Push that homework aside and charge your computer or phone for a night filled with virtual games to play with friends. Catching up with buddies who stayed home this semester or are living off campus is always fun, and there is no better way to reconnect than with a weekend night filled with games that will keep you laughing into the early morning hours. Be sure to check out the following virtual options.

Settlers of Catan

If you and your friends enjoy strategic games that involve trading and forming alliances with other players, Settlers of Catan is the right fit for you. Best played on the computer, users build houses and cities with resources such as brick, wood, wheat, stone and sheep. The goal? To be the first person to reach 10 victory points through settlements and special cards.

Cards Against Humanity

As one of the most popular board games for young adults, the Cards Against Humanity web app provides an online platform where you and nine other friends can meet and play. Choose one game creator who selects the packs of cards and shares the private room code with everyone else. If you want to meet new friends on the server, select the game public option so others can jump into the game.

Among Us

Among Us has recently attracted the attention of game players of all ages and is able to be played with up to 10 people. Private sessions can be made by one user creating a room and sharing a unique code with friends. In this game, there are either one or two imposters who go around killing crewmate players. The remaining crewmates guess the imposter through the chat function where players can give their alibis of where they were during the killing. Each game takes approximately 10 minutes, so you will have a lot of time to complete multiple rounds.

Skribbl.io

This game is basically an online version of Pictionary and is best played on the computer. One player uses the drawing board to create an image for others to guess. The remaining players guess the drawing with the chat bar function. If you are close to the correct word, the game will tell you. The point system is then based on how fast people guess the correct answer. For the drawer, points will also be awarded based on how quickly and easily people came up with the right answer.

Heads Up!

You can find Heads Up! on the Houseparty app. All but one player has access to the word and must give them hints for what it is. The more correct answers you get in a round, the better. Heads Up! is a fast-paced game and gives each player a minute of guessing time. Points are tallied at the end with the winner being the individual who scored the most correct answers.

Mario Kart Tour

If you are looking for nostalgic childhood memories, indulge yourself in playing Mario Kart Tour with friends. You and seven others can take to the racetrack and outmaneuver each other on the road. It is guaranteed that once you start playing, it will be hard to stop.

Kahoot!

Interested in creating your own trivia game? Use Kahoot! to entertain your friends on a Friday night. For this to work, have each player create their own Kahoot game and take turns playing each other’s creations. You can personalize it as much as you would like. Using Zoom to screen share the site and answering the questions on your phone works best. Speed and correctness will earn you more points and help you earn your way to the podium.

Monopoly

As some people put it, Monopoly is the game that never ends. However, as a beloved classic, investing time into one game every now and then can be entertaining. All rules are the same and up to four people can join using the Monopoly app. Be sure to set up a Zoom call so you can see your friends and talk while you play.