8 browser games to play with friends (no download)
Open a link, share a code, play. All free to start, all in the browser.
A browser game is the fastest way to play with friends: nobody installs anything, nobody makes an account, and the link works on whatever device people have. These eight are the ones we actually reach for. We made the first one (Our Band Sucks, we're biased); the rest are games we like and recommend without anyone asking.
At a glance
| Game | What you do | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Our Band Sucks | Play a song as a band, one instrument per phone | 2 to 4, on phones |
| 2. Gartic Phone | Draw and guess in a chain | 4 or more |
| 3. Skribbl.io | One draws, everyone guesses | 3 or more |
| 4. Codenames | Team word clues | 4 or more, two teams |
| 5. Board Game Arena | Hundreds of board games online | 2 to 6, longer sessions |
| 6. Spyfall | Find the spy by asking questions | 3 or more |
| 7. Agar.io | Eat or be eaten, in a giant arena | Any number, quick rounds |
| 8. Krunker | A fast first-person shooter in a tab | Friends who like shooters, on a computer |
1. Our Band Sucks: the band on your phones
One phone hosts a room, friends join with a link or a 4-letter code, and each phone becomes drums, guitar, keys or vocals. The band plays one of ten original songs together, then watches the highlight reel. It's the only one here where everyone plays at the same time, on phones, with music. Your first song teaches itself, so new friends are playing in seconds.
2 to 4: the drawing and word classics
Gartic Phone turns a sentence into a drawing into a sentence again, and the reveal at the end is the best part; great for bigger groups. Skribbl.io is the quick drawing race: one draws, everyone types guesses. Codenames online is the thinking one: two teams, one-word clues, don't hit the assassin. All three are free in the browser.
5 to 8: board games, bluffing and arcade
Board Game Arena has hundreds of real board games playable in the browser, many free, for a longer evening. Spyfall gives everyone the same secret location except the spy, and the questions get tense fast. Agar.io is the original .io game: eat smaller cells, avoid bigger ones, quick and silly. Krunker is a full first-person shooter in a browser tab, best on a computer.
Questions, answered badly
Are they all free?
All free to play. Some have paid extras or ads; Board Game Arena has a premium tier for some games.
Which work on phones?
Our Band Sucks is made for phones. Gartic Phone, Skribbl.io, Codenames and Spyfall work on phones; Board Game Arena and Krunker are better on a computer.
Which is best for two people?
Our Band Sucks with virtual bandmates, Codenames Duet, or a two-player game on Board Game Arena.
Do we need to be together?
No. All of them work online; put them on a video call for the reactions.
More on the landing page's FAQ, or ask the band on the feedback page.
Your band sucks?
Go prove it.
Gartic Phone, Skribbl.io, Codenames, Board Game Arena, Spyfall, Agar.io and Krunker belong to their owners. We're not affiliated with any of them and nobody paid to be on this list.
