35 Engaging Games to Play on FaceTime
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Are you looking for some super fun games and interactive ways to connect with your friends and loved ones over FaceTime? Look no further!
From word games and trivia challenges to scavenger hunts and even drawing game competitions, there are games for everyone in this article!
So grab your iPhone, Android device, or computer, and let’s get started with some games you can play on FaceTime!
1. Benefits of Playing Games on FaceTime
Playing games on FaceTime brings numerous benefits to the table.
Not only does it provide an opportunity to have fun and share laughs, but it also helps in staying connected and bonding with your friends and family.
Games on FaceTime can break the monotony of regular, video calls, chat, or calls and inject an element of excitement into your virtual interactions.
Additionally, playing games together fosters teamwork, enhances problem-solving skills, and boosts creativity.
Now, let’s dive into the list of 35 engaging games you can play on FaceTime.
2. Word and Trivia Games
Word and trivia games are great for those of you who love an intellectual challenge! Here are some that you can try:
a. 3 Words
One player starts the drinking game by saying three words, and the next player continues with another two or three words that relate to the previous ones.
The chain continues, and the goal for the other player is to create a coherent story.
It’s a fantastic game to stimulate creativity and imagination while having a great time with your friends on FaceTime.
b. 20 Questions
In this classic game, one player thinks of a person, place, or thing, and the other players have 20 yes-or-no questions to guess what it is.
The questions should be strategic and well-thought-out to narrow down the possibilities. It’s a good game, a simple game that challenges your deductive skills and guarantees loads of fun.
c. Trivia Pursuit
Test your general knowledge with a virtual game of Trivia Pursuit.
You can either play a simple word game, create your own trivia questions or find online resources that offer a variety of trivia categories.
Take turns asking questions and keep track of points to determine the winner. Trivia games are a fantastic and fun way to challenge your intellect and engage in friendly competition.
3. Charades and Acting Games
If you are joining FaceTime with a bigger group, you can consider games that require more movement and actions. These are more fun!
a. Charades
Charades is a classic party game that can easily be adapted to FaceTime.
Players take turns acting out a word or phrase without speaking while the others try to guess what it is. It’s great fun games to play a game that requires creativity, communication skills, and quick thinking.
Get ready for lots of laughter and hilarious moments!
b. Pictionary
Similar to Charades, Pictionary is a drawing and guessing game that can be played on FaceTime.
One player draws a word or phrase while the others attempt to guess it correctly guessed and within a time limit.
You can use online Pictionary word generators or create your own list of words. Get your artistic skills ready for a fun-filled game!
c. Celebrity
Celebrity is a game where players take turns describing or acting out the name of a famous person, fictional character, or historical figure without using their actual name.
The objective is to see how many words and get your teammates to guess as many names in as many rounds as possible within a time limit.
It’s a game that requires creativity, quick thinking, and a good knowledge of pop culture.
4. Board and Card Games
For the more introverted individuals, I’d recommend a mellow but intellectually challenging game to stimulate your minds and build relationships.
a. Battleship
Battleship is a classic board game that can be played virtually over FaceTime.
Each player sets up their fleet of ships on a grid, and they take turns guessing the coordinates of their opponent’s ships to sink them. The first player to sink all the opponent’s ships wins.
It’s a great game that combines strategy and luck, providing hours of entertainment.
b. Chess
Challenge your friend to a game of chess over FaceTime. Chess is a timeless game that requires critical thinking, planning, and foresight.
You can use online chess platforms to play against each other and analyze moves together. Engage in a battle of wits and improve your chess skills while connecting with your friends.
c. Uno
Uno is a popular card game that can be easily adapted for virtual play on FaceTime.
Each player takes turns matching a card from their hand with the current card on the discard pile. The goal is to be the first player to get rid of all their cards.
With its simple rules and fast-paced gameplay, Uno is the perfect game for virtual gaming sessions.
You can even play Uno online and share your screen!
D. Solitaire
Classic games like Solitaire can offer an engaging and entertaining experience over FaceTime, especially now that you can screen share with FaceTime calls.
Solitaire can become a group puzzle where participants collaborate on strategic decisions to move cards and clear the tableau, aiming to solve the game together.
Some solitaire platforms allow you to play against each other, where you try to solve the game in the shortest time possible. Try this site out to play online solitaire.
5. Virtual Scavenger Hunts
Scavenger hunts are perfect for FaceTiming children. They are interactive and encourage them to share more.
a. Indoor Scavenger Hunt
Organize an indoor scavenger hunt and have your other family members and other family member or friends search for specific items in their own homes.
Create a list of items and give everyone a limited amount of time to find them.
The first person to collect all the items or find the most within the time limit wins. It’s a game that promotes exploration and creativity.
These also work well with colleagues and elderly participants.
b. Alphabet Scavenger Hunt
Challenge your friends to an all-alphabet game or just one-word scavenger hunt where they have to find objects that start with each letter of the alphabet.
Take turns going through the letters; the player who finds an object for every word wins whatever letter first wins. It’s a game that encourages observation skills and thinking outside the box.
c. Color Scavenger Hunt
In a color scavenger hunt, participants search for items of different colors in their surroundings.
Choose a color, set a timer, and have everyone find objects that match that color.
The last person there who collects the most items or finds them the fastest wins. It’s a game that trains your eye for detail and adds a splash of color to your virtual hangouts.
6. Collaborative Drawing Games
For those skilled in drawing, or just want to interact in a fun way, drawing games may be just be up your alley!
a. Draw Something
Draw Something is a popular mobile game that you can play with friends over FaceTime. One player chooses a word and draws it while the others try to guess correctly what it is.
It’s a game that combines creativity, drawing skills, and guessing abilities. Get ready for some masterpieces and hilarious interpretations!
b. Telestrations
Telestrations is a game where players draw and guess what is being drawn.
Each player starts with a word or phrase and then alternates between drawing only one word and guessing the same word, passing the drawings and guesses along.
The final results often lead to hilarious misunderstandings and laughter.
c. Pass It On
In Pass It On, one player starts the collaborative game by drawing a simple picture, last letter, or shape on a piece of paper, then folds it to hide their drawing and passes it to the next player.
The next player continues the game starts their drawing, and the process repeats until everyone has contributed. Unfold the paper to reveal the collaborative masterpiece and share a good laugh.
7. Other Games to Play on FaceTime
Here are other common games to play on FaceTime that you’ve probably heard of but haven’t thought of:
- Scrabble: Challenge your vocabulary skills by playing a virtual game of Scrabble. Use online platforms or apps that allow you to play against friends and family, even when you’re not in the same room.
- Hangman: Take turns being the “word chooser” and try to guess each other’s chosen words by suggesting letters. Keep track of the number of incorrect guesses to create the hangman drawing virtually.
- Guess the Emoji: Share the screen and display emojis for others to guess the phrase, movie, or song they represent. It’s a fun and visual game that will keep everyone engaged.
- Simon Says: Play a virtual version of Simon Says by giving commands and seeing who can follow them correctly. It’s a game that tests your listening skills and ability to follow instructions.
- Storytelling Relay: Start a story with a sentence or two, then pass it on to the next person to add their sentence and continue the narrative. Keep passing the story around, and see where the collective creativity takes you.
- 20 Questions: Movie Edition: Focus the 20 Questions game specifically on movies. One player thinks of a movie, and others have 20 yes-or-no questions to guess the title. It’s a game that movie buffs will thoroughly enjoy.
- Dance-Off: Have a virtual dance-off session where each participant takes turns showcasing their best dance moves. Put on some energetic music and let the dancing skills shine.
- I Spy: Play the classic “I Spy” game by taking turns describing objects in your surroundings while others try to guess what you’re looking at. It’s a game that encourages observation and attention to detail.
- Guess the Animal Sound: Make animal sounds and challenge others to guess the animal they represent. It’s a game that’s both fun and entertaining, especially for younger players.
- Reverse Charades: Flip the concept of charades by having one person guess while the rest of the participants act out the word or phrase together. It adds a twist of collaboration and teamwork to the game.
- Name the Flag: Test your knowledge of flags from around the world by displaying flags and challenging each other to name the corresponding countries. It’s a game that’s educational and engaging.
- Riddles: Take turns sharing riddles and see who can solve them first. Riddles challenge your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, making them a great addition to your FaceTime game session.
- Storyline: Collaboratively create a story where each participant adds a sentence or paragraph to continue the narrative. Let the story unfold in unexpected and imaginative ways.
- Guess the Celebrity: Describe a famous person or celebrity without revealing their name, and others have to guess who it is based on the description. It’s a game that tests your knowledge of pop culture icons.
- Rhyme Time: Take turns coming up with words, and others have to quickly think of words that rhyme with the given word. It’s a game that exercises your creativity and linguistic skills.
8. Would You Rather?
Play a virtual version of the popular game “Would You Rather?” on FaceTime.
Take turns asking each other thought-provoking questions with two options; each person must choose one. The game sparks interesting discussions, reveals personal preferences, and provides insight into each player guess own and other players’ perspectives.
9. Name That Tune
Challenge your friends to a “Name That Tune” game over FaceTime. One player hums or sings a few seconds of a song, and the others must guess the song title and artist.
It’s an easy, fun game that tests your music knowledge and can lead to nostalgic moments as you recall favorite tunes.
10. Online Escape Rooms
Embark on a virtual adventure by solving puzzles and clues in an online escape room.
Many websites offer virtual escape room experiences and online games that you can enjoy with friends over FaceTime video chat.
You’ll need to work together as a team to unravel the mysteries, escape the room, and feel the adrenaline rush of accomplishment.
11. Online Murder Mysteries
Host a virtual murder mystery party on FaceTime. Various online platforms provide murder mystery scripts and character profiles.
Assign roles to your friends, follow the script, and work together to solve the crime. It’s a game that combines storytelling, problem-solving, and detective work.
Conclusion
Playing games on FaceTime is a fantastic way to stay connected, have fun, and create memorable experiences with friends and loved ones, regardless of the distance.
The options are endless, from word and trivia games to charades, board games, scavenger hunts, drawing competitions, and more.
So grab your devices, choose a game from this list, and let the laughter and excitement fill your virtual hangouts.
Enjoy the power of technology to bring people together and make every FaceTime video call into an entertaining and engaging experience.
In the case when FaceTime doesn’t work for you, there are a number of easy fixes for that.
FAQs
Q: Can I play these games on FaceTime with multiple participants?
Yes, most of the games mentioned in this article can be played with multiple participants on FaceTime. Simply ensure that everyone has a device with an internet connection and a compatible game setup.
Q: Do I need any special equipment to play these games?
For most games, you only need basic devices such as smartphones, tablets, or computers with internet access. Some games may require specific apps, online platforms, or optional accessories like VR headsets.
Q: Can I modify the rules of these games to suit our preferences?
Absolutely! These games are flexible, and you can modify the rules or add your own twists to fun games to make them even more fun and enjoyable for your group. Feel free to get creative and adapt the games to suit your own version, preferences and playing style.
Q: Are there age restrictions for playing these games?
Many of the games listed in this article are suitable for all ages, but it’s important to consider the complexity and appropriateness of the game for the participants. Some games may have age recommendations or require certain levels of understanding or skills.
Q: How can I ensure a smooth gaming experience on FaceTime?
To ensure a smooth gaming experience, make sure you have a stable internet connection and that all participants have their devices fully charged or connected to power sources.
It’s also helpful to choose games that are compatible with most points on your devices and test them beforehand to avoid any technical issues.
Justin Chia
Justin is the author of Justjooz and is a data analyst and AI expert. He is also a Nanyang Technological University (NTU) alumni, majoring in Biological Sciences.
He regularly posts AI and analytics content on LinkedIn, and writes a weekly newsletter, The Juicer, on AI, analytics, tech, and personal development.
To unwind, Justin enjoys gaming and reading.