Fun games for students (with enough room to come up with an extra rule)
Look, as a student you are busy and that gray matter is on enough. Relaxation comes in many forms, and playing a game should definitely be one of them. Not the AIVD Christmas puzzle (at least not here), we find little relaxation in that, but just fun games where you can keep busy, also have a nice chat and where you can add an extra dimension here and there, if you know what we mean.
Always hanging on that couch after a day at the OBA is not always that I-just-got-here moment. Muscle pain in your laughing muscles, good conversations and friends who can't handle losing: that's more like it. Get those snacks, prepare a drink and win, of course. Also useful for on the terrace, by the way, just saying. Voila, a list of very fun games, especially for students!
It's all in the name: jungle-speed is all about speed and reflexes. There is a totem pole in the center of the table and players take turns laying down a card. When two cards match, you have to be ready! The first to grab the totem pole wins. Simple. Or well, that's not quite it, because if you do it wrong, you have to take one or more penalty card(s) (or take a shot, that's a personal choice of course). The first, and therefore the fastest and sharpest, to collect all the cards becomes the Jungle Speed Champion.
You have Perudo you have to play it twice, but once it clicks, you have a wonderfully easy and compact game. No difficult rules, after two rounds of dice you're already in it. It's a bit of thinking, it's a bit of math, but mainly it's a lot of bluffing. Nice and compact, so also handy for somewhere on the terrace or in the pub.
The aim of the game is to guess how many dice of a certain value are on the table, and that becomes increasingly exciting as dice disappear and your fellow player appears to have a mega poker face. When your die falls off the table, it's your destiny to supply the entire table with drinks! But rest assured, you can adapt this rule with a touch of humor to your own taste and make the game your own. So be creative with that extra line.
Ah, the game for the creatives, the actors, the poets and everyone who always wanted to become a rapper: Poetry for Neanderthals. So creative, yes! Long-winded, no, because you have to speak like a Neanderthal here and you can only use words that consist of one syllable. This is really not that easy, and if you use words with more than one syllable, the opponent can hit you with the club you get in the game. Just an inflatable one, we keep it reasonably safe. A quite absurd and wonderful game, where you can also add some extra penalty rules if you fail to rhyme in one syllable. My stomach aches from laughing at this game.
Exploding Kittens is the bomb and that point is 100% intented. But really: the texts on the cards are funny and always creative, and that makes them laugh. Purpose of the game? Don't explode. Sounds easier said than done, but a little strategy goes a long way. By drawing, playing and collecting cards you can protect yourself, but you also use them to outplay your opponents. It's kind of like Russian roulette, but more creative and a lot funnier. Our favorite card: the 'nope', to place randomly in the game. Great for protecting yourself, but more for completely confusing your fellow player's strategy with one card. The explanation on the cards is self-explanatory, but the cards also lend themselves very well to adding an extra rule or two (the Katoombomb: this is going to hurt... card is a no-brainer).
Keep your friends close, but your cards even closer!
Laughter + snacks + drinks = a good evening. Whether it's speed, strategy or creative poems, there's bound to be something for you! Look, if these games don't cost the world, great for students on a budget! Speaking of budget and games: At these places in Amsterdam you can get a beer for less than 3,50 euros and you can play games all night long.