Think parties are ruined by people looking at their phones? Guess again with these mirth-making, ice-breaking mobile multiplayer party games…
Exploding Kittens 2 | Android (R115) | iOS R80
Famous for its Kickstarter success and utter strangeness, Exploding Kittens 2 is back with – get this – even more strangeness. And exploding kittens, obviously. Nobody ever complained that you aren’t getting what you pay for, right? Exploding Kittens 2 returns with the same gut-wrenching gameplay (have you ever had a five-nope rally?) felt in the real-life card game, now with customisable avatars, plenty of game modes, and a good few hours of fun. Convincing a group of mates to make the purchase may prove tricky, though.
7 Second Challenge | Android (Free) | iOS (Free)
This app dishes out challenges to individuals, with the twist that they must be done in seven seconds; whoever wields the phone decides if they’ve succeeded. Points are totalled up, giving bragging rights to anyone who can pretend their foot is a phone or invent a secret handshake. Note that only the iPhone version lets you buy out the momentum-sapping ads.
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes | Android (R135) | iOS (R200)
One player sits alone with an over-engineered bomb, while everyone else lurks across the room trying to decipher a manual written by a sadist. (If you’re doing this properly, you’ll print it out and stick it in a binder.) The bomb changes for each attempt, in a game that should really be called “Everyone Stop Shouting or We’re All Definitely Going to Explode”.
Spaceteam | Android (Free – IAPs) | iOS (Free – IAPs)
You’re hurtling through space, ahead of an exploding star. The only thing that will stop you from getting crispy is keeping the ship going, which means following prompts from its computer… but what it refers to might be on someone else’s screen. Also, instrument panels tend to fall to bits and cover up labels on their sliders and buttons. Cue loads of shouty multiplayer madness.
The Jackbox Party 6 | Android (R425) | iOS R600
This one’s a sort of demented gameshow that plays on your TV (or PC or tablet) while each contestant sends out answers and votes through a browser-based interface. You tackle trivia, survey results, silly quips, and have your word-creating abilities tested under pressure (and the clock). Up to eight players can take part, although the arguments might soon bring that number down.
Heads Up! | Android (Free) | iOS (R40)
You know that game where you guess a word or name on a Rizla paper stuck to your forehead, while your friends think you’re a massive idiot for needing more than a few seconds to do so? This is that in fast-forward, blazing through cards against the clock. The urgency ramps up the fun – and the stress. You can also record your friends ‘helping’ and share the videos online. That’ll teach ’em.
