Playing well-loved and traditional games together is a great way to spend time with loved ones, bonding over the shared experience and the friendly rivalry. It’s especially great for when you’re travelling as a pack of cards is small and lightweight, so it won’t take up much room in your bag or weigh you down.
Travel versions of games like chess, draughts/checkers, Scrabble and battleships have all been created to make it easier to play these popular board games on the go. They’re usually smaller, have a magnetic board and pieces, or fold away neatly into a small box that you can pack away in your bag.
In 2020, there is an even more convenient way you can play classic card and board games on the go that doesn’t involve tiny playing pieces that can get lost or cards that you have to tidy back away.
Instead, you can just load up an app on your smartphone or tablet and play for as long as you like, and when you’re finished, press the home button to close it. Here are some of the best classic games available right now.
Poker
Poker is a popular card game to play with friends as it promotes competition and tests how well you can read each other. While there are many different versions of the game, each with slight tweaks to the rules, the vast majority follow the same principle.
You need to make the highest hand possible with the cards you have. If you’ve been dealt a poor hand, you can still win by bluffing in the hopes that you’ll convince your opponents you have a good hand.
While it’s been played for years, it’s now possible to use your Android or iOS device to take part in ring games and tournaments. This allows you to play no matter where you are, without the need for cards and chips.
Monopoly
Monopoly is one of the world’s most popular board games; so much so, you’ll struggle to find many people who haven’t played it at least once. Mattel, the company that owns the rights to the game, has created several new modern versions in recent years, including a version that uses cards instead of cash and an electronic version with a circular board.
However, the best way to enjoy the game on the go is to download the Monopoly app for your smartphone.
This gives you two different ways to play with friends. The first is a conventional online multiplayer mode, where you compete over the internet from separate devices. This is great for when you want to play with friends when you’re not together.
The second lets you pass the smartphone or tablet from player to player as their turn comes up. This means you only need to buy the app once (though it’s cheap anyway) and there’s no need for an internet connection.
Scrabble
Scrabble is a board game that’s more than 80 years old. It’s a test of your vocabulary and strategic thinking as you try to use the tiles you’ve drawn to create words that will score the highest number of points.
It’s incredibly popular, with around half of all British households owning a Scrabble set. It’s even become a competitive sport, with more than 4,000 clubs operating around the world.
Like with most board games, the problem with playing Scrabble while travelling is that you need a flat playing surface for the board and small knocks can move the titles you’ve already put down.
That’s where Scrabble GO comes in. This is an official mobile version of the game that you can play for free on your iOS or Android device. Unlike Monopoly, it contains microtransactions, so you’ll have to endure a few annoying pop-ups while you play.
With that said, it’s still a great game to play with friends or even strangers. It’s convenient too since you don’t need to set aside a lot of time to play; simply take your turn and the app will notify you when your opponent has taken theirs.