With the pandemic happening, many tabletop players have turned to using services like Steam, Roll20, Board Game Arena, Tabletop Simulator, and Tabletopia, to name a few. This has allowed board game enthusiast to continue to play their favorite games solo or to continue to connect with friends.
However, not all your friends own the same online games you do and not all games have the ability to let your friends join the same game. And with so many options to choose from, it can start to get expensive. Sometimes you just want to play a game or two with friends without worrying if everyone owns the game or not, or if the software is available on desktop, tablet or mobile. So here is a list of standalone browser based games that you can play with friends:
Dominion Online
https://dominion.games/
Need to create a login. It’s free and easy to use.
Cards Against Humanity Online clone
https://cardsagainstonline.com/
Free to play/join. No login required.
Catan clone called Colonist
https://colonist.io/
Login in free, though not intuitive to start a game.
When you first access https://colonist.io/ you have a choice to play with a bot, join a game or create a new game.
To start a new game, click create
Once you start a game, you can edit your name and color, and add bots if you want an additional player or two (A)
Next, copy url to invite friends
Make sure to select Private Game if you don’t want people outside your group to join (C)
Also check max players for the number of players you are inviting (including yourself) (D). Other settings for the game are up to you.
IMPORTANT: Once you have once you have the game setup the way you want, send the invite friends link to the other gamers. Once they hit I’m ready, they will show up in section (A). Once everyone is in the Room, hit I’m ready (E) and then click Start Game
Splendor clone called Splendee
https://spendee.mattle.online/lobby/rooms
No login required. It doesn’t have the images on the cards like Splendor, just the numbers and resource cost of each card, but it’s free.
Codenames
https://codenames.game/
Create a room and share the url with your friends. No login.
Secret Hitler
https://secrethitler.io/
Need to create a login to play.
Drawphone
https://rocketcrab.com/game/drawphone
Get a word and try to draw it while other players guess what the word it.
Keyforge
https://thecrucible.online/play/
Need to create a login to play this 2 player game.
Avalon Online
https://avalon.fun/
Need to create a login to play.
Netrunner
https://www.jinteki.net/
Need to create a login. 2 player game that has the full catalog of Netrunner cards.
Monopoly clone called Rento Monopoli
https://boardgamesonline.net/Online/monopoli
Play solo or online
If you want to find options for more online board games, check out a listed games posted on reddit in r/coolguides by u/Evandeel by going to https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NO-05LM-SakbwqNajBXgIO4HuCSkBd6n/view
Don’t forget to join us on Discord and happy gaming!