7 Best iMessage Games and How to Play Them With Friends

If you’re bored and your conversations with your friends seem to have hit a lull, why not play a game? If two users are both using iMessage, there are a lot of different games available.

If you aren’t sure what to play, we’ve rounded up the best iMessage games and figured out how to play them, during those slow moments.

GamePigeon

GamePigeon is a great way to get a huge selection of iMessage games all in one place. You can play games like 8 Ball, Sea Battle (which is just a reskinned Battleship), Basketball, Archery, Darts, and much more. 

GamePigeon is free to play, but there are several microtransactions within the game itself for things like new patterns in Paintball and 8 Ball.

All you have to do is download Game Pigeon from the App Store and then select the game you want to play from the menu within iMessage. It will send an invite to the other person. Once they accept, the fun begins. 

Moji Bowling [Not available in certain regions]

Moji Bowling is a great two-player option for when you want to scratch that bowling itch but can’t make it to the bowling alley. The game is just as cute as it is fun, with bowling balls and pins that come alive with emotion as you play. Controlling it is simple: you just pull back on the ball and let it fly, swiping either left or right to add spin.

Moji Bowling is a free download in the app store, but you don’t have to have two players to enjoy it. The game includes a solo mode where you can practice your game before you challenge your best friends to an iMessage bowling tournament.

Mr. Putt

Sure, GamePigeon has a form of Mini Golf, but it isn’t as expansive as Mr. Putt. The game has four different courses to play, each with a different theme. None of the shots are straightforward and require you to bank shots off the wall and pull other tricks to sink the shot with as few strokes as possible.

Like other iMessage games, all that is required to play Mr. Putt is to download the game first and then select it from the iMessage menu.

Simple Trivia [Not available in certain regions]

There are a lot of trivia games available on iOS, but few offer a true challenge—or are completely playable within iMessage. Simple Trivia is different. It presents multiple-choice questions from categories like history, pop culture, and more. You only have a few seconds to answer each question, so cheating and Googling the answer isn’t possible.

The point of Simple Trivia is to answer more questions correctly than your opponent. Like other iMessage games, there is nothing to get it started. Just download the game from the App Store and start playing this iMessage game.

Truth Truth Lie [No longer available]

Truth Truth Lie is a new spin on a classic game. The premise is that you make two true statements about yourself (or anything) and one false statement, and the other players have to guess which is the false statement. While it’s a great party game, it’s also a lot of fun to play with just one other person.

On the other hand, you may have to get creative with your statements if you’re playing with someone who knows you well. Truth Truth Lie lets you record videos of yourself if you don’t want to type out the statements, too. Just download it from the store and give it a try.

Cobi Arrows

Cobi Arrows is a bit of a unicorn in the world of iMessage games. While most iMessage-focused games are casual, Cobi Arrows has a steep learning curve that makes it worth replaying over and over again. While the game can be played just for fun, it holds appeal for more hardcore gamers, too.

The goal is simple: fire as many arrows and score as many points as possible within the 30-second time limit. The reticle moves across the screen as you press and hold. To release the arrow, just remove your finger. It sounds easy, but scoring a bullseye takes a bit of practice.

Cobi Arrows is free to play, but there are other game modes you can unlock by watching a video or by paying for the mode.

Qiktionary

Qiktionary is a simplified version of a word-guessing game. You are given a specific four-letter word to figure out. You guess different four-letter words and note which letters are marked. An indicator on the side tells you how many letters in your word are correct.

You win through a process of elimination. By slowly narrowing down which letters are correct and those that aren’t, you can determine what the mystery word is. It helps to have a large vocabulary, but it isn’t strictly necessary.

iMessage is a great tool for staying in touch and keeping yourself entertained. Give a few of these games a try and find out which one is your favorite. A lot of them rival larger games on the App Store for entertainment value.

Which iMessage game is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below.