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Games to play on Zoom

Video calls go quiet fast. These free virtual party games work on Zoom, Google Meet or FaceTime, and most of them only need one person to share their screen.

  1. Phone-on-your-forehead guessingForehead GuessThe host opens Forehead Guess on a laptop and shares their screen. The guesser looks away from their own screen, everyone else gives clues, and the host presses the down arrow for got it and the up arrow to pass.
  2. Act it outCharadesThe actor opens charades on their own phone, reads the prompt privately and acts it out on camera. Everyone else guesses out loud, which is perfect for gallery view.
  3. One letter, every categoryName, Place, Animal, ThingMade for calls. The host shares the letter and the timer, everyone writes on their own paper, and then you read your answers out loud and score together.
  4. Impossible choicesWould You RatherShare your screen so everyone reads along, then have people type A or B in the chat on three. Answering at the same time keeps anyone from copying.
  5. Point on threeMost Likely ToShare the card and have everyone type a name in the chat on three. Watching the chat fill up with the same name is the best part.
  6. Draw on the phoneDraw & GuessThe drawer opens Draw & Guess on their own device, reads the word, hides it and then shares their screen while they draw. Everyone else shouts guesses.
  7. Three answers, five secondsName 3 ThingsThe host shares the screen and calls each player by name. They get five seconds to say three things out loud, and the host taps Got it or Missed.
  8. Clean questions and safe daresTruth or DarePick the Video call category. Its dares are written to work on camera, and the truths can be answered from any kitchen table.
  9. Fingers up, clean deckNever Have I EverShare your screen and ask everyone to keep their hands in view of the camera. A grid of fingers going down at once is very satisfying.
  10. Memory game for all agesWhat’s Missing?Share the tiles, give everyone 20 seconds to study, and let people unmute to call out the missing word. The host taps whoever said it first.

How to set up a game on a video call

  1. 1Pick a host. They open the game in a browser on the same computer they're using for the call.
  2. 2Share that browser tab or window, so everyone sees the same card.
  3. 3Switch to gallery view, so people can see each other's faces and hands.
  4. 4Say the turn order out loud before you start, or paste it into the chat.

Charades and Draw & Guess are the exceptions. The person acting or drawing opens the game on their own device, so they can read the prompt in private.

Lag, mute buttons and talking over each other

Every call has a little delay, so the usual party habit of everyone shouting at once falls apart. A few small changes help.

  • Vote in the chat. Count down from three and have everyone hit Enter together.
  • Unmute everyone for guessing games. Fumbling for the mute button costs you the best guesses.
  • Call turns by name. On a grid, nobody knows who's next.
  • Use longer rounds. 90 seconds in Forehead Guess or charades makes up for the lag.

Planning a virtual party or game night

Keep it to 45 minutes or an hour. Screens wear people out faster than living rooms do.

Open with a card game where everyone answers, like Would You Rather or Most Likely To. Then play a team game, such as Forehead Guess or charades with two teams. End with something everyone plays at once, like a few rounds of Name, Place, Animal, Thing, and let people drift off.

With more than ten people, use breakout rooms for the team games, with one host per room running the game. Then bring everyone back together for the card games.

Questions

What games can you play on Zoom for free?

Forehead Guess, charades, Name, Place, Animal, Thing, Would You Rather, Most Likely To, Draw & Guess, Name 3 Things, Truth or Dare, Never Have I Ever and What's Missing? all work on a video call. They're free, and nobody needs to install anything.

Does everyone need to open the game?

No. For most games, only the host opens it and shares their screen. In charades and Draw & Guess, the person acting or drawing uses their own device, so the prompt stays private.

Do these games work on Google Meet, Teams or FaceTime?

Yes. Any video call that lets you share your screen will work. The games run in a regular browser tab.

Can we play Imposter or Find the Spy on a call?

Not really. Both need the phone passed from hand to hand so each player sees their card in private, so they're best saved for when you're in the same room.

How do we keep score on a call?

Forehead Guess, Name 3 Things and Name, Place, Animal, Thing keep score on the host's shared screen. In charades and Draw & Guess, the clue-giver plays on their own device, so have one person keep a running tally in the chat.

What are good video call games for kids?

Charades with the Kids category, Would You Rather with For kids and What's Missing? all work well. Grandparents can join from anywhere, as long as their camera is on.

Are these virtual party games free?

Yes. Every game is free in the browser and supported by ads. There's no app to download and no sign-up.

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