Looking for 10 cool board games to try in your spare time? Nowadays, much of our time is spent in front of screens and keyboards. While those mediums of entertainment and work have their perks, solid board games are beneficial. First, they often require players to be more social. Players can spend time with friends and family while still being focused on a goal. In this way, it separates a person from the distractions of devices and technology. Second, board games don’t stress the eyes or hands in the way that a keyboard and bright screen can do.
Due to this, a break with a neat board game can be refreshing. Third, most board games are very affordable. They can be bought once without any monthly payments or renewals. This cannot be said for a lot of other forms of entertainment. These benefits, combined with the nostalgia fulfilling moments that remind us of simpler days, are what make these games a worthwhile addition to one’s stash of entertainment.
Chess
The highly strategic nature of Chess make it one of the coolest 2 player board games known.
Best Boredom Antidote for: those who want to show off
You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who hasn’t heard of chess and for good reason. It’s a good way to pass the time. Chess is a skillful game that only requires two players. It can be unpredictable, which makes it exciting. The pieces can be elegant. If you’re willing to spend the money, a fancy chess set doubles as decoration the same way an unused grand piano does.
All in all, this is a smart game that practices your reasoning and planning skills. The amount of skill it takes might make you feel like a prodigy. Furthermore, claiming you play Chess can convince would-be doubters of your awe inspiring intellect. A sense of accomplishment and an ego boost accumulates for every win. Conversely, the biggest con in chess is the soul-crushing pain of losing.
Monopoly
Monopoly is one of the coolest classic board games for when you have a lot of time.
Best Boredom Antidote for: when you feel like earning money by doing nothing
Monopoly is the ultimate game of capitalism and business. You never know what the next card will hold. With that in mind, you have to make investment choices without going bankrupt. This is the perfect game for competitive people. Yet , it is also relatively easy to play, requiring little more than the ability to count. This makes it appropriate for most ages from 8 to 100+. Additionally, many people are familiar with Monopoly, which makes it easy to start with little delay. Just beware: this game can go on forever.
Agricola
If you want a game that can be played with small groups or with just a single player Agricola is a good choice.
Best Boredom Antidote for: Days where you’d like to leave the hustle and bustle to join the simple farming life
Agricola involves strategic role play where you start off as a farmer and begin to grow your agricultural enterprise through a series of decisions. One aspect that is unique about Agricola is you don’t need other players. So, although it might look sad to onlookers, you can enjoy this game without assistance. (It sure beats solo ping pong.) It’s a stress reliever to get your mind off things unplugged from the net and technology.
Many people are not familiar with this game. So, if you play with others, there is a learning curve. This, however, makes the game novel to play. Last, Agricola is text heavy. Therefore, it is best recommended for ages 12 and up or any 7 year old who can read Falkner.
The Game of Life
The Game of Life is one of the best family board games.
Best Boredom Antidote for: days when you’d like to be someone else
The Game of Life, unlike real life sometimes, is easy to play. The primary goal is to retire as the most successful person out of your peers. For the capitalist in all of us, this means accumulating the most money and buying an expensive house for your retirement at the end of the game.
It is fun for children because it gets them thinking about career choices. Also, depending on what version you buy, some of the careers have been updated. There are lots of choices to be made and many interactive pieces. Even the board is neat looking with three dimensional pieces that stick out. Just don’t spin the wheel too hard or it’ll come off its frame…or you’ll end up with a child.
Buy Now: The Game of Life (Free Shipping)
Candy Land
Whether you’re playing with a toddler to teach basic instruction following and color recognition or you’re in serious nostalgia mode, Candy Land has been one of the top children’s board games of the past 5 decades.
Best Boredom Antidote for: when the kids won’t stop fighting
This game is fit for young children and lets them practice following instructions. What makes it appropriate for the very young is they do not need to know how to read. This game is easy to learn for young kids. When it comes to adult facilitators (or competitive players), most people already know how to play. It is very much a classic.
The board is also pretty, with craving inducing pictures of various sweets. The subject of sugar is a hit with children. It is such a hit, they might not realizethey are practicing pre-school skills during the game. Furthermore, there is no skill required to win. All is dictated by the chance order of cards or the spin of a wheel (Sssshh…don’t tell the kids). For the adults among us, it might not be best if you’re on a diet and are trying to avoid cravings. You might try to eat the board and scare the kiddies. Overall it is one of the coolest kid’s board games available.
7 Wonders
7 Wonders is a popular card drafting game.
Best Boredom Antidote for: wanting immersion without a huge time commitment
Perhaps one of the most frequently mentioned benefits of 7 Wonders is it usually takes about a half an hour to play. This isn’t very long , so it is an ideal game to fill up a short break from work. There shouldn’t be a need to leave the game board by the wayside to finish later, which can be a nuisance.
7 Wonders, compared to other games on this list, is relatively new. Despite this, since its creation in 2010, 7 wonders has been the recipient of more than 30 awards.
The game play involves cards and building ancient civilization themes appropriate for players age 10 and up due to difficulty. You can play with a partner or with up 6 other players.
5 Second Rule
5 Second Rule is a cool game of speed.
Best Boredom Antidote for: when everyone around you has too much energy
When playing 5 Second Rule, the key is being able to think fast on your feet. Each person is given a topic determined by a card. He or she is then given a short period of time to name 3 items that fit this category. The very short period of time allotted makes this a challenging and exhilarating experience. More than anything this is an improvisation game similar to what one might expect in a theater exercise. 5 Second Rule provides high energy fun that will stretch your imagination and association abilities. Family members age 10 and up are likely to enjoy it thoroughly.
Tokaido
Tokaido is a lesser known game where one travels with the goal of becoming the most experienced traveler out of your companions.
Best Boredom Antidote for: When you want to travel without ever leaving home
Tokaido is your zen game option of choice and was made by the same makers as the popular 7 Wonders game. The pretty watercolor looking board and pieces are perfect or a soothing atmosphere. During one’s journey, one has a choice of a slow travel route or a fast one in order to increase the chances of scoring more points through experiences. The more accumulated experiences you have the better your chance at winning. This is the perfect game for having a relaxing evening with a group of 2 to 5 friends. However, because you are playing to earn resources, more players will make competition harder. Moreover, don’t let the tranquility of the game mislead, it takes in-depth strategy to win.
Concept
Concept is a cool game in which you follow clues to guess what other players are thinking.
Best Boredom Antidote for: when you want to confuse your friends
If you’re into a game that requires some in-depth thought, Concept is a good choice. Players select multiple icons on the board in order to have other players guess (like a game of charades) what is the item the other person is thinking of. The only downside to Concept is it can be difficult to learn how to play. Also being able to guess an item based off the given clues can be hard for some, especially the very young. Some recommend trying to play the game so that everyone takes part in the guessing as a group to make this issue easier, however. This is a cool game for parties because it is best with 4 or more players.
Sequence
Sequence is a cool game because it can be played by adults and children as young as 7.
Best Boredom Antidote for: when people of various ages want to play
Sequence is great because it is very easy to play. For those with short attention spans, one game of Sequence can be finished quickly. Each player is dealt several classic cards at a time, and basedoff these cards participants are able to put chips on the board. The end goal is to put down5 chips in a row as many times as possible. Be forewarned though, for many, this game can be addicting
So there you have it. These set of games are entertaining. Sometimes they require great skill and sometimes they only require a few minutes of learning to quickly pick up the game and go. They’re a good fit for multiple age groups. Such makes them the 10 best cool board games to add to your collection.