Family — The Name Game: how to play
Objective
Guess which player chose each familiar real person or fictional character to grow your family. Keep guessing after correct answers, and gain an entire family by identifying its leader. Play together in person until one family includes everyone; that family wins.
Only the host needs an account. Other players join with a room code. No registration needed.
How to play
Choose one secret character
Everyone, including the host, enters and saves one secret character privately. On a shared phone, enter your player name and secret character, then wait for Pass the phone before handing it over. Use Hide and pass phone to discard an unfinished entry. Keep your choice to yourself.
Change a character if needed
Individual-phone players can edit while submissions are open. On a shared phone, use Change a character, choose the player name, and enter a new secret character. The previous character stays hidden. Everyone sharing that phone can make these corrections, so use it with people you trust.
Return the phone
Hand the phone back before choosing Return to host controls or Return to my game, then confirm. Shared mode keeps controls and previous inputs out of the way during handoff, back and reload. It is designed for a trusted group; no extra password is needed.
Lock the submissions
When at least three players have all submitted, the host locks the list. New players and edits are no longer allowed.
Listen twice
The host reads the shuffled character list aloud twice in the same order. Everyone, including the host, tries to remember the characters.
Match a character to a player
The host hides the list after the second reading. Choose a starter together. Ask one player whether they submitted a character, for example: “Sam, did you submit Sherlock Holmes?”
Grow your family
A correct guess brings that player into your family. You and your family keep guessing together. If you correctly guess another family’s leader, their entire family joins yours.
Pass clockwise after a wrong guess
After a wrong guess, play passes clockwise to the person next to the player who just guessed.
Example
Leah asks Ben whether he chose Moana. Ben says yes, so he joins Leah’s family and they guess again together. Later, Max correctly guesses that Leah chose Han Solo. Max gains both Leah and Ben because Leah leads their family. Keep playing until everyone belongs to one family.
Remember your own character
If Show my character is available on your personal phone, it reveals only your saved character for 5 seconds. Use Hide character to hide it sooner. This reminder is unavailable on shared phones and games created before it was enabled.
Record the winning family
When one family remains, that family wins. The host selects its leader under Winning player and confirms Record winner. The app saves the leader’s name as the result and finishes the game.
Devices and setup
- The host signs in, creates a Family game, and enters a player name too. Use your own name or a nickname so everyone knows what to call you.
- Use one phone for everyone, several shared phones, individual phones, or a mixture. Every phone needs internet access. Join with a link, QR code, or the 6-character Family code, then enter your player name. Guests do not sign in or need an account.
- On a shared phone, choose Share this phone before joining, or save your own character first and then choose Share this phone in the room. The handoff screen hides the game controls while the phone is passed around.
- Gather where everyone can hear the host and each other. Choose a familiar real person or fictional character, such as an athlete, historical figure, celebrity, or character from a book or film.
How many players?
- Minimum
- 3 players, including the host. Everyone must save a character before the host can lock the list.
- Recommended group
- 6 or more players for more surprises and a bigger memory challenge. Especially fun with a larger group who can hear each other.
- Larger groups
- The game has no fixed player cap. Larger groups create longer lists to remember. Large-event capacity has not been verified, so try your planned group and network before an event.
Ways to play
Play together, guess aloud
The app handles private submissions, the two readings, and the saved result. Make guesses aloud and keep track of families together. The app does not manage turns or family membership.
Share one or more phones
Pass the host’s phone around, use several shared phones, or mix shared and individual phones. Each player enters a player name and secret character, then saves or hides the character before handing the phone over.
Add an audience screen
An optional shared screen shows the game phase and players without showing the secret characters. The host reads the list from their own screen.
Scoring and who wins
The last family remaining wins. The app does not track guesses, points, turns, or families. Keep track of family membership together as you play.
The host records the winning family’s leader from the player-name list. Once confirmed, the result is final. To play again, create a new Family room and invite everyone back.