Games to play over text, no app needed
All you need is a chat thread. These text games work one message at a time, so they survive slow replies and busy days. Each comes with the one rule that makes it work, then a few ways to go further than texting.
Text games that work with anyone
- 20 Questions. One person thinks of something, the other gets 20 yes-or-no questions. Count them in each message so nobody cheats.
- Would You Rather. Two options, both a bit awful. The rule: you must pick, and you must say why.
- Emoji movie guessing. Send a film as emojis only. A shark plus a boat is too easy, so try three emojis max.
- Two truths and a lie. Three facts about you, one false. Better with people who think they know you well.
- One-line story. Each message adds one sentence to a story. Ban the words then and suddenly to keep it moving.
- Rate it 1 to 10. Send a photo of anything: a lunch, a shoe, a cloud. The other person rates it and gives one reason.
- This or that. Rapid pairs: beach or mountains, call or text, cats or dogs. Ten in a row, then switch who asks.
Games to play over text with your crush
Keep it light and give them room to be funny. 21 Questions works better than 20 when the questions are personal. Would You Rather with soft options (dinner in Paris or a road trip with no plan) is easier to answer than deep questions out of nowhere. Two truths and a lie is a good one early on, since it is really an excuse to share three things about yourself.
The rule for all of these: ask one back. A text game dies when one person only answers.
When a chat thread is not enough
Some real games live inside a chat. Duskwood by Everbyte is a detective story played through a fake messenger on your phone: you read texts and photos to find a missing woman. The Traitors: Anywhere turns a WhatsApp group of up to 30 people into a week of missions, votes and secret murders, though for now it is a paid game for the UK and Ireland, ages 16 and up.
Or send an actual game. Roam, a free iPhone app, makes a playable game from a sentence or a photo. Make a tiny one about your friend and drop it in the chat. Red Flag Green Flag is a swipe game where you judge one card at a time, and KNOW IT! is a fast game-show trivia quiz.
Play it on Roam
Send a friend a game made about them with Roam
Take their best photo, add one sentence, and Roam turns it into a game. Play it once, then send it to the chat.
Try: "my best friend from this photo dodges falling group-chat messages, every unread text slows her down, 3 lives"Questions people ask
What are fun games to play over text with friends?
Would You Rather, emoji movie guessing, two truths and a lie, and a one-line story where each message adds a sentence.
What games can I play over text with my crush?
21 Questions, gentle Would You Rather, and two truths and a lie. Always ask one back so it feels like a conversation.
Can you play a real game in a group chat?
Yes. The Traitors: Anywhere runs in WhatsApp groups of up to 30 in the UK and Ireland, and Duskwood is a detective game played as a messenger.
Keep exploring
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More on Roam: All Roam games Make your own game