Game nights rule. Hanging out with friends (new and old), holing up in a comfy home, and generally having a great, relaxing time. And there might even been so good food! Yes, game nights rule, as opposed to the movie Game Night, which looks like a hot mess. There is a reason movies open in February, you know.
Of course, a little bit of substances can help you relax and spur conversation to move the party along. Some wine, a cocktail, or some cannabis. But just like wine has its pairings, some games work better than others in that situation. Here are party games to avoid when high on marijuana
Jenga
Thought up by a Brit in the 1970s and trademarked just prior to its public debut at the London Toy Fair in 1983, current brand owner Pokonobe Associates says 2017 saw more than 80 million boxes, more than 4.3 blocks, sold around the world.
Rules are simple. Set up a tower with 54 blocks. Take turns pulling blocks out of the middle and place them on top of the tower. Until someone brings the whole thing down.
Despite a fellow Fresh Toaster disagreeing about its merits as a cannabis-friendly activity, this is not a good fit for a bunch of altered enthusiasts to try. Unless they like rebuilding falling towers. A lot. Cannabis can affect coordination and someone with a heavy buzz could take forever trying to figure out what block to move next.
Of course, there is the mellow vibe of there only being one loser — the tower collapser — and everyone else wins!
Twister
Inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame, class of 2006, it was originally pitched as “Kings of Footsie” to a potential investor who passed (can’t imagine why) in 1964. Milton Bradley bought the concept in 1964 and (thankfully) renamed it.
Twister made its first big splash when Johnny Carson and Eva Gabor played it on “The Tonight Show” in 1966. Competitors (haters) accused MB of selling “sex in a box.”
Rules are simple. Twister mat is unfolded and players — two or three are suggested — are then told by a “referee” where to put hands and feet on what colored parts of the mat. The ref determines this by using a spinner. You fall or touch an elbow or knee to the mat, you’re out. Last one … er … standing is the winner.
Related: Best Board Games To Play After Consuming Marijuana
It really is fun and a more-is-merrier game. But as with Jenga it relies too much on motor skills, specifically the kind of balance difficult for most people to find sober. Playing this after indulging will lead to a lot of short games.
Operation
How’s this for a bad investment? The game’s inventor was a college student at the time and sold the rights to Milton Bradley for $500 and the promise of a job after graduation. Since then, Hasbro, who currently owns the rights, estimates the franchise is worth $40 million.
The game “board,” is a patient named “Cavity Sam” with a red light bulb for a nose. Cut into him (ouch!) are hollow spaces filled with plastic baubles such as “Adam’s Apple,” “Butterflies in Stomach,” and “Charley Horse.”
Two sets of cards are used. “Doctor” cards are shuffled and set aside. “Specialist” cards are dealt equally among the players. Players take turns drawing Doctor cards, which name a specific ailment to be removed with metal tweezers. Since Operation was one of the first board games to require batteries, the electrified board sounds a buzzer and Sam’s nose lights up if a player isn’t precise and touches the edge of the cavity the ailment is in.
If the doctor is buzzed the specialist gets a chance. Each ailment is assigned a cash value for successful completion. Richest player at the end wins.
Related: 10 Types Of Marijuana Perfect For Gamers
Sure, being on cannabis and watching someone buzz out as Sam’s nose glows is fun. But again, motor skills. There will likely be a lot of short games. Bring extra batteries and make sure your malpractice insurance is paid in full.
An updated “Star Wars” edition was released to coincide with “The Force Awakens” in 2015. Surgery is performed on BB-8. A previous edition had used R2-D2.
Yahtzee
Possibly as old as dice, it was first sold as Yatzie in the early 1940s, and can trace its lineage back to numerous rolling-the-bones games. According to current rights owner Hasbro, 50 million games are sold each year.
Players take turns rolling six dice.The roller then has two more chances to roll all or some of the dice, filling out categories such as three of a kind with twos where the player would take the sum of the final roll where three or more dice are showing two. If a player can’t fill out a category, they must cross a category out and pass the dice to the next player. The game ends when all players can no longer roll due to all categories being filled and/or crossed out.
The winner is determined by adding up the scores from each category. High score wins.
This is great for involving a lot of people. But we’ve seen people fret over strategy and have trouble with math before they indulge. A strong buzz will only compound the problem. Maybe a modified card has five more “Chance” categories would speed things along.
Stoner City
A cousin of Monopoly evidently managed to stay just this side of infringement, the tokens are all bongs, the houses and hotels are plants, and a police car moves in the opposite direction of the players and if it lands on one occupied, that player is arrested.
It’s dumb and having something like this in your place will make you seem like a caricature. Who wants to be tagged?
Plus, if you buy it on Amazon the thing costs $78! Cannabis enthusiasts can certainly find better recreational uses for the money.
