The Ultimate Collection: Best iMessage Games of the Year - 2024 Edition

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.

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Information in this article applies toMessages app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch devices with iOS 10 and higher.

01

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Word Game Tournaments for iMessage: Boggle With Friends

What We Like

• Multiple gameplay modes and live tournaments.
• It’s fun to play alone or with others.
• Offline mode.

What We Don’t Like

• Must pay to participate in tournaments.

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.

Download Boggle With Friends

02

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Best Multi-Game Compilation for iMessage: 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.

Game Pigeon 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.

Download Game Pigeon

03

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Best Basketball Game for iMessage: Cobi Hoops

What We Like

• Lots of cool characters and courts.
• Outstanding pixel art; every character unique-looking.

What We Don’t Like

• Not very competitive; no way to block opponents’ shots.
• Must pay to unlock additional characters and game modes.

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.

Download Cobi Hoops

04

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Best iMessage Chess Game: Checkmate!

What We Like

• Sync your game across multiple devices.
• It tracks your move history.
• No time limits per move.

What We Don’t Like

• The bare-bones graphical interface.
• Not free.

Although_Game Pigeon_ features a version of Chess,Checkmate! offers a superior experience. For $0.99, you can chat as you play and play multiple games at once. There’s no timer between turns, so you can take as long as you need to consider your next move.

Download Checkmate!

05

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Make Your Own iMessage Slide Puzzles: WIT Puzzles

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What We Like

• Make puzzles as simple or complex as you like.
• Create puzzles out of photos or text.

What We Don’t Like

• It requests access to iCloud.
• Has occasional bugs and glitches.

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.

Download WIT Puzzles

06

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Best Icebreaker Game for iMessage: Truth Truth Lie

What We Like

• Text-only mode if you don’t feel like recording videos.
• Two Lies and a Truth mode.

What We Don’t Like

• You don’t need an app to play Two Truths and a Lie.
• No recent app enhancements.

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.

Download Truth Truth Lie

07

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Air Hockey With a Twist: Let’s Puck It!

What We Like

• An interesting concept with lots of possibilities.
• A great tool for settling disputes.

What We Don’t Like

• Turn-based play doesn’t match excitement of real air hockey.
• Some of the built-in bets are a bit crude.

Let’s Puck It! puts an interesting spin on an old American pastime by encouraging players to wager bets. You can choose from a list of options like “loser buys dinner,” or you can make up your own stakes. Be careful what you wager because the pace of the puck increases with every volley.

Download Let’s Puck It!

How to Get iMessage Games

The interface for the new iOS is slightly different from its predecessors. However, the instructions are basically the same for iOS 10 and up. Older versions of iOS don’t support iMessage games.

To open the App Store within iMessage:

1. Create a new conversation.
2. Tap the Apps icon located next to the iMessage text box.
3. Select theApp Store icon.
4. 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, and then tapGet to install it.

How to Play iMessage Games

After downloading your game of choice, it’s added to the end of your apps list. To challenge your friends within iMessage:

1. Enter a conversation with the person you want to play with.
2. Tap theApps icon located next to the iMessage text box.
3. From theApps menu, scroll through your apps to find the game you want to play and tap it.
4. Select theSend 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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Which iPhone Is Best for Gaming?

FAQ

• How do I play Game Pigeon in iMessage?
  Because Game Pigeon is a suite containing several games, you have an extra step to start playing one. In a conversation, select theApps button as usual, and then select the Game Pigeon icon. Then, you’ll need to select the game you want to play before you can send an invite to your friend.
• How do I play the Reversi iMessage game?
  Several iMessage versions of Reversi (also known as Othello) are available for iMessage. Game Pigeon’s is called Reversi. You can also download a standalone version like Piccolo: Othello.

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