Conversation tips
Games to Play on Video Chat With Someone New (No Apps Needed)
Two truths and a lie, 20 questions, guess the country, rate my room and emoji stories are all great games to play on video chat with someone you just met, and none of them need anything beyond your camera, your voice and a text box. Each takes a minute to explain and gives you something to laugh about together right away.
Below are 12 games with rules in two lines each, a table to help you pick one, and tips for suggesting a game without making it weird.
How to suggest a game without it being weird
Wait until you've said hello and swapped a few sentences. Then offer the game as an option, not an assignment.
- "Want to play a quick game? I've got a good one."
- "Okay, two truths and a lie. I'll go first."
- "I'm terrible at small talk. Can we do 20 questions instead?"
Going first matters. It shows the rules faster than explaining them and makes it easy for the other person to join in. If they'd rather just talk, drop it with a smile and ask a normal question.
Games to play over a video call with just your voice
1. Two truths and a lie
Say three statements about yourself: two true, one invented. Your partner guesses the lie, then you swap.
2. 20 questions
Think of an object, an animal or a famous fictional character. Your partner gets 20 yes-or-no questions to work out what it is.
3. Guess the country
Each match on Omlet already shows a country flag, so play with a third country. Give up to three clues (a dish, a word in its language, a landmark); the fewer clues needed, the more points.
4. Fake expert
Your partner names a random topic, like pigeons or socks. You deliver a confident 30-second lecture full of invented facts, then swap.
5. Categories
Pick a category, such as fruits or things in a kitchen. Take turns naming one each; whoever hesitates for more than three seconds loses the round.
6. One-word story
Build a story together, one word each, out loud or in the chat. It will make no sense, which is the point.
Camera games: show, draw and rate
Before you play, glance at what's in frame. Mail, badges or a window with a view of your street can reveal more than you'd think; here's what your video background reveals.
7. Rate my room (corner edition)
Each person shows one corner of their space, a shelf or a favorite mug. The other gives it a score out of ten and one comment, judge-show style.
8. Draw and show
Both draw the same prompt (a cat, your dream house, each other) on paper in 60 seconds. On three, hold your drawings up to the camera.
If your drawing looks backwards in your own preview, that's normal on many video apps; this explainer on mirrored front cameras covers why.
9. Souvenir show and tell
Each pick one object that comes with a story, like an odd gift or something from a trip. Tell the story in 30 seconds; the listener asks one follow-up.
10. Silent charades
Act out an animal, a job or a famous movie scene without words. Your partner has one minute to guess. This one works even when you don't share a language.
Text chat games
11. Emoji story
Type a movie, song or well-known story using only emoji. Your partner guesses the title; after three wrong guesses, you reveal it.
12. Speed round
Fire off quick either-or choices and answer in one word each, then pick the most surprising answer to talk about. Our lists of would you rather questions and this or that questions give you ready-made prompts.
On Omlet's random video call, text chat with emoji runs right next to the video, so every game on this page works without opening another app or swapping contact details.
Which game to pick
| Game | Uses | Time | Best when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two truths and a lie | Voice | 3–5 min | You want to learn about each other |
| 20 questions | Voice | 5 min | The conversation has stalled |
| Guess the country | Voice or text | 3 min | You both like travel |
| Fake expert | Voice | 2 min | You both have a silly streak |
| Categories | Voice | 2 min | You need a quick burst of energy |
| One-word story | Voice or text | 3 min | You just want to laugh |
| Rate my room | Camera | 3 min | Your backgrounds are interesting |
| Draw and show | Camera, paper | 2 min | You both have a pen nearby |
| Souvenir show and tell | Camera | 3 min | You want short stories |
| Silent charades | Camera | 3 min | Language is a barrier |
| Emoji story | Text chat | 3 min | Audio is bad or someone is muted |
| Speed round | Voice or text | 2 min | You're just getting started |
No camera? Stick to the voice and text games. Shy? Emoji story lets you think before you answer, and 20 questions puts the other person in charge of most of the talking.
Fun things to do on video chat when the connection is laggy
A short delay can wreck fast games and make simple ones frustrating. A few adjustments help.
- Type anything simultaneous. For votes on three or timed answers, type your answer so the delay doesn't decide who won.
- Leave a beat after each turn. A one-second pause stops you talking over each other.
- Choose slower games. 20 questions and emoji story cope with lag far better than categories.
- Fix the root cause. If the video keeps freezing, try the steps for when video chat is lagging.
Keep every game clean and opt-in. Nobody should feel pressured to show their room, draw or act something out. If your partner isn't into it, go back to talking; games are there to rescue an awkward silence, not to replace conversation.