Games are one of the easiest ways to make a long-distance call feel like time together rather than a catch-up. They give you something to do, a reason to laugh and, often, a reason to learn something new about each other. But the right game depends on your situation. A fast quiz is perfect when you share an evening and frustrating when one of you is half asleep. This guide sorts 20 long-distance relationship games into live games, take-turns games for different time zones and games that need no app at all.
How to pick a game for two
Ask three questions. How long do we have together right now? How much energy do we have? Do we want to compete, cooperate or just talk? Competitive games suit a lively Friday; cooperative and question games suit a quiet Sunday.
Also check practicalities: does the game work on both your devices, does it cost anything, and does it need a stable connection? A simple question game that never lags often beats a fancier one that keeps freezing.
| Situation | Game type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Short call, playful | Quick questions | Would you rather, this or that |
| Long evening, competitive | Quiz or word game | Couples quiz, word game |
| Long evening, cosy | Cooperative | Photo puzzle, drawing |
| Almost no overlap | Turn-based | Chess by message, relay story |
| Getting to know each other | Question games | Never have I ever, question cards |
Games to play live on a call
These need you both online at the same time.
1. Couples quiz
15–30 minutes · Free
Answer questions about each other and see who scores higher. A good game for new couples and a funny one for long-term ones.
2. Truth or dare
20 minutes · Free
Choose your level, sweet, funny or flirty, and agree that either of you can pass.
3. Never have I ever
15 minutes · Free
Good for surprising stories. Keep a tally if you want a winner.
4. Would you rather
10 minutes · Free
Quick, silly and easy to play while doing something else.
5. Pictionary on a shared canvas
20 minutes · Check app access
Take turns drawing prompts while the other guesses. MileHeart’s Live Drawing lets you both see the canvas update in real time.
6. Photo puzzle race
20–40 minutes · Check app access
Solve a jigsaw made from your own photo together. Puzzle Together in MileHeart turns a photo into a shared puzzle.
7. Couples bingo
30 minutes · Free
Fill a bingo card with things that might happen on the call, from ‘someone mentions food’ to ‘the cat appears’.
8. Online board games
30–60 minutes · Free to paid
Many classic board and card games have online versions you can play from two devices. Check that both of you can access the same platform.
Turn-based games across time zones
When one of you is asleep while the other is awake, slow games keep a thread going between calls.
9. Chess by correspondence
Days · Free
Play one move at a time through a chess app or simply by message. A single game can last a week.
10. Relay story
Ongoing · Free
Each of you adds one paragraph to a story when you wake up. Read the whole thing on your next call.
11. Relay drawing
Ongoing · Free
Start a drawing, then hand it over. Each adds something without erasing.
12. Word game
Ongoing · Free
Word-building and guessing games where each move can wait suit couples with little overlap.
13. Photo challenge
A week · Free
Set a daily theme, ‘something blue’, ‘my lunch’, and send one photo each. Vote at the end of the week.
14. Twenty questions by message
A day · Free
Think of something; your partner gets twenty yes-or-no questions across the day.
Games that need no app at all
All you need is a call or a chat.
15. Two truths and a lie
10 minutes
Share three statements about your week; your partner guesses the lie.
16. Guess the sound
10 minutes
Make a sound in your home; they guess what it is. Harder than it seems.
17. Desert island picks
15 minutes
Five songs, three books, one food. Defend your choices.
18. Finish the sentence
10 minutes
‘The first thing I noticed about you was…’ Take turns.
19. Story dice without dice
15 minutes
Each name three random objects in the room, then tell a story that includes all six.
20. This or that
10 minutes
Rapid-fire choices: tea or coffee, beach or mountains, call or text.
Question games that go a little deeper
Not every game needs a winner. Question games are a good way to learn new things about each other, especially in the early months or when calls have started to feel routine.
Try a ‘level up’ format: three light questions, three reflective ones and one big one. For example, start with favourite snacks and childhood TV, move to proudest moments and best advice you have received, and finish with what you hope your life looks like in five years. Either person can pass on any question.
Another format is ‘answer for me’: you answer a question as if you were your partner, then they tell you how close you got. It is part quiz, part conversation, and reveals what you each think the other is like.
Make your own long-distance game
Some of the best couples games are invented. Take a game you already like and add a twist that only makes sense for the two of you: a quiz entirely about your trips, a bingo card of things your partner always says, or a drawing game where every prompt is an inside joke.
Keep the rules short enough to explain in one sentence. Write them down so you can play again, and add new rules as the game evolves. After a few months, you will have a game nobody else in the world can play.
- One-sentence rules.
- A prize that is an experience, such as choosing the next film.
- A rematch rule, because there will be arguments about the score.
Make it a weekly game night
A regular game night gives the week a fixed point. Choose a day and time that fits your overlap, keep it to about an hour and rotate who picks the games.
A simple format: a warm-up question game, a main game and a quick final round. Keep a scoreboard across weeks; a running rivalry is half the fun. The loser of the month plans the next date.
- Same time, same day, so neither of you has to keep scheduling it.
- Have a no-connection backup game, such as two truths and a lie.
- End with five minutes of just talking.
Q & A
A few questions you might have
What games can long-distance couples play?
Live games such as couples quizzes, truth or dare, would you rather and shared drawing; turn-based games such as correspondence chess, relay stories and word games; and no-app games such as two truths and a lie or finish the sentence.
What games are good for couples?
Good couples games either make you laugh together or help you learn about each other. Question games, cooperative puzzles and light competitive quizzes all work. Pick one that suits your energy and the time you have.
How do you host a couples game night online?
Choose a regular time that fits both time zones, pick two or three short games, keep score across weeks and rotate who chooses. Have a backup game that needs no app in case the connection drops.
How well do you know your partner games?
These are quizzes where each person answers questions about the other, such as their favourite food or a childhood memory, and you compare answers. They are fun for new and long-term couples alike.
Found an idea for the two of you?
Send it to your person and choose something to try together.
