Jennifer Allen
The iMessage overhaul in iOS 10 revolutionized how many iOS owners communicated with each other. One addition is the ability to play games with each other through the messaging platform, rather than needing to jump into a separate app. Here are eight great games you can play through iMessage.
These days, iMessage isn’t just about sending messages quickly or exchanging emojis and stickers. It’s also about playing simple games. The choice is surprisingly vast so we’ve narrowed things down to the pick of the bunch—each sure to entertain you throughout the day.
Four in a Row (Free)
Four in a Row is the iMessage adaptation of the classic game of Connect 4, and it’s pretty fun. If you’ve never played before, the idea is simple. You drop red or yellow discs into a grid, aiming to be the first to get four in a row.
There’s a decent amount of strategy here as a lot of success is down to your ability to block your opponent and outwit them. Simple to learn, and quick to play through, it suits the iMessage platform perfectly. Just don’t expect gripping visuals or anything like that. It’s about as rudimentary as, well, the original game it’s based on.
Fast Thumbs (Free)
Fast Thumbs is a battle of speedy fingers. All you have to do is type as fast as possible, working on being speedier and more accurate than your friend. In each case, you’re given 10 random phrases to type, choosing from many categories, before typing quickly.
Scores are assigned according to how fast you typed, how many mistakes you made, consistency and general accuracy. Some challenges involve emojis and punctuation so things can get tough. It’s an interesting way of showing off in the nerdiest of fashions. Bear in mind that you’ll need to pay $1 to unlock some of the extra categories.
Cobi Hoops (Free)
Cobi Hoops is a fairly ambitious looking basketball game. The core of the game has you focusing on scoring as many baskets as possible within 30 seconds before seeing if your opponent can beat your score.
Free to download, you can choose to unlock extra characters, levels, and a bonus game mode for $2, or just focus on what’s already there. It deviates quite nicely from the usual bevy of word games and more strategic titles available for iMessage, and makes a pleasant change.
GamePigeon (Free)
Proving that variety is the spice of life, GamePigeon is quite the feat of iMessage programming. It offers 22 games in a fairly small package. Those games include Mini Golf, Chess, 20 Questions, Poker, and Sea Battle (think Battleships). Not all the games quite hit the spot, but in terms of sheer wealth of options, it’s hard to criticize it.
It takes seconds to set up a game with a friend, meaning you’re more likely to spend time trying to figure out what to play than loading things up. Sometimes, quantity over quality is worthwhile.
Words With Friends (Free)
Where there’s a social innovation, there’s a version of Words with Friends. Remember when the craze took hold on Facebook? That craze is now available through iMessage. The game remains one of the better Scrabble-esque adaptations, enticing you to make higher scoring words than your friend as you place the tiles into a grid.
The iMessage side of things allows you to make moves directly within your messages, saving you some valuable time, and providing the perfect impetus to ensure no one forgets to take their next move. Expect some strong rivalries to develop.
Mr. Putt (Free)
Mr. Putt is a fairly quirky looking Mini Golfing game. It only offers four locations to play on, but they’re fairly distinctive. Frost, Blaze, Retro, and Nebula offer a varied challenge along with a different theme to match the name.
It’s entirely free to download and play making it worth a try, at least for a little while.
Checkmate! ($1)
Want something a little more cerebral than most? Checkmate! is the perfect game for you. It offers a simple to play chess game within iMessage. The classic game of chess is always a delight for many, encouraging you to think a little more carefully about every move you make.
With Checkmate!, you can play multiple matches with other people at the same time, as well as enjoy syncing across all your devices so you can always pick up where you left off. The app isn’t flashy, but it shines where it counts.
MojiQuest (Free)
MojiQuest is very different to the other games listed, because it’s far more ambitious. A social RPG, you explore the fantasy land of Moji with friends, battling monsters and solving puzzles. It’s not quite up there with ‘proper’ RPGs, but it’s still quite the accomplishment.
Levelling up is a simple process with plenty of equipment to unlock and quests to complete. It’s satisfying yet easy to dip in to. Consider it an insight into what iMessage can accomplish in the future.
Whether you snap up one of our suggested games or do a little exploring in the iMessage App Store on your own, you’re bound to find a game that’s a perfect fit.
