Games to play on the TV, with your phone as the controller
Put a game on the TV, and everyone in the room plays on the phone already in their pocket. No consoles, no extra controllers to charge, and nothing to install.
Here's how it works with Game Shows ONLINE, and which of our games suit which crowd.
- Players
- From 2 to a room full; each game gives its own numbers
- You need
- A TV or screen with a web browser, and a phone for each player
- Set-up
- A couple of minutes: open the TV page, then everyone scans the QR code
- Price
- Players never pay. Basic costs nothing; the Trial is every game for a month or 5 plays (plans)
What you need
- A TV with a web browser, a smart TV, an Android TV with our app, or a laptop plugged into the TV.
- A phone for each player. Any phone with a web browser works: iPhone or Android.
- One host. The host signs up and runs the night from their own phone. Players never need an account.
How does a phone become the controller?
- 1
The TV shows a code
Open the game on the TV. It shows a QR code and a four-letter room code.
- 2
Everyone scans it
Players point their phone camera at the QR code, or go to gameshows.online and type the letters, then pick a nickname.
- 3
The phone changes with the game
In a quiz it's a buzzer, in a card game it's your hand, in a drawing game it's your sketchpad, and in a secret-role game it hides your role.
How does it work?
The TV is the stage and every phone is a buzzer. Only the host needs an account: everyone else scans the TV and joins on their phone, no app needed. Arnold (the virtual host) and Lily (the virtual co-host) show you how.
Read the video transcript
Arnold: Game Shows ONLINE!
Arnold: Welcome to Game Shows ONLINE! Your TV is the show, and everyone’s phone is their buzzer. Here’s how it works.
Lily: Only the host needs an account. Everyone else just joins on their phone: no account, and no app to download.
Arnold: To join, scan the code on the TV with your phone’s camera, or go to game shows dot online slash play and type the room code.
Lily: Then type your name, and take a selfie or pick a cartoon character. That’s it, you’re in!
Arnold: The host runs the night from their phone: pick a game, start it, and skip ahead whenever you like.
Lily: When it’s time to answer, your phone shows you what to do. Most of the time you just tap your answer, or type it in.
Arnold: Some games want you to say it! Tap the big blue button, say your answer, then tap again to stop. Check what we heard, and tap Yes. And when someone’s answering, everybody else, shhh!
Lily: Quizzes can be played three ways: everyone guesses, buzz in first, or say it out loud to a Quizmaster in the room.
Arnold: That’s all there is to it. Grab your phones, join in, and pick a game!
Games where the phone is your buzzer
Game shows for the big screen: buzz in on your phone, or say your answer out loud into it.
Quiz
A quiz on the TV with phones as buzzers or answer pads. Choose a ready-made quiz, write your own or build one with AI.
- 1–30 players
- Depends on the quiz
Survey Showdown
Try to name the answers people gave in a survey. Popular answers score more. A good game for people who like talking and quick guesses.
- 2–30 players
- About 15–25 minutes
Question Quest
Pick a clue from the TV board, buzz in and answer in the form of a question. For 2 to 8 players, each playing for themself, who enjoy trivia and a little risk.
- 2–8 players
- About 20–35 minutes
Snap It Up!
Our bargain-buzzer quiz show for 2–8 players, every man for themself: buzz in to answer quick questions, crack the Who am I?, and spend your points on bargains if you dare.
- 2–8 players
- About 12–15 minutes
Games where the phone is your hand of cards
The table is on the TV and your cards stay hidden on your phone, so nobody can peek.
Colour Clash
Match the card on the TV by colour or by number. First to get rid of all their cards wins!
- 2–10 players
- About 10–20 minutes
- Same room only
Texas Hold'em Poker
Your cards stay on your phone while the table, chips and shared cards appear on the TV. For friends who enjoy a patient bluff. Chips are game points.
- 2–10 players
- Choose your session length
Two-Faced
Everyone has two secret cards and some coins. Claim any character you like, true or not. Get caught fibbing and you lose a card. Last one with a card left wins!
- 4–6 players
- About 10–20 minutes
- Same room only
Games where the phone keeps your secret
Each phone quietly shows its player a word or a role. Then everyone talks, bluffs and votes.
Imposter
Everyone gets the same secret word, except one player: the Imposter. Find them before they fool you!
- 3–16 players
- About 5–15 minutes
- Same room only
Emberbrook
Some villagers are secretly Duskwraiths. Each night they knock someone out. Find them before they take over the village!
- 5–18 players
- About 15–30 minutes
- Same room only
Shadow Squad
A team of secret agents must pull off 5 missions. But some of them are Informants working against them!
- 5–10 players
- About 15–25 minutes
- Same room only
Games where the phone is a joystick or a sketchpad
Quicker, sillier games: draw, aim, race, and get rid of the ticking bomb before it goes off.
Doodle Dash
One player draws on their phone. Everyone else races to guess what it is. The TV shows every line as it is drawn.
- 2–30 players
- About 10 minutes
Cannon Clash
Team against team: aim on your phone and fire your cannon at the other side’s building on the TV. For groups who like a bit of arcade chaos.
- 2–8 players
- About 5–15 minutes
Speed Run Dogs
A platform race: everyone runs the same level on their own phone, and the whole pack races across the TV. Fastest time wins.
- 1–16 players
- About 3 minutes a race
Tick Tock Boom
A ticking bomb flies from phone to phone. Fast reactions keep you in the game.
- 2–30 players
- About 3–8 minutes
What we're good at, and what we're not
We're made for a group in one room (or a few rooms) with one TV as the stage: game shows, quizzes, word games, secret roles and card games, with a host who talks. You can write your own quizzes, or have AI write one.
We're not a console: there are no long solo adventures or fast 3D action games here. And a few games need everyone in the same room, because the talking is the game.
Questions
Can I play games on my smart TV with my phone?
Yes. Open gameshows.online/tv in the TV's web browser, or use our app on an Android TV, then everyone joins on their phones by scanning the QR code.
Does everyone need the same kind of phone?
No. Any phone with a web browser works, and iPhones and Android phones can play together.
Do the phones need to be on the same Wi-Fi as the TV?
No. Phones just need the internet, on Wi-Fi or mobile data.
How many people can play?
Up to 20 players in most games. Some games have their own limits, like 4 to 6 players in Two-Faced.
What does it cost?
Basic costs nothing and includes Imposter. The Trial has every game for a month or 5 plays, whichever comes first. See the plans.
Try it on your TV tonight
Start your trial and put the first game on the TV in a couple of minutes. Players join on their phones, with no app or account.
Start your trial