The 10 Best Video Games To Play With Family Over the Holidays
2020 has been difficult, and it’s latest and greatest challenge will be spending the upcoming holidays away from our friends & families. Fortunately, gaming is here to help make those distances feel a little less distant. We’ve compiled a list of ten outstanding, family-friendly multiplayer games that you can play online over the holidays. Of course, the games you decide to play will be dependent on your friends & family owning the appropriate devices to play these games – but maybe now is the perfect time to encourage those people in your life to purchase a new console or upgrade their PC. And now, in no particular order, here are our suggestions for online holiday fun.
1) Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Animal Crossing: New Horizons was one of our highest rated games in 2020. The beauty of Animal Crossing: New Horizons is being able to build and customize your very own island paradise. Friends & family can visit your home, enjoy some fun mini-games or take in some fishing. It’s a great way to relax and unwind. And who knows, if you play your cards right, you might even get a visit from a real-life celebrity! You’ll find Animal Crossing: New Horizon exclusively on Nintendo Switch.
2) Among Us
Among us has actually been available for a couple years now, but has recently become a cult hit thanks to earning some much-deserved popularity via game streaming. Once you play it, it’s really easy to see why it’s become so popular. Among Us has a very simple, yet addictive gameplay that revolves around a fun “who-dun-it?” game mechanic. Among Us is currently available on mobile phones, PC, and Nintendo Switch, all of which can be played together via crossplay.
3) The Jackbox Party Packs
There are currently seven Jackbox Party Packs currently available on pretty much every platform out there. Each pack is a collection of short mini-games with a heavy focus on humour. They’re also very easy for everyone to enjoy, as all players need for a controller is their own tablet or cellphone. Ideally, these games should be played locally, where everyone can see the TV screen, however, with some help from video conferencing apps like Zoom, you’ll be able to play with friends & family anywhere. The developers at Jackbox Games even created a handy guide to get you started.
Not sure which Jackbox Party Pack to play? Our favourite is Drawful 2, which is available as a standalone purchase. Or you can get the original Drawful in the first Jackbox Party Pack which also includes the amusing Fibbage. We also recommend Jackbox Party Pack 2 which includes Fibbage 2 and the entertaining Bidiots. You’ll find the Jackbox Party Packs on most devices, including game consoles and PC.
4) Minecraft
Minecraft has been around for what seems like ages, and if you have kids, you’ve probably gotten your fair share of Minecraft fun. The beauty of Minecraft is the ability for gamers young and old to create incredible buildings, towns, and contraptions. If you’ve got younger family members who are into Minecraft, I highly recommend jumping online and letting them give you a virtual tour of their hard work. You could even volunteer to add your own contributions. It’s like a digital version of building LEGO structures, but you can do it from a safe distance. You’ll be able to find Minecraft on every console and PC.
5) Hasbro Family Fun Pack
Board games have been a staple in households for generations, so it makes sense we include one of the best board game collections on this list. The Hasbro Family Fun Pack includes Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit, Risk, and Monopoly. Each game comes with a variety of different options to cater to different groups. While it’s hard to fully create the magic of playing Monopoly around a kitchen table, it’s still a blast to play.
Check out page 2 for another five family-friendly games you can enjoy with your friends & family during the holidays.