Board games that can be played anywhere

Summer is slowly coming and very soon the big travel season will begin, when you want to spend days in nature or simply away from home. When you are on a leisure trip for several days, you often have to give up various extras, but board games are not one of them, because you can always find a game to play anywhere!

Today, board games vary greatly not only in terms of theme, mechanics, number of players, difficulty level, but also in terms of size and playability. There are grand games that require the right size tables and the right conditions, but there are also games that can be enjoyed comfortably in every situation of life.

Black stories

If one of the games had to be compared to a Swiss army knife, then this game would definitely be "Black stories" , because it can be played anywhere and with almost anyone. One of the biggest bonuses is that you don't even need a table or any gaming surface to play this game.

This is a series of games featuring various pitch black puzzles and mysteries. The rules of the game are very simple - one of the players assumes the role of leader and reads part of a story from the card to the other players, which indirectly tells what happened, but it is not known how it happened. The other side of the card describes the full story, which the leader gets to know without the others revealing it. And then the guessing can begin - the players ask the leader questions that can be answered with "yes" or "no". If the leader cannot answer these questions in the affirmative or in the negative, then he can ask to rephrase the question or indicate that it is not an essential aspect of the resolution of the story. Such question and answer tennis continues until the players have unraveled the full story.

The stories themselves, which those mentioned have to unravel, can be quite different, for example:

Find the answer at the end of the article!

One of the biggest advantages of "Black stories" is the ability to play it in any conditions. First of all, it should be added that the game itself is only slightly larger than a standard deck of cards, so it can be easily taken with you on almost any trip.

The game itself requires only one card, which is given to the leader of a particular round, so it is convenient to play even while driving, and the driver can also participate in the game by taking part in guessing. Next, everything depends on the skill and imagination of the players.

Currently, five editions of "Black stories" in Latvian are available in Brain Games stores, each of which includes 50 pitch black stories and their solutions:

• classic "Black stories" - 50 original black stories,
• "Black stories: Shit Happens" - 50 pitch black stories about absurd life situations based on real events,
• "Black stories: Real Crime" - 50 dark stories about real crimes,
• "Black stories: Funny Death" - 50 black stories about various death traps,
• "Black stories: Epic Fails" - 50 black stories about amusing life situations,
• Black Stories Junior: School stories - 50 challenging puzzles for smart teens and younger kids.

It's no secret that "Black stories" tend to be really dark, so they are not suitable for younger players. However, that doesn't mean they can't enjoy this game, because School stories have also been released, which include various puzzles and events from school life.

Choose the course of your own adventure!

How about combining the game with a comic book that you can not only easily take with you, but in which you can also create your own story? In the adventure book "Knights" you will play as one of three brothers who are determined to become the bravest knight. But you will create the story of this game yourself! You will have to make decisions that will change the further course of events.

The game consists of comic panels where you will find clues, puzzles, traps and more. To achieve your goal you will have to be resourceful and creative. If you still fail to become a mighty knight, don't worry, because you can always start this adventure again, trying new approaches and paths!

"Knights" is excellent entertainment for children and young people. If you have played the adventure book "Knights" or are simply looking for a dark detective, then it is worth looking at the adventure book "Gūstekne" !

Small card games always in your pocket

Board games are often left at home on trips because they are too big and difficult to transport. However, there are also board games that take up very little space in your suitcase. They are mostly small card games - "Saboteur" , "6. take" , "Exploding Kittens" , "Lama" , "The Mind" and others.

If you are going to play with a larger group of friends, then "Saboteur" is your choice. Hidden roles, cooperation with other players, sabotage and building the playing field. Saboteur players are given a secret role at the start of each round - gold diggers or saboteurs. Accordingly , the gold miners want to get to the gold, but the saboteurs try to disrupt these plans.

The rules of the game are quite simple - dwarves play cards sequentially, dig tunnels and help or hinder each other. At the end of the game, the good dwarves share the goodies found, but if the gold remained unclaimed, the saboteurs win.

What makes this game interesting is the fact that you have to cooperate with other dwarves, but you never quite know who to trust, because you can end up getting stabbed in the back.

The Exploding Kittens game is ideal for a fun company of up to five people. As the name suggests, the game is about kittens that tend to explode. Of course, you don't want to be the one who experiences these accidents! In this game, you can knock down other players, de-mine exploding minks, and return the exploding kitten card to the deck wherever you want!

"6. take' is an abstract card game in which players make rows of numbers, but no one wants to be the one to put the sixth number in the row, because then that row will have to be taken. At the end of the game, the player with the least points (bull heads) wins.

A very simple card game for the whole family is "Lama" . In it, players play number cards in sequence, trying to be the first to get rid of the cards in their hands. Be careful, because the cards that remain in your hand will give you penalty points, and the llama cards will give you ten penalty points! The main strategy of the game is based on a choice - to take risks and draw more cards, with the hope of playing them all, or to quit early, accepting small disadvantages.

2018 was a great year for game writer Wolfgang Varsch, who created several excellent games, including The Mind .

This is a unique card game where players must play cards in ascending order, but there is a catch - players are not allowed to communicate with each other. If you have already played the regular "The Mind", then we recommend "The Mind Extreme" , which is a truly extreme version of the basic game, since the cards are played simultaneously in two decks - one in ascending order, the other in descending order.

All of these games are a good option if you have a comfortable place to play games at your destination , but don't want to bring big and heavy game boxes with you.

THROW AND TAP GAMES FOR ANY SITUATION

How do you determine if a game is a travel game? Everyone may have their own criteria, but one of the most universal is quite simple - can the game be played on an airplane on a drop-down table?

One of the best games for such situations are roll and write games, which mostly consist of a notepad and some dice to roll. Games of this type have become particularly popular in recent years, and most of them can also be played in a solo version, in which you can compete with your own score.

An example of such games is Clever , which is a simple dice game where players try to string bonuses by covering the maximum value in their block and scoring as many points as possible. In addition, this game is now also available in Latvian!

Another game in this category is Railroad ink , where players roll dice to determine which sections of roads and railroads they can draw on their map. Players try to connect different exits, fill specific spaces and create the most efficient road networks. There are several ways to score points in the game, so there is no single winning strategy.

Almost any point-and-shoot game is a great option for travel and summer adventures.

Classic park bench games

Although card games tend to come in a smaller package, they won't always work in the wrong weather - if the wind blows, most of these games can become completely unenjoyable. In such cases, games with stable components would be more convenient. It is not for nothing that such classic games as chess, checkers, dominoes and others have gained great popularity in parks in many parts of the world. These are all great abstract strategy games that have been popular for hundreds and thousands of years.

However, if the chess horse's jumps, rookery and slaughter while "walking" are too difficult for you, or you want to try something new on a bench in the park, the "Gigamic" series of abstract modern classics comes to the rescue. It includes a total of six games, such as Quoridor , where players move around the field trying to get to the other side. However, they can also place walls on the court to hinder the opponent's movement. This is a game with simple rules but rich strategy options.

Another bonus to Gigamic's abstract games is that all of them are also available in a mini size, which is smaller and easier to take with you!

BIG GAMES IN SMALLER BOXES

Often, board game boxes have special places to put all the components to keep the box organized, but there are also cases where the game box is simply half empty. In that case, the games can be transferred to smaller boxes for trips, taking everything you need with you, only transporting it much more compactly.

A very extreme option is to trim the box itself so that it takes up less space both on the shelf and in the bag. This allows games to be stored and moved more compactly, but permanently damages the game box.

Video: how to reduce the game box (do not watch with weak nerves)

Regardless of the situation and conditions, it is always possible to find a board game that matches the players' wishes, so you can continue to enjoy an excellent board game on your trips with family or friends!

What will be your away games this summer?

The answer to the above-mentioned "Black stories" example: