15 Online Games To Play With Your Besties When You Can’t Hang Out IRL

There are plenty of single-player games available online you can pass the time with, but it can get tricky when you want to play something with a group. It's easy to gather everyone for a game night in person, but it gets a little tougher when you can't get together IRL. If you're looking for a way to make it work, here are 15 online games to play with friends for a virtual hangout.

The best place to start is figuring out what type of online games you’d like to play with your friends. Multiplayer games can span from strategy games to puzzle games or games that are more about making each other laugh. There are also plenty of classic games that'll bring some major nostalgia to your game night, such as UNO and Scattergories. Whether you're looking for a game you and your BFFs have never played before or want to play an old favorite, you won't find a shortage of online options in any category, so get ready to plan an online game night with your friends.

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1. Cards Against Humanity

If you're looking to play online with an app, you can get the Evil Apples vs. Humanity app for iOS or Android. It's free to download and play, and it works with multiple players through SMS, Twitter, or Facebook sharing.

Another option is playing cardsagainstformality.io online. Cards Against Formality isn’t affiliated with Cards Against Humanity, but it’s a similar vibe. You can play online with friends by clicking “Play” and then “Create Game.” From there, you’ll see the game settings, where you can make it a private game instead of public and provide the password to your friends.

2. Chips And Guac On Houseparty

Chips and Guac is similar to Apples to Apples and Cards Against Humanity. To play, you’ll need at least three players. The objective is to match a card to an adjective to get some hilarious results. Before you play, make sure everyone downloads the Houseparty app via Google Play or the App Store and adds each other as friends.

3. Texas Hold 'Em

You can play Texas Hold 'em online with friends on different computers for a game of up to eight players via Tabletopia's website. All players will need to create a free account by selecting the bronze membership. Next, click "play online." From there, you can click to invite your friends to open seats and begin the game.

It’s important to note that to play more games on Tabletopia, you’ll need a premium subscription, which starts at $4.99.

4. Mario Kart Tour

Mario Kart Tour is available for free on the App Store and Google Play. While there are options to make in-app purchases, the standard version is completely free. To get started, download the app and create a Nintendo account. Next, make sure your friends are registered on your friends list and challenge them to an online game. The app version isn't the same as it is on a console, but it's a fun way to race against up to seven of your friends at a time.

5. UNO!

Fans of the classic card game can get UNO! on their phone with Google Play or the App Store for free. You can play the game online with friends using teamwork in 2v2 mode or play with several of your friends in the app's Fun Room.

6. Scattergories

Hasbro's fun category-based question game is available as an online game to play with friends via the free app. Invite your friends to head-to-head challenges or start your own room where you can play with multiple friends as a group. Download the app for free from the App Store or Google Play.

7. Jackbox Games' Fibbage XL

Using Jackbox Games' stand-alone party game, Fibbage XL, you can challenge up to seven other friends at a time, for a total of eight players. It's a classic bluffing-style game, sort of like Balderdash, and it will keep you laughing the entire time, as you try to sift through all of the lies. You can play this online game with friends remotely via Zoom by sharing your computer screen as one person streams the game.

8. Shared Puzzles

Puzzles don't have to be a solo activity. This library of online communal puzzles lets users sign up, select a puzzle, and invite other friends to join your game to complete it together. You can also choose to compete against each other to see who can finish a puzzle quicker. For the best experience, chat over Zoom while playing this online game with friends.

9. Monopoly Sudoku

Available on iOS and Android for 99 cents, Monopoly Sudoku switches up the puzzle game with speed challenges and a Monopoly-style twist. To play with friends, you'll need to link the game to Facebook. Once you do, you can challenge your friends to head-to-head games and see who's the fastest at puzzle solving.

10. Decurse

Decurse is a low-key simulation game where your goal is to reverse the curse on the magical land full of islands and villages. Along the way, you’ll farm, craft, and trade. You can play this game online with friends when you connect your iOS or Android app to Facebook. Once that’s done, you and your friends can join a clubhouse together and collaborate to earn club points, work on special challenges, and level up on the leaderboard to earn prizes. You can download the app for free on Google Play or the App Store.

11. Among Us

Among Us is a major hit with gamers and non-gamers alike. It’s easy to play with friends online, and works similarly to the game Mafia. The goal is to work together to figure out who the “imposter” is before the regular players get killed. To start, you’ll need to download the app for free from the Google Play store or the App Store. Next, you will select “Online” and host a game by selecting “Private.” Then, share the online game code with your friends (they’ll also need the app).

12. Codenames

Codenames is a challenging puzzle game you can play with your friends online for free. It’s based on the board game, and plays pretty much the same way. The goal is to work in a team to figure out the codenames of the other secret agents through clues before the other team does. To play with your friends, you’ll need to create a room and then share the URL with them to join the game. You can easily play it while using audio or video chat, too.

13. Skribbl

Skribbl is an online Pictionary dupe that’s perfect for playing with friends. To play, you need to head to skribbl.io and choose “Create Private Room.” Then, you can choose how many rounds you’d like, how many seconds to set the timer to, and add in any custom words you’d like. Once you’re ready, copy the link to your private room and send it to your friends so they can join the game.

14. Hogwarts Escape Room

Created by the Peters Township Public Library in McMurray, Pennsylvania, the Harry Potter-inspired escape room is a game you can play with friends on Zoom. As the host, you’ll go to the digital escape room site and read through the clues. It’s probably best to share your screen with your friends, though, since some clues are visual.

15. 8 Ball Pool

Challenge up to seven of your friends for a game of virtual pool. The 8 Ball Pool app lets you connect to Facebook to add friends. From there, you can start a one-on-one competition or an eight-person tournament to see who comes out on top. You can download the game for free from the App Store or Google Play.