What pass-the-phone party games are
Party games are social games for a group: you bluff, act, describe, draw and laugh more than you plan moves on a board. Classic versions need a deck of word cards, slips of paper, a sand timer and often one person who stays out of the game to run it. Pass-the-phone party games put all of that on a single phone that the group hands round, so a game can start anywhere, from a living room to a train table.
How one phone replaces the cards and the narrator
- Secret words and roles. The phone shows each player their own card behind a “pass to” screen, and hides it again before the next player takes it. Nobody sees a card that isn’t theirs.
- The narrator. In Mafia (also played as Werewolf) the phone runs the night and announces the morning, so every person at the table gets to play.
- Timers and scores. Rounds, countdowns and points are kept for you, and a rematch deals new words straight away.
- No setup. There is nothing to shuffle, print or cut out: the word lists and the truths and dares are built in.
Group sizes
Party games come alive with more people. Imposter works from 3 players, and Mafia needs at least 5 to keep the votes interesting. Charades can be played in 2 to 4 teams, which is the easiest way to include a big family or a whole class. With very young children, pair them with an older player so they can enjoy the acting and guessing without the reading.
Family-friendly by design
Every word list is made of everyday things: animals, food, jobs, sports, places and things around the house. There are no brand names, famous people or titles of films and shows, so nobody is left out because they haven’t seen something, and the games stay suitable for all ages. The truths and dares are kind too: nothing romantic, dangerous or meant to embarrass anyone, and the group chooses how many cards each player may skip.
The games
- Imposter: everyone but the imposter sees the secret word. Give one-word clues, then vote on who is bluffing. A caught imposter gets one guess at the word to steal the win. 3 to 12 players, about 5 to 10 minutes a round.
- Charades: hold the phone to your forehead while the others act out or describe the word, then tilt it down when you guess and up to pass. Or switch to Acting mode, read the word and mime it. 2 to 12 players or 2 to 4 teams.
- Mafia: secret roles, quiet night moves and a town vote, with the phone as the narrator. Play it as Mafia or as Werewolf. 5 to 12 players, 15 to 30 minutes.
- Truth or Dare: the phone spins through the names and picks who goes next, and that player chooses a truth to answer or a dare to do. Pick the Kids, Family or Friends deck, or add your own prompts. 2 to 12 players, 10 to 30 minutes.
Coming soon: Draw and Guess, Forbidden Words and Hot Potato.
New to a game? Each one has a rules guide: Imposter, Charades, Mafia and Truth or Dare. For board games at the same table, see the family games, and the offline games page shows how to get every game ready for places with no signal.