Earlier this week, we shared our picks of the 28 best single-player games to play while we all stay at home to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. If you prefer a bit of friendly competition, though, we've got you covered.
- Virtual Games To Play With Friends On Zoom Online
- Virtual Games To Play With Friends And Family
- Fun Virtual Happy Hour Ideas
- Virtual Interactive Games
From the best Battle Royale games in 2020, to the top sports simulations, and everything in between, here are 33 of our favorite multiplayer video games to dive into while you're stuck at home, with picks for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC. Many of these games are free to play, so if you've got any one of those consoles or a PC, there's going to be something for you!
Some other lists to check out:
The 33 best TV shows on Amazon Prime right nowThe 17 best sitcoms to stream on Hulu right now1. Call of Duty: WarzoneThe mobile app lets users invite their friends to a virtual 'room' and play for hours on end. The free app can be downloaded on the App Store and Google Play Store. Yahtzee With Buddies makes the beloved dice game easy to play with others.
PS4, Xbox One, PC
- There are several tracks and users can play with up to seven friends at once (so everyone can play!). You'll both need a Nintendo account to play, and there is a monthly subscription fee.
- RELATED: 10 Best Apps & Games To Play With Friends On Your Phone 1. If you and your friends whip out a deck of Cards Against Humanity at every house party, you'll love this online.
- 15 Virtual Happy Hour Games To Play With Friends For All The Grape Times. By Marisa Casciano. Believe it or not, you don't have to venture out to a restaurant to enjoy happy hour.
Call of Duty's second attempt at the Battle Royale genre has turned into a smash hit, as the game is a much more enjoyable blend of classic COD multiplayer action and BR mechanics. Best of all? It's free.2. Fortnite
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Fortnite has, for now, been supplanted at the top of the Battle Royale heap, but if you prefer a more cartoony look or you just enjoy frantically building structures, Fortnite is for you.3. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Platforms: Switch
The biggest and best Smash Bros. entry yet, with great online or local multiplayer play.4. Rocket League
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Turbo-charged car soccer. If that doesn't sound awesome already, I'm not sure what to tell you.5. Teamfight Tactics
Platforms: PC, Mobile
A League of Legends themed auto-battler that is accessible, deep, addiciting and free. Side note: League of Legends is also great on its own, but only if you're prepared to spend a LOT of hours learning the game.6. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Platforms: Switch
The best Mario Kart yet plays very well online with others.7. Apex Legends
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Another excellent free-to-play Battle Royale option.8. PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
If you're looking for a slower-paced and slightly more relistic Battle Royale option, PUBG is for you.9. FIFA 20
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
FIFA 20 has a wealth of multiplayer options, from various friendly options, to co-op seasons, to grindy Ultimate Team modes.10. NBA 2K20
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Virtual Games To Play With Friends On Zoom Online
The best (and only) basketball sim around, with plenty of options for regular online games, seasons, or park play.11. Madden NFL 20
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
It may be a while before we see actual on-field action, but you could always create or download the current draft class to get a head-start on Madden 21.12. Overwatch
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
A beloved hero-based shooter, but brace for the potential online toxicity.13. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Platforms: Switch
Animal Crossing is primarily a single-player game, but it's made much more enjoyable by interacting with your friends online. Visit their island, hang out together, send each other presents and live the good life.14. Overcooked 2
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
A brilliant cooking simulator that demands multiple players work in harmony to produce various dishes on a deadline. Great for in-home team building, or potentially for starting fights.15. Destiny 2: Shadowkeep
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
A unique shooter MMO with plenty of normal arena multiplayer modes on offer, Destiny 2 is at its best when you're playing with friends. If you can get three or four to start with you, you'll have a blast.16. Tom Clancy's Rainbox Six Siege
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
A deep, tactics-focused FPS where teamwork is paramount.17. World of Warcraft
Platforms: PC
It's one of the better times to revisit WoW if you're an old player, or start the journey for the first time if you've never played it. The newest expansion for modern WoW is set to release sometime in 2020, but a subscription also grants you access to WoW Classic if you prefer the OG MMO experience.18. Mario Party
Platforms: Switch
A great couch party game for up to four players, but sadly with no online play.19. Sea of Thieves
Platforms: Xbox One, PC
Role play as a pirate! Definitely best expeirenced with a few friends you know.20. A Way Out
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
A brilliant two-person co-op experience where you work together with another player to break out of prison.21. Minecraft
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, phones and tablets
Mine and craft to your heart's content alone or with pals.22. Grand Theft Auto V
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Rockstar is still adding new things to do in GTAV Online, which now has heists, a casino, and most recently, open-wheel racing.23. Red Dead Redemption 2
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Or if you prefer your GTA-style game in a jaw-dropping western setting, Red Dead Online has made some major strides since launch.24. Borderlands 3
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Borderlands 3 offers some of the best campaign co-op you can find in 2020.25. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Platforms: PC
On the PC side, there's no better FPS than CS:GO.26. iRacing
Platforms: PC
You'll need to invest in a wheel and pedals, but if you love racing games, there's no better or more realistic online experience.27. Any Jackbox Party Pack
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, Phones/Tablets
The GOAT party games, which allow for long-distance multiplayer with your friends using smart devices as controllers. Each party pack offers a different lineup of games, but you really can't go wrong with any of them.28. Mortal Kombat 11
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
All the gloriously over-the-top violent fighting action you could want.29. Street Fighter V: Champion Edition
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
… Or, if you want to avoid all the ridiculous gore of Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter30. Final Fantasy XIV
Platforms: PS4, PC
If you're a Final Fantasy fan who has never ventured into an MMO, FFXIV is a very accessible and highly polished entry that can be enjoyed solo or along with other people.31. Magic: The Gathering Arena
Platforms: PC
There are countless free-to-play card games vying for your attention, but my favorite of the bunch is Magic: Arena, which successfully made arguably the greatest collectible card game created more accessible than ever. Also consider: Legends of Runeterra.32. Halo: The Master Chief Collection
Platforms: Xbox One, PC
This game had a troubled launch, but has since been fixed and is being revamped for PC. If you want to re-live the Halo 2 and 3 glory days, or play though all the campaigns with a friend, it's all here.33. The Division 2
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Virtual Games To Play With Friends And Family
An online shooter RPG set in a beautifully imaged post-apocalyptic Washington D.C. Playing online with friends is essential to your enjoyment.
Best casino deposit offers. If there's anything grandparents hate, it's being far away and unable to see their grandkids. At least thanks to technology, there are plenty of online games for grandparents and grandchildren to play together no matter how far apart they are. These interactive games are a great opportunity for them to connect, and for you to get a little break!
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Multi-player online games and apps can be a little tricky for parents to navigate simply because of the 'stranger-danger' factor. There are a lot of platforms where kids can connect with their friends but risk a random drop-in from a stranger, so you might feel the need to supervise their use. Depending on how old your kid is, your supervision could totally cramp their style and everything might end up in an argument. If they're playing with their grandparents, though, they have real-time supervisors in the game with them, so you can give your child freedom and privacy without having to worry about potential dangers (thanks, grandma and grandpa!).
Not all online games and apps are good for everyone, though. In picking the best one for your family, you'll want to consider a game that is age-appropriate for your child and user-friendly enough for their grandparents. If nothing else, you can always give your parents a quick FaceTime tutorial on how to add a Chrome extension or download an app before they start playing with the kids.
You probably grew up playing Uno with your parents, and now your parents can play it with your kids from anywhere. Both of you will need to download the game on your phone or tablet and connect with each other to start playing.
Safety Note: Uno will ask for permission to access your GPS to connect you with people nearby to play whether they are friends or not, so you may want to opt out.
Pokemon Go is an app that has users 'hunt' Pokemon characters in real life spots. Even though grandparents and their grandchildren are in different spots, they can still hunt together and compare their catches with each other to determine who wins. It's a great opportunity for kids to get outside and walk around their neighborhood to see if they 'spot' any characters.
Safety Note: Today's Parent advises setting hunting parameters for kids (or going on the hunts with them), using a family email for registration, and turning off GPS whenever the game isn't in use.
Grandparents can set up an account with Readeo, a safe online platform that allows them to read a story to their grandchild over video chat. Kids can actually see the pages of the book and even turn them for their grandparents. To use it, one person has to have a paid membership (you can get a 14-day free trial) and then they can connect with a guest for free.
Kahoot is a platform used in a lot of schools, but can be used at home as a way to connect with other people (and maybe even do some sneaky studying). Kids and grandparents can 'create their own Kahoot,' like a trivia game, and have a friendly competition, or you can use some of the already-created Kahoot games and play them virtually. You can access the site for free or pay for different upgrade options, and it's best for more tech savvy grandparents & kids.
Safety Note: Since the entire platform is designed for kids and education, there are a lot of safety features built-in. You can check them out here.
Grandparents and grandchildren can connect with each other through Roblox. It's similar to Minecraft, in that the 'world' you're gaming through is created by users. You don't need a game console to play it (you can download an app or play it on XBOX). Grandkids can create a world/game for their grandparents to get through or they can build one together and then play in it after. It's a fun game that needs intermediate technology skills to play.
Safety Note: Roblox is a free community game, so there are lots of players all over the world. You'll want to utilize the parental tools to ensure your kiddo doesn't connect or chat with any strangers. You can learn more here.
If you know how to add Chrome Extensions, then you'll definitely want to use Netflix Party to connect your kids and grandparents. It allows up to four people to sync up their Netflix stream so they can watch content together in real-time. It also has a chat feature so viewers can talk about what they're watching together via chat. If your kid can't read or spell yet, you can always let them talk to grandma and grandpa on the phone while they watch.
Safety Note: This is a newer extension so be cautious of any unintended glitches. If it's working as promised, though, the 'party' can only be accessed by the party host and three guests who need a link to get in.
Mario Kart Tour is the classic game you love through an app on Apple or Android phones. There are several tracks and users can play with up to seven friends at once (so everyone can play!). You'll both need a Nintendo account to play, and there is a monthly subscription fee.
Safety Note: You'll want to set your kids up with a Child Account so you can manage everything from your end. This is a global platform so kids can play against anyone in the world, so be sure to monitor the game and utilize parental controls.
Draw Something is the app-based version of Pictionary. You can both download the app to a phone or tablet and connect with each other for 1:1 games. This is a game that's better for kids who can read simple words, or if a parent is nearby to help a smaller kid.
Safety Note: You'll want to download this app to your device, not your kid's, because strangers can request to connect with you for a game.
Fun Virtual Happy Hour Ideas
Grandparents or kids can initiate a game of checkers and send the other party a link to join. There is no chat feature at this time, so they can either just play or they can set up a chat on another platform to talk while they play.
Virtual Interactive Games
There is a fun interactive game for every age and every skill-level that will allow grandparents and their grandkids the opportunity to connect. A lot of these games even allow more than two players, so cousins can join in the fun to make it a whole family event. Sure, online games aren't the same as a real-life game night, but they're still a nice consolation prize.
