No artistic talent required — bad drawings make it better
Drawing games have a secret advantage over almost every other type of multiplayer game: you do not need to be good at drawing. In fact, the worse the drawings, the funnier the game. A stick figure that vaguely resembles a horse? Hilarious. A perfectly rendered masterpiece? Boring.
This makes drawing games the ultimate equalizer. Your friend who never plays video games? They will have just as much fun as the person with 3,000 hours in Steam. All you need is a finger (on mobile) or a mouse, and the willingness to try.
DoodleRat is not just another draw-and-guess game. Here, everyone draws the same word on a shared canvas — except one player (the Rat) who does not know the word. The Rat watches other players' strokes and tries to blend in. After drawing, the group votes on who they think is faking.
The twist creates a completely different dynamic. Artists face a dilemma: draw something clear enough to prove you know the word, but vague enough that the Rat cannot figure it out. Meanwhile, the Rat is sweating, trying to add a convincing stroke based on whatever the other drawings suggest.
The game that started the online drawing craze. One person draws a word while everyone else races to guess it. Simple, fast, and addictive. Skribbl supports public and private rooms, custom words, and up to 12 players.
Best for: Quick casual sessions when you want zero complexity.
Write a prompt, pass it to the next player to draw, then the next player describes the drawing, and it keeps going. By the end, the original prompt is usually unrecognizable. The reveal of how the message mutated is the best part.
Best for: Larger groups (5-30) who want collaborative laughs.
A polished alternative to Skribbl with team modes, daily challenges, and ranked play. If you want a more structured drawing game experience with progression, Drawize delivers.
Best for: Players who want competition and leaderboards.
Part of the Jackbox Party Pack. You draw ridiculous prompts on your phone, then other players write fake answers. Everyone votes on what they think the real prompt was. More of a comedy game than a drawing game.
Best for: Groups on a call who want to laugh more than compete.
A free, open-source alternative to Gartic Phone. It follows the same telephone format but with a simpler interface. No account needed, works in any browser.
Best for: Groups who want Gartic Phone without the ads.
DoodleRat checks all of these boxes and adds a layer of social deduction that other drawing games do not have. If you have played Skribbl and Gartic Phone and want something fresh, give it a try.