Multiplayer Games

Two players, one phone, no accounts

Most multiplayer gaming assumes two devices and an internet connection. The most natural kind of multiplayer, though, is two people in the same room sharing one screen — and that version needs neither. Every game in this category supports pass-and-play: you take a turn, you hand the phone over, your friend takes a turn.

Why pass-and-play deserves more attention

It removes every barrier that usually sits between two people and a game. There is no friend code to exchange, no lobby to wait in, no patch to download, no account to make, and no chance that your connection drops halfway through. What is left is the part that was always fun: a shared board, a bit of trash talk, and the pleasure of watching someone realise they have just lost.

Games that work well with two people

• Turn-based board games — chess, draughts and their relatives. Perfect for pass-and-play because the phone naturally moves back and forth.
• Split-screen reactions — two players use opposite halves of the screen at the same time. Noisy, funny, and best played sitting down.
• Turn-taking sports games — one player shoots, the other keeps goal, then you swap. Simple to explain to someone who does not play games at all.

Playing with someone who does not play games

Pick a game that explains itself in one sentence. Hand over the phone first rather than demonstrating for five minutes. Let them win the first round if it is genuinely close, and never explain the controls while they are mid-attempt. The point of pass-and-play is company, and the game only has to be interesting enough to keep the two of you talking.

Frequently asked questions