Gusts of wind swoop down from the nearby mountains and almost instantly you start to hear a low chatter. You sigh after you realize the noise is coming from your teeth. Winter is coming on strong. Times are tough.

Most of us will spend a large amount of this snowy season within the comfort of our homes. What better way to waste the months than with games?

Video games are not for everyone, but sometimes video games are the only type of games people will attempt.

Therefore, here are four video game recommendations and four non-video game recommendations that you can waste your life playing instead of going out into the cold.

Video games:

1. Undertale (computer, Playstation 4, PlayStation Vita)

If you enjoy role-playing games, I highly recommend the game Undertale, which is based on a character, with a name of your choosing, that has fallen through a magic barrier into the Underground, a world of monsters. These monsters once lived with humanity in harmony until a war broke out, and they were banished to the Underground.

Your goal is to return to Earth’s surface. Along the way, you meet many monsters that will guide you to your destination: the king, Asgore Dreemurr’s, castle. That is where the path leading to the surface can be accessed. The game allows you to make choices in which will determine the outcome of the game. A major decision you will have to make is to kill the monsters or spare them.

Are you a fan of genocide, or a true pacifist?

2. Soul Knight (iPhone, Android)

Soul Knight is an app that contains a story of cool weapons, bad guys and chaos. In this game, you must capture magic stones, which keeps the world balanced, to save everyone. You will have to find the villains who stole these sacred items, and defeat them.

The video below shows the player starting at a dungeon with a measly pistol to conquer your enemies. As you go further into the dungeon, better weapons, power ups and sidekicks are offered to you.

Soul Knight Tutorial

3. Rainbow Six Siege (Xbox One, PlayStation 4, computer) *not rated by ESRB, but I’d say same as Call of Duty Black Ops IIII

In this game, you are put as either a defender or attacker in each mode. The game play is very life like, if you get shot once in a vital area, it’s instant death. The health is very accurate, too.

Much like other tactical shooter games, each character has their own perk they can use in the battles. The game contains many different modes that are multiplayer or solo. Depending on which mode you chose, you will either keep a hostage, rescue a hostage, prevent attackers from holding the biohazard room, be the attacker and try to invade the biohazard room, defuse the enemies bomb, protect the bomb, or just try to eliminate players on the other team.

For example, the Secure Area mode is the multiplayer mode that has to do with the biohazard room.

“[My favorite mode is] Secure Area because it’s a lot simpler, and there’s not as many variables,” junior Kason Cannon said.

4. The Sims 4 (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, computer)

The most famous simulation game has been upgraded and refined in The Sims 4. Players can customize their characters to their personal style, and pick certain personality traits for their Sim to have.

There are multiple different game plays that you can purchase for The Sims 4 called expansion packs. With these certain expansion packs, your Sims can get famous, become vampires, raise pets, go camping and more.

Non-video games:

1. Clue

This family board game has been in my life for longer than I can remember. The game revolves around suspicious activity that starts to arise within the mansion. The game is 3 to 6 players, and these players must gather evidence and clues as to who committed the murder of Mr. Boddy. These clues can be gathered by entering different rooms on the board.

I’m sure most of you have played this game before. There were always six classic suspects to play as including Miss Scarlet, Colonel Mustard, Mrs.White, Reverend Green, Mrs.Peacock and Professor Plum. The reason I incorporated this game onto the list other than it is enjoyable is that Hasbro has replaced a character with a new one.

Mrs.White will no longer be investigated. We have now been introduced to Dr.Orchid, a female scientist. This is the first time the game Clue has incorporated a woman with a job that was out of the house.

2. Mao

Mao is one of my favorite card games, and it makes me sad when people do not know what it is. In fact, most people who play the game for the first time have no idea what the rules are. The requirements of the game are learned as the game plays out. The overall goal of the game is to rid all of the cards in your hands.

The person who initiates the game, called the dealer, will pass out seven cards to each player. After the cards are dealt, the dealer will set them in the middle of the players, flip the top card and set it next to the deck. The game will start with the dealer declaring, “the game of Mao has officially begun.” And then the individual on the left of the dealer places a card from their hand onto the flipped card that matches it in value or suit. The rotation will continue clockwise.

The rules unaware to the players, but not to the dealer include (if a rule is broken, the dealer will give the rule breaker a penalty card):

• Nobody is allowed to speak, unless they say “point of order” before they continue with their thought.
• No player is allowed to look at their cards before the game has begun or while it is paused.
• When a card with the value of 8 is placed down, the rotation changes directions.
• When an ace is placed down, the next player’s turn is skipped.
• When a card with the value of 7 is put down, the player must say, “have a nice day.” *if another 7 is placed down, the player must say, “have a very nice day.”
• When a jack is placed down, the player must say, “Jack be nimble,” or “Jack be quick.”
• When a queen or king is placed, the player must say, “all hail the high king/queen chairman.”
• Every time a player receives a penalty, they must say, “thank you,” to the dealer.
• When a player lays down a card with the suit of spade, they must say the rank of their card followed by, “of spades.”
• A player must announce, “Mao,” when they lay their last card down in order to win the game.

Whoever the winner is will become the new dealer. The new dealer gets to make up a fun rule of their own, and share it with only one other player. After that, the next round begins.

3. Wyoming-opoly

Similar to the classic board game Monopoly, Wyoming-Opoly is especially fun and educational. The board consists of different landmarks, animals, and activities all Wyoming related you could buy during gameplay.

I played this game during my family camping trip while it was pouring rain. We were stuck in the tents and played the intriguing board game. Everyone had a ball; we all learned something about Wyoming we didn’t know before.

4. Mouse Trap

Another board game straight from my childhood. For those who don’t know, Mouse Trap is a very interactive board game; it is three dimensional as well. The players must work together to build the elaborate mouse trap over the board over the course of the game. Each time a player lands on a space that says, “build,” they will have to construct two parts of the mouse trap. They also receive two pieces of cheese. When the trap is completed, they will try to capture each other’s game pieces.