The coronavirus pandemic has left a lot of us isolating and it is more important than ever that we keep ourselves occupied.
Whether you’re bored, anxious or sick, a classic game is a perfect way to do just that.
With that thought in mind, here is a list of 5 classic games that may scratch an itch for weeks to come.
1. Poker night
It is time to dust off the poker set and bring the household together in a time of heightened anxiety.
Or, with a decent internet connection, you can extend the game online to friends and colleagues through video call applications such as FaceTime and Houseparty.
A classic poker game mixed with modern technology is the perfect opportunity to give your brain some much needed social interaction.
It is also a good time to show off and impress with poker chip tricks. Now there is plenty of time on our hands, why not learn something new? Poker chip tricks are a cool way to add to the game and are a unique skill to learn.
2. Monopoly
The famous game of Monopoly has stood the test of time and is more versatile than ever.
It now exists in the physical and digital world, with many incarnations in between, making it the perfect activity to pass the time and keep your entrepreneurial mind flowing.
Take the board game out of the loft and spend hours on end liberating fake money from your family, and sending them straight to jail.
If you feel that this may cause a few too many divisions in a confined space; you can always take your game online via the mobile app and play people that are thousands of miles away.
3. Rummy
The Rummy card game comes in all manner of variations with no one true way to play it. From Indian Rummy to 500, Oklahoma and Kalooki, the options are endless.
However, in complicated times, the good old fashioned classic version of the game shall suffice. All you need is a deck of cards and two to four people.
The objective of the game is to be the first player to place all their cards into ‘runs’ of the same suits. All of the rules can be found laid out on the GatherTogetherGames Youtube channel.
As a child, playing this game made me feel like I was in the Wild West, in my later years this changed slightly to the tense world of Quinten Tarantino’s Hateful Eight.
As card games go, there are few better ways to waste the day away.
4. Mario Party
A modern classic: now, more than ever, exploring the Mario world is a real escape from the stresses of day to day life.
You can take control of all the characters from the popular game series and really lose yourself in a dependable and light party experience.
The Mario Party installments take inspiration from the board game style, allowing your household to play a plethora of colourful and lighthearted mini-games. It is incredibly accessible to everyone and the whole household can take part in the fun.
The only downside is to play the game you must first own a Nintendo console. The latest version of the game (2018) is on the Nintendo Switch, while older incarnations exist on numerous Nintendo platforms including the Wii, Wii U, and all the way back to the Nintendo 64.
5. Retro videogames
If for any reason you find yourself on your own, or simply want a getaway from your household, then a library of old school videogames could be perfect for you.
Isolation has presented the opportunity to re-acquaint yourself with beloved arcade and console classics; be it Sonic, Pokemon, Pac-man or many others.
While you may ask yourself how to get hold of a retro console, given that now many are collectible and extremely rare.
There really is no need to scour eBay and dip into your precious savings. All you need is an internet connection and a computer.
Emulators such as My Emulator Online offer extensive collections of retro videogames for absolutely free.
Be it, household party games, online poker nights or a simple game to lose yourself in for a bit. There are plenty of classics to keep us functioning and looking forward over the course of the next few weeks.
