Multiplayer Games Help Keep You Cozy and Well Connected

By

Marc Saltzman,

  Updated January 18, 2024 AARP Published October 19, 2020 / Updated January 18, 2024 In this story Stay connected • Beware of scams • Monopoly games • AARP Games • Scrabble-like games •

Games with music • Tabletop games • Charades with smartphones

Don’t let the winter blahs get you down.

Instead, entertain yourself with some electronic competition.

Whether you’re playing in person or online, digital games are a great way to ward off boredom, enjoy a mostly free activity and stay connected with friends and family. No matter what your

skill level, you’re sure to find a challenging and fun interactive game.

If you play over the internet, several games allow you to chat between or during rounds, just as you would in real life.

In 2024, online games are expected to bring in almost $28 billion in revenue worldwide, according to Statista Market Insights. The large number of players also draws scammers looking to take

advantage of anyone, especially older adults, looking for friendship.

Con artists are notorious for targeting mature gamers through:

Romance scammers have been known to sidle up to players of Words With Friends, seeking gift cards and loans through bank wire transfers or peer-to-peer payment apps such as Cash App, Venmo

or Zelle.

Victims of deceit may carelessly reveal personal identifiable information, such as their names, addresses, birth dates, credit card numbers or Social Security numbers. That can make them

susceptible to identity theft or allowing someone to secretly install malicious software on their computers.

The takeaway: Get to know your fellow players in person first and just say no to requests for money or personal information.

The iconic status of its tabletop ancestor has helped Monopoly to become the most popular downloadable board game in the Apple App Store. It’s available for Android, too.

multiplayer game

AARP members can play Let’s Crossword with up to nine friends who are also members. Solve a daily crossword puzzle together and ask for help through the in-game chat.

AARP has other single-person games anyone can play for free, including Atari arcade classics, puzzles, word and video versions of board and card games.

Priced at $4.99, Marmalade Game Studio’s digital edition is faithful to the Parker Brothers original, where you roll dice to buy, sell and build your way to wealth as a landlord. The

smartphone and tablet versions feature music, sound effects and an animated 3D city board, as well as several single- and multiplayer modes.

The game lets users unlock localized and specialized versions of Monopoly with optional in-app purchases. An Explorers Bundle allows play on 41 boards inspired by cities around the world.