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These seven games serve dual purposes — they can help you beat boredom during long flights and give you something fun to do with friends and family when you finally arrive at your destination. Bonus alert! Each game also comes in a compact container, so it tucks away easily in your carry-on.
The Chameleon travel pack
Bluff your way to a win. This social word game is all about determining who is the chameleon — unless you’re the chameleon, and then the goal is to escape without getting caught. Participants will enjoy the fast pace and having to stay on their toes, coming up with clue words that help them blend in and stay under the radar. ($14, Amazon)
Hive Pocket
In this portable version of Hive, players must think quickly, moving their tiles (emblazoned with images of different insects) so they surround their opponent’s queen bee. It doesn’t take long to learn this “deeply strategic” game, which has the “tactical depth” of chess without the game’s “cultural expectations,” said Wirecutter. Rounds last about 30 minutes and setting up takes seconds. ($35.75, Amazon)
Jaipur
Designed for two players, Jaipur puts competitors in the “shoes of rival traders” vying to “earn the favor of the Maharaja,” said GamesRadar+. It’s an “easy-breezy” game where the aim is to take and sell goods for points. While “straightforward,” Jaipur is also “absolutely riveting” and comes with beautifully illustrated cards. ($28, Amazon)
Kanoodle Ultimate Champion
Race against the clock — or friends and family — to see how fast you can solve 2D and 3D puzzles. This edition has 500 puzzles to complete, ensuring you’ll never run out of games to play, even on the longest of plane rides. The compact case slips into any bag, so it’s “perfect” for travel, said Reader’s Digest. ($18.48, Amazon)
Murdle: Volume 1
Whodunit? You’ll find out as you use logic, deduction and skill to solve 100 mysteries, ranging from elementary to impossible, and then complete the grid to determine the culprit. The puzzles are fun and witty, and once you crack one you’ll want to keep going. ($9, Amazon)
Scout
This fast-paced strategic card game “revolves around a unique feature: being dealt a hand of cards you can’t rearrange,” said Wirecutter. The goal of each 20-minute cycle is to come up with the strongest combination of cards, making the gameplay “surprisingly expansive” and every round exciting. ($23, Amazon)
Smug Owls
Show off your verbal prowess during a game of Smug Owls. Players use a card deck to create a riddle, then try to come up with the most creative response. Everyone will take their own approach to the riddle, and there are no right answers. Some might crack jokes, while others make profound statements. This is great to bring along on a group vacation, as up to 15 people can play. ($22, Amazon)
Game on!
