How many games to play over text do you know?
Now that social distancing has become the new normal, finding new ways to keep things fun is becoming more difficult. In fact, that’s why I decided to write down all the activities I enjoyed taking part in on game nights. I wanted to see if it’s possible to play them with someone without them physically being in the same room as me.
As it turns out, there are plenty of enticing games to play over text! If you’re looking for ways to keep things exciting with your friends, family, or significant other, check out my list!
16 Best Games to Play Over Text When You’re Bored
#1. Would You Rather
Would You Rather is a fun game to play no matter if it’s in person or via text messages. Not only will it give you great insight into your partner’s psyche, but it’s also an amazing icebreaker.
What’s more, it’s incredibly easy to play. Basically, the players have to come up with some Would You Rather questions. Then, each person takes turns asking and answering.
All in all, the great thing about this game is that there are no wrong answers!
Would You Rather Examples
Partner: Would you rather be successful and unhappy or unsuccessful and happy?
You: I would rather be unsuccessful and happy. In fact, I’ll take happiness over success any day!
Why this is a good question: Basically, the person asking the question gets to find out about the other person’s true values and priorities in life. This question is especially valuable if you’re just getting to know someone, for instance, a boyfriend or girlfriend.
You: Would you rather spend $10,000 on traveling or on an object such as a TV?
Partner: I would rather travel since that’s something you don’t get to do every day. Who needs a $10,000 TV, anyway?
Why this is a good question: Again, this is a great question to ask someone you’re interested in or already dating. Obviously, whether or not you like the answer will depend on your own preferences.
#2. Guess the Song
If you and your partner love singing along to songs whenever you hear them on the radio, it’s time to put your skills to the test!
In order to play Guess the Song, you need to make a list of songs and find the lyrics for each one. Then, type out a verse from each song and send it to your “opponent.”
You can opt to add some clues if you like, but that’s entirely up to you.
Guess the Song Examples
1. “So many people have come and gone
Their faces fade as the years go by
Yet I still recall as I wander on
As clear as the sun in the summer sky.” ― More Than a Feeling, Boston
2. “The city’s cold and empty,
No one’s around to judge me,
I can’t see clearly when you’re gone.” ― Blinding Lights, The Weeknd
3. “I’m burning through the sky,
Two hundred degrees,
That’s why they call me Mister Fahrenheit,
I’m traveling at the speed of light,
I wanna make a supersonic woman of you!” ― Don’t Stop Me Now, Queen
#3. Guess the Movie
Overall, this is one of my all-time party favorites!
Before the game starts, you need to cut out small pieces of paper and write down some movie titles on each one. Put the pieces into a bowl, and shuffle them nicely.
Next, the players are divided into groups, and the captain of each team picks a movie title out of the bowl. Then, the fun starts! Each team member chooses a character from the movie and acts out a scene so that the other teams can guess which movie it is.
However, since I’m talking about games to play over text, you won’t be able to act out any scenes. Instead, you can use some popular quotes from the movie. Alternatively, you can give your opponent clues about it until they guess which one it is.
This game is incredibly fun for movie buffs such as myself, and I always end up playing for hours on end! Afterward, I usually watch one of the movies from the game.
Guess the Movie Examples
1. Guess the Movie Using Quotes
Quote: “If you let my daughter go now, that’ll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don’t, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you.”
Movie: Taken
Quote: “You talkin’ to me?”
Movie: Taxi Driver
Quote: “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to stand up to your friends.”
Movie: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Quote: “Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads!”
Movie: Back to the Future
2. Guess the Movie Using Clues
Genre: Horror
Directed by: James Wan
Starring: Patrick Wilson; Rose Byrne; Barbara Hershey
Answer: Insidious
Genre: Comedy
Directed by: Mark Waters
Starring: Lindsay Lohan; Rachel McAdams; Tina Fey; Amanda Seyfried; Lizzy Caplan; Lacey Chabert
Answer: Mean Girls
Genre: Horror, Science Fiction
Directed by: Paul W. S. Anderson
Starring: Milla Jovovich; Michelle Rodriguez
Answer: Resident Evil
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Directed by: Adam Brooks
Starring: Ryan Reynolds; Isla Fisher; Rachel Weisz; Elizabeth Banks; Abigail Breslin
Answer: Definitely, Maybe
Genre: Fantasy
Directed by: Jim Hensen
Starring: David Bowie; Jennifer Connelly
Answer: Labyrinth
Genre: Horror
Directed by: Ari Aster
Starring: Toni Collette; Milly Shapiro; Gabriel Byrne
Answer: Hereditary
Games to Play Over Text for Teens and Gamers
#4. Guess the Abbreviation
This one is easy if you know your abbreviations! Still, keep in mind that it is one of those games to play over text targeted at a younger crowd.
To begin with, you can opt to use different categories, depending on your interests. For example, you can use gaming abbreviations if you and your partner are gamers or movie or Internet abbreviations if those are your main interests. Basically, anything goes!
Playing is simple. In short, all you have to do is send the abbreviations to each other and come up with your own point system.
Guess the Abbreviation Examples
Gaming Abbreviations
– CoD = Call of Duty
– D&D/DnD = Dungeons and Dragons
– DA = Dragon Age
– Dota2 = Warcraft III: Defense of the Ancients 2
– ESO = The Elder Scrolls Online
– FF = Final Fantasy
– GoW = Gears of War or God of War
– GTA = Grand Theft Auto
– LoL = League of Legends
– LOZ = Legend of Zelda
– MK = Mortal Kombat
– NFS = Need for Speed
– RE = Resident Evil
– SF = Street Fighter
– TES = The Elder Scrolls
– WoW = World of Warcraft
Internet Abbreviations
– ASAP = As soon as possible
– ASL = Age/Sex/Location?
– B3 = Blah, blah, blah
– B4YKI = Before you know it
– BFF = Best friends forever
– BM&Y = Between me and you
– BRB = Be right back
– BRT = Be right there
– TBH = To be honest
– TTYL = Talk to you later
– TL;DR = Too long; didn’t read
– PAW = Parents are watching
– PIR = Parent in room
– POS = Parent over shoulder
– PROP(S) = Proper respect/proper recognition
Movie/TV Series Abbreviations
– GoT = Game of Thrones
– TT = The Terminator
– OITNB = Orange Is the New Black
– HIMYM = How I Met Your Mother
– LOTR = Lord of the Rings
– HPATDH = Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
– CMBYN = Call Me By Your Name
– TSLOP = The Secret Life of Pets
– FDTD = From Dusk Till Dawn
– TTIHAY = Ten Things I Hate About You
*Note: When playing the movie/series abbreviation game, it’s a good idea to add some clues, such as the name of the lead actor or the genre.
#5. Hangman
When thinking about games to play over text, Hangman probably isn’t the first thing to pop into your head. However, this game is just as fun to play via texts as it is in person.
You just need to improvise when it comes to making the stick figure. For instance, you can use letters and symbols to draw the body parts for each correct answer, like this:
O = the head
I = the body
\ and / = the arms
/ and \ = the legs
Also, the player that picks the mystery word(s) can use underscores for each letter.
If you don’t feel like making the hangman, you don’t have to. Just keep in mind that the (hypothetical) hangman is complete with six wrong guesses — the player has lost in that case.
Games to Play Over Text That Spark Creativity
#6. Continue the Story
If you ask me, Continue the Story is one of the best games to play over text when you’re stuck inside. All you need is your imagination!
Basically, one person starts the story, and then you continue it by adding your own twist. The more people you play with, the crazier the story gets!
You can start with only a sentence, or tell an entire part of the story and let the other(s) continue. All in all, with this game, the sky’s the limit, and there are no rules.
Continue the Story Example
You: Yesterday, I decided to take my dog for a walk. It was raining, so I took my umbrella, and I also grabbed a…
Other player: …banana on my way out and started eating it. As I was locking the door behind me, my dog suddenly decided to pull on its leash, which sent the half-eaten banana flying into the street. At that moment…
You: …my grumpy neighbor was passing by and slipped on the banana peel!
#7. The Emoji Game
Obviously, everyone has a ton of emoji on their phone. However, I usually only use smiley faces and not much else.
This game, though, allows you to use any and every emoji you have. It’s simple — all you have to do is think of something, like a movie or a song. Then, text it to the person you’re playing with, but use only emoji.
You can give clues if you want, but that part is entirely up to you. Basically, it’s like Pictionary but with emoji.
#8. What Would You Do?
In essence, What Would You Do (WWYD) is a game in which each player has to come up with a hypothetical situation and ask the other player(s) what they would do if they were in it. Needless to say, you can come up with some really crazy scenarios — and that’s what makes this game so fun!
What Would You Do Question Examples
– WWYD if you could fly instead of walk?
– WWYD if you won a million dollars on a game show?
– WWYD if you could speak more than ten languages?
– WWYD if you could read people’s minds?
– WWYD if there was a zombie apocalypse tomorrow?
– WWYD if you had to choose between being strong and being smart?
– WWYD if you lost your memory?
– WWYD if you had to move to a different country without any of your belongings?
– WWYD if everyone suddenly forgot who you are?
– WWYD if you were stranded on an island for several years?
– WWYD if you suddenly grew a tail?
– WWYD if you found out magic was real?
#9. What If
What if is yet another game that involves asking a series of ridiculous questions. You can play with one or more people, and I guarantee you’ll have so much fun that you won’t even notice the time flying by!
Overall, the concept of the game is to take something normal and turn it into a silly situation. For example, the person asking the question can say something like, “What if humans could fly?” and then someone else could write, “Then there wouldn’t be any traffic on the ground, but we’d probably block out the Sun during rush hour!”
When you get started, it might take you a while to come up with some silly answers. But once you get into it, you’ll get the hang of things fast.
What If Question Examples
– What if the oceans turned pink instead of blue?
– What if your dog could talk instead of bark?
– What if you were only allowed to sleep three hours a night instead of six or more?
– What if humans had three arms instead of two?
– What if cats could walk on two legs instead of four?
– What if babies could talk immediately after being born?
– What if you could swim to work instead of drive?
– What if you had to sleep standing up instead of lying down?
– What if you could turn into an animal for a day?
– What if ants grew to the size of dogs instead of being so small?
– What if humans didn’t have to eat food in order to survive?
Games to Play Over Text With Your Boyfriend/Girlfriend/Crush
#10. Tell the Truth
This is a fun game to play with your boyfriend/girlfriend or someone you’re interested in. In short, it’s like Truth or Dare, but without the dare part.
Overall, the rules are simple; one person asks a question, and the other one has to answer truthfully. However, if they don’t, they get a punishment, e.g., they have to buy you dinner or something similar.
#11. Never Have I Ever
To begin with, Never Have I Ever is an incredibly popular party game. Basically, you can write anything that comes to mind, and you’ll learn a lot about your opponent.
Furthermore, there are two ways to play, and they’re both pretty straightforward. The PG version relies on a point system, while the adult version involves taking shots.
PG version
The first thing you need to do is determine how many points you each have to begin with. Since you won’t be drinking, you can start with 50 points.
Then, you have to text your partner something that you’ve never done. For example, “Never have I ever eaten something that’s been on the ground.”
If your partner has never done that either, then they don’t lose any points. However, if they have, then they lose one point for each thing that they’ve done.
Take turns asking the questions until one of you is left with no points.
Adult Version
The only difference between these two versions is that instead of deducting points, the person who has done something needs to take a shot. You can also add points if you like. Still, I suggest that you start at a lower number than you would with the PG version.
Never Have I Ever Examples
– Never have I ever sang in the shower.
– Never have I ever gotten someone in trouble for something I did.
– Never have I ever lied about something in my past.
– Never have I ever gotten caught sneaking snacks into a cinema.
– Never have I ever slept for over 15 hours.
– Never have I ever danced around the house when I was alone.
– Never have I ever swallowed my gum and then panicked about it.
– Never have I ever listened to a Justin Beiber song.
– Never have I ever flipped someone off in traffic.
– Never have I ever dreamed about going to space.
– Never have I ever tripped in front of a crowd of people.
– Never have I ever cried after watching a sad movie.
– Never have I ever prank-called someone.
– Never have I ever used someone else’s toothbrush.
Educational Games to Play Over Text
#12. Unscramble
Unscramble is one of the more difficult games to play over text since it involves spelling. Try it, and you’ll see what I mean.
First, you need to come up with some words and scramble the letters to make them unrecognizable. Then, send them to your opponent and wait for them to figure out each word.
You can also play with a time limit if you want to make things more competitive.
Unscramble Examples
– neorsgteiy = generosity
– ulelhpf = helpful
– kelbial = likable
– stfidejui = justified
– oinaudti = audition
– slcataomnori = astronomical
– omersiem = memories
– pitycla = typical
#13. 20 Questions
This game is an oldie, but a goodie. First, one person thinks of something (an object, animal, etc.). Then, their opponent has to guess what that thing is by asking up to twenty questions.
20 Questions Example
Question 1: Can you find it in a zoo? (Yes)
Question 2: Is it large? (Yes)
Question 3: Does it eat grass? (Yes)
Question 4: Is it dangerous? (It could be)
Question 5: Is it a lion? (No)
Question 6: Does it have claws? (No)
Question 7: Is it native to Africa? (Yes)
Question 8: Is it an elephant? (Yes)
Answer: Elephant
#14. Last Letter Game
If you’ve ever played the Last Letter Game, you know that it can last for hours on end! To begin with, one player should choose any random word that comes to mind. Then, the other player needs to write another word that begins with the last letter of the previous one.
You can choose categories, for example, movies, songs, animals, etc. It’s pretty easy to come up with words starting with letters such as A, B, and C, but once you get to the Q’s, Y’s, and Z’s — well, good luck!
Last Letter Game Examples
Category: Movies
Player 1: The Exorcist
Player 2: The Terminator
Player 1: Rain Man
Player 2: Nerve
Player 1: Equilibrium
Player 2: Monsters
Player 1: Saw
Player 2: Wall Street
Category: Famous People
Player 1: George Clooney
Player 2: Yeardley Smith
Player 1: Henry Cavill
Player 2: Leonardo DiCaprio
Player 1: Oprah Winfrey
Player 2: Yoko Ono
Player 1: Ozzy Osbourne
Player 2: Elton John
#15. Trivia
Overall, Trivia is a great way to test your knowledge on, well, anything.
Before you start, you should agree on a category and think of questions that you know the answer to. Then, take turns asking your opponent each question.
You can come up with your own point system — for example, the first person to get ten questions right is the winner. Also, if you want to make things a bit more difficult, set a time limit for each question.
Trivia Question Examples
Question: Who was the first woman on Earth according to Greek mythology?
Answer: Pandora
Question: Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta is the real name of which pop star?
Answer: Lady Gaga
Question: Who is the author of the Winnie the Pooh books?
Answer: A. A. Milne
Question: Where was John Lennon killed?
Answer: The Dakota Building in New York
Question: What animated movie is the song “When You Wish Upon a Star” from?
Answer: Pinocchio
Question: How many hearts does an octopus have?
Answer: Three
Question: What is the most expensive home in the world, and where is it located?
Answer: Buckingham Palace, London, United Kingdom.
Question: How many pounds does the Chewbacca costume weigh?
Answer: Eight pounds
#16. Word Breakdown
Yes, this is yet another one of those educational games to play over text (like Unscramble). However, I find it incredibly fun, as well!
Basically, one player has to think of a word and send it to the other player(s). Then, the other player(s) should come up with a series of words that can be constructed with the letters of the original word.
The winner is the player who creates the most words.
Word Breakdown Examples
Original word: Configured
Con; figure; figured; cured; fig; red
Original word: Breakfast
Break; fast; fest; feast
Original word: Oneiromancy
One; roman; iron; man; Nancy
In Conclusion
And with that, my list is complete!
So the next time you’re bored, try out some of these games to play over text and put your own spin on them. Some of them are more educational than others, but they’re all fun to play for hours on end. I guarantee you’ll love them!
