Doodler
Draw on your phone, everyone else guesses on theirs. The drawing shows on every phone as you go. Free, 2 to 10 players, and a solid opener for any virtual game night.
Games to play on Zoom, with no screen sharing
Keep the video call on your laptop and play the game on your phone. Hangtime's remote mode puts the whole game on everyone's phone, so nobody has to share a screen or squint at someone else's. It works on Zoom, Google Meet, FaceTime, Teams or a plain phone call.
The games we'd pick
All six of these have a remote mode. Pick by group size and mood.
Hang Five
A race to crack the same five-letter word, Wordle-style. Everyone sees each other's colors but never their letters. Free, and it works with just one or two people too.
Bowl Game
The Fishbowl party game in teams, for up to 16. The clue-giver's phone shows the slip, and the act-it-out round is even funnier on camera.
Who's Lying?
A whodunnit where one player doesn't know the secret and has to bluff. Seeing everyone's face on the call makes the voting round.
Best Answer Wins
Fill in the blank with the funniest card in your hand. Family deck by default, After Dark for adults only.
Rummy
Indian 13-card or American Rummy, with your hand on your phone and the table on everyone's screen. For points, never money.
How to start a game on a video call
- One person opens hangtime.games/play on their phone and picks a game under “Can't all be in one room?”. A four-letter room code appears.
- Share the code in the call or the group chat. Everyone joins at hangtime.games/play on their own phone.
- Keep the video call open and play on your phones. The whole game shows on every phone, so nobody has to share a screen.
Some of you are in one room?
Mix and match. Open hangtime.games/host on a TV, type the room code under “Already started a game on a phone?”, and the people in the room can watch the board while everyone else plays from home.
Questions
Do we need to share a screen on Zoom?
No. In remote mode the whole game shows on every player's phone, so the video call is just for seeing and hearing each other.
Which games work over a video call?
Doodler, Hang Five, Who's Lying?, Best Answer Wins, Rummy and Bowl Game. Trivia Board is in person only, since it's built around one shared board and a race to buzz in.
Is it free?
Doodler and Hang Five are free in remote mode, with no account. Who's Lying?, Best Answer Wins, Rummy and Bowl Game are in the Launch Pack, a one-time $5 (founder price, $10 later). Only the host buys it; players always join free.
How many people can play?
Up to 10 in most games, 6 in Rummy and 16 in Bowl Game.
Does anyone need to download an app?
No. Everyone plays in their phone's web browser at hangtime.games/play.
The rest of Hangtime
New to Hangtime? See how it works, or how it compares in Looking for a Jackbox alternative?
Hangtime is an independent party game site; all other trademarks belong to their owners.