Game night without a console

Setup checklist

1. ScreenA laptop on HDMI is smoothest; casting (Chromecast, AirPlay) or a smart-TV browser also work.
2. SoundTV speakers or a Bluetooth speaker; sound matters in party games.
3. PhonesCharged phones; the controller opens in the browser.
4. ConnectionThe screen device needs internet; phones can join on mobile data.

Editor's picks

Favourites for a console-free night.

• Crack (1–8 players, Party / Mind Game, Ages 7+) — Know your friends, win the night.
• The Bill (1–8 players, Party / Bluff & Risk, Ages 12+) — The biggest eater pays.
• IMPOSTOR: Last Word (4–8 players, Party / Social Deduction, Ages 7+) — Prove yourself. Don't teach the impostor.
• KARMA (4–8 players, Party / Social Deduction, Ages 7+) — Is that really how you see me?
• World Guesser (1–8 players, Geography, Ages 3+) — Explore the world, find the closest point.
• One Rope (1–6 players, Party / Co-op Climbing, Ages 3+) — One falls, all of you hold.
• Know & Conquer (1–4 players, Trivia Strategy, Ages 7+) — Turn knowledge into steel, and steel into a kingdom
• Dead Zone: Dominion (1–4 players, 3D Co-op Open-World Base Defense, Ages 12+) — Hold the base together for four chapters, from the valley to the evacuation terminal.
• BREAKOUT RUN (1–4 players, Party / Motion Camera Runner, Ages 7+) — Run, jump, duck — the guard is right behind you!
• Orbital Siege (1–4 players, 3D Space Battle, Ages 7+) — Enter the same duel side by side or from different homes.
• Pad Kombat (1–4 players, Fighting, Ages 12+) — The kopuz plays, the tournament begins.
• Pad Kombat: Eclipse (1–4 players, Fighting, Ages 12+) — The sun is dark. The tournament begins.
• Pad Racer: Turbo Clash (1–4 players, 3D Racing & Car Combat, Ages 3+) — Drift, grab, pass!
• Pirate War (1–4 players, 3D Split-Screen Pirate Island War, Ages 7+) — Raise your crew. Throw the hook. Bring the loot home.
• Castle Rescue Duo (1–2 players, Co-op Action Platformer, Ages 7+) — Two heroes. One rescue.

How it works (1 minute)

1. Open the screenOpen padconsole.com in a browser on a computer, smart TV or tablet. A laptop on the TV over HDMI works best.
2. Scan the QR codeEveryone scans the QR code with their phone camera. The controller opens in the browser; iOS and Android apps are optional.
3. Pick a gameBrowse the menu from your phone and start. Everyone in the room, and friends in other homes, can join the same game.