4 Tips for Planning a Virtual Board Game Night

Jan 28, 2021

 

Geek culture goes hand-in-hand with board games. Playing board games is an excellent way of alleviating stress, and it helps people feel a sense of connectedness. However, since most of the world is self-isolating and following social distancing guidelines, it can be challenging (if not impossible) to host in-person game nights. Fortunately, you can still enjoy board game dates with your loved ones online. Here are 4 things to remember for an excellent virtual game night.

 

Get People to Save The Date

Set a date for game night, just like if you were meeting in person. Even if the days seem to blend into each other, and it feels like we have 30 months a year and five days per month, you should still send out an invite for your game night. People might even appreciate it more now; doing this will give guests something to look forward to during the week.

 

Encourage People to Prepare Snacks

Though you cannot share a physical party platter, you can still incorporate food at your virtual gathering. You could send an easy recipe for a snack that anyone can whip up, or you could all order the same food. Even if you’re not sharing a meal, it’s comforting to know that you’re consuming the same things.

 

Choose Games That Work in a Virtual Setting

If you have a small crowd, you can play strategy board games that have online versions. For instance, you could go for Dominion, a land-expansion game. If deck building is not your thing, you can always go for Settlers of Catan. This staple of geek culture is the “gateway game” for strategy nerds and has a free version online. It can be buggy at times, though!

For people willing to fork over a couple of dollars, you can get Splendor on the Steam platform. Your goal in Splendor is to become a master jewel trader, and it balances strategy and play. This game is perfect for blended groups; ones with both beginners and certified board game geeks.

If your group is a bit more tech-savvy then you can buy Tabletop Simulator which has hundreds of official – and slightly less official – recreations of board games in full 3D. Meanwhile, Board Game Arena offers plenty of free options, or you can pay a small subscription to gain access to everything they have on offer.

 

Revisit Family-Friendly Classic Board Games

Old favourites such as Ticket to Ride also have online and board game versions. What’s nice about Ticket To Ride is its wide availability. You can get it on various platforms for anywhere from seven to ten dollars. Although this is the priciest title on the list, it’s worth getting for the nostalgia factor alone.

You can also go for a high-tech version of Monopoly through the game’s official app, available on the App Store or Google Play. The app has detailed 3D animations and no ads. You can customize the house rules and play ‘quick mode,’ which shortens the game time. Thank God. Because Monopoly is a bad game and you’d do better to grab any of the others on here!

 

Conclusion

Geek culture is not complete without board games, but since we can’t meet all our board game friends right now, virtual meetups can help us get by. If you’re hosting online, preserving the vibe of a live game night will help you connect better and keep you anticipating the time when you can meet your friends again. 

What other virtual board games do you and your friends play? Let us know in the comments!

 

 

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