Quick games to play with friends — five minutes, on your phones
Send one link, and everyone plays a Quick draft, Imposter or Guess the player on their own phone. Most rounds take five to ten minutes. Free for up to 4, no download, no sign-up.
By Martin Nymann (AddonNordic ApS), who made Deadline Day with his son Viktor. Updated 16 October 2026.
On this page: How fast it starts · Which game · What to play first · Without phones · What it costs · Questions
How fast can a quick game start?
In under a minute. A quick game works when the rules fit in one sentence, joining takes one link, and everyone has something to do straight away. There are no cards to shuffle and nobody has to keep score: the game counts the bids, the votes and the points.
- Start a game. Open Deadline Day, tap "Play with friends" and pick a game.
- Send one link. Share it in the group chat, or read out the 4-letter code.
- Everyone joins on their own phone. No app and no account; names pop up as people join.
- Play a round, then switch. When it ends, pick the next game in the same room, with no new link.
Together in one room? Put the game on the big screen with the TV party game setup. Spread across cities? See games to play on a video call.
Start a free gameWhich quick game fits your group?
Pick by what the group wants in the next five minutes: bluffing, rivalry or a quick test. Every game below starts from the same link.
| If your group wants to… | Play | What happens | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catch a liar | Imposter | Everyone gets the same word except one bluffer; say one word each, then vote | ~2 min a round |
| Prove who knows sport best | Quick draft | Bid live on real players for your starting line-up; every bid restarts the clock, and the stronger team wins | 5–10 min |
| Test what you know | Guess the player | Clues appear one by one; first to name the player scores, a wrong guess gives the others a point | 5–10 min |
| Argue about taste | This or That | Two players, one secret pick; everyone else guesses what you chose | 5–10 min |
| Get up and act | Charades | One of you acts out a secret player without talking; the rest shout guesses | 5–10 min |
| Read each other's minds | Blind Ranking | Rank five players one at a time without knowing who comes next; match the group's ranking to score | 5–10 min |
The sports games come in nine sports: football, basketball, handball, ice hockey, racing, darts, rugby, esports and cricket. Where a game uses real data, the real result decides: hidden player ratings in the draft, real stats in the clues. Nobody can argue with the score.
What should we play first?
- Three friends and five minutes: Imposter. It explains itself and needs only 3 people.
- A sports crowd: a Quick draft, then a rematch in another sport.
- People who barely know each other: Guess the player or This or That, where everyone answers at the same time and nobody is put on the spot.
- A big group of up to 20: Imposter or a Quick draft, all in one room with a Host Pass.
- Kids and grandparents together: Imposter with everyday words. See family game night.
Which quick games need no phones at all?
Some of the best five-minute games need nothing but voices. Someone has to keep score, but they work anywhere:
- Categories. Pick a category and go round the circle; anyone who pauses or repeats is out.
- Word association. Say a word, the next person says the first word it makes them think of; hesitate and you are out.
- Two truths and a lie. Tell three facts about yourself; the group votes on the lie.
- Twenty questions. Think of someone famous; the group gets 20 yes-or-no questions.
- Would you rather. Ask two impossible options; everyone has to pick and defend it.
When you want a clock, secret roles and a score nobody has to keep, send the link. More ideas, with and without phones: games to play with friends, party games and group chat games.
What does it cost?
- Up to 4 players
- Every game
- No sign-up, no download, no ads
- Up to 20 players
- Every game you host on that device
- No subscription — your friends never pay
Questions
What is the quickest game to play with friends on our phones?
Imposter. A round takes about two minutes, it needs only 3 players, and the rules fit in one sentence: everyone gets the same word except one bluffer.
Can we play a sports auction in five minutes?
Yes. Pick Quick draft: you bid on the starting line-up only, and a game takes 5 to 10 minutes. The full squad auction takes about half an hour.
Do we need to download anything?
No. Every game runs in the browser. One person sends the link, and everyone opens it on their own phone, with no app, no sign-up and no ads.
Can we play quick games online, apart?
Yes. The same link works across cities. In Imposter, pick "Play online" and everyone types their word instead of saying it.
Is it free?
Yes, every game is free for up to 4 players. For 5 to 20 players, the host buys a Host Pass once for €4.99, and nobody else pays.
How many people can play?
Up to 4 for free, and up to 20 in one room with a Host Pass.
This text was generated with artificial intelligence (Geoa Content Studio) and edited for Deadline Day. EU AI Act, art. 50.
Deadline Day is made by AddonNordic ApS (CVR 46495985), Denmark · Questions? Contact us at contact@addonnordic.dk
Not affiliated with, endorsed or licensed by any player, club, league or association. Ratings are our own opinion.
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