Seeking two-device iOS turn-based games.

April 19, 2012 1:54 PM

I'm in the front passenger seat with my iPhone. My six year old son is in the back seat with an iPad. What turn-based games can we play, each using our own device. The iPad does not have an Internet connection.

He's not much of a speller but he loves strategy games like Carcassone.

posted by alms to sports, hobbies, & recreation (14 answers total)

I'm missing something in your question. Do you want to play together? I don't see how to do that without passing the device back and fourth if there is no internet connection.

Strategery is a fun simple Risk-like game that you can pass-and-play or play solo. Settlers of Catan and similar German-style board games often have iPad versions. Civilization has an iPad version (much dumbed down from the PC version but still amusing). If Words with Friends lacks the option, I'm sure there's a Scrabble game out there that supports pass-and-play.

You could also play improvised pictionary using any of the zillion sketchpad apps, assuming you don't distract the driver too much trying to draw where the other can see it.
posted by Wretch729 at 2:07 PM on April 19, 2012

In order for the iPad to be able to "see" your gameplay on the iPhone, it would have to be connected to the Internet. But you could still take turns in a game together on the iPad, if you are still looking for suggestions for games...
posted by so_gracefully at 2:07 PM on April 19, 2012

Ticket to Ride has local multiplayer over Bluetooth. That's what you're limited to unless you have a portable hotspot, perhaps via the iPhone being jailbroken.

Plus it's an awesome game.
posted by supercres at 2:10 PM on April 19, 2012 [2 favorites]

Here's an old roundup of BlueTooth-enabled multiplayer games that might be helpful.
posted by bcwinters at 2:11 PM on April 19, 2012 [1 favorite]

Turn your iPhone into a WiFi hotspot and then the iPad will have an internet connection.
posted by mazola at 2:15 PM on April 19, 2012 [1 favorite]

Cribbage! And I believe the app finds your other device so I don't think it needs Internet.
posted by katypickle at 2:21 PM on April 19, 2012

Okay, I'll take suggestions for games that work over the Internet, too, not just Bluetooth.
posted by alms at 2:30 PM on April 19, 2012

> Turn your iPhone into a WiFi hotspot and then the iPad will have an internet connection.

Wow, I never knew this. Great info. But, just FYI for anyone else reading, you may have to pay for a more expensive data plan to be able to use this feature. With my 2GB data plan it's not even an option for me. It's not even listed in my "Settings" menu. I'd have to upgrade data plans to use this.
posted by Falwless at 2:40 PM on April 19, 2012

Or Jailbreak and install PDANet to turn your iPhone into a hotspot. PDANet will cost you about $20, and even masks your tethering from your carrier. Works seamlessly with all iOS devices, I used it a lot before I got my iPad 2 WiFi+3G. You even see the little tether chain link in the iPad status bar.

Works with 2gig data plans with no problem, and much cheaper than the tethering option on AT&T.
posted by Master Gunner at 2:59 PM on April 19, 2012

I think the monopoly and risk apps support this. Though I'm not sure how much a six year old would like them.
posted by kitsully at 3:14 PM on April 19, 2012 [1 favorite]

I know a 6 year old that loves Blokus.
posted by backwards guitar at 3:25 PM on April 19, 2012

Tichu works over Bluetooth and is a great game. It's four-player but you can team up against AIs (or each have an AI partner).
posted by dfan at 3:59 PM on April 19, 2012

I've seen kids rock Drawsomething with just as much fun as the adults.
posted by tatiana131 at 7:23 PM on April 19, 2012

Don't know if it would work in the car but my favorite game to play with small children is the jr. version of mastermind. I'm always amazed at how good they are.
posted by BoscosMom at 9:43 PM on April 19, 2012