Games to Play Over a Video Call With Friends
A video call is only as fun as what you do on it. Once the "how was your week?" small talk runs dry, a shared game can turn a flat grid of faces into an actual hangout. Here are games that need almost no setup and keep everyone laughing.
Draw-and-Guess (the fastest way in)
Nothing breaks the ice faster than watching a friend try to sketch a kangaroo with a trackpad. A browser draw-and-guess game like Skivizko needs no download and no sign-up: you pick a display name and an avatar, create a private room, and share the code or link right on the call. Each round one player picks a word and draws it with brush and colours while everyone else types guesses in chat. It works on phones and laptops, so nobody gets left out.
Trivia Night, No Buzzer Required
Trivia works beautifully over video because someone can simply read the questions aloud. Prep ten questions across a few categories, or take turns being quizmaster so the same person is not stuck hosting all night. Keep score in the chat window or a shared notes doc. Mix in a couple of questions about the group itself, like who has visited the most countries, to get everyone talking rather than just the trivia buffs.
Charades That Work on Camera
Classic charades adapts to a webcam surprisingly well, since everyone can already see you flailing. Write prompts privately and message them one at a time to the actor, or use an app to generate them. The framed camera view actually helps here, keeping your gestures centred and easy to read. Set a one-minute timer, and let whoever guesses correctly act out the next round to keep the turns moving.
Categories, Scattergories-Style
Pick a letter and a handful of categories, such as animal, city, movie, and food, then everyone races to write an answer for each one starting with that letter. Give it sixty seconds, then compare lists. Anything a second person also wrote gets crossed out, so creative answers win the points. It rewards quick thinking and reliably produces a few "is that even a real word?" debates that are half the fun.
20 Questions
20 Questions is the ultimate low-tech option: no screen sharing, no accounts, nothing to install. One person thinks of a person, place, or thing, and the group has twenty yes-or-no questions to figure it out. It naturally hands the spotlight around and works even on a shaky connection, since it is entirely spoken. It is also gentle for mixed ages, so younger cousins can jump in without missing a beat.
Video-Call Bingo
Video-call bingo is a great low-pressure background game for longer calls. Make cards filled with things likely to happen, like "someone's pet appears," "a frozen screen," or "two people talk at once," and mark them off as the call goes on. Free online generators will build printable cards in seconds. Because it plays out passively, it pairs nicely with a catch-up chat instead of competing with it for attention.
Keep Everyone Included
The quickest way to lose people is a game only two friends understand. Choose something with simple rules you can explain in a sentence, and run a quick practice round before scoring counts. Rotate who leads each game so no single person carries the whole night, and lean toward options that work on a phone for anyone joining from the road. When in doubt, shorter rounds keep the energy high and stragglers from checking out.
Keep the Tech Simple
Fancier is not better on a video call, because extra apps mean extra "can you hear me?" delays. Favour games that live in one browser tab and need nothing installed. A draw-and-guess room you open with a shared link is ideal: latecomers just click and join. Features like a "very close" nudge for near-miss guesses and letters that are gradually revealed keep new players from feeling lost, and custom words let you drop in your own inside jokes.
The best video-call game is simply the one everyone can join without fuss. Keep the rules light, share the spotlight, and let the laughs do the rest. Play Skivizko now →
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