Gartic Phone

Gartic Phone is an online party game where a simple sentence can become something completely different after passing through several players. One person writes a prompt, another tries to draw it, and the next player describes what they think the picture represents. At the end, everyone watches the full chain unfold.

The results are rarely accurate, and that is exactly the point. A sentence about a dog waiting for a bus might end as a drawing of a bear driving a truck. You do not need professional drawing skills or a complicated strategy. All you need is a group of friends, a browser, and a willingness to laugh at unexpected interpretations.

Gartic Phone is based on the familiar Broken Telephone concept, but it adds drawing tools and several creative game modes. The official instructions also recommend inviting everyone to a voice call through a service such as Discord or Zoom so the group can react together during the final reveal.

How to Play Gartic Phone

The standard game alternates between writing and drawing. Each contribution becomes part of an album that moves through the group until the final turn.

1. Open Gartic Phone and choose an avatar and nickname.
2. Create a private room and share its invitation link with your friends.
3. Select a game mode after everyone has entered the lobby.
4. Write a short sentence when the first prompt appears.
5. Draw the sentence you receive from another player.
6. Describe the next drawing without seeing its original prompt.
7. Continue alternating between text and pictures until the albums are complete.
8. Watch the final reveal and compare each result with the original sentence.

In Normal mode, there is no traditional winner. The main attraction is seeing how each prompt changes as it passes from one person to another. Players who prefer a measurable result can choose Score mode, which awards hits when the meaning survives between sentences and drawings.

How to Create or Join a Gartic Phone Room

To host a game, enter a nickname, choose a character, and create a room on the official website. Once the lobby opens, copy the invitation URL and send it directly to the people you want to invite.

Players normally join by opening that shared link. Gartic Phone does not rely on a traditional public matchmaking system, so you will usually need to organize your own group. The official Gartic community on Discord can also help players find others who want to join a session.

Anonymous rooms are available, which means an account is not always required. However, a host can create an authenticated room that asks invited players to sign in through a supported service such as Discord.

Gartic Phone Controls

The browser controls are straightforward and work through the game’s on-screen interface.

• Left mouse button: Select tools, colors, characters, and menu options.
• Click and drag: Draw lines on the canvas.
• Keyboard: Enter a nickname, write prompts, and describe drawings.
• On-screen tools: Change colors, adjust the drawing tool, erase mistakes, or clear parts of the canvas.

A mouse provides the most comfortable drawing experience in the desktop web version. Touch controls may depend on the device, browser, or platform used to launch the game.

Gartic Phone Game Modes

Gartic Phone offers much more than the basic writing-and-drawing format. The available presets change how players contribute to each album and how much information they can see.

Normal

Players alternate between writing and drawing until everyone has contributed to the albums. This is the best mode for learning the basic rules.

Knock-Off

This mode focuses on copying drawings. The available time becomes shorter, making each new version less accurate than the one before it.

Animation

Players create a collaborative animation by drawing consecutive frames. Small changes between pictures can produce a surprisingly lively final sequence.

Icebreaker

Everyone responds to a fixed sentence or question through drawings. It works well for groups whose members are still getting to know one another.

Exquisite Corpse

Each participant contributes part of a surreal character while seeing only the section needed to connect their drawing with the previous one.

Complement

The album begins with a few basic lines. Every player interprets and completes the unfinished sketch in a different way.

Masterpiece

This preset provides one drawing turn without a time limit. It is a better choice for players who want to create a detailed picture without rushing.

Story

Instead of alternating between sentences and pictures, players continue a written narrative while seeing only the previous contribution.

Missing Piece

The game begins with an incomplete drawing. During each turn, one part is added while another part disappears.

Secret

Sentences and drawings remain hidden while players work, making the final album reveal more unpredictable.

Co-op

The group starts from a sentence and works together by adding new elements to the same drawing.

Score

This competitive variation tracks successful transitions when players preserve the intended meaning between a prompt and its drawing.

Sandwich

Players write at the beginning, continue with several drawing turns, and finally describe the last picture in the album.

Background

This animation mode keeps a fixed background while players create the changing action in the foreground.

Solo

Solo mode allows one player to create a short animation across five frames. It can also be used with friends who want to work on separate animations.

Tips for a Better Gartic Phone Session

Write prompts that can be drawn

A good sentence should be specific enough to inspire a picture without becoming impossible to complete. Combining a character, an action, and an unusual setting usually works well.

For example, “a tired astronaut cooking pancakes on the Moon” gives the next player several recognizable elements without requiring a long explanation.

Draw the important elements first

When playing a timed mode, begin with the subject and its main action. Add the background and decorative details only if time remains.

Use simple shapes

Clear outlines are usually easier to understand than heavily detailed illustrations. A few recognizable objects can communicate the idea more effectively than an unfinished masterpiece.

Describe only what you see

During a writing turn, avoid trying to reconstruct the original prompt. Describe the visible drawing as accurately as possible and let the chain develop naturally.

Keep game information out of the voice call

A voice chat makes the reveal more entertaining, but players should avoid reading their secret prompts or explaining their drawings before the album is shown.

Choose a mode that suits the group

Normal mode is a good starting point, while Animation, Exquisite Corpse, Story, and Secret work better once everyone understands the interface.

Gartic Phone Game Information

Gartic Phone was developed by Onrizon, the studio behind several other online drawing and social games. The main edition runs through the official Gartic Phone website, so no standalone desktop installation is required.

Can You Play Gartic Phone on Mobile?

Onrizon officially presents the main version as a desktop web application. Gartic Phone is also available as a Discord Activity, which Discord supports on desktop and compatible smartphones.

Direct mobile-browser performance can vary depending on the device and browser. Drawing with a mouse on a desktop or laptop generally provides more control, especially in modes with strict time limits.

Games Like Gartic Phone

• Skribbl.io
• Gartic.io
• Drawful 2
• Drawize
• Pinturillo 2
• Broken Picture Telephone

Some of these alternatives focus on guessing a word while another player draws. Gartic Phone is different because each sentence and picture moves through a chain before the group sees the complete result.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Gartic Phone free to play?

The official browser version can be played for free through the Gartic Phone website. Availability or additional features on third-party platforms may follow different rules.

Do I need a Gartic Phone account?

No account is required for a standard anonymous room. However, hosts can use authenticated rooms that require players to sign in through a supported service.

Can two people play Gartic Phone?

Some modes can work with a small group, but the Normal telephone chain becomes more entertaining as more people contribute. The Solo preset can be played alone or alongside friends.

How many players can join a room?

The room capacity is displayed in the lobby and can depend on the selected platform or configuration. The current standard browser lobby can display 14 player slots, although this limit may change with future updates.

Can I join a public Gartic Phone lobby?

The main website focuses on rooms shared through private invitation links rather than automatic public matchmaking. Players looking for a group can use the official Gartic Discord community.

Does Gartic Phone include voice chat?

The official instructions recommend using a voice-call service such as Discord or Zoom while playing. Voice communication is useful for reactions, but players should avoid revealing their private prompts.

Is there a Gartic Phone mobile app?

Onrizon does not list a standalone Gartic Phone application for Android or iOS. The game is available as a web application and as an Activity inside Discord.

Is there a winner in Gartic Phone?

Normal mode does not focus on winning or losing. Its purpose is to reveal how the original sentence changed. Players who want scoring can select the dedicated Score mode.

Is Gartic Phone suitable for children?

Prompts and drawings are created by other users and may not always be appropriate. The official Gartic Phone terms state that the service is intended for users over 16, subject to local digital-consent rules and parental permission where required.

Is Gartic Phone Worth Playing?

Gartic Phone is at its best when players stop worrying about artistic skill and allow the misunderstanding to become part of the game. A rough drawing or strangely worded description often creates a more memorable album than a perfect contribution.

The large selection of modes also gives groups several ways to change the experience. You can play a traditional telephone chain, build an animation, continue a story, collaborate on one picture, or compete for points.

Create a room, share the invitation link, and begin with Normal mode if your group is new. By the time the first album is revealed, the original sentence will probably be almost unrecognizable—and that is where Gartic Phone becomes genuinely entertaining.