35 Fun Text Games for Two People

1.  20 Questions

With this game, one person picks a category such as a person, place, or thing. Then the game will begin by the opponent asking questions one at a time to guess the answer. The object is to guess the answer in twenty questions or less. This game is a great travel game or party booster. It is also one of the best get-to-know-you types of games to play to encourage team communication, sharing, trust-building, and interpersonal relationships’ development.

2.  Make It Rhyme

Next on our list of fun texting games is the “Make It Rhyme” one. Tighten up your rhyming skills with this game of rhyme. The first person begins by texting a word or phrase. The opponent then has to text back with another word or phrase that rhymes with the first. Keep the game going back and forth until someone gets stumped. This is a great way to stay in touch with a friend who lives miles away or just a phone/computer click away.

3.  Story Time

Just when you thought you would never be able to write a story, this game was invented. There are many variations to playing this game, but the basic goal is to add to each other’s lines until you form a story. The first person begins the story with a phrase. The opponent then will have to text back another line adding to the first phrase. This game will continue back and forth until the final line is complete. Don’t worry, the story doesn’t have to make sense, it might even turn out to be a riot, but it will be fun to see how it ends. This is a great exercise to overcome writer’s block. It is also one of the most entertaining challenges for kids and teens when you want to oil their creativity wheels, keep them engaged for some hours, and spend some happy times together.

4.  Let’s Get Personal

This game is a personal trivia question that starts with the first person texting a personal question to the other player. The questions can be the type that are asked in a job interview (less personal), or they can be the type that invite vulnerability. This game is perfect for learning more about each other, and you might even be surprised at how easy it is to answer the questions when you are not face-to-face.

5.  Abbreviations

Have your friend guess what you are doing by texting the first letter of each thing using only abbreviation. For an example, if you are doing homework and listening to music you would text, DHALTM. Before you begin, you can set a time limit or even the number of guesses your opponent is allowed. You might need to throw in a hint or two if your friend gets stumped.

6.  Let’s Take a Trip

With this game, you create a place you want to go to. Start by saying, “I am going to __________, and I am taking ____________.” The object is to go through the alphabet in order, you start with “A,” the next player “B,” and so on. If you can make it to “Z” that is great, but if not, the person that gets stuck loses the game.

7.  Word Scramble

Next on this list of fun texting games is “Word Scramble.” This is a simple word game that will keep your brain healthy. The first person can choose a category and start by texting a scrambled word to the opponent. The opponent then has to guess the word. You can make the game harder by setting a time limit. You can also play the game starting with three-letter words and working your way up to bigger words for a bigger challenge.

8.  Song Emoji

This is the perfect fun texting game for music lovers. The game is played just like the game Song Lyrics, but using emojis instead. The first person sends the lyrics of a song using emojis, and the opponent then has to guess the song. It may be difficult to describe the song using only emojis alone, so mix it up by using letters and emojis. Play the game using categories and setting time limits for an additional challenge.

9.  Where Am I?

With this game, the object is to keep your friend guessing where you are. Give descriptions similar to the way you would in I Spy. For example, if you are in the library you might say you are surrounded by books. You can have your friend guess where you actually are, or you can make a fictional place. Set a limit to the number of guesses your friend can have, or you can set a time limit.

10.  Word Building

This is another word-based fun texting game that will help to keep your mind sharp and healthy. You text the first word and have your friend create a word using the letters in your word. Next, you form a word from the letters in your friend’s word. Keep the game going back and forth until the last person is out of new words. It will be fun to see how many new words you can create. You can put a time limit on each turn if you want a challenge. This game is a particularly fun challenge to play as a parent with your kids, as it is an educational game that encourages learning on all levels.

11.  Words In Reverse

Text your friend a sentence, but write all the words in reverse order. Have your friend respond to the text, also writing each word in reverse order. Keep the game going back and forth to see who gets confused first. You can write about your day, your family, or your plans for the weekend, no matter what the topic, this game will make the conversation interesting.

12.  Fill In the Blanks

This game is ideal for couples who are in a new relationship or longtime couples who want to keep the relationship fresh. Start by texting a partial phrase leaving a blank in the phrase. Your opponent should fill in the blank. An example phrase could be “My favorite way to relax is _______.” You better hope you answer correctly!

13.  Never Have I Ever

Texting puts a new twist on this popular party game. Start the game with a certain number of points. Start by texting “Never Have I Ever ________.” Fill in the blank and send it to your friend. If your opponent confesses to having done it before, he loses a point. Continue back and forth until one of you is left with no more points. If you need some inspiration, check out our 290 Never Have I Ever questions to get you going! Of course, this is just the beginning, as you should definitely add your own questions and experiences into the mix.

14.  Truth Or Dare

Modern technology gives this childhood game a facelift. Challenge your friend to a good old-fashioned game of truth or dare — except this time, you’re not even in the same room. Ask your friend if they want a truth or a dare. If they choose truth, text them a question and hope for an honest response. If they go with dare, challenge them to send a photo or video of themselves completing it. This game can lead to lots of laughs and surprising discoveries about your friend. For a playful twist, try asking about what they call their partner — using one of these cute names for a girlfriend can turn a silly question into a sweet or funny moment. And for more inspiration, check out our huge list of Truth or Dare questions for anyone to try!

15.  Funny Pics

Choosing a category, take turns finding funny pics or memes on the internet. Text them back and forth, and add a funny caption for an added twist. There are really no right or wrong answers in this game, it is just entertaining, and it can be fun to see what you can come up with.

16.  Hangman

Begin with a specific amount of points (maybe 7 is a good amount). Text the appropriate amount of underscores for letters in the word. Your opponent starts by texting you a letter. If it is correct, text back by replacing the correct underscore with the letter. If it is incorrect, your opponent loses a point. The game continues until he guesses the word, or he loses all his points.

17.  Sentence Emoji

Text a conversation using only emojis. Keep the conversation going back and forth until one person becomes confused or speechless.

18.  Stack Words

Choose a category. Text a word to your friend that fits into the category. Your opponent must text another word from the category that begins with the last letter of your word. Keep it going until the first person gets stumped. Of course, you can play this game on any occasion, not only when you text your friends and loved ones.

19.  Kiss, Marry, Kill

Text three names to your friend. You can choose names of people you each know, or choose fictional characters from books or movies. Your opponent should reply with which person he would kiss, marry and kill. There is really no challenge to this game except that it is a great way to learn what type of person you friend truly is.

20.  Trivia Time

Start by setting a specific amount of points, then text your friend a trivia question and wait for an answer. Since Google can be used to search for the answer, set a fast time limit. For an even bigger challenge, make the answer specific rather than general. For example, if the answer requires a name, give the entire name and not just part of the name. The first person to reach the point goal wins the game. If you want to play with kids, check out these easy trivia questions for kids!

21.  Would You Rather

Start by asking your friend, “Would you rather_______________ OR _______________?” Wait and see which one he chooses. You might be surprised to find out that your friend just isn’t who you thought he was. This is another great game for getting to know someone. If you want more ideas on playing get to know you games, don’t forget to check out our guide!

22.  Movie Lines

First, pick a category, then turn your conversation into movie lines. When the first person gets stuck, the game ends and the winner can start a new movie conversation. Twist the game up a little by adding some emojis along the way.

23.  Who Am I?

Choose a person, perhaps it would be someone you both know, or maybe a celebrity. Start by texting your friend with something the person would say. You can vary the rules by setting a time limit, a point scale, or a number of guesses. This can be an entertaining game when describing people you both know.

24.  Song Lyrics

Text lines from a song for the other person to guess. Create a point system with one guess per try. If you get it right, the game moves on and you are safe, but if not, you lose a point. The first person with no points left loses the game.

25.  Finish the Sentence

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Set a time limit and then text a partial phrase to your friend. He will have to add to your phrase by using the same amount of words that you used. For an example you can text, “My dog has __________.” Your friend then needs to complete the phrase with the same amount of words such as, “a broken leg.” Keep it going back and forth until the time runs out.

26.  Most Likely to

Each player takes turns asking “Who’s most likely to…” questions, like “Who’s most likely to become famous?” or “Who’s most likely to forget their own birthday?” Everyone in the chat responds with the name of the person they think fits the prompt best. If it’s just two people, each person replies honestly with who they think it is—even if it’s themselves.

27.  The Laughing Game

Start by agreeing on a few silly or unrelated words (e.g., “toothpaste,” “kangaroo,” “pizza”) that can be used as the only responses. Then, ask each other random or serious questions, but the answers must only come from the list. The goal is to keep straight faces (or responses) and try to make the other person laugh or break the pattern.

28.  Fantasy Four

Pick a fun theme or scenario—like surviving a zombie apocalypse, building a dream band, or winning a reality show—and set a number of team members (e.g., five). Take turns choosing celebrities, fictional characters, or real people to join your team. When the teams are complete, you compare and explain why your team would win or perform better.

29.  Guess the Riddle

One person sends a riddle via text, and the other has a limited number of guesses to figure it out (usually 3-5). If they guess correctly, they get a point; if not, the riddle-sender reveals the answer. You can alternate who asks the riddles, and you can set a score limit or just play for fun.

30.  Friendship Tag

Take turns quizzing each other on personal facts like “What’s my favorite movie?” or “What was the name of my first pet?” It’s a way to see how well you know each other and reminisce or learn new things. You can keep score or just play casually to strengthen your bond.

31.  Questions Only

In this quick-thinking game, both players can only respond with questions—no statements allowed. For example, if one person texts, “Are you coming to the party?”, the other must respond with something like, “What party?” If someone repeats a question, pauses too long, or accidentally answers, they lose the round.

32.  Movie Game

One person describes a movie plot in an odd, vague, or humorous way (e.g., “Man learns to love a robot and gets stranded on Earth”), and the others have to guess what movie it is (in this case: Wall-E). You can take turns or keep score to make it more competitive.

33.  Did You Hear?

In this game, one player starts by texting a sentence that begins with “Did you hear…” followed by a piece of news or gossip—real or completely made up (e.g., “Did you hear that dolphins might be taking over a theme park?”). The other player has to decide whether it’s true or false. After guessing, the first player reveals whether they were telling the truth or bluffing. It’s a fun way to test how convincing or gullible your friends are.

34.  Unpopular Opinions

Players take turns sharing a controversial or unusual opinion (e.g., “Pineapple absolutely belongs on pizza” or “I don’t like Friends”). The other person or group reacts by agreeing, disagreeing, or debating the opinion. It’s a great way to spark fun and unexpected conversations.

35.  Would I Lie to You?

In this game, each person takes turns texting a statement about themselves—something that sounds surprising, bizarre, or outrageous. The others must guess whether the statement is true or a lie. After guesses are made, the truth is revealed, and players can keep score if they want or just enjoy the stories and surprises.