In a world that’s oversaturated with digital media, cryptocurrencies and pixelated avatars, one of the most radical, adventurous things we can do is just log offline and reconnect with other human beings face-to-face.
Since the dawn of time, one of the primary ways we relate to others is through play. Within the context of an increasingly virtual existence, analog games have come to represent more than just a break from this progressively techno-feudalistic reality — they personify a cross-section of leisure and genuine human connection that is needed now more than ever.
So how do we bring the whimsy of authentic, personal interaction back to the sesh? It’s all in the love of the game.
Board Games
Recommended: Codenames, Werewolf (Mafia), Catan, Azul, Pandemic, Clue, Ticket to Ride, Exit: The Game, Weed-Opoly, Ganjaland and Botany
For many, board games serve as one of the earliest mechanisms of play, forming a foundation for understanding competition and collaboration as a whole. Over time, the hobby has evolved well past genre staples like Monopoly, growing into an almost infinite range of categories and topics. Choose from strategy games, resource gathering games, social deduction games, heck, there’s even popular games that entail exploding cats or dealing as much dope as possible. Whatever the selection, edibles in the form of low-dose gummies or THC drinks are a great option for enhancing any game night sesh.
Party Games
Recommended: Cards Against Humanity with the Weed Pack, Telestrations After Dark, Trial by Trolley, Do or Smoke, Smoke Sesh and Charades for Stoner
With scenarios that range from the hilarious to the downright raunchy, party games are a lively way to cut loose with some not-so-sober friends. Prompts like “huge nugs of alien weed” or “hitting the bong with Barack Obama” will have the whole room grinning ear to ear before falling over with raucous laughter. Durable smokeware is recommended for safety and peace of mind in a typical party atmosphere. Besides, what better time to break out that 3-foot plastic bong than during a sick rager?
Yard Games
Recommended: cornhole (Bags), bocce ball, croquet, horseshoes and bong pong
Making appearances at backyard barbecues and summer picnics across the country, yard games are an excellent source of competition that pairs exceedingly well with outdoor Cannabis consumption. Take a turn, take a puff on a joint and pass it along. Take another turn, take another puff and pass it. Given the more active nature of outdoor games, prerolled joints, vape carts and handheld pipes are all solid choices for medicating while playing. It’s honestly hard to beat the feeling of getting buzzed and soaking in some vitamin D on a sunny day.
Card Games
Recommended: blackjack, poker, spades, Spoons, Bullshit, No Thanks!, Grass and Puff Puff Pass
For over a millennium, playing cards have been an ubiquitous source of leisure and social gaming due to their simplicity, ease of access and versatility. With the advent of popular games like Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon, playing cards are more relevant now than ever before. Whether it’s a gameshop-styled competition or Texas Hold ‘Em tournament, the stakes (and more importantly the players) will be a lot higher with some good ganja to puff on. Gone are the days of smoking a Cuban cigar at poker night; a hand-rolled hashhole is the new-and-improved premium stogie.
Tabletop Roleplaying Games (TTRPGs)
Recommended: Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, Call of Cthulhu, Talisman and Betrayal at House on the Hill
Playing Tabletop Roleplaying Games (TTRPGs) like Dungeons & Dragons are the board game equivalent of stepping through a portal and out into a mystical world of magic and wonder. Entailing strategy, roleplaying and a whole lot of dice rolling, this collaborative storytelling medium is one of the most engaging formats of recreational gaming, providing a sense of adventure and camaraderie that grows with each completed quest. Given the typical length of a TTRPG session, it’s recommended to bring a rig and a favorite jar of concentrate to share in an epic afternoon of swords and sesh-ery.
Arts and Crafts
Recommended: painting, tie-dye, joint origami, adult coloring books (shout-out to @cabin7originals and @liamwesleygoodman), pressing flowers, knitting, crochet and pot-tery
As a joint activity, smoking and art go hand in hand. While not a game in the traditional sense, arts and crafts can be a superb way to unwind and share time with friends. Artistic mediums provide moments of mindfulness and catharsis that are further fueled by the right Cannabis strain, and there’s no quicker way to light up the right side of the brain than by ripping a fat bowl of Sour Diesel or Super Silver Haze and throwing some acrylic on the canvas.
