Because there’s more to the college game scene than tossing ping pong balls into cups.
1. Spikeball
This game has gained popularity in recent years, so you can literally apply to be a Spikeball ambassador for your college. The concept is simple: two teams of two take turns bouncing a small yellow ball back and forth on a mini-trampoline — and if one team misses, the other team gets a point. Sort of like volleyball, but with no net, no boundaries, and equipment that you can carry wherever you’re heading. You’ll wonder where this game was during your entire childhood.
2. Cards Against Humanity
Just like Apples to Apples, but…um…not quite as family friendly. A self-described “party game for horrible people,” this relatively cheap card game is a huge hit that never seems to get old. You can even print out the entire card set (it’s legal!) and make ‘em yourself if you don’t want to shell out the cash. Prepare for a series of, “Did I really just say that?” moments.
3. Settlers of Catan
If you overhear someone offering to trade three sheep for a brick and an oar, chances are you haven’t actually been teleported to a medieval marketplace — you’re just eavesdropping on the sort of trades that go down during a game of Settlers of Catan. Loved by self-identified nerds and casual gamers alike, this board game pits you against three or four others to build a successful civilization in the uninhabited land of Catan. The first player to get ten Victory Points wins. Think Monopoly on steroids, but with, like, 300% more sheep.
4. KanJam
KanJam may look like nothing more than a garbage can with a slot in its side, but somehow this Frisbee-based beach/lawn/tailgate game has become a bit of a sensation. One teammate tosses the discover the can (or Kan?), then the other tries to knock it through the top. And in the rare event that you can throw it straight into the side slot, your team wins instantly. Surprisingly addicting.
5. Heads Up
College-kid-tested, Ellen-Degeneres-approved. This game has one player hold their phone up to their forehead while a word pops up on the screen—everyone else’s job is to get that player to say the word on the screen. It only costs a dollar on the App Store, it comes with a ton of different themed card packs, and the best part is that you have it with you whenever and wherever you go. Nothing like trying to get your friend to shout “Fifty Shades of Grey” in the middle of the library.
6. Quelf
Don’t even bother with the instructions for this one, ‘cuz there’s only one rule that matters: OBEY THE CARD. No matter what. This game will have you answering trivia questions and completing physical challenges, all while obeying the absurd rules written on the cards you draw — anything from balancing a shoe on your head for the remainder of the game to breakdancing anytime someone coughs. Makes for a hilarious study break without fail.
7. Assassin
There are board games, there are drinking games, there are video games…and then there’s Assassin, off in a category of its own. Every game has different rules, but the basic concept is the same: each player is assigned another player as a target, whom they are responsible for “killing” at some point (for example, with a Nerf gun or a secret code word, depending on the rules) before the game ends. It’s played over a very long period of time, so you never know whether your assassin will be waiting for you in your dorm lobby or outside your 8 am lecture. Beware!
8. Watch Ya’ Mouth
Recommended for pre-dental students as well as all other students that are not pre-dental. First things first split up into two teams. Done? Okay, now each team will take turns having 60 seconds to interpret as many phrases on the cards as possible. The catch? The person reading the card uses a hilarious mouthpiece that makes it difficult to communicate. The interpreter is the one that has to decipher the phrase. You are bound to have many laughs playing this game!
9. Psychiatrist
This game is perfect for a larger group of people, so try gathering your floor mates together for a night of bonding! You start by sitting in a circle and choosing one person as the “psychiatrist.” This person leaves the room out of earshot, while the rest of the group comes up with a rule to abide by. When the “psychiatrist” comes back in, he or she will ask each individual a question to try and figure out the “illness.” The rule can be as simple as scratching your nose every time you answer, or it can be more complex! It’s a great chance to exercise your creativity with friends!
10. Ticket to Ride
The point of this board game is to embark on a cross-country train adventure. You do this by collecting cards of different types of train cars and claiming railway routes connecting cities together. Gain points through destination cards and creating the longest continuous train!
Whether it be a rainy day or a relaxed weekend on campus, we hope you enjoy these games at your home away from home!