20 Print and Play board games to fight coronavirus isolation boredom

Many of us are entering our third week of #stayhomestaysafe, and with that, comes the start of going a little bit mad. With many shops and online retailers not processing orders for the time being, all of those games we planned to have our grubby mitts on have escaped our grasp.

 

So while you could grab any of our 14 free microgames here, the Frostgrave sourcebook, or a number of freebies from Mantic, here’s some print and play games that you can play at home with only the use of paper, scissors, and sometimes some dice.

 

What is a print and play game?

 

A print and play game is a version of a game which you can print out the tokens, cards, board and similar items to play the full game at home. Some gamers like to get their games professionally printed, while others use simple home inkjet printers and scissors.

 

 

Print and play games are particularly popular in areas of the world where mainstream distribution channels aren’t consistent, with students and other cash-strapped persons, and for those who like to play along while a game is being protoyped. We’ll take a look both at those which were designed for print and play, and those which have been adapted from a physical game.

 

What do you need to play print and play games?

 

 

• A printer, ink and paper
• A pair of scissors for cutting out tokens, cards and so on
• Card sleeves for cards (not essential, but nice)
• Dice, in some cases
• Sticker paper is also useful for any situations where you need to print custom dice faces
• Extra time to get everything cut out

 

20 Print and play tabletop games

 

In no particular order, let’s begin!

 

1. Bullfrogs

Thunderworks Games is giving away Bullfrogs in a print and play edition. This is the first game the studio released in 2017. A war rages atop lily pads as you deploy your frogs of war across the battlepond. This is a game that can be supplemented with some resource token from your Eurogame collection

 

Click here to download Bullfrogs

 

If you fancy it, check out this How to play Bullfrogs video

 

 

 

2. Corinth

 

You can get the excellent Corinth by Days of Wonder in print and play format. This game is an easy one to turn into a print and play, as it’s a roll and write!

 

Click here to download Corinth

 

 

Obama Llama

Thanks to Big Potato Games, we've got a print and play of its hit party game Obama Llama (the first)- though it's formatted in such a way that you can play from your phone if preferred. Great for a giggle, it requires little to no skill, just an enjoyment of obscure rhymes of celebrity names. 

Check out Obama Llama by clicking here!

 

 

 

4. Love Letter: Sender

 

Z-Man introduced a print and play version of its classic game Love Letter, which it describes as being remade for the modern world – moving into the world of online dating. 

 

Click here to download Love Letter: Sender

 

 

 

5. Rolling Realms

 

Made specifically as a result of Coronavirus isolation, this infinitely scalable game was initially made to play with any number of others via Facebook Live. The game is made up of nine mini games, of which you use three per round over three rounds. It confesses not to have been made with the intent of mass production, but we can let it off, as it’s fair to say it’s in consideration of our isolation boredom!

 

Click here to download Rolling Realms

 

 

 

 

 

6. Tussie Mussie

 

Wingspan was this particular editor’s game of the year for 2019, and you’d expect the creator of that to go on to great things. And Elizabeth Hargrave has, with Tussie Mussie. While this one isn’t free like those before it, Tussie Mussie is a lesson in forgotten communication, making it worth a mention.

 

Click here to download Tussie Mussie

 

 

 

7. Decrypto

Now, it's not that you're downloading all of Decrypto, but you can print and play some fun extras on their site, which includes a Klingon version, and extra puzzles, so if you already enjoy the game, this is a nice addition for you. 

You can find the files on their website

 

8. Expedition

Expedition is a print and play that is a so called ‘lightweight’ RPG. Unlike others, this is the full version of the game (though you can purchase a professionally printed version if you wish). It also holds a companion app, though you can access this in a web browser if you prefer, and can be played solo.

 

Click here to download Expedition

 

 

 

 

 

9. BODEGA - Now Brick and Mortar

BODEGA is a two to four player game, described as a 'delightfully tense economic game'. BODEGA is actually a game coming soon, and if you like the game, you can back it on Kickstarter when it launches. 

 

Click here to download Bodega

 

 

10. 18Dracula

Another game requesting play testing, 18Dracula involves 'buying shares in front companies and monsters to acquire blood donations for Dracula'. This is a 'pay what you like' print and play, and so suitable for any budget. 

You can download 18Dracula by clicking here. 

 

11 - 14 Portal Games

 

In some cases, makers are offering more than one option. In a self proclaimed attempt to help with #StayHome, Portal Games has prepared a number of print and play games. These includes Detective: Suburbia, Empires of the North, Sand Runner, and Imperial Settlers.

 

Click here to see the print and play by Portal Games

 

15 - 20. Asmodee

 

And last, but certainly not least, Asmodee has provided six of its popular family games with a print-and-play option for free download. These include Dobble, Dixit, Combo Colour, Unlock, Cortex (coming soon), and Timeline Classic. The games are shorter or demo versions of the purchasable game, but are a great way to pass the time with a range of audiences.  

 

Click here to see print and play by Asmodee