Five Internet-Inspired Board Games To Help You Beat the Winter Blues

When it comes to Winter, social outings are not its strong point. After all, who can be bothered heading out for an evening of rooftop drinks, when a cozy night in – complete with sleepwear and snacks – beckons? Fortunately, there is an alternative to spending the entire period between June and August curled up on the couch binging on Netflix and spoonfuls of Nutella straight from the jar. Namely, a bunch of card games and activities that give the notion of gaming an old-school twist! Coming to us from the Sunny side of town? These excellent internet inspired board games work just as well for a fun Summer celebration. The main difference being the addition of an icy cold drink!

What Do You Meme Aussie Edition

A game for the meme master, What Do You Meme? allows you to challenge your friends and family to craft the most hilarious memes. Each player starts with seven caption cards. One photo card is selected for the round and displayed on the easel. Everyone except the judge picks a caption card to pair with the photo card, passing their chosen cards face down to the judge. The ultimate aim is to match photo cards with caption cards, and create your own outrageously funny meme combinations. 

Clickbait

The aim of this award-winning game (which gives a nod to its web-themed origins through an arrow-shaped box package that resembles a computer cursor) is to put your writing skills to the test. And, come up with outrageous “clickbaity” slogans for pointless products. In each round of Clickbait (available at amazon.com.au), players reveal an outrageous product card. Then, roll five-letter dice, and use these letters to craft an advertisement for some of the internet’s quirkiest products. After judges choose their favourite, a new product card is unveiled, and the dice are rolled anew. The first player to compose three winning pieces of clickbait claims victory!

New Phone Who Dis Aussie Edition

Get ready to put your texting skills to the test with New Phone Who Dis Aussie Edition. The hilarious offline adults-only text message party game that’s been updated with even more Australian content! In this game, players take turns drawing a card, specifically an “inbox” card, while the rest of the group competes to play the most humorous reply card.

For instance, an inbox card could say, “I know I’m probably the last person you want to hear from right now. But, I think I should tell you, the doctor thinks it’s …” In response, a player might use the reply card, “Grandma, did you forget to take your pills today?”

After everyone has chosen their reply card, the judge selects the funniest combination. The player who played that reply card earns a point. The game continues in this manner until the end, where the player with the most points emerges as the winner.

ThinkFun Hacker Cybersecurity Coding Game

The ThinkFun Hacker Cybersecurity Coding Game at amazon.com offers an excellent opportunity to introduce players to the basics of cybersecurity and coding through a series of interactive puzzles. Suitable for ages 10+, this game combines fun with education. Making it an excellent choice for both classrooms and family game nights.

In this game, players take on the role of a white-hat hacker, working to protect a system from security breaches. The game includes a main game board, a challenge booklet with missions of increasing difficulty, and various game pieces representing elements of cybersecurity scenarios. Players select a mission and set up the game board as instructed. The objective is to navigate the board by creating a sequence of logical moves, planning the path to collect data files and avoid security breaches. It’s a fantastic game for sparking an interest in coding and cybersecurity among young players while also providing a stimulating challenge for adults.

Startups

Startups by Oink Games (at amazon.com.au) is a strategic card game. One, where players compete to invest in promising new companies and become the most successful venture capitalist. Designed for 3 to 7 players and suitable for ages 10 and up, it is perfect for family game nights.

In Startups, players begin with a hand of cards representing different startup companies. The objective is to invest wisely in these companies to gain the most influence and control. Each company has a limited number of shares, and players must decide when to invest and when to hold back, balancing risk and reward. Players take turns drawing and playing cards, aiming to collect sets of company shares. Strategic decisions are crucial, as players seek to hold the majority of shares in the most profitable startups. The game involves elements of bluffing and deduction, requiring players to keep an eye on their opponents’ investments while managing their own portfolios. The winner is the player with the most influence over the most successful startups at the end of the game.