There's a version of "it's raining, there's nothing to do" that doesn't have to end with everyone on their phones. The right game — small enough to fit on a coffee table, interesting enough to keep people engaged — changes that equation.
These five games all have one thing in common: they work inside without needing a big table, a lot of setup, or a rules explanation that takes longer than the game itself.
1. Sling Puck — the fastest game in the room
Sling Puck is a two-player head-to-head where you're racing to flick all your pucks to the other side before your opponent does the same to you. It's chaotic, quick, and loud in the best way.
Games last about ninety seconds. Which means the loser immediately wants a rematch. Which means you'll still be playing an hour later.
Good for: pairs, competitive households, anyone who likes something fast
2. Shut the Box — the one with Viking origins
One of the oldest pub and tavern games in the world, Shut the Box involves rolling dice and flipping numbered tiles to try and "shut" all the numbers. Play solo to beat your own score, or head-to-head with the lowest score winning.
It's tactile, genuinely strategic in the later stages of the game, and works with almost any number of players taking turns. The kind of game that someone picks up "just to see how it works" and then doesn't put down.
Good for: family evenings, mixed ages, people who like something calm but engaging
3. Tabletop Connect Four — a classic that delivers every time
You know the game. Drop the discs, connect four in a row, win. The tabletop version from Backyard Games NZ is sized for a coffee table rather than standing outdoors — compact enough to stay out on the table all week.
Deceptively strategic once you're past the first few games. Adults play it just as intensely as kids. Often more intensely.
Good for: one-on-one play, ages 6 to adult, anyone who enjoys a game with real back-and-forth strategy
4. Reversal — the one that makes you think
If you've played Othello, you'll recognise the format. If you haven't, Reversal is a flip game where each move turns your opponent's pieces to yours — and then they do the same back. The whole board can change in a single turn.
It's one of those games that looks simple and turns out to have real depth. Two players, short games, and that feeling where you need to stop and actually think before you move.
Good for: two players who want something genuinely strategic, game nights that need a calmer option
5. Backyard Chat Tumbling Tower — the one that starts conversations
Yes, it's a Tumbling Tower. But each block has a question or prompt on it — "What's one thing you've changed your mind on recently?" or "Would you rather lose your memory or your sight?" — which means the game turns into a genuine conversation.
It's the right game for groups who want something more than just a game. Works brilliantly for a dinner party that needs warming up, or a family evening where you actually want to talk to each other.
Good for: groups, families, dinner parties, anyone who wants to know the people they're playing with better
Keep something ready to play
The common thread across all five of these games: they're compact enough to leave out. Not stored in the back of a cupboard, waiting for someone to remember they exist. Just sitting on a shelf or a coffee table, ready to go whenever someone picks them up.
That's the small shift that makes the biggest difference in how often games actually get played.
All five are available with free NZ shipping at Backyard Games NZ.
Browse the small games range →
