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Codenames: board game booms as an online game

4.7.2023

Translation: machine translated

Do you like parlour games and love using logical reasoning to uncover facts? Then Codenames could also be something for you as an online version.

Creek, bed, fish, bum - river 4: a move in Codenames could look something like this. The game of the year 2016 in the board game category is currently experiencing a new kind of hype thanks to the PC version and, above all, via Twitch. Several streamers are playing the game together in multiplayer rounds for viewers. The game experienced its first brief hype at the beginning of 2021, but for the past few months in particular, the game has consistently achieved good viewer numbers of over 1000 online. Of course, this is no comparison to big games like League of Legends or Valorant. For a social game, this is nothing to sneeze at in the ranks of game blockbusters. But what makes it so fascinating?

Codenames is a family game by Czech game designer Vlaada Chvátil. It was published in 2015 by Czech Games Edition and Heidelberger Spieleverlag. It is a deduction game and is based on the ability to find umbrella terms that can be used to identify associated words.

And this is how it works!

The playing field consists of a 25-square matrix.
Source: Czech Games Edition

In the game, two people each take on the role of a secret service chief. They try to tell their team members the codenames of their own agents. However, as the competition is listening, they take it in turns to find associations to describe the spies' aliases. Important: Only one word and the corresponding number may be mentioned. The number gives an indication of how many of your own agents match the term mentioned. The more, the better. But be careful: the 25-square matrix that can be viewed contains not only the spies from your organisation, but also the secret agents of your opponents, uninvolved passers-by and an assassin. One wrong move and the round is over. If the assassin is uncovered, this team loses immediately.

Other game variants

There are now several variants of the basic game. "Duet" is a co-operative game for two players. "Pictures" changes the words as code names to pictures. "XXL" in turn provides a version of the game that is twice as large for better visibility. There are also several themed editions, including Disney and Harry Potter.

Play it online with friends

The online game from Czech Games Edition with free game tables without registration is available via this link. Both the basic version and the duet version can be played. You can also add your own word packs.

You may not be sitting opposite your friends, but you can still keep in touch with them over long distances and enjoy fun game nights. There is even an integrated video function so that you can see each other. Personally, I find it very nice to incorporate your own words into the game. This often results in the funniest rounds.

In the online version, you can choose between the basic game and the duet version and also add your own word packs.
Source: Kim Muntinga

Cover photo: Czech Games Edition

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Kim Muntinga

Editor

Kim.Muntinga@galaxus.de

My interests are varied, I just like to enjoy life. Always on the lookout for news about darts, gaming, films and series.

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