Unlike our usual Christmas, this year we’ll have to celebrate in a slightly different manner with social distancing. Rather than the annual Christmas dinner and party, we’ve all decided to stay at home and enjoy some games online this holiday. For those who are looking for game ideas, check out these 7 PC games to play with friends!
But before that, I’ll quickly talk about the difference between Local and Online play for those who might not be familiar with these terms.
The difference between Local and Online
Local Play means players can play together on one computer. Whether they’re physically there or connected to the host computer through the internet, this is considered Local Play. Players do not have to purchase their copy of the game, and it can be played offline.
Online Play means players play together using their copy of the game. They do not need to connect to the host computer. The name is self-explanatory and cannot be played offline.
Here are 7 PC Games to enjoy with your friends this holiday:
The good thing about Jackbox Party is that even Covid-19 couldn’t make this game less enjoyable with friends. If you’re new to Jackbox Party, I would recommend Drawful 2, Fibbage, or Quiplash XL. These games are easier to pick up and fun to play with friends.
Each game lasts around 20 minutes. As Jackbox Party is a local multiplayer game, only the host needs to own a copy of the game. Everyone else can join through jackbox.tv on their PC or even on mobile. You can have up to 8 players depending on the game. You may refer to this guide for more information.
Since most games require effective communication between friends, you can consider using Discord (or even Zoom) to call and chat or to share your screen. You can even turn on your cameras and see each other’s faces while playing!
Keyboard and mouse would be sufficient for this game.
A board game with up to 40 different minigames to compete and enjoy with friends.
Fighting for keys (and sometimes sabotaging friends), your goal is to reach the treasure chest with enough keys to unlock the trophies and gather all before anyone else does!
Unfortunately, this game’s local play is split screen so I would recommend owning your copy of the game and play online with friends. You can have up to 8 players on one board.
One game takes around an hour depending on the settings and number of players (e.g. 6 players, 3 trophies, 25 turns max, took 1 hour).
Depending on the minigame, some players might enjoy switching between console and keyboard.
This game is perfect for both players who enjoy puzzles and those who like to break rules.
With no “correct” path, you try to navigate through each checkpoint using your creativity (and maybe some brain juice). The more friends joining, the more chaotic this game will be. Besides the official maps, you can also check out different workshops and lobbies created by the community.
Each map would take roughly 30 minutes. You can have up to 8 players per game. I would suggest playing online since playing local split-screen would be inconvenient.
Although this game supports the use of consoles, I would recommend using a keyboard and mouse for better control.
If you and your friends are competitive, Fall Guys is the game.
Although there may be team games where you and your squad will work together to beat other teams, you will end up fighting over one crown in the finals and become the last person standing.
This battle royale game can have up to 4 online players per lobby. Unfortunately, local play is not supported, so everyone will have to grab their copy. Each game can be as short as a few minutes (if you lose the first minigame) and as long as 15-20 minutes (if you reach the finals).
Using a controller would be best, but even if you don’t have one, a keyboard and mouse will do!
Invite your friends to join you in this chaotic kitchen as you try not to set the kitchen on fire!
The idea of the game is to prepare dishes according to the orders taken. And the biggest obstacles: your teammates. Whether you reach 3 stars (or even 4!) or fail all the orders until you have a negative score, depends on how well you and your teammates work together.
There are a few modes in this game, namely story, arcade, and versus. You can have at most 4 local/online players or even a mixture of local and online players totaling up to 4 (e.g. 3 local and 1 online).
Highly recommend using a console to enjoy this game, but the keyboard also works!
Your mission in this game is to work together to keep the train running. To do that, you must open the way, mine for materials, and build tracks.
Unrailed consists of 3 game modes: Quick, Endless, and Versus. For Endless mode, you might wound up playing for hours if you and your squad work great together. Don’t forget to pick the right wagons for your train!
Note that for Endless matches, a minimum of 2 players are required whereas Versus mode requires at least 4 players. Only Quickplay mode supports single player. Local, online, and a mixture of local and online players are supported.
Using a console would be easier to play, but the keyboard works too!
The only time co-operation might appear is when you and your team try to unlock new characters or maps. Other than that, your only thought would be, “How do I block them with this item?”.
Your objective is to reach the goal. However, at the start of each round, you will be given a chance to pick your item and decide where you can put it to help you get to the goal or stop others from reaching it.
This game requires a minimum of 2 players and a maximum of 4, whether it’s local, online, or a mixture of both players. Each game lasts around 20 minutes.
Most console players might stick with using the console for this game, but the keyboard isn’t that bad either.
To Summarize
