5 Fun Online Games To Play With Friends While Social Distancing

As the COVID-19 situation persists, everyone is required to stay indoors to uphold social distancing measures so as to minimise the risk of spreading the fatal virus. The question on how one can stay in touch with family and friends during this pandemic arises. Enter online games.

What is suggested is reducing physical interactions, so you can try alternative ways such as playing online games together to remain connected during this unprecedented time of disruption. After all, humans are born wired for connection. Get creative with the way you hangout with your loved ones!

With more time on your hand, gather your clan for a fun session of online gaming to touch base with those you have not met for as long as you can remember.

These 5 online games will replace your core need for social interactions virtually and they are more fun than a barrel of monkeys. Best of all, they don’t cost a penny!

Also read: 14 Creative Hobbies You Can Pick Up While at Home

1. Skribbl.io

Get your friends together online for a multiplayer drawing and guessing game to find out who is an artist and who can’t draw for nuts. Sribbl.io is practically an online Pictionary where you can create a private room for your friends to put their drawing to test. Take turns to flaunt your artistic flair (or the lack thereof) while the rest make their guesses in the side chat. This classic game will crack y’all up!

2. Houseparty

True to its moniker, Houseparty will get the party started even when you are within the confines of your own home. It enables group video chatting and takes it up a notch by integrating a number of games that does not require you to leave the application. With Heads Up!, Trivia, Chips and Guac and Quick Draw!, you can pit against up to 8 friends in a friendly battle and video conference simultaneously.

FYI, while Houseparty is supported on Android, iOS, and desktop, games can only be played on the mobile version. Do not miss out on this highly interactive online game that will make face-to-face interaction a breeze. You can even link your Facebook and Snapchat profiles to reach out to friends fuss-free.

3. Mario Kart Tour

Chances are, the names Mario and Luigi ring a bell. If you have forgotten, they are two characters that featured in Super Mario Bros – a timeless classic. With Mario Kart Tour – an adrenaline-pumping rendition of the all-time favourite game, you can take a walk down memory lane and race around courses inspired by real-world cities. 

Also, the new real-time multiplayer feature in this online game is up and running meaning you can compete against up to seven others ( your friends included) by unlocking one cup within the game and switching to multiplayer.

Trust us, once you start playing, you won’t want to stop until you land the coveted first position so that you can brag to your friends. 

Just a tip, remember to tap the screen to fire off items you have collected along the track which include bananas and bloopers to give you an edge over your competitors.

4. Cards Against Humanity

If you didn’t already know, you can recreate the frenzied pace of playing the notorious card game online thanks to cardsagainstformality.io. Simply launch the website and choose whether you want to play anonymously, create your own game, or take part in one of the available games. If you decide on creating your own game, there is the option of setting a password so strangers can’t join in. Plus, you can even be as creative as possible when naming the group on top of factorising the maximum number of players and duration of each round.  

There is no winning per se. The goal is to complete fill-in-the-blank statements (black cards) with the wittiest words or phrases from the hand dealt to you (white cards). Players will take turns judging each round, picking which pair of white and black cards engenders the funniest response in the cleverest way. Just be as offensive, risqué, and politically incorrect as you can be – it is a great way to jostle the funny bone.

5. Words with Friends 2

Also read: 6 Netflix Hacks You Need To Know

Who says you can’t expand your vocabulary and improve your spelling skills while in quarantine? Let us banish that thought by introducing Words with Friends 2 to you. Challenge your friends and mind in this online game which is designed to progressively get more difficult as you level up. 

Connect to Facebook or ask your friends for their username to take turns creating words by placing tiles on the boards vertically and horizontally. The aim is to score more points than your friends. Using all seven tiles will win you a bonus 35 points. 

Social distancing won’t drive you crazy if you know how to stay in touch and have fun in an alternative way. We hope these online games will be a great source of entertainment and bring you and your friends closer together as you await the restrictions to be lifted.

In the meanwhile, stay safe and well at home!