Social gaming has become an increasingly popular pastime, as it provides players with a chance to collaborate with or compete against friends as well as strangers. There are numerous genres within the social gaming scene as well, providing a fantastic mix of entertainment and interaction.
Popular social media platforms have helped to propel some social games into the public consciousness, and some of the genres have since gone on to develop a life of their own. From compiling words or figuring out complex role-playing puzzles to answering quiz questions and even gambling, there is something for everyone in the social gaming scene.
Social games manage to blend entertainment and interaction in virtual worlds, but they also add another key element – that of cognitive stimulation. Many social games only work when players get together on the same page and flex their best problem-solving skills through strategic thinking. This gets the neurons in the brain firing and can be a great boost for cognitive function, but for most, that comes second to the actual joy of beating friends.
What are social games?
Social games come in different shapes, formats and styles, so there’s no one particular pigeonhole that they fit into. The overall general concept of them was raised somewhat by social media platforms, where things like scores, shares and follows could be blasted out across the network, which essentially was a smart promotion tool by the game’s developers themselves.
Some social games incorporate extra features to add to the layering of interaction, such as leaderboard contests and chat rooms, and many of them also come with virtual gifts that can be sent to other users. If a player has run out of turns, for example, then a shout-out to followers for extra lives can be made, fully embracing the social element.
Many major social games have dominated the headlines for years, including those that show up at the top of listings in places like the App Store, Steam and Google Play. While many of them are well worthy of holding such a place, they can overshadow some other titles, meaning that players could be missing out on hidden social gaming gems.
So, instead of celebrating the most popular social games, we looked at some of the best online social games that may have fallen through the cracks – those that you may not have tried out before.
Gambling counts too
But first, a hugely popular sub-genre of casino gaming is gambling at what is known as social casinos or sweeps casinos. These look and feel very much like traditional online casino sites, and they even have titles from the same leading game developers.
The difference comes in how stakes are handled. Social casinos operate on a virtual currency called Gold Coins, and while these can be purchased, there is no need to do so. This is an important distinction, as it excludes these casinos from gambling regulations in most instances, and places them into the lottery or sweepstakes category.
Casinos give Gold Coins away as part of a welcome bonus package, for example, and winnings from play are returned to the Gold Coins wallet. So, it is possible to play at social casinos without ever having to dip into your actual wallet. That means players get the casino experience on slots and live dealer games, without necessarily being subject to any financial risk.
Setup on a social casino is quick and easy, and players don’t have to worry about funding their account, unlike with real-money gambling sites. Sweeps casinos have gained some major ground and popularity in the last five years, with plenty of platforms available to choose from.
A great resource for finding established, reputable social casinos is Sweepstakescasino, which has informative lists of sites organized by categories, such as no deposit bonuses.
Exciting online social games to check out
Away from the world of gambling, there are plenty of fantastic titles to get your teeth into that scratch that itch of interacting with other players. Here are some of those less obvious picks that still hit the right note and are worth checking out:
Deep Rock Galactic
For a co-op blast, Deep Rock Galactic is highly recommended. It’s a first-person shooter video game, where players control space dwarves who power their way through underground caves and battle against a fantastic range of aliens. It’s a game with very high ratings on Steam, and the co-op play with bundle add-ons make it an absolute gem.
Guild Wars 2
This is a stunning MMORPG and the award-winning game gives players the chance to get out of it what they want. Players can take a chilled approach for some casual engagement, or go searching for high adventure. With a vast array of professions and a massive selection of weapons, players come together to campaign against enemies within the massive open world. It’s possible to jump into player vs player mode as well.
Goose Goose Duck
A game about mallards infiltrating a geese workforce may not sound like the most exciting thing, but Goose Goose Duck is a wonderful, engaging and challenging game. While geese try and get their work done, mallards are among them trying to disrupt things. The challenge of Goose Goose Duck is figuring out, through chat collaboration and dedication, how to get rid of the ducks to win the round.
Town of Salem
Another good social game where you can interact with other players is Town of Salem. This is a multiplayer game available on many platforms and it can get challenging, with up to 15 players in a round. The game asks players to use their powers of detection to unravel deception within the town. Players take on different roles and everyone needs to collaborate to try and weed out the evil lurking in the seemingly innocent town in this engaging, casual strategy game.
It Takes Two
Putting a unique spin on social gaming is It Takes Two, which unusually focuses on the partnership strengths of marriage. The multiplayer game sees a married couple trying to navigate their way through life by facing some crazy challenges. It Takes Two won the 2021 Game of the Year at the Game Awards but still flies under a lot of people’s radars. It’s visually stunning and the gameplay gets increasingly disruptive in a fun way.
Monster Hunter Rise
The monster-slaying series wore its crown proudly with the release of Monster Hunter Rise. It’s a stunning game that brings previous elements of the series together for a glorious title that forces friends to work their way across a world inspired by Japanese mythology. Team up to build new weapons and forge new armor as you level up together to take on the in-game monsters.
Something for everyone
There are so many types of social games, from ambling around in a vast open world to getting heads together on chat to try and solve an escape room in time. VR has provided further channels for the exploration of this gaming genre as well, as players can join up for a casual game of mini golf or go battling monsters together, fully immersed in a virtual world.
The allure of social games is having the ability to connect with friends who have the same interests. Many see teaming up with people they know to defeat a level boss as a more rewarding style of gaming than going it alone. That sense of competition and collaboration gives gaming a fantastic sense of community and sometimes includes some intriguing interactions with complete strangers as well.
