In the year 2020, the word “Zoom” has become the biggest buzzword. I bet I say it at least 20 times a day; it’s even been made into a verb- “I just Zoomed”! But the monotony of Zoom meetings can sometimes be overwhelming. One of the best things that I’ve done lately has been creating some Zoom game sessions! There are many ways to still connect with friends and family in fun ways even if we’re not face to face! Some of these I’ve played with friends and family and I look forward to celebrating the Holidays with these games soon too!
Below are some of my favorites I have found:
1. CodeNames
Link: https://codenames.game/
This was one of my favorite games to play with friends and family in person, so I was ecstatic to find an online version! If you’ve played the game before, I almost like the online version better; the cards are easier to read and select! This is a team word game in which two people give one word clues to get their teammates to guess the correct words related to the clue! This is very easy to play online and everyone needs their own browser to play.
2. Skribbl.io
Link: https://skribbl.io/
If you like Pictionary, this is the best Pictionary-like game I have found that is easy to play online! You can create your own private room with friends via a link. Then, you get prompted with various Pictionary words to get the rest of your teammates to guess! You are awarded points the faster you guess correctly!
3. Psych
Link: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/psych-outwit-your-friends/id1005765746
This one is a phone app from Ellen DeGeneres that you can play. My family played this for the first time over Thanksgiving and it was a hit! If you’ve ever played Balderdash before, it is very similar! Everyone needs to download the app on their personal device and then you can do most of the game play over the phone. I enjoyed having a Zoom room open at the same time to share laughs and conversation about the game!
4. Netflix Watch Party
Link: https://www.netflixparty.com/
Ok, it’s not a game, but this is another cool thing that you can do with friends or family online! Netflix Watch Party requires a chrome extension, but once you have it, it’s pretty easy to use. You can create a watch party with any Netflix, Disney+, or Hulu movie/TV Show. It brings up a chat feature which is fun to send comments back and forth during the movie!
5. Trivia
Link: https://kahoot.com/
Our office recently did a virtual holiday trivia Zoom party and it went over great! While we didn’t use Kahoot, this is a great option for those looking for another medium. My favorite pastime before the pandemic was Bar Trivia! While this isn’t quite the same, it still offers the knowledge and competitive atmosphere that I enjoy!
If you like playing games with friends and family as much as I do, I hope you found this list helpful! I have been amazed with some of the creativity and developments that this pandemic has spurred- online games included. If you try out one of these games, be sure to let me know how it went! Happy playing!