Remember when you used to watch The Jetsons or Smart House and think the future would be all about video chatting? Then the coronavirus pandemic hit and that became our reality. And it got old, fast. It’s a great way to stay connected, sure, but Zoom fatigue is real. So is the awkwardness of staring at a screen, desperately wanting to connect, but feeling like you have nothing new to say because, well, what day even is it anymore? Relax. These Zoom games—which you can play on Facebook Messenger/Rooms, Microsoft Teams, Meet, Skype, whatever service you use—will make you actually look forward to hopping on a call.

Bring on the Zoom Games!

1. A Zoom Scavenger Hunt — One person acts as the leader, calling out clues and everyone else has a minute or less to find the item in question, like an analog clock or something that reminds you of summertime. Here are 20 ideas to get you started.
2. The Newlywed Game, Zoom Edition — Take turns coming up with questions (Favorite movie! First kiss! Go-to Karaoke Song!) and writing down what your answer is, and what you think the other person’s answer would be. Count to three to reveal your answers, earning a point for each time you and the other person provide the same answer. (And no, you don’t have to be newlyweds or even a couple to play this—it’s just a way to see how well you and your friend/fling/soulmate/relative finish each other’s…sandwiches.)
3. You (Auto)Complete Me — One person acts as the “host,” pulling up a screen in incognito mode and starts searching for different words or phrases. Everyone tries to be the first to guess how Google autocompletes the host’s search term, and whoever guesses right first gets a point. The first person to 10 points wins. (For ex: The host starts searching “Britney Spears.” If you blurted out “Britney Spears songs,” you get a point, Glen Coco! You go, Glen Coco!)
4. Charades — It’s literally the same game, even if you’re not playing face-to-face.
5. Zoom Pictionary — OK, it’s not endorsed by the official game, but as long as everyone can find paper and something to draw with (ideally a marker, which will make your art easier to see on the screen), you’re in business. Or you could use the whiteboard feature in Zoom.
   Divide into teams and use a Random Word Generator to create drawing prompts. A representative from each team will start drawing out the word—with a minute or less to complete it—and you’ll see who can figure it out the fastest. Whoever has the most points after three full rounds wins.
6. Jeopardy Labs — What’s a game based on a classic trivia-based TV show that you can play online? Oh wait, I already answered myself. Check it out here.
7. Two Truths and a Lie — That college icebreaker is even more fun to play today, especially when you realize the person you’ve known for years is FULL of surprises.
8. Online Uno — Just because you’re not close enough to play cards together doesn’t mean you can’t. Hit up Unofreak to get your game on.
9. Never Have I Ever — Each person holds up five fingers, and as you go around the chat screen, you each take turns saying something you’ve never done. If you’ve done it, you put one of your fingers down. The first person to close their fist (ahem, admit to doing five things others haven’t) gets to take a shot—alcoholic or otherwise, if drinking isn’t your thing—and explain the stories behind them.
10. A Scattergories-esque Online Game — The fast-paced game to see how many topics you can answer with words that all start with the same letter is available online (for free). This version’s called Categories Game, and it’s every bit as addictive.
11. Codenames — Go to a site called Horsepaste.com (I know, this is getting weird already, but stay with me). Enter a code to identify your gaming session as yours—so no one can accidentally enter it—and hit “go.” It will create a screensharing link to send to your friends. Using that link, you can play Codenames. The game looks like a giant grid of random words, and it requires someone to be the “Spymaster,” who offers a clue and a number (like “beach five”). Everyone else is divided into a blue team and a red team, and little do they know, but every word on the board is secretly “coded” blue or red. Only the Spymaster knows which words belong to each team. On each team’s turn, the Spymaster’s clue lets the team know how many words on the board fit that theme and apply to their color. If your team accidentally guesses a word that’s coded to the opposing team, your turn ends. Whoever guesses all of the words first wins. (Confused? Here’s a video that explains it all in 3 minutes flat.)
12. Cards Against Online — It may remind you of Mad Libs, or more aptly, Cards Against Humanity. In the game, you’ll randomly be given a prompt to fill in the blanks. You’ll have your own hand of cards that others can’t see, each with a word or phrase you can use to complete the sentence. Everyone submits their card, and a judge—which changes with each turn, so everyone gets a shot—chooses which one he/she/they like best. Play it here.
13. Truth or Dare — A middle school classic that requires nothing other than a mischievous nature.
14. Battleship — Yes, there’s a site for that. Just remember that if you lose, flipping the laptop is far more disastrous than the board game you toppled when you were seven.
15. Heads Up — This requires a little extra tech, but as long as you set up your laptops for the video chat and use your phones to play the Heads Up app, you’re good to go.

Lead Photo: Candace Braun Davison