While there is nothing quite like the smell of an old board game as the lid gets lifted off, ready to play, sometimes you want to play a board game that doesn’t take up space. Sitting with your headphones on, playing your favorite music, chatting with friends over Discord, and enjoying everything that the board game has to offer – without the setup or tidying up.
There is room for digital versions of the most loved tabletop games, and here are some that are worth a try (if you haven’t played them already!).
Photo by Karthik Balakrishnan on Unsplash
7 Wonders
7 Wonders is a super fun game that can be played with between 2 and 7 players – and what’s more, is that anyone over the age of ten can play it. Making it an ideal game for families, too. It is in the same genre as Civilization and spans economics, card games, and strategy too.
For those who want to play alone, there is an AI option. You can test this game out on iOS and Android, but it is highly recommended you play on a larger screen cause there is a lot of information. There is a bit of a learning curve, but nothing too dramatic.
It’s a game that can pass more hours than you’d like to admit!
Gloomhaven
Gloomhaven is a smash hit game suitable for between 1 and 4 players. It feels and plays a lot like Baulder’s Gate or Dungeons and Dragons. The game master will set up a scenario, and you get to build your characters exactly how you want them, and off on an adventure you’ll go!
What makes Gloomhaven so popular online is that it can take up a lot of space – but it can also be expensive. Playing online is a great way to have fun with the genre, experience the game, and save some cash too.
When you want to take a break, the game saves where you are, and of course, the perk is that there is no need to tidy up, and hope you remember where everything goes.
Backgammon
There are a couple of benefits to playing backgammon, including cognition, and it gives a good memory boost, too. Aside from that, it is a game that requires skill, strategy, a little bit of planning, and the ability to change strategy on the more of a checker. Backgammon used to be a lot more popular than it is now; however, with the revival of similar games, backgammon can now be found online.
Hive
For those who like something a little more usual and very cool to look at, Hive might just be the one for you. You only need two players, and it is suitable for anyone over the age of nice. Each of the very cool hexagon shapes features a different insect, and your job is to make sure that you manage to surround your opponent’s queen bee – without them getting to yours. This one is highly tactical – and you need to be good or get good at thinking a few moves ahead!
You can play Hive on Android and PC – but perhaps one of the best things is that it supports cross-platform playing, and if you prefer it, you can play alone.
Catan
A classic! Catan has been one of the most popular and most loved board games since it was released. Although, at the time, it was known as Settlers of Catan – it is now available as an app form. There is also an app form of Rivals For Catan – the massively popular card game. What makes this one such a nice game to play digitally is that it has held very tightly in all aspects to the original. Not only does it feature the classic maps that players will be used to, but it also has expansions.
There are a couple of cool features with Catan – the first being the option to use the chat system, which means players can communicate if they want to. The second is a very nice matchmaking system that will find you opponents to play against – and that works in all modes, too.
Board Games have long been one of the most enjoyable hobbies around; they can be as social or as solitary as you like. The great thing about them going digital is that you can play with friends, family, and people all over the world. Not that you need it, but as an extra incentive to see if your most-loved board games are online, here is a nice reminder of the benefits: How Gaming is Good for the Brain – Nerdy Curious.