What should we play during SpielMas?

It doesn’t matter, really.

Just as long you play a tabletop game each night between December 26-31.

The whole intent is for you to play a game “in real life” (IRL) or online (e.g. Small World). Play with your date, fiancée, spouse, family or anybody who you call up on a regular basis.

If you are a gaming family already, mix it up. Theme the games you’ll play (e.g. two-player games). Even develop a tournament over the six days.

Online

If you love this idea but have never played a tabletop game IRL or online, welcome. We don’t play to win; we play to connect with people. You have found a good place. This is fun.

If your first game is online, try to follow a simple set of rules. Make sure the game is:

• Simple: It shouldn’t take too long to learn a game.

• Strategic: It should lead to lots of difficult decisions, not a lot of luck.

• Short: It should last between 30-45 minutes.

• Shareable: It is easy to play online with friends, no matter their device.

Audio

In addition to the game links below, try to connect everyone together using a common audio chat program, such as FaceTime, Google Meet, Facebook Messenger or Zoom.

Easy

There are a lot of good choices out there to play a game online with friends. A number of them are on Board Game Arena, but there are other sources as well such as Steam, Tabletopia, Yucata, Boiteajeux, and The Happy Meeple.

Start with 💙 for your first game. Games with 💲 cost to play. And games with a 🦁 require a premium account to create a game, but then anyone can play it with you.

• 6 Nimmt (Board Game Arena) 💙

• Azul (Board Game Arena) 🦁

• Boggle (web)

• Can’t Stop (Board Game Arena) 💙 🦁

• Carcassonne (Board Game Arena) 💙 🦁

• Cards Against Humanity (web)

• Codenames (web)

• Downforce (Board Game Arena) 🦁

• Incan Gold (Board Game Arena) 💙 🦁

• Llama (Board Game Arena) 💙 🦁

• Love Letter (Board Game Arena)

• Lucky Numbers (Board Game Arena) 💙 🦁

• No Thanks! (Board Game Arena) 💙

• Saboteur (Board Game Arena)

• Solo (Board Game Arena) 💙

• Small World (app, Steam) 💲

• Ticket to Ride (app, Steam, Board Game Arena) 💲

• Ticket to Ride (Board Game Arena) 🦁

Note: Many of these seem random, but they are actually the result of testing using curriculum, a Facebook group, and within my own gaming group. If you have a list of games, tag @SpielMas on social or send me feedback and I’ll create a blog post about it!

Advanced

If you want to take it up a level, all of these titles have great online versions of their physical games:

• 7 Wonders (Board Game Arena) 🦁

• 7 Wonders Architects (Board Game Arena) 🦁

• Alien Frontiers (Tabletopia)

• Calico (Tabletopia)

• Dominion (web)

• Nova Luna (Tabletopia)

• Settlers of Catan (app, Steam) 💲

• Splendor (Board Game Arena) 🦁

• Survive: Escape from Atlantis! (Tabletopia)

• Wingspan (Steam) 💲

• Wingspan (Tabletopia) 💲

• Wingspan (Board Game Arena) 🦁

The hope is you’ll find a game you love to play online. Then you’ll want to purchase and play it when we can gather again IRL.

And we will.

Published October 26, 2020.

Updated December 11, 2022.