The coronavirus pandemic has had people stuck in isolation for around seven months now, so finding ways to safely burn time has become a priority to many. If that’s the case, consider these video games to play with friends and/or family.

Among Us by InnerSloth

The premise of Among Us is that the player is stuck on a spaceship with four to ten other players. On the said ship, there are crewmates and one to three imposters. The goal of the crewmates is to survive and vote to eject the imposters, or to complete tasks assigned at the beginning of the match. The goal of the imposters is to kill and sabotage these crewmates. 

On the App Store, Among Us, is completely free, and $5.99 to play on Steam. It’s rated “Overwhelmingly Positive” on Steam, the highest score, and 4.4 stars on the App Store, making the game both fun and accessible. This is because even though the gameplay relies on cooperation, it also requires players to falsely accuse and betray one another to succeed. Overall, it’s a highly recommended play that strengthens bonds among us. 

The Jackbox Party Pack 6 by Jackbox Games

The Jackbox Party Pack 6, or Jackbox 6, in simpler terms, is a collection of usually trivia-based minigames that can be played with up to ten players at a time. Such games include Trivia Murder Party 2, Role Models, Joke Boat, Dictionarium, and Push the Button. 

Although Jackbox 6 costs $24.99 on Steam, only one player, the host, needs to buy the pack in order for everyone else to play. On top of that, anyone can join in on the fun using any device with a browser. The game is rated 8.5/10 on Metacritic, and “Overwhelmingly Positive” on Steam, being regarded as a highly accessible, wacky experience, although the only way to play is with your friends. Moreover, if Jackbox 6 wasn’t good enough, consider trying out The Jackbox Party Pack 7, which is said to have released on Oct. 15, 2020.

Super Mario Party by Nintendo

Super Mario Party comes from a long line of Mario party games, yet the premise is still the same, much like Jackbox 6. It’s basically just a digital board game, where the main goal is to roll the dice and collect as many power stars as possible before the turns run out. At the end of every turn, the players have to play one of eighty mini-games meant to tip the scale of the match. 

On IGN, Super Mario Party is rated 76/100 by critics, and 7.2/10 by users. It has also received three awards from 2018 through 2019, such as the “Best Family Game Award” in Gamescom Awards. Generally, it’s regarded as a decent game that requires both skill and luck to win, so it’s not recommended for the unlucky. Unfortunately, however, it costs a whopping $59.99, although only one person needs to buy the game in order for multiple people to play. It’s a mixed bag overall, yet still an iconic piece of entertainment.