As the chill of Winter settles over Gauteng, it seems the province is warming up to an age-old form of entertainment: boardgames. In a recent survey conducted on X, we asked locals to vote for their favourite boardgame from a short list — and the results were telling.

30 Seconds came out as the clear winner, racking up a massive 59.3% of the vote. It’s no surprise — the fast-paced, team-based guessing game has become a staple in South African homes, ideal for sparking laughter and heated competition alike.

DID YOU KNOW? 30 Seconds was actually created by a South African, Calie Esterhuyse, in the late 1990s — and is now sold internationally!

Coming in second was the classic property-trading favourite, Monopoly, at 22.3%, still proving its timeless appeal despite some infamous family feuds.

DID YOU KNOW? Monopoly was first published in 1935 during the Great Depression and was reportedly used by British POWs in WWII — with hidden maps and escape tools inside!

Cards Against Humanity and Watch Ya Mouth tied at 3.7% each, both offering their own brand of humour and chaos. The former is known for its dark humour, while the latter involves hilarious attempts at speaking with a mouthpiece. [See the Hot Breakfast team’s hilarious efforts to play the game here.]

DID YOU KNOW? Cards Against Humanity was developed by a group of high school friends and launched on Kickstarter — raising over $15,000 in just two months.

While the poll focused on just four games, plenty of other favourites were mentioned by name — and they’re well worth a spot in your Winter games cupboard.

DID YOU KNOW? Jenga was created by Leslie Scott, a British board game designer who grew up in East Africa — and the name comes from the Swahili word kujenga, meaning “to build.”

Jenga, the nerve-wracking tower-toppling challenge, is perfect for players of all ages. Pictionary turns drawing disasters into moments of hilarity, while Twister brings the physical fun, perfect for warming up those frozen limbs.

Boardgames offer a nostalgic way to bond, laugh, and stay warm indoors — whether you’re with family, friends, or a mix of both. With power cuts, long nights, and cooler temperatures on the cards, there’s never been a better time to press pause on screens and roll the dice on old-fashioned fun.

DID YOU KNOW? Twister was once considered so scandalous for its physical closeness that some stores refused to stock it — until Johnny Carson played it on The Tonight Show in 1966, launching it to fame.

But it’s not just the classics making waves. New-generation games are drawing serious crowds too. Titles like Codenames (a clever word-association spy game), Wingspan (a beautifully illustrated engine-building game for bird lovers), Throw Throw Burrito (a dodgeball-card game hybrid), and Exploding Kittens (a fast-paced, feline-filled game of survival) are reshaping the way we think about game night.

Boardgames offer a nostalgic way to bond, laugh, and stay warm indoors — whether with family, friends, or a mix of both. With load-shedding, long nights, and cooler temperatures on the cards, there’s never been a better time to press pause on screens and roll the dice on old-fashioned fun.

So dust off those boxes, grab some snacks, and let the games begin — Gauteng, it’s game night!