Bowl Game
The best fit for a big group. Up to 16 players in two teams, everyone writes names for the bowl, then you describe, one-word and act them out. It gets louder every round, in a good way.
Thanksgiving games everyone can play
Dinner's done, nobody wants to move, and the table has three generations at it. Put a game on the TV and pass nothing around: everyone plays from their own phone. It works the same for a house full of family or a Friendsgiving on folding chairs.
The games we'd pick
These are the ones that hold up with a full table and a mixed crowd.
Best Answer Wins
Fill in the blank with the funniest card in your hand. The Family deck is the default, so it's fine with grandma at the table. For a late-night Friendsgiving, the host can switch to After Dark (adults only).
Who's Lying?
Everyone knows the secret except the Liar, who has to bluff through a round of one-word clues. Great for the relative who swears they can always tell.
Trivia Board
Jeopardy-style trivia on the TV, with buzzing in from phones. Free, up to 8 players, and you can pair kids with adults as teams of two on one phone.
Doodler
Draw on your phone while the table guesses. Free, and kid mode makes it easy for younger cousins to join.
How to set it up after dinner
- Open hangtime.games/host on the TV, laptop or projector and pick a game. A four-letter room code appears.
- Everyone goes to hangtime.games/play on their phone and types the code and a name. No app, no account.
- Pick your settings on the big screen and press Start. When it ends, hit Play again or switch games.
Someone couldn't make it home?
Every game except Trivia Board has a remote mode that runs on phones. Start the game at hangtime.games/play, send the code to whoever's away, and they play over a video call. Open hangtime.games/host on your TV and type the same code under “Already started a game on a phone?” so the room can follow along.
Questions
What are good Thanksgiving games for a big family?
Bowl Game takes up to 16 players in two teams, which suits a big table. For 10 or fewer, Best Answer Wins, Who's Lying? and Doodler all work well with mixed ages.
Are these good for Friendsgiving?
Yes. Friendsgiving crowds tend to like Best Answer Wins (with the After Dark deck for adults only), Who's Lying? and Bowl Game. Nobody needs to download anything; they just join with the code.
Do we need a game console?
No. Any screen with a web browser works: a smart TV, a laptop plugged into the TV, or a projector. Everyone else uses their phone.
Can family who aren't with us play too?
Yes. Every game except Trivia Board has a remote mode, so relatives can join from their own phones over a video call.
How much does it cost?
Trivia Board, Doodler and Hang Five are free, with full rooms and 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.
The rest of Hangtime
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