CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Board games can provide hours of fun while stuck at home due to coronavirus isolation. But maybe you’re tired of playing favorites like “Monopoly” or “Scrabble.”

We’ve asked various board-game experts from Cleveland -- including board-game shop owners, managers and game designers -- to provide their picks on games to check out for some fun while you’re stuck at home.

You don’t need to leave the house to get a new game to play; many can be ordered online from Cleveland’s board game stores (check out our guide to local shops here), or through Amazon and other websites. Other games can be downloaded through online apps like Board Game Arena, Tabletop Simulator and more.

Here’s what six Cleveland board gamers recommend:

(Photo courtesy Ben Kanelos and Ultimate Team-Up)

Benjamin Kanelos, board game designer

“Pandemic Legacy: Season 1”

When asked for recommendations to play during the coronavirus outbreak, “Pandemic Legacy: Season 1” immediately sprang to mind. In this game you are working cooperatively with other players to protect the world from a viral outbreak. What makes this game special is that it is a legacy-style game, meaning that your choices will have permanent effects on the game moving forward. A campaign is roughly 12-18 games (each about 60 minutes in length). You’ll be putting stickers on the board, tearing up cards, and opening secret compartments full of goodies as you attempt to save the world from a viral scourge.

“Codenames”

“Codenames” is a clever game where a clue giver gives one-word clues related to multiple words they’re attempting to get their teammates to guess. I put it on this list because there is a version of “Codenames” out there for every taste. Only have two players? Try “Codenames Duet.” Playing with children? Try “Codenames Pictures.” Have a pop-culture obsession? There are “Disney,” “Marvel,” “Harry Potter” and “The Simpsons” versions available.

“Twilight Imperium (4th Edition)”

“Twilight Imperium” is a game of galactic conquest. Players attempt to shepherd their alien race through the dangers of politics and warfare to claim the galactic throne. The downside is that this epic game is also epically long. Games routinely last 8-10 hours! Lucky for us, we’ll be quarantined with plenty of time to fill. If you’re looking for a game that can keep you and your friends entertained all day, look no further.

Bonus Pick: Board Game Arena

Social distancing may prevent you from gathering in-person to play board games with your friends. The good news is that there are a bevy of online options to play boardgames. I recommend Board Game Arena. It’s both free and easy to use. You can meet and play games with people from around the world. Last time I was playing “7 Wonders” on their service, I was chatting with Italians about their country’s coronavirus response. While times are scary, it was good to hear how others are coping.

Pictured from left to right: Elliott Frank, Nick Kratsas and Christine Frank. (Photo by Andrew Wells)

Elliott Frank, co-owner of Superscript Comics & Games, guitarist in band Harvey Pekar

“The Grizzled”

I’d highly recommend “The Grizzled.” Harvey Pekar brings it on tour, and ends up teaching a lot of the people we crash with to play it. It’s a cooperative game about surviving World War I. You play a squad beset by all sorts of psychological and physical injuries, and you have to find a way to all make it through the war together. If anyone perishes the game is over.

“Mountains of Madness”

“Mountains of Madness” is another cooperative game and a critically underrated one at that. It provides a great mix of decision-making and kinda silliness. The players assume the roles of scientists exploring the mountain from the titular Lovecraft story (I’ve got plenty of problems with Lovecraft as an author, but the game is great on its own merits). The goal is for the scientists to traverse the mountain and solve puzzles to find artifacts, then escape with their sanity intact. The puzzles must be solved before a 30-second sand timer runs out, but each artifact that is uncovered by solving a puzzle has the chance to grant one of the players some sort of “madness” caused by coming into contact with the otherworldly items. “Madness” might force a player to only communicate by asking questions, or make it so a player can’t use numbers when speaking, or make it so a player has to do jumping jacks whenever the group is trying to solve a puzzle.

While I’m usually a bigger fan of competitive games, I feel like cooperative games might be more of a salve during our current situation -- especially a game that is all about trying to communicate with your friends and family when there are restrictions placed on how everyone communicates. It’s got plenty of replayability, as there is a ranking system in the instructions for keeping track of how many artifacts are discovered on each play-through. (Given the circumstances, players should absolutely remove the “madness card” that requires a player to shake hands with everyone at table before speaking.)

Runners Up: “Cold War: CIA vs KGB” and “Hanamikoji"

Both are easy to teach two-player card games with a ton of depth. If you’re sequestered with only one other person, these are great picks.

Christine Frank, co-owner of Superscript Comics & Games

“The Duke”

I would recommend “The Duke.” I chose this game for social distancing partly because it has a low player count (two), but also because it’s a strategy game that makes you want to play again and again to try out a new approach.

Nick Kratsas, co-owner of Superscript Comics & Games, singer in band Harvey Pekar

“Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island”

One of my absolute favorite games is “Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island.” It's a big table-hog of a game with many elements that work together to create a very difficult survival challenge for a team of up to four players.

In “Robinson Crusoe,” the player characters are marooned on an island which they slowly uncover and explore in an attempt to scrounge for supplies and make tools to survive. And survival is key, because basically every turn of fate the game takes is a bad one, and it's always up to the players to decide how to make the best of a bad situation. At the start of each game session, players select a scenario which sets the difficulty of the game and also defines the win-condition. One of my favorite parts of the game is how closely the theme of each scenario ties in with unique gameplay mechanics.

It's a perfect selection for a challenging and lengthy game (scenarios can very well last up to three hours) that requires players to work together and battle a common enemy. “Robinson Crusoe” also plays very well as a solitaire game, which I've found particularly helpful in learning the ins-and-outs of various scenarios.

(Read more about Superscript Comics + Games, a new shop in Lakewood)

(Photo courtesy Maria Flo)

Maria Flo, board game associate at Recess Games

I have decided on three genres: party, family-friendly and competitive board games that are available to purchase from most places. Recommending some obscure fan favorite would be a disservice to the public. Why would I recommend “U-Boot,” a $100 game which could drive any sane player crazy -- which is also my current favorite? Why would I suggest a game that has so many parts like “Neta-Tanka” that makes stepping on legos look like a paper cut? The popular “Wingspan” isn’t an option with it being out of print and Amazon is price gouging a $60 game to $160?

I have decided on “Ravine,” “My Little Scythe” and “Azul Summer Pavilion.”

“Ravine”

“Ravine” is a cooperative party game (10+, 3-6 players) where you and your friends do their best to survive on a deserted island after a terrible plane crash. During the day, players take risks in foraging for food, building shelter and doing what must be done to survive the cold nights. Yes, it sounds pretty serious and grim. However, the randomness of the cards makes near madness fun with nonsensical cards that "hug another player” to heal or a poisonous mushroom stricken a player with temporary paralysis. If any player drops low on health during the night they draw a madness card, which makes the player do something wacky. Withstand the night and craziness you win. If you like the sound of survival, pushing your luck and descending into silly madness then “Ravine” is a great match.

“My Little Scythe”

My Little Scythe (8+ 1-6 players) is a family-friendly version of the alternate-history 1920s battle board game Scythe. My Little Scythe is a competitive, family-friendly version of “Scythe” in which each player controls two animal miniatures embarking upon an adventure in the Kingdom of Pomme. In an effort to be the first to earn four trophies from eight possible categories, players take turns choosing to Move, Seek, or Make. “My Little Scythe” pies are the weapons of choice and friendship is tracked.

“Azul Summer Pavilion”

The game’s thematic story has each player represent a master artisan. Each master artisan is tasked to use the finest materials to create a summer pavilion while avoiding wasting supplies. Tile placement will give victory points, bonus for completed patterns and at the end of six rounds, whoever has the most points wins. Don’t be fooled; this is a competitive game and resources are limited. Also, a welcoming game to those who are color-blind. (8+, 2-4 player)

(Photo courtesy Beckett Warren)

Beckett Warren, owner of Weird Realms

Board games are a great way to spend time when you’re cooped up on a rainy day, or during a stay-at-home order. They allow for interpersonal connection with a point of mediation that allows focus to shift from the anxieties of the day. While board games are largely face-to-face endeavors, there are electronic analogues to the analog experience, most of which operate on a freemium model. The websites Board Game Arena, Boiteajeux and BrettspielWelt all operate in a browser and can be played on just about any electronic platform, and offer some version of free play. They are experiencing extraordinarily high amounts of traffic, so if a site does not immediately load, it may be that many other people are having the same idea. Tabletop Simulator is an application that must be installed and has a bit of a learning curve, but is likely the most robust option for taking board gaming digital.

“Pandemic”

While cutthroat games of “Monopoly” and “Scrabble” are many of our introductions to board gaming, many contemporary designs eschew competition in favor of cooperation. Such a spirit is particularly welcome during times in which we will be seeing the same few people all day everyday. No need to bring grievances from the game table to the dinner table -- people can work together to overcome a shared obstacle. The go-to co-op game, “Pandemic,” is more than likely thematically inappropriate for our current use case. Let us enjoy a bit of escapism.

“Forbidden Island”

“Forbidden Island” is a puzzle to be solved with each player having different abilities at their disposal to find the lost treasures of a forgotten island before the waters rise and wash it all away. This game is great for all ages; the tin says 10, but with some patience a child a couple of years younger can participate and enjoy. The game board is made up of tiles, so it changes with each game adding to replayability. Once “Forbidden Island” gets worn out, “Forbidden Desert” is a bit more complicated version by the same publisher.

“The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-earth”

“Journeys in Middle-earth” contrasts with the engaging simplicity of “Forbidden Island” by being a much bigger game. The players take on the roles of adventurers struggling to defeat the evil Sauron, with each session building upon the previous to play out an entire campaign. To keep things from being overwhelming or having set up take longer than play, there is a companion app that does the heavy lifting. The app is available for PC and Mac, iOS and Android. If the “Lord of the Rings” theme doesn't speak to you, there is a similar horror game, “Mansions of Madness,” the “Star Wars” game “Imperial Assault,” or a generic fantasy game “Descent: Journeys in the Dark.”

“Root: A Game of Woodland Might and Right”

“Root” is a game of inter-forest conflict by warring factions of cuddly animals -- cats, bunnies and foxes, owls and a lone raccoon. Unlike troops on a map game like “Risk,” each faction has unique abilities and fundamental gameplay. It is not that cats start with the most units and the vagabond racoon only one, but the turn structures are entirely different, and the raccoon will always be one against the rest. The strategy is deep and engaging for each faction, and playing different factions is almost like playing a different game, so “Root” offers hours of thoughtful play when there is nowhere to go.

“Patchwork”

Patchwork is a two-player game of competitive quilting. Players take turns selecting patches to play upon their board in order to completely cover their quilt. The shapes are oddly shaped, think Tetris shapes as a starting point, so the spatial reasoning required is not so straightforward. There are also resources to manage -- buttons and time -- that complicate the patch selection process. The game is played in under a half hour and is a reasonably quick yet thoughtful game.

(Photo courtesy Michael McFarland)

Michael McFarland, board game designer, founder of Spontaneously Combustible games

“Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island”

The stay-at-home order can feel a little like being stranded on a desert island, especially if you live alone. So why not try a solo board game experience that lets you try your hand at surviving as a castaway? “Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island” is a great single-player board game that requires strategy and planning to find food and shelter, exploring your new surroundings, and dealing with unexpected events as you go. It’s challenging enough that you’re not likely to win on your first go-around, so it will keep you entertained long after your stockpile of quarantine snacks has run out. (This game can play up to four players, so you don’t have to play alone.)

“King of Tokyo”

When you’re on lockdown with the one you love, after a few days tensions can start to rise. What better way to settle your differences than as giant monsters battling for supremacy of the capital of Japan? This Kaiju-themed dice game is lightweight and fun, with just enough strategy to keep things exciting. (This game is great for two players, but can accommodate up to six monsters so the whole family can get in on the action.)

“Mysterium”

You know you’ll still be stuck at home with your companions once the gaming’s done, so you might prefer a cooperative game to maintain household unity. In Mysterium, one player takes on the role of a ghost, who’s trying to lead the other players (a team of psychic investigators) on the right path to discover who committed a crime on the grounds of Warwick Manor! Players will have to work together to solve the mystery before time runs out. (Mysterium plays two to seven players.)

(Photo courtesy Joshua Gardner)

Joshua Gardner, manager at Tabletop Board Game Cafe

“Rhino Hero”

“Rhino Hero” is a great card game for two to five players that’s perfect for families with young kids. In “Rhino Hero,” players take turns discarding cards onto a stack of cards, and the first player out of cards wins. Cards may cause opponents to be skipped, to draw extra cards or to reverse the order of play, similar to “Uno.” However, each card that you play must be built up in a card tower, so in addition to trying to empty their hands, players are trying not to knock over the tower. This is made even more challenging by the addition of a little wooden rhinoceros superhero that climbs the tower of cards as you build it. “Rhino Hero” is a challenge for kids and adults alike, and provides a fun and creative twist to a traditional card game.

“Trekking the National Parks”

“Trekking the National Parks” is a fantastic educational family board game for two to five players that’s easy to learn, but has a lot of strategy. Players move their hiker around a map of the U.S. National Parks by discarding cards from their hand and moving the number on the card. There is a rotating display of park cards with iconic imagery from each park, and when a player reaches one of the parks on the board that matches an available park card, they discard cards from their hand that match the suits shown on the park card to claim it for points. This dual use of the cards in players hands creates interesting strategic choices, while the simple game play makes it accessible for a wide variety of ages.

“Codenames: Duet”

“Codenames: Duet” is a cooperative twist on the popular party game “Codenames.” In “Codenames: Duet,” a grid of 25 words is laid out, and players are given a color-coded key that indicates which words they need the other player to guess. On their turn, a player gives a one word clue, and must make it connect to as many correct words as possible, while avoiding clues that might lead their teammate to guess one of the assassin words. Guessing one of the assassin words causes both players to lose immediately. In order to win, both players must correctly identify all of their words in 10 turns or less. This is a great adaptation of a blockbuster party game that can be enjoyed by two people who are looking for a co-operative challenge, rather than a competitive one.

“The River”

“The River” is a peaceful strategy game for two to four players in which players compete for limited resources, which they use to build buildings in their towns, earning them victory points. On their turns, players place workers to various spots on the board which allow them to take resources or complete actions needed to claim building cards. In addition to taking the resource or action from the space they’ve chosen, they also block other players from taking the same action. Each player is building a cozy little riverside town, and once one player has built five buildings (four in a two-player game), players add up the points from the buildings they’ve completed to determine the winner. “The River” is a nice choice for a strategy game with a little more depth without direct conflict.

"Dual Powers: Revolution 1917″

“Dual Powers: Revolution 1917” is a war game for two players that finds each player on opposite sides of the conflict in Russia leading up to the Russian Revolution. You don’t have to be a history buff to enjoy this game, however. On their turns, players play cards from their hand that allow them to recruit and move influence markers around the various neighborhoods of St. Petersburg as those neighborhoods experience civil unrest. Famous historical figures from the era can come to each side’s aid. The game is played over a series of rounds; at the end of each, players score points based on how well they’ve completed that round’s objectives. Each action a player takes also requires them to advance the calendar, and when the calendar reaches October, the game is over and the winner is determined. Each game of “Dual Powers” takes about an hour, making it an excellent choice for two players looking for the satisfaction of dominating their opponent in a war game without having to commit the time that a game like “Risk” requires.

(Tabletop is offering game rentals throughout coronavirus. Read more about renting games.)