Mark Roemer image of a laptop with a group of people in a video chat

Online Games You Can Play in Your Apartment While Social Distancing

The coronavirus pandemic has probably got you locked down in your apartment, staring at the walls. Everything you could have done around the house has long since been accomplished. If you are like me, Mark Roemer, you are looking for something to fill your time. I have done a little research and have found some fun online games you can play with your friends that are locked down as well.

Whether you are searching for an old-school favorite, a party game, an escape room, or even some hard-core board games, chances are a virtual option for you. As more and more people have been turning to tech for creative socializing during social distancing, gaming companies have answered the call. Below, you will find some of the best online games you can play with your locked down friends. The great news is you don’t have to have a lot of experience in most of these games.

Jackbox Games

For me, this is the holy grail of social gaming. The company offers many different party games that take little to no time to learn. All you need to do is share your stream and be in a video chat with your friends. The multiplatform design means your friends can play along with no matter if they have a PC, phone, tablet, or gaming console. Just so long as you have access to the internet, you are good to go.

You start by one person buying a party pack that can be found on the website. Individual games are for sale as well, but you will likely spend less money if you buy in bulk. The average cost of a party pack is around $25, but they frequently go on sale for 50% off. The kits are available in a multitude of platforms, including PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and other devices.

Once you have purchased and downloaded the game, it is time to play. Just load the game and join the video chat of your choosing. Some favorites include Zoom, Skype, and Google Hangouts. Use the cast screen option on your end to allow your friends to start joining. They will go to a website that is set up for you. Once there, they will have to enter the room number and click join. Now the only thing to do is play and have fun!

 Escape Rooms

Generally, escape rooms are done in the physical realm. However, with social distancing being the new norm, more and more are becoming available in the digital world. You may as well put your problem-solving skills to good use. Below, you will find a couple that I am quite fond of.

If you are looking for an escape room for ages 12 and up, I highly recommend giving TEG Unlock – The Heist a try. The goal, besides escaping, it to act as a secret agent while trying to thwart a suspected art thief. The game has two parts and can be purchased for around $10 each or $17 for the pair.

Should you need a more kid-friendly version, I would suggest going with the Harry Potter-themed escape room you can find by clicking on the link. This one is free as it was made by Peters Township Public Library in McMurray, Pennsylvania, using Google Docs.

 Either way, you go, you will be in for a night of fun.

Virtual Board Games

For years, people have been playing games that were intended for the tabletop on their phones. There are games like Monopoly, Life, Scrabble, and Clue, to name a few. However, there is a world of tabletop games out there that most people never see. The reason is that games you will find in stores are more geared to the everyday shopper. There is a group of people that have advanced beyond basic tabletop games to much more intense games. While some may argue it doesn’t get more intense than a Monopoly game, trust me when I tell you it does.

If I have piqued your interest, head over to Tabletopia and check out the more than 900 games that you can play. You can either set up a game to be played with friends or join a game that has available seats. Either way, there is a lot of fun to be had playing hundreds of games with other people. There are some games that you can play alone if you don’t have anyone you know that is interested in playing games.

Once on the website, you will find hundreds of games, but you will also find three payment options. You can simply signup for the bronze package and will be charged nothing. If you are looking for a little more, you can signup for the silver package for $4.99 a month. This will give you a limited range of games that you can play and a set number of times. If you want to splurge and have no limits, you should consider the gold package. At $9.99 a month, you will have access to all the games in the collection and no restrictions on how many games you can play in a month.

Mobile Games

Of the games we have talked about so far, the majority of them take a certain amount of time and dedication. If that is not something you currently have, then you might consider mobile gaming. There are plenty of games that you can play with your friends using your phone and a short amount of time in a day. Some of my favorites are Words with Friends 2, Draw Something, and Uno & Friends.

Conclusion

So, there you have it. I, Mark Roemer, hope that you have found this list to be informative. Should you need to spend some time with friends and play some games, all you need to do is review the list above and make a few decisions. Before you get into these games, take the time to research what kind of game you and your friends like. There is no need to spend money on games you will never play.