2021’s best multiplayer online games to play with friends

Taking a break to prioritise your mental health is important and a great way to do so is by rounding up your friends to try this year’s best multiplayer online games.

Not only will they add to your wellbeing in the tough times of a pandemic but they help enhance your memory, brain speed and concentration too. 

Not to mention, you’ll be able to improve your multitasking skills that will come in handy with your studies. As well as these skills, group play provides social benefits and is much better than just sitting in front of a television screen because it requires engagement and skills from players. 

Through higher-order thinking, problem solving and persistence, the best multiplayer online games teach cooperation, group work and scenario-based learning. So, without further ado, we take a look at the best multiplayer online games for this year:

It’s still not 100% safe to go outside, but why do you need to when you have the best multiplayer online games to play with friends? Source: Spencer Platt/Getty Images/AFP

City Guesser

If geography is your thing, then this browser game is the one for you. It’s essentially a guessing game where you can choose the difficulty and location keeping an eye out for hints like street signs and cars. The fun part is that you can gather your friends and create a private room to compete. We think it’s just what we need when not all of us can travel yet.

Slither.io

Remember Snakes? Slither.io is one of the best multiplayer online games inspired by the old classics. Only this time, you don’t need a Nokia phone to play. You can compete against friends on your web browsers or your mobile. Your mission would be to eat pellets you find and steal from other players to grow in size. 

Fortnite 

An immensely popular one, Fortnite is a world of many experiences. You can compete as a single player or in a team. What can you do? Well, the game is your oyster. You can hang out with friends or watch a movie or even create a world with your own rules.

There are four game modes here that include Battle Royale, Party Royale, Creative, and Save the World.

Battle Royale will have you battle it out to be the last one standing or you can alternatively team up with friends or random strangers. Party Royale is the same thing but instead of battling, you’ll be partying. This one is the most popular as it has live concerts from top artists like Diplo, Steve Aoki, and Deadmau5.

 

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Creative is included with Battle Royale and is where you can create your own games and rules and invite your friends or others in this game community. Save the World is a zombie-like scenario where you can team up to fight monsters (known in the game as Husks). 

Krunker

The best multiplayer online games usually let us take our best shot — literally. Here, you’d have to shoot your way through 12 rotation maps to earn rewards. It’s popular because you get to play like a first-person shooter. 

Mario Kart Tour

We all love a bit of Mario Kart and this version is a mobile game one where you can engage up to seven friends to race. The cool thing here is that the race courses are inspired by real-world cities and there are also classic Mario Kart ones. The tours rotate every two weeks which makes it all the more fun. 

The Frost Tour is wrapping up in #MarioKartTour. Next up is the Kamek Tour, featuring RMX Ghost Valley 1!

In case the tour’s name isn’t a big enough hint, the new driver is hidden somewhere in this image… pic.twitter.com/PeC1gHT5ze

— Mario Kart Tour (@mariokarttourEN) August 20, 2021

Spaceteam

Your mission is to play random buttons and knobs while following instructions from your friends so you can save your spaceship from disaster. Teamwork makes the dream work here. 

Arcane Legends

If you’re into fantasy gaming worlds, this is it. An online world full of mystical sorcery, warriors, goblins, trolls, and much more. You can expect a cinematic story plot with fast-paced combat scenes. Get ready to strategise with your friends — or even foes.

Tetr.io

The battle royale version of the classic Tetris, this game is super easy to navigate and you can create a private room for your friends. You can go big here as there isn’t a limit in the number of players a room can hold. 

Curve Fever

Another version of Snake but here you can shoot fireballs against your friends. Each room can also hold up to eight people and you don’t even need to register. 

IMO, one of the best multiplayer online games for us: Crate Before Attack

Last but not least, Crate Before Attack is our favourite. This game will have you playing a frog navigating with your sticky tongue. The fun things you can do is swift roping, using diverse weapons, and battling your friends.