No matter how geographically close you are to your friends, playing online games with them is a great way to have fun. Recent studies disclose that playing online games can help tackle stress levels and boost mental health and well-being in adults â something we all need, given how the pandemic is playing out.
Game developers and publishers remark that the right set of games can bring friends and families together during a difficult time and help them stay positive. Gamers who lost out on friends in the real world have already switched to games like Fortnite to connect with people in the virtual world. Younger kids love collaborating on Minecraft and Roblox, whereas adults would love to sharpen their brains by playing an online word game or de-stress themselves by playing a hidden object game. There are plenty of choices when it comes to online card games, too, if youâre into it.
Nowadays, competition exists at every level. You donât need to get into a sophisticated online multiplayer game to feel the heat of competition. You can play by yourself, hit up a few friends with a screenshot of your score, and challenge them to beat your score! If you want to have virtual fun indoors, hereâs a list of the best online games to play with friends and family to nurture a sense of unity in trying times.
Top Online Games To Play With Friends
Game | Platform | Description |
1. Gin Rummy | MPL | Classic card game focusing on sets and runs. |
2. Draw 4 | MPL | Card game similar to UNO, discard to win. |
3. Ludo | MPL | Board game where players race to the finish. |
4. Minecraft | PC, PS4, Xbox, Switch, Mobile | Sandbox game for building and exploring. |
5. Jackbox Games | PC, Console | Trivia and party games platform. |
6. Sea of Thieves | PC, Xbox | Multiplayer pirate adventure. |
7. Pokemon Go | Mobile | AR game for collecting PokĂŠmon. |
8. Exploding Kittens | PC, Mobile | Strategic card game avoiding exploding cards. |
9. Spades | MPL | Card game focused on winning tricks. |
10. Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn | PC, PS4 | MMORPG with quests and dungeons. |
11. UNO! | PC, Mobile | Classic card game to be the first to discard. |
12. DRL Simulator | PC | Drone racing competition game. |
13. Call of Duty Warzone | PC, PS4, Xbox | Free battle royale shooter. |
14. Stardew Valley | PC, PS4, Xbox, Switch, Mobile | Farming simulator with community interactions. |
15. Snakes & Ladders | MPL | Digital version of the classic board game. |
16. Monopoly | PC, Console | Board game about buying properties. |
17. Halo | PC, Xbox | Sci-fi first-person shooter. |
18. Rocket League | PC, PS4, Xbox, Switch | Soccer game with vehicles. |
19. Grand Theft Auto V Online | PC, PS4, Xbox | Open-world action-adventure game. |
20. Fruit Chop | Mobile | Arcade game for slicing fruits. |
21. Among Us | PC, Mobile | Social deduction game about impostors. |
22. Psych! | Mobile | Trivia game with fake answers. |
23. Skribbl | PC, Mobile | Drawing and guessing game. |
24. Wolvesville | PC, Mobile | Social deduction game with unique roles. |
25. Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale | VR | Collaborative cooking game. |
26. Ninjala | Nintendo Switch | Ninja battles and customization game. |
27. Crucible | PC | Team-based shooter with objectives. |
28. Gummy Drop! | PC, Mobile | Match-3 puzzle game to revamp cities. |
29. Clue | PC, Mobile | Mystery board game about solving a murder. |
1. Gin Rummy
Online Gin Rummy on MPL is a fun way to enjoy the classic card game with friends. You can play anytime, anywhere, using your smartphone. The game is easy to set up. All you have to do is just invite a friend, start a match, and compete. Gin rummy is always fun, and when you have a friend against you, it amps up the entertainment. The rules are straightforward, and it’s a great way to challenge your skills and enjoy quality time together.
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2. Draw 4
MPL Draw 4 is one of the most fun online games to play with friends. In this game, each player tries to get rid of all their cards first. Players take turns drawing cards from the deck and discarding one card at a time. There is a special Draw 4 card too! The game continues until one player has no cards left.
3. Ludo
If you enjoy board games and want something fun this game night, Ludo can be one of the perfect games to play with online friends. It’s one of the classic board games that brings so much fun. Ludo Win is also available online on MPL and can be ideal for a virtual game night with your friends too.
Here, players race their pieces around the board to reach the finish line. Each player starts with four pieces and rolls a die to move them. The goal is to get all your pieces from the starting point to the home area before your opponents. You can capture other playersâ pieces by landing in the same space. Itâs a game of strategy and entertainment.
4. Minecraft
Quite possibly the ultimate gaming collaboration, Minecraft offers one of the most significant gaming communities today. As many as eight friends can join an online game on different PCs and build based on their creativity in the creative mode or band up and see how long they can survive in the survival mode. If youâre a gamer parent with a young gamer at home, you can introduce them to Minecraft without hesitating, as it is one of the excellent online games for playing with friends. It can help turn kids into prospective engineers. The game is suitable for all ages and is playable on PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and mobile. This is truly one of the excellent online games to play with friends.
5. Jackbox Games
Many consider it to be the gaming platform that defined the recent lockdowns. There has been a crazy surge in new account creations on the platform after many people discovered how much of a fun, popular trivia game it has â You Donât Know Jack â which you can play with friends online. The game keeps all players on their toes as it asks pop culture trivia questions as quickly as you can answer them. Host Cookie Masterson takes you through the entire routine, while you can also spot a celebrity or two to lend a hand of assistance.
6. Sea of Thieves
If youâre in search of a game that pushes you further away from the glum vibes of current events and takes you into a world of pristine beaches coupled with a few rounds of pirate adventure, Sea of Thieves is just the game you need. Play as a pirate in its massively multiplayer gaming experience thatâs brimming with possibilities.
Players seek out treasure, turn over skeleton hoards, and discover the long-winding tales the world holds. They can also clash with other players for each otherâs hard-earned loot. Players of all ages can tag up with three friends on their voyage as they battle with different crews of pirates in rough waters. Sea of Thieves currently costs $50 on PC and Xbox One. It is available to play for free on the Xbox Game Pass.
7. Pokemon Go
Take a stroll around your home, backyard, and even the locality with a mission of collecting hidden Pokemon that could be moving anywhere from your living room to the porch. The game requires mobile GPS and clock permissions to play, allowing you to interact with your mates and track their activity.
You can also create a friends list and engage in trading and gift exchange whenever you feel like it. After the COVID-19 outbreak was in full swing, the gameâs developers brought changes to allow more monsters closer to home and added more features that make the game individually more consumable.
8. Exploding Kittens
This award-winning card game allows playing online with friends or random strangers. Think of it as a highly strategic, kitty-powered variant of Russian Roulette in which players draw cards until one ends up with an exploding kitten. When this occurs, they blow up and are taken out of the game unless that player possesses a âDefuse cardâ to defuse the kitten using tricks like a laser pointer, a belly rub, or a catnip sandwich. In the meantime, you can use other cards in the deck to mitigate risks and steer clear of the exploding kittens. This is one of the perfect online games to play with friends.
9. Spades
The next one you must try for the ultimate multiplayer gaming experience is Spades. Unlike the classic version, with online Spades on MPL, you don’t have teams but play individually. You must try to win tricks by playing the highest card in each round. You play with a standard deck of 52 cards, aiming to meet your bid for the number of tricks you think you can win. The game is easy to learn and great for playing with friends or against players worldwide. The amount of strategy and fun it brings makes it perfect for game night.
10. Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn
World of Warcraft dominated the MMORPG market at one point, but now the honors go to Square Enixâs Final Fantasy series. The most recent expansion â Shadowbringers â includes the gameâs best story thus far. It incentivizes group play by offering added rewards and allows new players to level up for the latest contentâa team with seven other players can conquer dungeons and the intense boss battles. While the game doesnât feature in the child-friendly category, it is currently available to play for $60 on PS4 and PC.
11. UNO
UNO is one of the perfect games online to play with friends. It is everyoneâs favorite party card game, and is playable on desktops and mobile phones. As exciting and challenging as the original card game version, the objective is to become the first player to put away all their cards on the table like other Crazy Eights-styled games. Use your action and wild cards to the fullest, but remember to keep some with you to place at essential junctures in the game. Donât forget to shout âUNO!â when you place your penultimate card. Play the game between two, three, or four players simultaneously. The more, the merrier!
12. DRL Simulator
This is a premier online FPV racing game and simulator where players can compete with their buddies. It is currently available for download for $9.99 on Steam and offers a technically robust, evolving feature set, including high-intensity drone racing.
Players can form groups and race against each other for an action-packed session of thrills and bonding. DRL even announced free access to the DRL sim (which also includes robotics training sessions on how to build and fly a drone) for students pursuing education remotely as part of their latest STEM program, DRL Academy.
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13. Call of Duty Warzone
Activisionâs first-person shooter series â Call of Duty â has been one of the top gaming franchises for over a decade. Its tightly-knit controls and progressive online multiplayer gameplay are among the top-rated in the industry. Warzone, its latest iteration, is an equally enjoyable online game. Itâs a hot new take on the well-established battle royale genre that features multiple worlds (with 150 players) and different-sized squads. Variations of the game are already available in many online playlists. It is free to download on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
14. Stardew Valley
Are you a fan of farm-based games? With its committed universe and gameplay, this little indie game has won over the hearts of many such gamers. Start by inheriting your granddadâs old farm plot set in Stardew Valley. You set out to begin an all-new life, aided by some coins and hand-me-down tools. Take care of your first crop on a form, but also discover a town full of memorable characters (who you can date and marry), dungeons to inspect, mysteries to reveal, and more. Fifteen minutes is the equivalent of one in-game day, with the game covering around five years of stories and adventures. Gamers of all ages can play Stardew Valley for $15 on PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and mobile for $15.
15. Snakes & Ladders
If warzones are not your thing and you love board games, you can take the classic Snakes & Ladders online on MPL. It brings you more fun and entertainment than the usual game. MPL brings you the digital version of the classic board game. Players roll a virtual die to move their pieces along a grid. The goal is to reach the final square before your opponents. The game is simple and fun, with a variety of other fun additions. MPL offers free online games with cash rewards to elevate the fun during your game night.
16. Monopoly
This list wouldnât be complete without including one of the most popular board games in the US â Monopoly â which you can now play online. It is available for PS4, Xbox One, Switch, iOS, and Android devices. The game is playable between two to six players. Play against friends versus bots on the same mobile device with friends or via Bluetooth. You also have the option to invite Facebook friends.
As part of Monopoly, you trade lands, construct houses, win bidding wars, and, most significantly â have fun. You aim to become a monopoly and lead the other players to bankruptcy.
17. Halo
Halo has been a popular name in the sci-fi, first-person shooter genre ever since the launch of the original installment â Halo: Combat Evolved. The game has had a cult following with multiple versions, including Halo 2 & 3, Halo Wars, Halo: Spartan Assault, and the most recent, Halo Infinite, all critically and commercially acclaimed. Halo was a breath of fresh air during the indoor pandemic, allowing gamers to connect over headsets and stay in touch. Several game versions are available on the Microsoft Xbox and its upgraded consoles.
18. Rocket League
The easiest way to describe the game would be with two words: âcar soccer.â Enjoy sessions of arcade-style soccer coupled with vehicular destruction. You take control of a car on a massive soccer field featuring a giant ball and try to eliminate opposing teams in five-minute matches. Team up with three other player buddies for casual and ranked play. You keep earning slick, cosmetic looks for your preferred card as you score many goals. The game is available on PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC for $20.
19. Grand Theft Auto V Online
Who hasnât heard of Grand Theft Auto? GTA V is one of the gaming industryâs most-sold titles ever. The game features a fantastic story mode with nearly fifty hours of mission-based adventures set in a fictional version of Los Angeles. However, the story is a warm-up for the gameâs best part. The online mode, which can accommodate up to thirty players on different PCs, is packed with even crazier missions and over-the-top stunts and regularly updates more gameplay types. The game is only suitable for adults and mature audiences and is playable on PC, PS4, and Xbox One for $30.
20. Fruit Chop
If youâve grown up on a steady dose of arcade games and you currently have a thing for fruit games, Fruit Chop is the one that needs to be on your smartphone. No, you donât need to be an expert slicer of fruits in real life to become a pro at this game. All it requires from you is the quickness of the swiping finger, a watchful eye on the timer, and the patience to keep trying and winning. While slicing fruits is the way to go, avoid bombs as and when they arrive.
The game doesnât have a timer, but you lose the game if you miss slicing three fruits consecutively. It also helps that the fruits are tossed at an even pace, enabling you to get better at the game with time.
21. Among Us
If there were one game that soared in popularity during the pandemic, itâd be Among Us. This is one of the perfect games to play with online friends! The world talked about it in their social and internet circles, turning it into an obsession. Though it launched in 2018, it instantly became a hit during the first pandemic wave. A cluster of players moves around a space shuttle, finishing multiple tasks, but one is secretly an impostor who keeps eliminating other players. Each player gets the option of voting to declare the impostorâs identity. The game is available to download from the App Store or Google Play.
22. Psych!
If you enjoy making a fool of your friends, youâll have a great time with Psych! â a game created by the pop culture icon Ellen DeGeneres. As mentioned by the talk show host herself, it is a game where one makes up fake answers to actual trivia questions and subsequently tries to guess the correct answer.
When you play, youâll come up with false plot ideas for real movies and attempt to trick your buddies into believing itâs all true. It is available to download on Google Play and Apple Store.
23. Skribbl
Do you love playing Pictionary? Gather all your friends in a virtual, private game room and showcase your excellent drawing skills with Skribbl. Like traditional Pictionary, every player gets a word they try to draw on the digital canvas, and the rest of the players must guess what the player is drawing. The game is much more enjoyable when played on a tablet, using a stylus (for better, clearer) illustrations, but you can certainly give it a shot on your smartphones, too, sketching with your fingers.
24. Wolvesville
If youâve played Mafia before, this game is somewhat similar. Wolvesville is an online multiplayer game that can accommodate up to sixteen players. Each game comprises various teams, including werewolves and villages, all fighting for the last ones to survive. You can use unique skills and abilities to reveal the roles of other players and urge your mates to join your team.
Whether you choose to become the village savior by eliminating werewolves or join a pack of werewolves to wipe off the same village, youâll have plenty of fun playing Wolvesvilles. You can find it on Google Play and the Apple Store.
25. Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale
This multiplayer VR game is a must-add to your list of online games to play with friends. Up to four players can join at a time to collaborate and complete cooking missions in this fun game featuring a universe filled with magical creatures. Playing using the Oculus Quest is a total blast, winning acclaim from game critics and audiences alike. Enjoy making and distributing delicious sandwiches to werewolves, raccoons, mice, and more.
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26. Ninjala
Find this game on the Nintendo Switch eShop for a free download. It is an innovative way to bring together the whole family and friend circles â you take control of vibrant ninjas who manufacture weapons using âninja gumâ bubblegum. They also feature some super-cool costumes and accessories that you can use to personalize your avatar further. You can play solo, explore the Battle Royale mode, and play with up to eight players from anywhere, or challenge buddies in a four-on-four battle.
27. Crucible
Crucible is a team-based PvP action shooter thatâs free to play and driven by the playersâ choices. Every match is a quest for survival and control. Youâll go toe-to-toe with your opponents while attempting to adapt and overcome all hurdles the planet puts in your path. You and your teammates work together to eliminate aliens, accomplish objectives, and chase after opponents in your journey to success. Relentless Studios (owned by Amazon) developed Crucible, available only on Steam. Time will tell if it becomes a cult favorite within the online gaming ecosystem.
28. Gummy Drop!
Thereâs nothing quite like a relaxing and engaging Match 3 puzzle game to turn your day around. Yes, weâre talking about Gummy Drop! â where you play traveler and architect revamping cities made famous by their landmarks, hanging with the locals, and lending them a helping hand. The game keeps adding new content and new cities regularly. You can connect with friends on Facebook as you play and check in on their progress frequently. Anyone four years and over can play the game, available on Google Play, iOS, and Amazon.
29. Clue
Hasbroâs original mystery board game now finds a digital version downloadable on your smartphones and tablets. Become the best detective by solving every mystery at every difficulty level. A high-risk party is taking place at the mansion, and every guest on the list is a murder suspect. Roll the dice, turn into a detective, and let the game of Clue begin! This is one of the most exciting games to play with online friends as the classic board game is now available online for solo play or with your pals. It is available for $1.49 on Google Play and $3.99 on the App Store.
FAQs
Which are the best games online to play with friends?
Some of the best online games to play with friends include MPL Gin Rummy, Draw 4, Spades, and Ludo. These games are fun and engaging and require you to develop a robust strategy. They are easy to play and perfect for socializing with friends virtually.
How to play a game virtually?
Playing games is fun, and thanks to budding technology, you can seamlessly play games online. You can do it on a browser, via your smartphone, by downloading an app like MPL, or even on Play Station. Several fun games can be ideal for you.
How to play PC games online with friends?
To play PC games online with friends, install the game, create or join an online server, and invite friends to your game through their usernames or friend lists. Ensure everyone has a stable internet connection and the same game version for smooth gameplay.
Which are the best party games today?
Some of the best party games today include Among Us, Jackbox Party Pack, Cards Against Humanity, and Pictionary. These games are popular for their fun, interactive gameplay and are great for entertaining friends and family during gatherings or virtual parties. Card games can also be a great choice.
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