As the workforce moves online during the pandemic, video conferencing tools are vital to the most prevalent digital office. Still, these platforms are also great for gameplay.

As cities continue to take proactive actions to slow the spread of the coronavirus, online video meeting platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams have become a regular part of the pragmatic workday for millions of employees. However, these video conferencing tools aren't solely intended for office meetings by any means. It turns out; these platforms are also ideal for virtual gameplay with friends and family members.

Providentially, there are countless games to play online to help take a pause from the news and break the sheer boredom of isolating at home. However, some games certainly translate to the digital landscape more readily than others. Below, listed are some of the best games to play online to help maintain some guise of normalcy during the pandemic.

Zoom Bingo

Bingo is one of the more famous video conversation games presently. This is because the game transitions well to the virtual environment and is favourable to large and small groups. It's simple enough to make a bingo card at home with everyday household items, although bingo cards are available on Amazon for those willing to buy. There are an incredible amount of online bingo number generators to help streamline the process. Some of these apps present a recap of numbers already called to reduce possible confusion.

Game link- https://myfreebingocards.com/bingo-card-generator/edit/jsruy2

Chess

Luckily, there are countless ways to play Chess online. One of the most popular is through chess.com, where you can create an account and then challenge friends or family for a match over Zoom. You can also download the game, as an app, on iOS or the Google Play Store. Both options are free but chess.com does offer a membership program for lessons, training puzzles and tournaments.

Turn on Zoom during a match to practice your icy stare, as a coldblooded chess champion. Or, just for a friendly chat while mulling over your next move. This is one of the simplest games on the list to recreate virtually.

 Game link- chess.com

Charades

Charades is one of the more refreshing choices on this list for those looking to add a little pep to their game night. In Charades, one player is supposed to draw a card, pantomime this clue, and their teammates strive to guess the mystery word. There's a free Charades app available in the App Store and Google Play to assist, but it's just as easy for each team member to have a timer and word dynamo open in a separate tab while playing the game. Each right guess scores a point, and these points are totalled after a predestined number of rounds. 

Game Link- https://psycatgames.com/magazine/party-games/zoom-charades/

Pictionary

Playing Pictionary can get a little tricky without the usual gameboard, but a few digital hacks enhance the overall experience. Nonetheless, it is possible to forgo the standard play without too much trouble. First, teams will need to limit a point goal rather than traversing the traditional Pictionary board. Players will also need a stopwatch and a word generator to support play along the way. Zoom has a beneficial feature called the whiteboard to share real-time drawings easily.

Link- https://allthings.how/how-to-play-pictionary-on-zoom/

Lightning Scavenger Hunts 

For Lightning Scavenger Hunts, create a list of items or characteristics. Then, on a Zoom call, challenge your coworkers to gather the items and show them on-screen to earn points. You can encourage winners of each round to share stories about the item.

Here is an example of items to find:

 Something red.

Your favourite mug.

Whatever is in the pockets of your winter jacket.

The thing you have had the longest.

A book that you did not enjoy.

Your most unusual keychain item.

You can get creative with your hunt; the more obscure the objects the better.

This article is written by the TRUEREVO editorial team. TRUEREVO makes functional sportswear for men & women & focuses on running, training & sports apparel. Check it out at https://truerevo.com/ .