A free Jackbox alternative: party games on everyone’s own phone
By eggverse · · 5 min read
Looking for a free Jackbox alternative? eggverse is a browser arcade of party games for two to eight players. Nobody buys a pack and nobody needs a big shared screen: each friend joins from their own phone, tablet or computer with a link or a short code, then plays the game on that device.
With Jackbox Party Packs, the host buys the game and runs it on a screen everyone can see, either in the room or shared over a video call. Players go to jackbox.tv on their phones, type the room code shown on that screen, and use the phone to play along. It is a well loved setup, and it suits drawing and writing games very well.
eggverse works the other way round. The whole game runs on every player’s own screen, so nobody squints at a stream and nobody has to own anything. The games are different too: quick action rounds, hiding, bluffing, cards and team survival rather than drawing or trivia. If your group mostly wants written jokes, it is worth knowing that before you switch.
How the two setups compare
| Question | Jackbox Party Packs | eggverse |
|---|---|---|
| Who pays | The host buys a pack | Nobody; the games are free |
| Where the game is shown | One shared screen, in the room or over screen share | On every player’s own screen |
| How friends join | A room code at jackbox.tv | An invitation link, or a five digit code on Join a room |
| What each player uses | A phone or another device with a browser, as a controller | A phone, tablet or computer, with touch or keyboard controls |
| Kinds of games | Including drawing, writing and trivia games | Action, hiding, bluffing, cards and team survival |
Party games groups actually play
These are the eggverse games groups are playing together most right now, so they make a good shortlist. Every one of them holds two to eight players in a friends room and has touch controls for phones.
| Game | What you do | Why it works at a party |
|---|---|---|
| Incognitegg | Hide in a painted crowd while one player seeks with a magnifying lens | Everyone takes a turn seeking, and the room watches |
| Crackle Floor | Keep moving as every tile cracks beneath you | One round, last egg standing, instant rematch |
| Dodge Yolk | Red versus blue dodgeball across a centre line | Teams, comebacks and a best of five |
| Yolk Sumo | Shove rivals onto the hot rim of a skillet | Sixty second rounds that are easy to explain |
| The Yolk’s On You | Play cards face down and bluff about what they are | Three seconds to call a bluff keeps everyone watching |
| Spoiled Egg | Survive waves of rotten eggs together | Everyone is on the same side for once |
Incognitegg is the most sociable of the six. One player seeks; everyone else hides as their own egg in a red hat, shoulder to shoulder with thousands of shoppers on a painted page that is also full of red awnings, bunting and balloons. Hiders get fifteen seconds to find a spot while the seeker’s eyes are shut, then they must hold still, because the crowd never moves. The seeker drags a magnifying lens over the picture and cracks the egg underneath. Every round is a new page, and everyone takes a turn seeking.
For quick, loud rounds, Crackle Floor puts everyone on three eggshell floors over a boiling pot. Every tile cracks when you step on it and drops a moment later, so you keep moving. Yolk Sumo is shoving on a hot skillet, and Dodge Yolk is red versus blue dodgeball: catch a throw and the thrower goes to the bench while one of your teammates comes back.
When the group wants something slower, The Yolk’s On You is the card game Cheat: play one to four cards face down and claim a rank. Everyone else has three seconds to call the bluff. And when you would rather win together than against each other, Spoiled Egg puts the whole crew on one graveyard against waves of rotten eggs.
Start a party from your group chat
- Open a game page and choose Play with friends to create a room.
- Share the room invitation in your group chat. Friends can also type the code on Join a room: the EGG- prefix is already filled in, so they enter only the five digits.
- Check that everyone can find their controls, touch on a phone and keys on a computer.
- Ready up together and call the first round practice.
Playing remotely? Keep your usual voice or video call open for the talking. Because each person plays on their own screen, nobody needs to share theirs.
If everyone is in one room
If you like the big screen feel of a living room party, Couch Play puts selected games, including The Yolk’s On You and Texas Hold’em, on a shared screen while each person uses their phone as a private controller. Each Couch room still holds at most eight players. More than eight people need separate rooms either way.
Questions people ask
Is there a free alternative to Jackbox?
eggverse is one option: free browser party games for two to eight players, where each person joins from their own device with a link or a code. The games are different from Jackbox titles, with more action, hiding and bluffing than drawing or writing.
Do my friends need to buy or download anything?
No purchase is needed. The games run in a web browser on phones, tablets and computers.
How many people can play together?
Each friends room for these games holds two to eight players. For a bigger group, split into separate rooms.
Can we play over a video call?
Yes. Stay on your usual call for voices and send everyone the room invitation. Each person plays on their own screen, so nobody has to share theirs.
Hosting on a call? Our guide to games to play on Zoom, Teams and FaceTime covers devices and sound. eggverse is independent and not affiliated with Jackbox Games.