Spend International Friendship Day doing an activity that encourages communication and laughter, and creates lifelong memories. Here are 12 great games to try out with your friends.
- 7 Wonders
- Azul
- Carcassonne
- CATAN
- Dixit
- Friends
- Games
- Pandemic
- Seasonal Favorites
- Splendor
- Ticket to Ride
- Top Ten
- Unlock! – Escape Adventures
- Who's playing?
The United Nations officially recognizes July 30th as International Day of Friendship. It is a time dedicated to celebrating the value of friendship and promoting the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures, and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities. The day encourages people to cherish and promote friendships as a way to foster respect for diversity and promote understanding among different cultures and backgrounds.
Why not take the opportunity to spend time with your friends doing an activity that encourages communication, and laughter and creates lifelong memories? Play games! Here are 12 great games from our Unbox Now collection to try out on International Friendship Day.
For Groups of Friends
Celebrating your friends in a group? Check out these great options for 3, 4, or even 8 players!
CATAN
Age: 10+ / Players: 3-4 / Duration: 60-120 minutes
Gather your friends, set upon an untamed island and immediately begin the race to be the most successful settler! Embark on a quest to settle the Isle of Catan. Guide your settlers to victory by clever trading and cunning development. But beware, as someone might cut off your road and you never know when the robber might steal some of your precious gains!
Carcassonne
Age: 7+ / Players: 2-5 / Duration: 45-60 minutes
Perfect for those new to tabletop gaming, Carcassonne is deceptively simple, with a hint of strategy. With its easy-to-learn rules, beautifully illustrated tiles, and iconic components (meeples), this modern classic is sure you please you and four of your best friends, without tiring anyone out.
Splendor
Age:10+ / Players: 2-4 / Duration: 30-45 minutes
Splendor is an elegant and intuitive game in which players compete to build Renaissance Europe’s most lucrative and prestigious jewelry business. Collect jewels and vie for control of gem mines, trade routes, and storefronts to attract the attention of various Nobles. Accumulate victory points as you race towards prestige and glory! With simple and easy-to-learn gameplay, Splendor is a great game for beginners and a perfect game for any friend group looking for a great time!
Azul
Age: 8+ / Players: 2-4 / Duration: 30-45 minutes
A zen little game of strategy and beauty, Azul challenges you to decorate the Royal Palace of Evora with exquisite ornamental tiles. You can score extra points by creating specific patterns or completing sets. But you can also lose them by wasting tiles. Fittingly, the player with the most points wins!
Ticket to Ride
Age: 8+ / Players: 2-5 / Duration: 45-60 minutes
One of the most popular modern board game series ever launched Ticket to Ride is a beautifully illustrated title that sees players embark on a cross-country train adventure, where they compete to claim railway routes connecting cities in various countries around the world. The game is simple to learn, fun to play and keeps players engaged by requiring continuous strategic thinking and a dose of opportunism. But, despite keeping players on their toes, Ticket to Ride won’t overwhelm the uninitiated, one of the reasons it appeals to both new and seasoned players and makes a perfect option for game day with friends.
Unlock!
Age: 10+ / Players: 1-6 / Duration: 45-60 minutes
Over the past couple of decades, the escape room phenomenon has become a popular form of entertainment due to its ability to immerse players in strange and exotic settings, while challenging both the intellect and coordination. But did you know that you can also enjoy a similar experience from the comfort of your own home? Unlock! features a series of cooperative games, each of which, via an app and a single deck of cards, engages the same critical thinking parts of your brain as an escape room. So, gather your friends and recreate the excitement and adventure around your favourite table.
Dixit
Age: 8+ / Players: 3-8 / Duration: 30-45 minutes
Dixit is a classic, simple, lighthearted game of storytelling and guesswork. This beautiful game based on surreal-like art, imagination, and communication, will engage players of all ages. Dixit also features several expansions, as well as standalone variations, like Dixit Disney, Stella—Dixit Universe, and the newly released, accessible Dixit Universe – Access+.
Pandemic
Age: 8+ / Players: 2-4 / Duration: 45-60 minutes
Can you and your friends save humanity in this cooperative game, where deadly viruses spread across the globe? Together, you will treat diseases, share knowledge, and fly all over the world to prevent outbreaks and slow down the epidemic. The fate of humanity is in your hands!
7 Wonders
Age: 10+ / Players: 3-7 / Duration: 30-45 minutes
With more awards than any other game on the planet, 7 Wonders is sure to be a hit among you and your friends. In this elegant, easy-to-learn game, players attempt to build wonders and lead one of the seven great cities of the ancient world.
For You and a BFF
Looking for something to play in a group of two? These titles are perfect when it’s just you and a BFF.
Rivals for CATAN
Age: 10+ / Players: 2 / Duration: 45-60 minutes
Perfect for you and a friend, Rivals for CATAN puts you in charge of one of two factions developing the newly settled land to become the Prince of Catan.
Splendor Duel
Age: 10+ / Players: 2 / Duration: 30-45 minutes
Splendor Duel is a revamped version of the hit game Splendor, but specifically designed for two players. Choose your gemstones and cards wisely, but don’t forget to watch your opponent!
7 Wonders Duel
Age: 10+ / Players: 2 / Duration: 30-45 minutes
Spanning three eras, 7 Wonders: Duel pits two rival civilizations against each other as they struggle to build their armies, make scientific discoveries, and develop their cities.
Find out where to buy these and other great games to celebrate International Day of Friendship, here.
