Tabletop Tuesday - Game Solutions for Cabin Fever

Be it quarantined indoors due to pandemic precautions or inclement weather, there lies in wait another fever of sorts when confined to a monotonous setting for such prolonged periods - The inevitable cabin fever.  Fortunately, there are many games to be had that can aid this stir craziness, many of which you likely have on hand already know it or not.  So before you go bored sick, read on below for many a handy game solution to help make your lock-down a more enjoyable experience.

Fret not, Monopoly is not one of the recommendations on this list.  Though if such ends up being the inevitable game to be played, see here for recommendations how to better enjoy the game.

Pen & Paper Games

Found in most every household, with just a few sheets of paper and some pens lies a wealth of games that can be enjoyed.  Come up with some categories, rip some strips of paper and write down some words per those topics and you're ready to play some Charades!  Or the same could work for a game of Pictionary (even better if you own a dry erase board).  If you draw a grid on paper, you're set to play a game Battleship, Connect Four, or Dots & Boxes.  With a little creative thinking, no game is really off limits to be enjoyed provided these simple tools.

Make your own Battleship with just a pad of paper and a pencil!

Here's a more obscure game that can be enjoyed with pen and paper (or better with dry erase board if owned), I like to call Paper Golf.  Draw yourself a little golf course with the following fixings - Your starting tee-off square, the green and hole, and any extra optional obstacles you'd like (sand traps, water hazards, trees, out of bound zones).  If you have color variations, this will help distinguish between players.  To play, have a player put their pen on the starting tee, close their eyes and then draw a path towards the hole.  When they stop and lift the pen, that counts as one stroke.  However, if their stroke went through any trees, they have to start their next shot from that location instead.  Likewise if it lands in OB or water, they have to start their next shot from the previous shot or water's edge appropriately while taking a +1 shot penalty.  If they land in a sand trap, they must use their other hand as an added challenge for the next shot.  It's a fun and clever game of visualization and memory, while also just being loads of fun designing a creative variety of golf holes.  Of course, feel free to tweak and add on to the rules as you see fit.  Or think of another game idea and how such can be adapted to pen and paper!

Card Games

Another common find in most any abode is your standard 52 playing-card deck, and with it another abundance of games to be played and enjoyed.  We've previously recommended quite a few cards games before, of which you can view in more detail here and here.  To add to the list, here's one more new card game I recently learned that's an enjoyable time killer - It's called Garbage (aka Trash).

A fun and easy to pick-up card game for all ages.

In this game, each player is dealt 10 cards placed face down in 10 slots, with the remainder of the deck placed in the middle.  The goal of the game is to fill all 10 slots, each slot requiring the appropriate card 1-10 (1 being the Ace).  Players take turns taking a card either from the deck or the top of the discard "garbage" pile and use the cards to fill in their 10 slots.  If a card can't fill one of their slots, it's discarded and the next player goes.  The King acts as a wild card and can fill any slot.  When one player fills all their slots, each other player gets one last turn for the round.  All players who've filled all their slots that round are dealt one fewer card in the next round.  First player to get down to zero cards wins!

Dice Games

Perhaps not as common in every home, but if you're a game enthusiast like myself, odds are there may be a few scattered dice lying about.  Have 5 dice?  Make yourself some Yahtzee score sheets and you're ready to play and shout YAHTZEE!  6 dice?  Likewise, you're a few score sheets away from enjoying a rousing game of Farkle.  15+ dice?  Then grab some cups and get ready to party with one of the best social games to be found that is Liar's Dice.  There's nothing quite like the thrill that is the rattle of dice, playing with probability and pushing your luck.

Quick rules for Farkle - Player rolls 6 dies and sets aside any die / points earned.  They may continue rolling for more points with any remaining die or take the points to end that round.  Fail to get any points on a roll and you Farkle, losing all points earned that round.  If you manage to earn points for all six dice, you can then re-roll all six dice continuing to push your luck for more points or the chance to lose it all.  Players cannot get on the scoreboard until they've earned at least 500 points in one round. First player to 10,000 points triggers the end of the game, giving each other player one last round; The player then with the most points wins.

Long Games

To change it up a little bit for this last category of game suggestions, these aren't games readily accessible in every household, but you may consider purchasing for your collection if you're a fan of long gaming excursions that last the great majority of a day.  One such suggestion includes any of the Legacy games which craft a unique narrative over the course of multiple plays.  These include the likes of Risk Legacy, Betrayal Legacy or perhaps most thematically fitting at the moment, Pandemic Legacy.  Gloomhaven is another similar example of an ever-changing campaign across many plays, though a word of caution with this game for those who are easily intimidated by heavy rule sets to be learned.  For a more lighthearted, beginner's introduction to D&D style games, I would heartily recommend Munchkin Quest.  I hold many a fond memory playing this game with my roommates back in the day when snowed-in our apartment for days, rising up early in the morning to begin our play only to finish our grand adventures late into the evening of overpowered dragons, Microsoft paint-cats and loads of humorous backstabbing.  For those with time to kill and an appetite for the lengthy gaming endeavors, these are but a few fine games to be found that will surely appease and create long lasting memories.

Be safe with the pandemonium out there - Wash your hands, stay inside and play games.

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As you can see, there are plenty of games and fun to be had no matter the resources on hand.  Any fun game recommendations to add to this list?  Be sure to share in the comments below.  Stay well and safe out there folks.  Enjoy the company of those you may be trapped inside with.  And as always, happy gaming!