20 Virtual Games to Play Online With Friends or Family#

Get the gang back together—even if you're miles apart.

By

Lisa Milbrand

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Lisa Milbrand has more than 20 years of experience as a lifestyle writer and editor, writing thousands of articles on topics that help people live better and healthier lives for Real Simple, Parents, and dozens of other top publications.

Updated on March 07, 2025

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Courtesy

If you're looking to get the gang back together—and your family or friends are scattered all around the country—playing virtual games is the perfect way to have some fun and reconnect with your loved ones.

Fortunately, there are plenty of intriguing virtual game options out there to get you playing in no time, whether you want to immerse yourself in a different world, work together to escape a room, take a stab at a time-honored classic, or just have a laugh riot over some not-so-safe-for-work double entendres.

Ready to play? Here's how to make your virtual game night a success.

Best Virtual Games to Play#

01 of 20

Jackbox#

Jackbox has decades of experience creating crafty and fun games to play with friends online. Check through their dozens of game options, from trivia games to draw-and-judge games to get-to-know-you options. (Tee Fury, Trivia Murder Party, and Role Models are among our faves.)

You can buy many of the games separately, or opt for party packs that give you several options. Since most of the games take less than 20 minutes to play a round, you might want to have a few different options to liven up your virtual game night.

02 of 20

Among Us#

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Innersloth

This find-the-imposter game was all the rage a few years back—but it's still just as fun to play with friends now. You can connect with up to 15 people to try to complete tasks (or murder and sabotage your friends) in a space ship.

03 of 20

Scribble It!#

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Epic Games

Scribble It! is a Pictionary-like game that shares the same (totally fun) premise: One person draws artwork to try to get others to guess the secret word. There's a cool toolbar to help you with some shortcuts (perfect for...ahem, the more artistically challenged among us).

It's free to play, but you can upgrade to the deluxe version ($5) to open up more gaming options for your private group of friends.

04 of 20

SongPop Party#

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SongPop Party

Play Name That Tune over the internet with the cute and colorful SongPop Party app that connects you and your crew to see who can guess the song or the artist the fastest (and most accurately). You can choose from an array of different playlists—including specific artists, decades, or genres—to ensure it's a fair game.

05 of 20

Wingspan#

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Amazon

Want a calmer, more relaxing game night? The charming strategy game Wingspan was adapted online, where up to five players can try to create the coziest little nest of a nature reserve to bring all the birds to their space. You can buy additional packs to add European birds or decorative options to your preserve.

06 of 20

Colonist#

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Colonist.io

Fans of the build-your-community strategy game Settlers of Catan can play with friends online for free via Colonist. Just set up a private game and send the link to your pals—and get started mapping out your strategy for building towns and roads.

07 of 20

Heads Up!#

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WarnerBros.com

This is the tech version of the classic game Heads Up, where you place a card with a word on your head and the rest of your team gives you clues to help you guess the word as quickly as possible. (You turn your phone toward the ground to switch to the next word when you solve one.)

There are a few free decks included, and you can purchase new decks to suit your group's interests, whether they're Star Wars fans or total foodies.

08 of 20

The Escape Game#

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The Escape Game

Love escape rooms but can't get your crew in the same place? Escape Games' virtual options allow you to turn your virtual game night into a big event, as you puzzle your way out of a selection of different rooms, with a host on hand to help you along the way. (This virtual option costs $30 a person and up.)

09 of 20

Scattergories#

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Swellgarfo.com

This simple (and free!) version of the classic Scattergories game is easy to play with a crowd. Have everyone grab a pad and paper (or another computer to type their answers), and one player shares their screen from the link above. Press play, and you'll all get 2 minutes (or whatever time you choose) to try to find words that fit all the categories that start with the letter of choice.

10 of 20

Minecraft#

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Microsoft

Minecraft has always been fun for building whole worlds (and playing in survival mode to see how long you and your friends can last with hostile mobs of creepers after you). But there are other games you can play in the Minecraft universe, including Dungeons and Dragons-inspired and Overwatch-inspired options—or check around online for creative game setups like races and obstacle courses you can build in your own private universe.

11 of 20

Bad Cards#

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Bad.Cards

If you want to indulge in a little wicked Cards Against Humanity while you're apart, Bad Cards has a simple web-based interface to make it happen—along with similar games that let you try to mix and match prompts and cards for wild memes and song lyrics.

12 of 20

Uno!#

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LetsPlayUno.com

The party game of skips and reverses can be easily played with Uno Online as a multiplayer game. Just share your unique game room name and get started making everyone draw four!

13 of 20

Jackbox Survey Scramble#

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Jackbox

From the silly minds of the Jackbox crew comes their latest game Survey Scramble, which takes data from thousands of players on categories like Dating Red Flags or Sandwich Ingredients, and has you battle all different ways for the best answer possible with up to 10 friends.

14 of 20

Goosechase#

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Goosechase

Turn your virtual game party into a multi-location scavenger hunt with Goosechase. You can set up your own challenges that can be done in the house (i.e. snap a pic of the weirdest thing in your junk drawer) or send them out scouting for a pic of the best bakery in their neighborhood. You can let the fastest or the best answer win. (It's especially fun if you have small teams.)

15 of 20

Kahoot!#

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Courtesy

Host your own virtual trivia night with Kahoot!, which gives you tons of different question categories to test your crew's knowledge of everything from baby animals to celebrities. Or go ahead and personalize it to your family or friends to see who remembers the name of the band your sister started in high school or which of your friends set a Pop Tart ablaze.

16 of 20

Party Animals#

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Party Animals

Set up a furry fight club with your friends with the Party Animals' all-too-adorable battle royale. Pit your cutie corgi against your pals' bunnies and kittens in a slew of crazy scenarios to see which animals reign supreme.

17 of 20

Town of Salem#

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BlankMediaGames.com

Gather up to 15 friends in the creepy Town of Salem for a mysterious good time. Take on one of dozens of wild roles—serial killers, witches, sheriffs, doctors, mafioso, vampires, and more—as everyone tries to figure out whodunit and eliminate the evildoers from the town.

18 of 20

Overcooked 2#

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Courtesy of Sony

If you want to play a game that involves cooperation, not competition, Overcooked will definitely be your jam. You and your crew (four players total) can work remotely to keep a restaurant kitchen hopping as dishes and cooking scenarios become increasingly wild.

19 of 20

Codenames#

The popular board game Codenames got an online, remote play (FREE!) option—where you divide your gang into teams and a spymaster tries to get you to guess which codewords are yours without giving it away to the other team.

20 of 20

Playing Cards#

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PlayingCards.io

Sometimes, you just want to keep it simple, and Playing Cards is just the place. Try your hand at a slew of classic card and board games, including everything from spades to mahjong to rummy. They even have a simple feature to help you create and send out an invite to your friends for your virtual game night.

Tips for a Great Virtual Game Night#

Consider the players' ages, skill levels, and interests#

If you're including little kids, you'll want to choose something that skews more family friendly—so if you're playing Bad Cards, make sure you choose the Bad Kids version to avoid cringiness. And while a name-that-tune style game might work with a close-in-age group of friends, you may find that the gaps in musical knowledge in a multi-generational group can make that a little less competitive.

Check the tech requirements#

Many of the games we recommend are available on multiple different platforms, so your gamer pal can join on his console of choice, while you use your smartphone app. Since some games—like Jackbox or Heads Up—will require a screen for communicating and one for playing, you'll want to make sure that they have both available, especially if they're in a household where folks share laptops or tablets.

And don't forget to consider their tech setup and skills—if someone has a hard time setting up new apps or may have an older computer with limited storage space left, you may want to stick with a game that's simpler to use, or available as a web-based option.

Send out the invite#

Share the date, time, and link to the Google Meet, Zoom, or other online meet-up space. You should also include clear instructions on any preparations your players need to make in advance. (You don't want to be wasting precious game time watching everyone download the app during the call.)

Plan for a little time to chat pre- or post-game#

When you're in the thick of a game, you're probably not going to have a lot of time to catch up on what's new in their lives—since you're probably too focused on winning! Make sure there's time either before or after the game for a little conversation.

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