You want to play a quick game with a friend who's somewhere else. You don't want to install an app, create two accounts, add each other as contacts, and update to the latest version first. Here's how to skip all of that.
The fastest way: send a challenge link
The simplest way to play games online with friends is a challenge link. On RivalPit, every game has a "Challenge a Friend" button. Click it, and you get a link. Send that link over WhatsApp, iMessage, Telegram, Discord — anywhere. The moment your friend opens it, the match starts. They don't need an account, an app, or a download. It works on a phone, tablet, or laptop, straight in the browser.
That's the whole flow: pick a game, tap Challenge a Friend, send the link, play. It takes about ten seconds, which is less time than it takes most party-game apps to show their loading screen.
What makes a good game to play over a link?
Some games translate better to remote play than others. The best ones share a few traits:
- Short rounds. A best-of-five like Rock Paper Scissors or a quick board like Tic Tac Toe fits into any gap in the day.
- Turn-based options. Games like Chess, Ludo, and Dots & Boxes don't fall apart if someone's connection hiccups or they take a moment to think.
- Easy rules. If your friend has to read a manual before round one, they won't open the link. Classics win here because everyone already knows them.
Real-time multiplayer, not pass-the-screenshot
Playing over a link on RivalPit is real-time: you see your opponent's moves as they make them, and there's a built-in live chat so you can talk trash (politely) mid-match. It feels like sitting across a table, not like emailing moves back and forth.
If your friend isn't online right now, most games also have a solid computer opponent, so you can warm up before the rematch.
Do you ever need an account?
Only if you want the extras. A free account gets you a persistent profile, a friends list you can challenge directly, points for wins and daily logins, and per-game stats — the receipts you need when someone claims they "always" beat you. But for a quick match via a challenge link, guest play is enough. No sign-up wall, ever.
What can you play?
RivalPit has around 100 free games across every category: classic board games like Chess, Checkers, Ludo, and Backgammon; card games like Hearts, Spades, and Rummy; party games like Name-Place-Animal-Thing; plus arcade, sports, word and trivia, and idle and merge games. New games are added every week.
Quick answers
Can I play on my phone while my friend is on a laptop?
Yes. Everything runs in the browser, so the devices don't need to match.
Does it cost anything?
No. Every game is free to play. Points are earned by playing — they're for bragging rights and never cost money.
What if my friend is slow to join?
The challenge link waits for them. Create the room, send the link, and the match starts when they open it.