Best Board Games to Play in Quarantine | Luke Visser, Chappaqua

When going out for entertainment isn’t possible people look for different ways to stay busy. As a result, there has been a resurgence in families playing board games at home. Yet there are so many to choose from it can be difficult to figure out where to start. Here are some of the best board games for staying entertained at home.

For a quick half hour or hour long gaming session there is always Ticket To Ride. The game has been described as Monopoly, but with trains instead of properties. Players build multi car trains to connect various cities to each other. The goal of the game is to build an entire railway system while gaining as many points as possible.

History buffs often spend their free time playing 7 Wonders. Over the course of the game, players travel through three ages in time. By collecting cards, they slowly build the seven wonders of the world, one by one. Each wonder brings players benefits, immediately or over an extended period of time. Players can buy and sell glass, clay, wood and other resources between them. One game of 7 Wonders can usually be completed in half an hour.

Another popular choice for filling time is Dominion, a card game set in medieval times. The game starts by dealing players estate and copper cards. While they need to hold on to the real estate cards, it is crucial to be able to rid themselves of the copper cards before its too late. To advance in the game, players need to collect treasure and victory cards. These cards are the currency needed to purchase cards that are more valuable to players. The goal of the game is to trade up cards so that one player gains the most valuable assets possible. A game of Dominion can generally be played in half an hour, with up to six players.

Anyone who has ever wanted to build their own town should play Carcassonne. Players build their own French territories and can also block the efforts of other players to build competing territories. The key to winning this game is knowing when to block other players from building and when to join forces with them to pool resources.

Originally published at https://lukevisserchappaqua.org.