Get out your thickest socks and fluffiest sweaters: cosy season is upon us.
If you’re looking for an excuse to escape the cold and damp outside, and indulge in sweet treats and hot chocolates, look no further than this list of cosy games!
Just as with some of our favourite, questionable movies, we’ve split this list into two parts. In this first blog, we’ll have a look at some naturey and artsy and crafty games, with all of the right homely and comfy energy.
These are simple, fun games, easy to learn and get into. Give yourself a rest, enjoy the company of your closest friends, and add a little whimsy to your day!
To begin, here are some games to enjoy nature without going outside…
Fungi
Fungi is the perfect game for people who like the idea of foraging, communing with nature, living alone in the woods, one with the earth, but really cannot deal with slugs. I’m people.
In this two-player, card-based game, you’re off on a walk through the woodlands, equipped with a basket, a pan, and a dream of sautéed mushrooms on fresh, buttered sourdough bread. Collect mushrooms, trade them with your partner, and cook them to earn the most flavour points and win.
This is a great mellow game, with impeccable autumnal vibes. Plus, you’ll get to enjoy foraging and cooking your finds without accidentally poisoning anyone!
Planted
Live out your dream of having a green thumb with Planted!
In this game, you collect and care for a variety of houseplants. By managing a variety of tools and resources, like light, water and plant food, you’ll compete to raise the healthiest and most beautiful plants. It’ll really make you feel better about that kalanchoe you bought at Tesco, full of good intentions, but which is now half-dead on your windowsill.
Planted is a 2-5 player game, which is great at accommodating different skill levels, making it a good choice for family gaming. Additionally, the art and components are gorgeous, creating a very wholesome and positive experience all around.
If these two games are your rhythm, and if you like the nature theme, you can also give Herbaceous a go, where you compete to grow herbs and find the highest-scoring mix of plants.
A Gentle Rain
Listen, if Rain Sounds ASMR™ were a board game, this would be it.
Playable as both solo and multiplayer, A Gentle Rain is a meditative and relaxing game. Use it to get your mind off all those things bothering you, like your thousands of unread emails, the imminent possibility of the world’s demise, or whether you remembered to turn off the stove before leaving the house. Give yourself a rest.
Somewhere between a puzzle and dominoes, you’ll be aiming to match and place tiles in such a way that every lily may bloom before you run out of pieces.
Enjoy the beautiful art and the lovely wooden tokens. This is a great game to keep on your desk at home. Instead of getting sucked in by your phone every time you need a rest, treat yourself to a gentler break.
Now, for the craftier people, here are a couple of games that will give you the feel-good buzz of starting a new art project without the guilt of never finishing it…
Patchwork and Calico
Both these games centre on creating high-scoring quilts. However, they have rather different gameplays.
In Patchwork, players compete to fill their empty board with patches. Each patch is bought with a varying number of buttons, and requires you to advance a varying number of squares on the time-keeping board. You’ll want to try to fit as many patches, as neatly and tightly as possible, before running out of time.
While there are a lot of moving pieces, with the quilt, buttons, patches, and the time-keeping board, once you are playing the game and things are in motion, you will get the hang of it quickly. Moreover, for such a cutesy game, it can get viciously competitive. And, hey, if you like to vanquish your enemies while sipping on a decadent, creamy, deluxe hot chocolate, who are we to judge?
Calico is a bit more puzzle-like than Patchwork. Each round, you’ll place a patch, trying to match colours and patterns to complete designated designs. However, the most important part of the game is to make sure your quilts appeal to the game’s very picky and discerning cats — just like regular cats. The player who creates the snuggliest and cosiest quilts, and attracts the most kitties, wins!
These are great games for small groups. Patchwork is a two-player while Calico can host up to four. Each has its distinct and unique design, but are united by the warm, homely feeling you’ll get while playing them.
If any of these games piqued your curiosity, you can book your table at your nearest Chance & Counter and have a lovely evening trying as many as you like. Otherwise, why not have a look at our online shop? It’s never too early to stock up for the holiday season. Who wants to spend unstructured time with family?
For more cosy game suggestions, look out for part 2. More fun, easy games, and more cute animals to come!