Ten board games to play in lockdown

Originally posted on CoronaUnity.

It’s difficult to switch off technology in this modern age, and even more so due to lockdown. Staring at a screen all day isn’t the best remedy for your mental health either. Board games are a great way to distance yourself from your phone whilst keeping your mind active and having fun whilst doing so.

Here is a list of ten entertaining board games to play with your family and keep you amused during lockdown:

Unlock! Series

This board game series is inspired by escape rooms and uses a simple system which allows you to search scenes, combine objects, and solve riddles. The props and the interactive puzzles enhance the experience of the game to make it feel like you are physically in an escape room.

In this game, you have many different scenarios to escape, and the choice is yours. From an island full of dinosaurs, to finding the Wizard in Oz to escape. They are incredibly enjoyable and will provide excellent entertainment for a good few hours.

Exploding Kittens

Despite the name, this game is quirky and is simple to learn. If you’re into kittens or explosions, then this might be the game for you. Players take turns drawing cards until someone draws an exploding kitten, at which point they explode and are out of the game unless someone has a defuse card.

Whilst the game only lasts around 15 minutes, you’ll be able to have hours of fun by trying out different tactics or adding one of the expansions to enhance the game. Don’t worry, it won’t end relationships, but it will add more excitement to your life!

Magic Maze

Set in a fantasy world where you play the usual tropes such as wizard, warrior, elf and dwarf. However, they have all lost their weapons and equipment, so in a desperate attempt to get cash they decide to rob the local shopping centre.

One of the funniest things about this game, you cannot talk to each other. Plus, there are no turns and the game is a free-for-all. Perhaps the best thing about this game is ‘the red X figure’ in which you can throw at another player to make an action, but the comedy is trying to gesture what the problem is without speaking. A time-limit and silence both combine for a unique game experience.

Forbidden Sky

Following a group of ill-fated adventurers who land on a mysterious platform in the sky. All isn’t as it seems when the platform begins to be buffeted by high winds and an electrical storm brewing, the adventurers must complete a working electrical circuit to launch a rocket that will lead them to safety.

Each player will be given unique roles and it has a variety of difficult settings if you’re looking for a challenge. The coolest thing about this game is that you build an electrical circuit that works! You’ll never find a game like this one.

Here Comes The Dog

Finding a game that everyone can enjoy is extremely tough, but Here Comes The Dog might have you covered. The premise of the game is simple, tame as many wild dogs as possible whilst trying to protect your villagers. At first glance it may seem basic, the charm of the game itself makes up for that.

It’s a wonderful introduction for any first-time board game player or a great filler for a games night. Whilst it's not a complex survival game, it has a mass appeal and ingenuity unlike any other.

Deep Sea Adventure

Despite the game box being small enough to fit in your pocket, it’s a whole lot of game compacted into it. The premise follows up to six players who are divers on board a rickety submarine searching for treasure. However, players must weigh in factors such as oxygen levels and distance when making their decisions.

This is a push-your-luck game in which players must decide whether to push further for more points or stick to being safe. Deep Sea Adventure won’t fail to amuse you, and it shows that good things can come in small packages.

Red November

It begins with being trapped in an engine room and you must fix the pressure before the entire submarine blows up. You’ll take control of desperate sailors who are racing against the clock in order to survive.

The best things about this game are that you’ll have to work together to complete tasks, and that you play as Gnome sailors. Overall, this is a fun game that’s accessible and doesn’t take a huge amount of knowledge to play.

Thunderbirds

Based on the cult British show from the 1960s, the game follows members of the International Rescue team as they battle against the Hood. To win, you must take control of the iconic machines from Thunderbirds and play together to avert deadly disasters and thwart the Hood’s plans.

Even if you haven’t seen the show, it’s a blast to play and you’ll easily find yourself playing with the machines and characters. It has clever game mechanics, but the rules are easy to follow. A game that’s fun for the whole family.

Carcassonne

Named after the medieval town in southern France, the players must draw and place tiles in this game. The tiles feature different terrains, such as a grass or rivers, and the player must decide whether to place one of their figures on the area (e.g. farmer on grass).

Points are scored when a tile is complete with a figure on it, and once all the fields have been completed, the game is over, and scoring begins. This might be a simple game, but it’s an amusing one that’ll leave you wanting to play again.

Escalation!

Players want to collect as few cards as possible, and each player starts with a hand of six cards from a deck that contains cards numbered 1-13 and special cards. The starting player must place down a card, and then the next player must follow with a number that’s higher.

As soon as one player has no cards, the game ends and the winner is the one with the lowest number of cards. Don’t worry, this game doesn’t try to challenge your numeracy skills but instead focuses on how cunning you are. Easy to play and is instantly re-playable.