Quick Party Games
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Tic Tac Toe

The classic game of X and O, made for a group: two players play a match, and with more of you it's winner stays on, with everyone else watching the live board and the queue.

2–8 players · free · no app to installHost a game

Tic tac toe, or noughts and crosses, is the first strategy game most people ever play. Two players, X and O, take turns on a grid, and the first to get a line wins.

On its own it's a two-minute game. We've made it work for a group: with three or more players it's winner stays on, so the champion keeps their seat and the challengers queue up behind. Everyone watches the live board on their phone or the TV, and a match runs to first to 1, 3 or 5 wins.

For something trickier, switch to the 4 × 4 board, where you need four in a row and draws are harder to force. It suits 2 to 8 players and is a good filler for kids, office breaks or the gap while dinner finishes cooking.

How to play

  1. 1

    Setting up

    Two to eight players join on their phones. The host picks the board size, how many game wins take the match and a turn timer.
  2. 2

    Playing a game

    X goes first. When it's your turn your phone dings; tap an empty square. Get three in a row on 3 × 3, or four in a row on 4 × 4, across, down or diagonally. A full board with no line is a draw, and draws score nothing.
  3. 3

    Two players

    With just two of you, you play every game and swap who goes first each time.
  4. 4

    Winner stays on

    With three or more players, the winner of each game stays on and plays O. The loser goes to the back of the queue and the next in line comes up as X and moves first. After a draw, both players go to the back and the next two come up.
  5. 5

    Winning the match

    The first player to reach the set number of game wins (1, 3 or 5) takes the match.
  6. 6

    Turn timer

    With a timer on (15, 30 or 60 seconds), a random empty square is played for you when time runs out. Without one, the host can skip a turn.
  7. 7

    Sitting out and leaving

    Miss two moves in a row and you lose that game and sit out until you tap I'm back. The host can also bench a player and bring them back. A player who leaves loses the game they're in and drops out of the rotation.

Host options

I'm playing too
The host takes turns on their own phone.
Board
3 × 3 with three in a row, or 4 × 4 with four in a row.
Wins to take the match
First to 1, 3 or 5.
Turn timer
Off, 15, 30 or 60 seconds. When time runs out, a random empty square is played.

Hosting tips

  • With a crowd, use first to 5 and winner stays on so everyone gets several turns in the hot seat.
  • Two strong players on 3 × 3 will draw a lot. Switch to 4 × 4 for more decisive games.
  • A 15-second timer keeps the queue moving at a party.
  • Show the board on a TV and the people in the queue become a very loud audience.

Questions

Is tic tac toe online with friends free?

Yes. It's free, with nothing to install, and works in any phone browser.

Do we need an app?

No. Players join from the browser and sign in with Google.

How many can play?

2 to 8 players, each on their own phone. Two play at a time; everyone else watches and queues.

Can we play on a TV?

Yes. Open the TV link from the waiting room to show the live board on any big screen.

Can we play on a bigger board?

Yes: 4 × 4, where you need four in a row.

How does winner stays on work?

With three or more players, the winner keeps their seat and plays O, the loser goes to the back of the queue, and the next player comes up as X and moves first.

What if someone stops paying attention?

With the turn timer on, a random empty square is played for them when time runs out. Miss two in a row and they sit out until they tap I'm back.

Host Tic Tac ToeJoin with a code

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