Online or Video Chat Games for Long-Distance Couples
Settlers of CatanYou might not be able to play the Catan board game with your long-distance partner, but there are alternatives for Catan-lovers out there: various virtual Catan games developed for computers, consoles, and even mobile! For instance, you and your partner can play a 1:1 version of Catan online (and its Cities & Knights expansion) with the Catan on Board Game Arena game. For console users, there’s a version of Catan available on the PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch. There’s also Catan Universe, a digital multiplatform version of Catan for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS.
Jackbox GamesIf you’ve never played Jackbox Games, it’s basically a giant collection of over 30 different games designed to be played online using your mobile device. That means you and your partner can easily get on a video call together and play games together! Not all are meant for two players, but a few you can play as a duet include Fibbage, Guesspionage, Trivia Murder Party, and Wheel of Enormous Proportions. You can also check this list from Jackbox Games, which includes each game and its respective player count.
Truth or Dare onlineYes, there’s an online version of this classic, silly game—which, if you prefer the more old-fashioned method, you can also just play over a video call with your partner, no other websites or apps needed. However, if you want some pre-made truths and dares to move the game along, you can try PsyCat Games’ online Truth or Dare. If you don’t mind using a card game, you can also check out this version of Truth or Dare specifically for couples.
Online ScattergoriesYou and your partner can play a version of Scattergories hosted online here; it’s totally free to use, so just share the website with them and you’re good to go. You’ll also each need a pen and some paper, but that shouldn’t be too much trouble. And, if you need a little refresher on the rules of Scattergories before you get started, we’ve got you covered!
One Word at a Time gameThis is just a word game, so all you need to play it is your partner and a video call! It’s a fun, collaborative game in which you create a story, one word at a time. Start by saying one word; then, your partner must follow up with another. Keep alternating and adding words, and discover all the wild places your impromptu story can go.
The Ultimate Game for CouplesThis is actually a card game—but since it’s specifically for couples, it’s worth mentioning nonetheless! Especially because, if either you or your partner has the Ultimate Game for Couples (not necessarily both of you), you can play pretty easily over video chat. It’s a question game (with dares thrown into the mix, too), full of silly and spicy prompts that’ll help you form an even deeper connection. Whoever has the deck of cards can just draw a card for their partner and hold the card up to the camera so they can see it.
Let’s Get DeepLet’s Get Deep is another adult card game for couples, in a similar vein to The Ultimate Game for couples. Question categories include Ice Breaker, Deep, and Deeper; the game is designed to inspire more meaningful conversations between you and your partner! You can also use the After Dark expansion pack (if you like your couples’ games to have some heat). Once again, you can play with a single deck of cards (with one of you pulling cards for the other person), or you can both get the game.
Strip PokerUse a site like Pokernow or PokerPatio to start a private game, just for you and your partner. Then, just play the game together over video chat using Strip Poker rules to add some spice to the virtual date. In Strip Poker, you’ll just be wagering items of clothing (rather than money or trinkets), which usually ends with one or both of you wearing significantly less clothing by the end of the game!
Two Truths and a LieHere’s another word game that requires no extra websites or apps to play, just you, your partner, and a video chat. It’s simple: take turns giving three statements about yourself, two of them true and one a lie. Then, challenge your partner to guess which one is the lie. Take a look at our Two Truths and a Lie guide, which includes example lies if you’re a little stumped. You can implement different penalties for guessing wrong; you might have to do a dare, take a drink, or just lose out on getting a point. It’s up to you!
Would You RatherWould You Rather is a popular word game that just involves asking one another questions! Phrase each question “Would you rather…?” and present two different scenarios to choose from. Then, you and your partner can compare answers—and learn more about one another as you play. If you need some inspiration, we have a ton of Would You Rather questions to try, including some flirty or dirty questions specifically for couples.
ChessYou and your partner can play one another in chess without needing a physical chessboard in front of you, using the Chess.com website. It’s perfect if the pair of you enjoy strategic, challenging gameplay, and you can play regardless of whether you’re a total beginner or you’ve been doing it for years. If you need to brush up on the rules of chess, check out our guide!
Online Escape RoomsDid you know that escape rooms exist online, too? Well, it’s true! You and your partner can pick a virtual escape room to try together; just keep in mind that some of them have fees (since escape room companies host them) and require booking in advance. Here are a few suggestions: The Escape Game offers Remote Adventures—escape rooms hosted over Zoom, allowing you to navigate one of their actual escape rooms using a live camera feed. Alone Together is a two-player escape room game available for free online. Hallows Hill is a haunting online escape room experience that can be played with 2 people. Online Escape Room offers a few different virtual escape rooms, some free and some for a small fee.
CharadesCharades might seem hard to play when you’re long-distance, but it really isn’t! You just need to set up a video call with your partner, and take turns acting out random prompts. There are plenty of Charades generators online you can use for prompts (like Play Charades or Pantoparty). You can also download this Charades app, which requires one person to hold their phone up to their forehead while the other acts out the prompt on the screen. Basically, there are lots of different ways to play Charades via video call with your long-distance partner—just pick the one you like best!
Pogo gamesPogo isn’t a game itself, but rather a website platform (owned by Electronic Arts) hosting lots of different games. If you and your partner both make accounts, you can play online games together, including Monopoly, Bingo, Yahtzee, Risk, Battleship, and Trivial Pursuit! Just pick a multiplayer game and get started.
Online quizzesYou can even make a game out of taking some fun online quizzes with your partner! For instance, try picking a quiz and asking your partner each question, marking the answers for them without telling them what the actual quiz is about. Then, share the results with them when the quiz is finished (and have them do the same thing with you, too). We have plenty of quizzes to get you started on wikiHow! You can also look for quizzes on sites like BuzzFeed or Quizly.
WordleNo, Wordle isn’t designed to be a two-person game, but it’s still a fun challenge that’ll give you and your partner another excuse to touch base every day. Make a point to play every day and share scores with your partner. See who can guess the word of the day using the fewest tries possible! Or, if you prefer co-op games, you can brainstorm word possibilities together instead.
Video Games for Long-Distance Couples
MinecraftMinecraft’s immense world is totally open for you and your partner to explore together. How you play is up to you; you could build a huge fortress from the ground up for just the two of you to run, or compete against one another and try to defeat each other as creatively as possible. For couples, your best option is probably to create your own realm—a personal world you can customize as much as you like. Minecraft is available for PC, Mac, Linux, Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, iOS, and Android.
It Takes TwoIt Takes Two isn’t just a great game for two players to enjoy together—it’s also about relationships, with a storyline following a couple on the brink of divorce as they’re thrown into a fantastical landscape based on their child’s imagination and gradually learn to work together and support each other once again. The game is a really beautiful experience for couples to share, and you can do it even when you’re long-distance! It Takes Two is available on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch.
Split FictionSplit Fiction is yet another game from Hazelight Studios (which made It Takes Two), and it’s also a co-op experience for two players. In this game, you and your partner will play as two writers, stuck within the worlds of their own stories and, eventually, the depths of their subconscious minds. As they search for a way out, they learn to work together, help one another overcome their inner demons, and ultimately become friends. Split Fiction is available on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch.
Stardew ValleyStardew Valley really is the ultimate cozy farming sim, where you and your partner can co-own a farm and build a virtual life together. You’ll develop the farm, grow crops, build and decorate a home, and delve into monster-filled mines together with swords at the ready. And, once you’ve built up a successful farm, your characters can even get married! Stardew Valley’s multiplayer is available exclusively on PC and Switch.
Coral IslandIf you prefer 3D visuals to old-school 2D, you might want to play Coral Island, which is a reimagined farming and life sim inspired by Stardew Valley (and games like it). The mechanics are very similar: you can share a farm with your partner, develop and decorate it, and support the island’s growth as a whole. Plus, the island and the magical creatures living around it are all inspired by Southeast Asian culture! If you and your partner are console users, Coral Island is also a little more accessible than Stardew; its multiplayer feature is available for PC, Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox.
Sea of ThievesEver wanted to pretend you were a pirate sailing the seas—with your partner at your side? Well, you can! Sea of Thieves offers a co-op, pirate-themed experience in which you and your partner can explore the ocean (and its islands) aboard a ship together, raid other pirates, battle legendary monsters, and, of course, find all the loot and treasure your heart desires. You can play Sea of Thieves on the Xbox, PlayStation, and PC.
Portal 2Portal 2 is widely recognized as one of the best video games out there, and it’s still much-loved despite releasing all the way back in 2011! Portal 2 also has a co-op campaign alongside its single-player adventure, allowing you and your partner to team up remotely and play together—solving puzzles, jumping through portals, and navigating the twists and turns of Aperture Science. Portal 2 is playable on PC, Mac, Linux, Xbox, and Switch.
Baldur’s Gate 3Baldur’s Gate 3 is a fantastic story-rich game, commonly lauded as one of the best-ever RPGs to date. It also has a multiplayer mode that’ll let you game alongside your partner (and, of course, the other characters who accompany you throughout the story). You can solve the mystery of the Absolute together and live your best Dungeons & Dragons lives in BG3! Baldur’s Gate 3 is available on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. Additionally, cross-play is enabled between all platforms.
Gaming Apps for Long-Distance Couples
Exploding KittensExploding Kittens is a great example of a card game-turned-mobile app. And the app is super handy, seeing as it’d be very hard to play the original card game long-distance! With the app, you and your partner can add each other as friends and play rounds of Exploding Kittens together, even when you’re far apart. Exploding Kittens is available on the Apple and Google Play stores.
Scrabble GOScrabble GO lets you play anytime you want, and pick up a game when it’s convenient for you—so you don’t have to schedule an entire game if it’s a busy day for you. This can be a great way for you to stay connected with your partner, even when the two of you are both on the go! The app also has many different modes and word games to try, so it’ll take a lot for the two of you to get bored. You can download Scrabble GO on the Apple and Google Play stores.
Paired appThe Paired app is a platform filled with quizzes, games, and relationship advice for couples; it’s designed to improve communication between partners and help them build a stronger connection together. You can use it for free or pay for the premium version, but regardless, Paired could be a great tool to use in your long-distance relationship. The Paired app is available on the Apple and Google Play stores.
Do You Know Me?Do You Know Me? is a quiz app designed to test how well friends or couples know one another—perfect for you and your long-distance partner to try together. Just keep in mind that you won’t be able to connect using the app alone, so you’ll need to set up a video chat first, then play the app from one person’s phone (or alternate between you and your partner). Do You Know Me? is available on the Apple and Google Play stores.
UNO!You probably know UNO! as a super popular card game, but it’s now available in app form, too. You and your partner can play UNO! as a mobile game (and rope other friends into the fun, too, if you want). Plus, the app includes a bunch of additional game modes and house rules you can choose to implement, so you can shake things up when the classic game starts feeling old. The UNO! app is available on the Apple and Google Play stores.
Mario Kart TourIf you’ve ever wished you could play Mario Kart-style races with your partner, try the Mario Kart Tour app. Connect as in-game friends on the app, and then you can enjoy as many multiplayer Mario Kart races together as you like! Mario Kart Tour features courses inspired by real-world cities and iconic landmarks, and its courses rotate periodically. And, because it’s a mobile app, you don’t need a Switch to play—just a phone. Mario Kart Tour is available on the Apple and Google Play stores.
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