When it gets to a Friday evening after a busy week at work for you and your partner, the last thing you may want to do is leave your home comforts as you are ready to settle down for the evening while others hit the town. Having a game night in is such a good option for those evenings where you’d like to keep entertained but without leaving the living room, so you can get wrapped up in blankets and spend quality time with your partner.
Play Games You Both Enjoy
The first step towards a successful game night is choosing the right game – or games – if you plan on mixing things up throughout the evening. It’s an absolute must to choose titles that are fun and engaging for both of you, that you both enjoy, as not all couples will enjoy the exact same genres.
You may decide on a board game night to make use of the Monopoly you haven’t touched since Christmas, or an evening playing video games like Minecraft or Fortnite for the ease of not having to set anything up at the table. Regardless, the idea is to have as much fun with each other as possible so come to an agreement as to what games you’d like to play together. If you struggle with compromise in your relationship, to keep things fair and add variety, simply take turns picking the games for the night. This will let both of you have a say in the agenda and prevent one person from dominating the course of the evening. To make things even more playful, maybe even flip a coin or bash out rock paper scissors to see who picks the first game.
Here are some of the most played games right now to get you started:
Board games:
- Guess Who?: a two-player character guessing game where players use yes or no questions to work out the other’s chosen person based on their appearance.
- The Game of Life: this game takes you through all the stages of life, from college to retirement, with jobs, marriage, and possible children along the way.
- Monopoly: a real estate board game where players buy, trade, and develop properties to collect rent, aiming to bankrupt opponents.
- Scrabble: a word game where players use lettered tiles to create words on a board, scoring points based on letter values and board bonuses.
Video Games:
- Overcooked! 2: A chaotic cooking simulator that requires players to work together in a kitchen to prepare meals under time pressure.
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: A classic racing game that’s accessible, fun, and allows for friendly competition.
- Minecraft: a blocky, build-anything-you-want adventure where you dig, build, and fight your way through an endless world.
- Fortnite: a battle royale shooter where you are dropped onto an island and have to scavenge for gear to try to be the last one standing.
Mobile Games:
- Spaceteam: A cooperative shouting game for phones and tablets where players work together to pilot a spaceship by following time-sensitive instructions.
- Words With Friends 2: A word-building game similar to Scrabble, where you can play against each other in a friendly competition.
- Among Us: a space-themed, multiplayer game where you work as a team to fix your spaceship, but watch out—there are impostors among the crew trying to sabotage your efforts and take you out.
Test Your Knowledge Of Each Other
Set up a series of questions that range from easy to difficult, each designed to see how well you know your partner’s likes, dislikes, childhood memories, and stories from their life. This could include anything from “What’s my favorite ice cream flavor?” to “If I could have one superpower, what would it be?”
Make it even more interesting by including penalties for wrong answers or rewards for correct ones, like having to do the laundry if you lose or getting a back massage if you win. Not only does this activity add a competitive edge to your game night, but it will also deepen your connection by proving how well you know each other.
Give Your Night a Theme
Play the Game Show Host: Treat the evening like it’s your very own game show by choosing game-show themed games, bringing a bit of the glitz and glam of TV to your home.
Travel the World From Your Living Room: Choose games that take you around the globe, from the streets of Paris in Ticket to Ride: Europe to the ancient wonders in 7 Wonders. Decorate the room to reflect different countries and get some themed snacks to make your play seem more authentic.
Fantasy Quest: For those who love the fantastical, choose games that revolve around magic, mythical creatures, and legendary quests. Think Dungeons & Dragons or Magic: The Gathering. Transform your space into a medieval tavern or a wizard’s chamber, or even dress up to immerse fully in the fantasy theme.
Travel to Outer Space: If you and your partner are fans of the final frontier, center your game night around science fiction. Play games like Cosmic Encounter or Star Wars: Rebellion and decorate with a space theme. You can even have a sci-fi movie marathon playing in the background to add to the atmosphere.
There’s Always Time For a Cocktail
Elevate your game night by introducing a cocktail-making element to the evening. Between games, take turns playing bartender, mixing up your favorite concoctions for each other. Start by selecting a few cocktail recipes that you both have been eager to try, or you could even invent your own signature drinks
To keep things interesting, you can associate each game or round with a specific drink, matching the cocktail’s theme or flavor profile to the game at hand. Whether it’s a spicy margarita to heat things up or a soothing lavender gin tonic to calm the nerves, making cocktails is a playful way to unwind and a chance to indulge in some mixological fun.
Wrapping Up
Spending an evening playing games at home with your partner is a great way to have some fun and connect without using up the time, energy, and money that it usually takes to leave the house. Planning ahead can be daunting, but take the tips and tricks we’ve given you above, from cocktails you can make to themes for your night, and the two of you will be sure to have a great time together.
Whether it’s board games or video games, planning a couples game night is sure to liven up an average weeknight at home and spend some quality time together.
ationship and have some fun. Read on to find out how to do just that.
When it gets to a Friday evening after a busy week at work for you and your partner, the last thing you may want to do is leave your home comforts as you are ready to settle down for the evening while others hit the town. Having a game night in is such a good option for those evenings where you’d like to keep entertained but without leaving the living room, so you can get wrapped up in blankets and spend quality time with your partner.
Play Games You Both Enjoy
The first step towards a successful game night is choosing the right game – or games – if you plan on mixing things up throughout the evening. It’s an absolute must to choose titles that are fun and engaging for both of you, that you both enjoy, as not all couples will enjoy the exact same genres.
You may decide on a board game night to make use of the Monopoly you haven’t touched since Christmas, or an evening playing video games like Minecraft or Fortnite for the ease of not having to set anything up at the table. Regardless, the idea is to have as much fun with each other as possible so come to an agreement as to what games you’d like to play together. If you struggle with compromise in your relationship, to keep things fair and add variety, simply take turns picking the games for the night. This will let both of you have a say in the agenda and prevent one person from dominating the course of the evening. To make things even more playful, maybe even flip a coin or bash out rock paper scissors to see who picks the first game.
Here are some of the most played games right now to get you started:
Board games:
- Guess Who?: a two-player character guessing game where players use yes or no questions to work out the other’s chosen person based on their appearance.
- The Game of Life: this game takes you through all the stages of life, from college to retirement, with jobs, marriage, and possible children along the way.
- Monopoly: a real estate board game where players buy, trade, and develop properties to collect rent, aiming to bankrupt opponents.
- Scrabble: a word game where players use lettered tiles to create words on a board, scoring points based on letter values and board bonuses.
Video Games:
- Overcooked! 2: A chaotic cooking simulator that requires players to work together in a kitchen to prepare meals under time pressure.
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: A classic racing game that’s accessible, fun, and allows for friendly competition.
- Minecraft: a blocky, build-anything-you-want adventure where you dig, build, and fight your way through an endless world.
- Fortnite: a battle royale shooter where you are dropped onto an island and have to scavenge for gear to try to be the last one standing.
Mobile Games:
- Spaceteam: A cooperative shouting game for phones and tablets where players work together to pilot a spaceship by following time-sensitive instructions.
- Words With Friends 2: A word-building game similar to Scrabble, where you can play against each other in a friendly competition.
- Among Us: a space-themed, multiplayer game where you work as a team to fix your spaceship, but watch out—there are impostors among the crew trying to sabotage your efforts and take you out.
Test Your Knowledge Of Each Other
Set up a series of questions that range from easy to difficult, each designed to see how well you know your partner’s likes, dislikes, childhood memories, and stories from their life. This could include anything from “What’s my favorite ice cream flavor?” to “If I could have one superpower, what would it be?”
Make it even more interesting by including penalties for wrong answers or rewards for correct ones, like having to do the laundry if you lose or getting a back massage if you win. Not only does this activity add a competitive edge to your game night, but it will also deepen your connection by proving how well you know each other.
Give Your Night a Theme
Play the Game Show Host: Treat the evening like it’s your very own game show by choosing game-show themed games, bringing a bit of the glitz and glam of TV to your home.
Travel the World From Your Living Room: Choose games that take you around the globe, from the streets of Paris in Ticket to Ride: Europe to the ancient wonders in 7 Wonders. Decorate the room to reflect different countries and get some themed snacks to make your play seem more authentic.
Fantasy Quest: For those who love the fantastical, choose games that revolve around magic, mythical creatures, and legendary quests. Think Dungeons & Dragons or Magic: The Gathering. Transform your space into a medieval tavern or a wizard’s chamber, or even dress up to immerse fully in the fantasy theme.
Travel to Outer Space: If you and your partner are fans of the final frontier, center your game night around science fiction. Play games like Cosmic Encounter or Star Wars: Rebellion and decorate with a space theme. You can even have a sci-fi movie marathon playing in the background to add to the atmosphere.
There’s Always Time For a Cocktail
Elevate your game night by introducing a cocktail-making element to the evening. Between games, take turns playing bartender, mixing up your favorite concoctions for each other. Start by selecting a few cocktail recipes that you both have been eager to try, or you could even invent your own signature drinks.
To keep things interesting, you can associate each game or round with a specific drink, matching the cocktail’s theme or flavor profile to the game at hand. Whether it’s a spicy margarita to heat things up or a soothing lavender gin tonic to calm the nerves, making cocktails is a playful way to unwind and a chance to indulge in some mixological fun.
Wrapping Up
Spending an evening playing games at home with your partner is a great way to have some fun and connect without using up the time, energy, and money that it usually takes to leave the house. Planning ahead can be daunting, but take the tips and tricks we’ve given you above, from cocktails you can make to themes for your night, and the two of you will be sure to have a great time together.
Whether it’s board games or video games, planning a couples game night is sure to liven up an average weeknight at home and spend some quality time together.
