In a year where most of our time was spent in front of screens, what better way to spend this festive season with family and friends than with a good board game or card game?

Sure, there are the ever-popular staples such as Card Against Humanity and Saboteur to rely on – but surely they will get boring after a while. 

Spice up the rotation with these board games and card games – made by Singaporeans, for Singaporeans – that may just end up as you and your friends’ next obsession.

Card game Lord of The Chords has taken the world by storm, with its Kickstarter campaign being fully funded in just 75 minutes. 

The card game will be perfect for those looking to learn music theory, disguising the dryness of the subject with a fun, pun-filled blast for the whole family. Those unfamiliar with music would not feel left out as well, with the game’s easy to follow instructions that could all be explained in two minutes.

Learn all about it here.

Tired of escape rooms but want something similar yet fresh? Bearscape might just be the board game for you and your friends. 

Another board game successfully funded on Kickstarter, Bearscape looks to be an escape game in a box. Armed with nothing more than pencils, papers and wit, players will race against time to solve a series of puzzles that will challenge their problem-solving skills.

Find out more about the board game here.

Let’s face it: the holiday season is terrible for singles – and even worse for those still processing a breakup. Created by a youth after a failed relationship, card game Broken Hearts looks to walk players through the ups and downs of love. 

Admittedly, the game’s intention does sound very cheesy, especially with players having to do a set of sappy expressions to each other during the game. Still, it may not be hard to imagine having a laugh riot blowing kisses or winking at your friends, all while learning how to brave the next heartbreak.

The card game is available here.

Be it with those you have known for a year or a decade, you will be surprised with what you can find out from your friends after a deep heart-to-heart session.

Card game Smol Tok aims to facilitate these dialogues, available as both digital and analogue decks with several themed booster packs for varying topics. With so much of this year spent in front of screens, there’s no better time than now to have deeper human connections.

Find out more about Smol Tok here.

Unless you are willing to fork out a ridiculous amount of money for a trip to Hong Kong, travelling overseas is out of the question for 2020. 

Yet another success story on Kickstarter, board game Overbooked looks to simulate what it would feel like to be an airline manager as soon as COVID-19 blows over. With the puzzle strategy game, players will be challenged to manage and juggle the seating arrangements and demands of customers.

You can get the board game here.

Still can’t get enough of tabletop games, check out our list of Singaporean card games here. All these tabletop games make for great gifts this holiday season too!