WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. Its convenience, flexibility, and fun features like stickers and voice notes make it easy to stay connected with friends and family.
While WhatsApp is great for conversations, sometimes you want to play games and have a little friendly competition. The good news is there are plenty of games you can play with friends right in your WhatsApp chats!
Word Games
Word games are some of the easiest and most popular games to play over WhatsApp. They only require your phone’s keyboard, so no need to download anything extra. Here are some great options:
Word Scramble
To play Word Scramble, one person thinks of a word or phrase and scrambles the letters. They send the scrambled letters to the group chat. The first person to unscramble it and text back the correct word or phrase gets a point. Some examples:
- UYO = YOU
- EDRHI = HIRED
- SIYIURTND = SUNDAYTRIP
You can make it more challenging by scrambling longer words or phrases. The person with the most points at the end wins!
Name Game
The Name Game is another fun word challenge. One person texts a name. The next player has to text a name starting with the first letter of the previous name. Keep going back and forth until someone can’t think of a name. For example:
John
Nicole
Eric
Robert
Tyler
To make it even trickier, ban common names like “Matt” or “Sarah” that are too easy. You can also give categories like “cartoon characters” or “movie stars.”
20 Questions
For 20 Questions, one person thinks of a person, place or thing. The other players can ask up to 20 yes or no questions to try and guess what it is. This gets everyone thinking and deduction skills going!
Some sample questions:
- Is it a person?
- Is it alive?
- Does it live in the ocean?
- Is it bigger than a breadbox?
- Can you eat it?
The player that guesses the right answer gets to pick the next word or phrase.
Drawing Games
If your group likes flexing their art skills, drawing games over WhatsApp can be super entertaining. They let your imagination run wild!
Emoji Pictionary
One person thinks of a word or phrase. They text emojis that represent that word, without using letters/numbers. The first player to correctly guess the word gets a point. Some examples:
- 🎥🍿👧👦 = Movie Date
- ⚽️👟🥅 = Soccer Game
- 💊👩⚕️🩺 = Doctor’s Appointment
You can make it tougher by limiting the number of emojis, or easier by allowing more. Get creative with the emoji combinations!
What Am I Drawing?
Another artistic game is “What Am I Drawing?” Using a finger or stylus, one person draws an object, animal or scene on their phone (or paper) and takes a photo of it. They send just the photo to the group chat. Others look at the abstract drawing and try to guess what it is.
Drawing with a finger instead of proper tools makes it hilariously tricky. Even simple things like fruits or stick figures can stump your friends! The first to decipher the drawing picks the next item.
Trivia Games
If your WhatsApp group enjoys random facts and showing off knowledge, trivia games are perfect. They’re also great for learning new things!
20 Questions Trivia
One player thinks of a person, place or thing. Other players ask yes/no questions to narrow it down – but with a twist! Each player can only ask ONE question at a time, before it moves to the next player. See who can guess the answer in 20 questions or fewer.
To make it more challenging, ban common trivia topics like movies, music and sports. Get creative with the categories!
Multiple Choice
For this game, one player texts a multiple choice trivia question with 3-4 answer choices labeled A, B, C and D. The first person to text the correct letter gets a point. Some sample questions:
What is the rarest M&M color?
A. Red
B. Blue
C. Brown
D. Yellow
What is the fastest land animal?
A. Lion
B. Cheetah
C. Horse
D. Antelope
You can find trivia questions online or make up your own about movies, geography, science or pop culture. Keep score to see who wins!
Guessing Games
Guessing games require deduction, logic and luck. Test your brainpower with these engaging WhatsApp options.
Two Truths and a Lie
Each player texts three statements about themselves – two true facts and one lie. The rest of the group votes on which one they think is the lie. Reveal which was the lie after everyone guesses! This silly game helps you learn new things about each other.
Some example statements:
- I have climbed Mount Everest.
- I once won a pancake eating contest.
- I can’t whistle.
The lie was climbing Everest – pretty tricky to deduce! Take turns and see who can stump the group with the best lies.
20 Questions Guessing Game
One player thinks of a person, place or object. The rest of the group takes turns asking yes or no questions to narrow down what it is. But here’s the catch – each player can only ask ONE question at a time before it moves to the next player. See who can guess the answer in 20 questions or fewer!
Ban common topics to make it more challenging. Get creative with the categories beyond just celebrities, books or food items.
Number Games
If your WhatsApp group likes math or numbers, these games will get your brains doing some equations!
Calculator Tap
One player randomly taps numbers and math symbols (+, -, x, ÷) on their calculator, showing just the final result. Others race to recreate the equation on their own calculator getting to that number. For example, if the result is 67, the equation might be: 5 + 7 x 10.
Make it harder by using decimals, negatives, square roots etc. Have the calculator tapper provide hints for extra tricky ones. A math whiz will shine at this fast-paced game!
Number Scramble
Players have to unscramble numbers to find the hidden equation or number sequence. For example:
- 279 + 65 = ?
- 916853 = ?
- 3, 7, 15, 31, ?
Take turns scrambling different types of sequences and math problems. Race to see who can unscramble them first! It gets the brain working hard.
Active Games
Get everyone on their feet and energized with these active WhatsApp challenges!
Photo Scavenger Hunt
One player creates a list of silly items or activities to photograph (picture of you with a banana on your head, doing a handstand, pet wearing a hat, etc). Send the list to the group chat and set a timer for 10-15 minutes. Everyone frantically runs around taking photos of the items. Most completed photos by the timer’s end wins!
Make sure the items are common household things for a fair game. Get zany with the list for maximum entertainment.
Fitness Challenges
Your WhatsApp crew can motivate each other to exercise with friendly fitness challenges. Take photos proving you did activities like 50 pushups, a 1 mile run, 2 minute plank hold or 20 burpees. Or log steps with a tracker app and compete for the most steps over a week or weekend.
Offer fun rewards for winners, like choosing the movie for your next virtual call. A little healthy competition can make staying active more enjoyable!
Multiplayer Games
Though you can’t physically be together, technology allows playing interactive games in real-time over WhatsApp. Try these multiplayer favorites:
Ludo Game
The classic Ludo board game is available as a WhatsApp version from bot stores. Add the Ludo Game bot on WhatsApp and start a game with friends. Roll digital dice and race to get your tokens safely to the finish!
Word Boards
Word board games like Words With Friends can be played with friends over WhatsApp using the app’s built-in chat feature. Take turns forming words on a board for tons of vocabulary fun.
Psych!
The Psych! app lets you answer provocative questions then compare responses with friends. Find out who knows you best or see who has the craziest answers. Laughter guaranteed!
Icebreaker Games
Use these WhatsApp games to kick off a group call or chat on a positive note.
Would You Rather
One player texts a “would you rather” question with two absurd options. Some examples include:
- Would you rather eat a stick of butter or a spoonful of mustard?
- Would you rather give up bathing for a month or the internet for a month?
- Would you rather be able to fly or become invisible?
Go around having each person choose one of the wacky options. It gets everyone laughing and thinking outside the box!
Emoji Stories
Each player adds one emoji to a group chat to collectively build a story. The strangeness of only using emojis results in hilarious narratives. See how long you can keep the story going!
For example: 🏃♂️🚗🗽🗼🎆🛩️👨👩👧👦
Someone running to their car in New York City, driving to see the fireworks show, then flying home to their family.
Two Truths and a Lie
Mentioned before, this game works perfectly as an icebreaker too. Have each person share their two truths and one lie. See who can guess the lies to learn interesting facts about each other!
Conclusion
WhatsApp offers a nearly endless selection of super fun games you can play with friends and family. From classic word games to trivia, drawing challenges and more, there are options for every interest and age group. So next time you’re looking for something to do in your WhatsApp chats, give one of these entertaining games a try!
The ability to instantly connect makes games over WhatsApp extra engaging. Plus you can play from anywhere, at any time. So gather your WhatsApp buddies and get the competition going. Just be prepared for nonstop laughter, deep thinking and lots of smiles. Games bring out our creativity, silliness and passion. Turn those chat windows into an arcade with these awesome WhatsApp game ideas!