What makes a great travel game?

Traveling to new destinations is an amazing experience, filled with wonder, adventure, and endless possibilities. Whether you're exploring distant lands or enjoying a camping trip closer to home, traveling opens our minds to diverse cultures and unforgettable memories. While the sights and sounds and tastes of travel are captivating, there's one often-overlooked aspect that can enhance your journey even further: games. In this blog post, we'll delve into what makes a great travel game and explore why you should consider traveling with games.

Portable Entertainment:

One of the key aspects of a great travel game is its portability. Traveling often involves long flights, train rides, or even downtime during layovers. In these moments, having a compact game at your disposal can transform seemingly tedious hours of delays into a delightful escape or opportunity to build new friendships. Look for games that are lightweight, compact, and easy to carry. Card games, travel-sized board games, dice games and puzzle books are excellent options that won't weigh you down. The size of the game you take will depend on where and how you are travelling, but we recommend packing something small in your hand luggage, pocket, or rucksack when you next go travelling. A game in your hold bag isn’t going to entertain you if you are unfortunate enough to be delayed.

TG Recommends: Five Three Five

Five Three Five packs up small and can be compressed even further using a deck box or you can throw a couple of other games into its small box. It plays with 2-6 players meaning and will adapt to suit the group you are with when that unexpected downtime hits. There are cribsheets and simplified rules printed onto cards for each player so you can leave the rules at home once you have played a couple of times. Five Three Five is a climbing/shedding game where players are trying to be the first to play all of their cards from their hand, by playing higher than the previous set of cards or even adding to it.

Engaging and Social:

Traveling is a fantastic opportunity to connect with people from different backgrounds, and games provide an excellent medium for social interaction. Great travel games are designed to be engaging and inclusive, offering an avenue for building new friendships and shared experiences. Travel games are adaptable and can be enjoyed by both fellow travelers and locals you meet along the way. These games foster connections, break down barriers, and create cherished memories with people you may have never met otherwise. By keeping game components simple it makes it easier to play games across different language barriers by limiting vocabulary to things like colors, numbers, and animals.

TG Recommends: No Thanks!

No Thanks is a perfect social game for travelling it plays with 3-7 people and can be taught in a matter of minutes or less. The game requires very little vocabulary besides yes please, no thanks and some numbers. Whilst its very simple to learn the game has some meaningful decisions and the push your luck element means that the group will be laughing and groaning on each players turn. Gameplay is snappy and the whole game can be packed away very quickly if you suddenly need to go.

Versatility and Adaptability:

Travel plans are often subject to change, and having a game that can adapt to different situations is invaluable. Look for games that can be played in various settings, such as on a plane, in a hostel, or even outdoors. Versatile games offer flexibility, ensuring you'll have entertainment options regardless of the circumstances. Consider games that can be played with different player counts, have adjustable playtimes, or offer different levels of difficulty. This adaptability guarantees that you'll never be bored, no matter where your journey takes you.

TG Recommends: 6 Nimmt!

6 Nimmt! is one of the most versatile card games around. It plays with 2-10 people, and provides a deck of cards numbered from 1-104. This means you can also use the deck to play other games, while you are travelling. e.g. rather than taking 6 nimmt and No thanks you can take 6 Nimmt and the chips from No Thanks and you can play both games. There are plenty of other games and where possible you really should support the designers and own the games, but that does not mean you have to carry multiple 1-100 decks with you when you travel. For this reason 6 Nimmt! is a staple in my travel bag and in the deckbox I take to games nights.

Cultural Immersion and Education:

Traveling is an immersive experience that exposes us to diverse cultures, traditions, and histories. Games can play a significant role in enhancing our understanding and appreciation of these unique aspects. Seek out games that are culturally themed, inspired by local traditions, or offer educational elements. Playing these games not only provides entertainment but also deepens your connection to the destinations you visit. Whether it's learning about ancient civilizations through strategy games or discovering traditional games specific to a region, you'll gain insights that enrich your travel experience. Travel-Games.co.uk has built a thematic game map for you to explore to find games themed around your travel destinations. Games can also be a fun way to learn the basic vocabulary of languages. Games like Lost Cities and Nana can be used to practice numbers, colors, animals, or even simple interactions like asking for the highest or lowest card. Games can be an excellent way to reinforce your learning of a language with others.

TG Recommends: Nana

Nana (ナナ) is Japanese for 7, and plays 2-5 people. This game is one of many card games that are great to practice your basic language skills while you play a game. You can practice numbers and animals along with asking questions, practicing manners and exclamations. You can even start simple and bring in new vocabulary as you learn. The game is fun and easy to learn so it’s easy to adapt for learning. Nana also demonstrates some great Kawaii artwork from Sai Beppu, the artist behind many well-loved Japanese boardgames and Travel-Games.co.uk’s very own logo and mascot Hamish!

Mental Stimulation and Relaxation:

Traveling can be exhilarating, but it can also be exhausting. Long hours of exploration and constant sensory stimulation can leave you craving moments of relaxation. Games and puzzle can serve as a perfect antidote, providing mental stimulation and a chance to unwind. Choose games that strike a balance between challenge and relaxation, allowing you to exercise your mind while enjoying downtime. Puzzles, solitaire, solo RPG can help you relax and recharge for the next adventure.

TG Recommends: LOK

LOK is a puzzle book where you discover the rules for yourself, it contains a laminate sheet so you can erase your workings and share the puzzles with a partner or friend. It makes for a great relaxation activity in the morning with coffee, or distraction on a long journey. It also has hints, answers and expansions in the back so there’s no reliance on batteries or internet.This small puzzle book will keep you amused for hours.

Summary:

Adding games to your travel itinerary opens up a whole new world of possibilities. They offer entertainment during transit, facilitate social connections, adapt to changing circumstances, immerse you in local cultures, and provide mental stimulation and relaxation. Whether you're a solo traveller seeking camaraderie or a group of friends looking to enhance your journey, the right travel game can make your trip even more memorable. So, the next time you pack your bags, don't forget to tuck in a few games—the perfect companions for your travel escapades. Bon voyage and happy gaming!