WITH THE CHRISTMAS holidays well underway, you probably have some free time on your hands and the traditional board games aren’t doing the trick.
If you and your family or friends are stuck for something to do, there are some great party games that you can play using just your smartphone or tablet. In some cases, you can each use their own phone to play.
Bounden
For: iOS, Android
Cost: €2.99 (iOS), €3.50 (Android)
A game based on the ballet, Bounden requires two players to hold one side of a smartphone and follow the dance moves. There will be twisting and possibly entanglement but that’s part of the fun.
There’s a tutorial included so you can get to grips with the game before you and someone else try it out for real.
Spaceteam
For: iOS, Android
Cost: Free
A team game that is more about talking than playing, Spaceteam gives each player (2-8 players) a unique control panel with the aim of preventing your spaceship from exploding as long as possible.
The catch is the instructions you need to carry out are sent to your teammates while acting on instructions shouted out by others. It’s chaotic, it’s loud and it’s a lot of fun.
More importantly, this is a cross platform game meaning iOS and Android owners can play together.
Heads Up
For: iOS, Android
Cost: €0.99 (iOS) Free (Android)
Remember the game where you tape a famous person’s name to your head and you have to guess who they are by asking questions? This is the smartphone version of that where you guess as many words, names and characters as possible before the time runs out.
Reverse Charades
For: iOS, Android
Cost: Free
The classic game of Charades with a twist. Instead of one person acting out a suggestion, that person must guess what everyone else in their team is acting out. Against the clock, you need to guess as many as possible to win.
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
For: Windows, Mac, Oculus Rift & HTC Vive, Playstation VR Samsung Gear VR, Google Daydream
Cost: €14.99 (Steam), €9.99 (Gear VR), €10.99 (Daydream)
So this one isn’t strictly smartphone – you need a Samsung Galaxy S6 or S7 or Daydream-compatible phone to play it – but it’s still an incredibly fun game and it can be played on a PC or Mac.
One person is trapped alone in a room with a bomb, and the only way they can disarm it is with the help of their friends.
The catch is they can’t see it so your job is to describe what you see and hope your friends give you the right instructions so you can disarm it. It’s best played in VR, but the regular screen is just as good.
Sing! Karaoke
For: iOS, Android (Apple TV or Chromecast optional)
Cost: Free
Instead of renting a karaoke booth, you can sing songs in the comfort of your own home using your smartphone. While it’s not essential, you can use either an Apple TV or Chromecast so the words appear on your TV while you use your phone as a microphone.
Party Doodles
For: iOS (iPad only)
Cost: Free
Designed for your iPad, Party Doodles offers enough content for you to get by using only the free version and is what you expect from a Pictionary-style game. To get the full experience, you can play it using Apple TV, using your tablet to draw while other players look at the TV and guess what it is.
An alternative for Chromecast and Android users is DoodlePad which offers the same type of experience.
Evil Apples
For: iOS, Android
Cost: Free
A game that takes its cues from the popular Cards against Humanity, Evil Apples has you and three other players trying to come up with the ‘best’ answer to a question card. The makers describe it as a ”filthy adult card and party game” so this definitely isn’t one for the kids.
Bloop
For: iOS, Android
Cost: €4.99 (iOS) €0.66 (Android)
Better suited to large screen tablets instead of phones, Bloop is a fast, frantic game designed for 2-4 players where the aim is to tap as many of their coloured squares as possible. Be warned, there will be a lot of shoving involved.
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