I’m not sure at which point board games became cool again, but I’m glad they’ve been brought back from the dead. Some of my fondest memories involve sitting around a monopoly board arguing with every fibre of my being until the inevitable board flip sprung upon us.
Board games are an amazing way to get more connected with Uni friends, as well as making for a good ice breaker. Although if you’re highly competitive, and are prone to being a sore loser, I suggest you don’t let that be your first impression.
While nothing can take away from the digital gaming advancements and the iron grip consoles have on gamers, board games are my favourite way to enjoy games with friends whilst feeling completely present.
After all, arguing passionately isn’t quite the same through a headset.
So, to commemorate board games and their magic at bringing people together, here are some of my favourites that are guaranteed to bring you closer to your mates.
Monopoly
A classic for a reason. Monopoly gets the blood flowing, invokes healthy competition and is a great way to break the ice and bring people closer.
Scrabble
Another classic. Scrabble is great and, if you want to change it up a little, it’s super fun to make up your own word rules.
Mastermind
Think of an old school wordle, except instead of words it’s colours.
Cards Against Humanity
A modern-day classic – see which one of you is most outrageous to find your best bud.
What Do You Meme?
A great gen Z spin-off to Cards Against Humanity. Match the meme to the cards in your hand. Trust me when I say this one’s hilarious.
Guess Who
This may surprise you, but Guess Who can be quite funny depending on the questions you ask. “Does your person look like a Karen?” “Does your person look like they’re partaking in no shave November?” The varieties are endless.
Dobble
Dobble is a highly competitive card game where you have a variety of symbols on the card, and you must match one symbol from your card to the cards in the middle before your opponents. The first one to lose all their cards win. Think snap on steroids.
Articulate
Articulate is a word game where your team must guess what word is on your card without you saying it before time runs out. This game will have you extending your vocabulary and saying the most ridiculous long-winded sentences ever.
Trivia
If you’re a TV, history or movie nerd, trivia question games are awesome and can help you find common ground with your housemates or coursemates. The best part is they’re often quite cheap, so if you’re looking for a quick game but feel uninspired, these are great.
Jenga
Finally, we’re finishing off with another classic. Jenga is a great party game and gets the heart pumping. With little skill or brainpower required, this one’s a surefire way to get some laughs and bring you all together.
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