
Difficulty level : Intermediate
Luck:Skill :: 0 (strategic placement only)
Game play : 30–45 minutes per game
Quick to learn and colourful. It makes you appreciate Tetris on a different level.
https://medium.com/media/e9ed1ad96df780a4ab0240cd2b509642/href
7. Othello (2 players)
Difficulty level : Intermediate
Luck:Skill :: 0 (strategic placement only)
Game play : 30–45 minutes per game
The tides can change anytime in this game. Capturing the best positions in time and thinking long-term is the only way to win this game. I can very well put it in the category of Chess and Go, with just one simple rule to be followed through out the game play.
https://medium.com/media/3414960c94bf1a94898c5e17bcfbcb8d/href
8. Seven Wonders Duel (2 players)?—?my recent favorite
Difficulty level : Advanced
Luck:Skill :: 1:5 (draw of wonders and sequencing of cards)
Game play : 30–45 minutes per game
2 Players, 7 Wonders, 3 Ages, 3 ways to win and so many permutations of the cards. This is uber colorful and full of surprises. Even the way game board is setup makes you feel super-engaged.
https://medium.com/media/b16b15b477f205c1d092eed03dceb60d/hrefhttps://medium.com/media/82b44d79e13c96b8488ae120afaca6e6/href
9. Taboo (2 and more players)
Difficulty level : Intermediate
Luck:Skill :: 1:3 (cards played in the past)
Game play : 1 minute per round
Easy to learn and fun to play in any setting. Whether you are on a flight, train or a dinner table. You will There are a many mobile apps available but they start repeating the cards soon. Thus, it is best to invest in a Taboo card set and extension packs.
https://medium.com/media/110b63f44c9372699dfc7c805e0d4798/href
10. Pandemic (2–4 Players)
Difficulty level : Advanced
Luck:Skill :: 1:5 (picking character and the first epidemic)
Game play : 60–75 minutes per game
It is a wonderful co-operative game for a couple to bond over?—?full of surprises and strategic team play. Save the world!
https://medium.com/media/11beae4d78570be0248b6b1a31fcf4fd/href
11. CodeNames (4+ players, amazing party game)
Difficulty level : Intermediate to Advanced, depending on how you play it
Luck:Skill :: 1:5 (Random pattern selection)
Game play : 15–30 minutes per game
This is a recent discovery and my friends are in love with it. The game challenges you to associate and group words. You can only give a one-word hint and the number of associated words e.g. ‘Countries, 5’. The real challenge is to decode someone’s thought process, guess, make a list and prioritize. There would be so much personality judgment that you will hardly ever come across.
https://medium.com/media/ce9333ac779265efe5263db8630aa62d/href
Others worth mentioning are Pictionary, Double Dominos and Cluedo. And lastly, a special mention for SpaceTeam (mobile game). Google them out if you liked my previous recommendations.
Host a game night and invite your friends and dear ones. Hope you enjoy playing these board and card games. Let me know if you have some not-so-popular favorites as well.
Enjoy!
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