Summary
Sad as it may be, sometimes a friend has to move away. Even more commonly, thanks to the internet, you make a friend who lives nowhere near you, possibly even on a different continent entirely. Fortunately, we live in a time where options for keeping these friendships alive aren’t just available; there’s almost an overwhelming amount of choice.
With so many games as a prospect, the hardest part of putting together a gaming session with your cross-country buddies is picking what to play. We thought it would be helpful to put together some of the best suggestions to help you find the right game for your digital pen pals.
The games listed here aren’t in any particular order; there is no single best game because every group of friends is different. You know your friend group best, so use this as a starting point and make the right choice for you.
8Rocket League
Some Classic Car Sportsball
Rocket League is a great game to play with friends, but this could just as easily be any game based around sports, whether they’re real or not. If you’re a big wrestling fan, WWE2k probably has what you’re after. Do you all prefer shooting hoops to shooting star presses? Pick up MLB The Show instead.
It’s a way to use gaming to keep a shared interest varied and alive, letting you talk about your favourite sport while engaging in some of that activity, even if it is virtual. Since most of the more popular sports get new games regularly you’ll have no shortage of options, and there are always fictional ones like Rocket League or Blood Bowl too.
7Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Start Your Engines
Mario Kart has been a friendship-forging game for decades, each new entry building on the last. It’s easy to pick up and play, an expanded selection of courses provides plenty of variety, and the Nintendo Switch means you can play it just about anywhere.
As high octane as it can get, Mario Kart isn’t a mentally taxing game, making it a great choice for firing up with your friends even if differing timezones mean you’re at different parts of your day. Just be careful; Mario Kart can get a little heated, so watch out with those blue shells.
6Total War: Warhammer 3
Fun With Chaos
If you want something with a strategic flair, Total War: Warhammer 3 has you covered. Any of the Total War games work, but this one has a few advantages over the others, allowing for larger groups to play together.
If you share an interest in Warhammer, enjoying the hobby together before a buddy had to move, this is the perfect way to scratch that itch. The turn-based nature leaves plenty of time to chat, and you can even take control of the AI armies during battles your forces aren’t involved in. That’s the power of chaos.
5Monster Prom
Everyone Wants To Date Medusa
Although it can be played as a single-player experience, Monster Prom is made special by playing with pals. Once you and up to three friends jump in, it becomes a competitive dating sim where you’ll be competing for monstrous affections.
The stakes might seem low, but it turns out people get heated when you steal a Medusa out from under them. Even so, Monster Prom is a game that even non-gamers will be able to jump into easily, so it works for all sorts of friend groups.
4Helldivers 2
Friends For Freedom
Helldivers 2 took online gaming by storm, quickly becoming more successful than anyone anticipated. With good reason, too, it’s one of the best online experiences you’re likely to find, despite a few speedbumps.
You and your friends can drop onto a bug or bot-infested planet and fight for democracy. The tongue-in-cheek writing and tight gameplay will keep you coming back for hours, and if you need a change of pace, you’re able to always have aHelldivers 2 themed movie night.
3Stardew Valley
Live The Dream
Who hasn’t dreamed of starting a quiet farm together with their friends, escaping from modern life? Thanks to modern life, you can do it without any of that pesky manual labour, too. Stardew Valley has a well-implemented multiplayer mode, so you can finally start that farm with your friends, which totally isn’t a commune.
Whether you’re looking to maximize your profits or take things slow, Stardew Valley is a perfect backdrop game. It doesn’t require too much moment-to-moment thought, freeing you up to have real conversations with those far-away friends.
2Dungeons & Dragons
Or Any Other Online TTRPG
The games you play together don’t have to be video games. There’s no substitute forjumping on to a video callwith your adventuring party and playing in a shared land of make-believe for the better part of a day. It doesn’t necessarily have to be Dungeons & Dragons. Whatever TTRPG your group plays will work just as well.
With virtual tabletops and digital resources, it’s easier than ever to play these sorts of games online and at a distance, so don’t default to retiring your game if someone has to move away. Nothing really beats being at the table together, but playing online is the next best thing.
1Final Fantasy 14
Play Together
Final Fantasy 14 is among the best games of its kind, but there are other options likeGuild Wars 2 or the classic World of Warcraft. Whichever MMO you decide to go with, there’s nothing that compares to playing in a huge shared world with your friends.
Seeing that name light up in your friends list when someone comes online is a feeling that can’t be beaten. Whether you play solo but stay on voice chat or tackle the toughest raid bosses together, the shared experience is one that will keep you connected.
