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All iMessage games are turn-based, so you and your friends can play leisurely. Some games below are iMessage exclusives, while others can be played outside the app. If you are unfamiliar with iMessage gaming, we’ll show you how it works.
Our Favorite iMessage Games
Below are our picks for the best iMessages games you can start playing right now. Have fun!
Information in this article applies to Messages app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch devices with iOS 10 and higher.
Game Pigeon
What We Like
Frequent updates include new games and bug fixes.
Some games support more than two players.
Lots of cool optional in-app purchases.
What We Don’t Like
Some games are confusing and don’t have instructions.
Most games are limited to two players.
Lots of content behind paywall; pay to remove ads.
GamePigeon packs over a dozen classic games into one app. Challenge your friends to a friendly bout of Checkers, Poker, Gomoku, or Battleship from iMessage.
All games are free to play, but most games contain in-app purchases.
Zynga.
If you’ve never played Boggle, it’s a board game that gives players two minutes to spell as many words as possible from a collection of random letters. It’s a fast-paced version of Scrabble.
Download the Boggle With Friends app to practice independently, then challenge your friends in iMessage.
Two Truths and a Lie is a game people play in groups to get to know each other better. Each player makes three statements about themselves, and everyone else has to guess which statement is false.
Truth Truth Lie brings this classic icebreaker to iMessage so that you can learn more about people worldwide.
WIT Puzzles turns your photos into slide puzzles for your friends to unscramble. The app tracks how many moves players take to put the pieces in the right place.
In addition to iMessage, WIT Puzzles is available for WhatsApp and Facebook.
Apple
Let’s Puck It! puts an interesting spin on an old American pastime by encouraging players to wager. You can choose from a list of options like “loser buys dinner,” or you can make up your own stakes.
But be careful what you wager because the pace of the puck increases with every volley.
If you feel like shooting hoops with your friends, Cobi Hoops lets you play some serious b-ball without breaking a sweat.
In this free game, players compete to see how many baskets they can make in 30-second rounds. Use trick shots to raise your score and unlock new challenge modes.
How to Get iMessage Games
The interface for accessing iMessage games may differ depending on your iOS version, but the instructions are basically the same for iOS 10 and up. Older versions of iOS don’t support iMessage games.
- Create a new conversation and tap the Apps icon located next to the iMessage text box.
- Select the App Store icon.
- You should see a selection of apps, games, and stickers compatible with iMessage. Use the search feature to find the game you’re looking for.
- Tap Get to install it.
How to Play iMessage Games
After downloading your game of choice, it’s added to the end of your apps list. Here’s how to challenge your friends within iMessage:
- Enter a conversation with the person you want to play with, and then tap the Apps icon located next to the iMessage text box.
- From the Apps menu, scroll through your apps to find the game you want to play and tap it.
- Select the Send icon to send an invite. As soon as your friend accepts it, the game will begin.
You can start playing right away. When your turn is finished, your friend receives a message letting them know it’s their turn.
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