Five Two-Player HTML5 Games You Can Share on One Screen

Online multiplayer is everywhere, but there is still something special about playing against the person sitting next to you. Every game in our Multiplayer category is built for two players sharing one screen. Here is what to expect from each, and which to pick for the moment you are in.

For a calm, thoughtful match

Four in a Row is the disc-dropping classic: take turns, line up four, and try to build two threats at once so your opponent can only block one. Dots and Boxes is the pencil-and-paper game from the back of a school notebook. Closing a box gives you another turn, so the whole game turns on who is forced to open the first long chain. Both are turn-based, which makes them ideal for passing a phone back and forth.

For thirty seconds of chaos

Tug Tap is a tug of war decided by tapping speed and nothing else. There is no strategy to explain, which is exactly why it works with younger players and at family gatherings. Best of three is over in a minute.

For a proper contest

Rally Duo is a bat-and-ball duel where the ball speeds up with every return and the edge of the paddle sends it off at a sharper angle. Sumo Bump puts two wrestlers in a ring and asks each to shove the other out. Momentum matters: a long run-up hits hard, but a missed charge can carry you over the rope yourself. If you are on your own, the computer steers the red wrestler until a second player joins in.

Tips for sharing a keyboard or a tablet

• On a computer, one player usually takes W A S D and the other the arrow keys. Sit slightly apart so hands do not collide.
• On a tablet, lay it flat between you. Games such as Rally Duo give each player their own half of the screen.
• Agree the format first. First to five, best of three, loser picks the next game — small rules keep it friendly.

Each game page lists the exact controls for both players under How to play, so nobody starts at a disadvantage.