For many people, board games are at their best when they involve a little physical interaction. Dice, wooden figures, tiles, cubes — they’re all baked into the fabric of tabletop gaming. In an era of social distancing, catching up with the weekly game night crew can feel like a challenge, but there are plenty of solutions to get your fix remotely. From simple online adaptations that work on any video chat to elaborate solutions built for more immersive RPG play, we’ve collected some of the best Zoom games you can use to enjoy a night of fun.
The good news is that most of your favorite board games can be played over Zoom. The key is to make sure everyone has a stable internet connection and knows how to use Zoom. You should also test your audio and video settings before you begin a session. Lastly, it’s important to switch games when the energy begins to wane to avoid burning out your group.
Some games are easier to adapt for Zoom than others. According to Sparks, roll-and-write games that require players to write down their scores typically work well, but he says even more in-depth board games like Werewolf can be played with few changes. In fact, he says Werewolf’s role assignments (ranging from innocent villagers to lycanthropes) can be adapted for Zoom by having the moderator secretly assign roles before the game starts.
Other popular board games that are easily adaptable for remote play include Codenames, which is easy to learn and requires nothing more than words. There’s also Boggle, which can be played with a physical copy of the board or an official online app that works in your browser.