Quick answer
For mixed ages and no phones, Pass the Remote! needs only the Siri Remote. For teens and adults with phones, a Jackbox Party Pack. For drawing, SketchParty TV with an iPhone or iPad. For game controllers, Apple Arcade co-op like Crossy Road Castle.
Apple TV party games compared
| Game | Price | What each player needs | Players | Age rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pass the Remote! | Free; optional $9.99 Unlock Everything | Just the Siri Remote, passed around | Solo, or 2–4 colors; each color can be a whole team | 9+ | Mixed ages, no phones |
| Family Quiz Party | Free; $3.99 full version for multiplayer | The Siri Remote | Solo free; up to 4 with the full version | 4+ | A simple quiz with the remote |
| SketchParty TV | $5.99 | One iPhone or iPad to draw on, passed around | Teams of up to 8 players each | 4+ | Drawing and guessing |
| The Jackbox Party Packs | $19.99–$29.99 per pack | Everyone's own phone, tablet or computer, joined at jackbox.tv | Varies by game; the listings say 1–100 counting an audience | 13+ (Naughty Pack 16+) | Teens and adults who love wordplay |
| Kahoot! | Free, with paid plans | Every player's own device; the host shares their screen to the TV | Large groups | 4+ | Quizzes and classrooms |
| Crossy Road Castle | Apple Arcade | A game controller for each player on the same TV | Up to 4 on one TV with controllers | 4+ | Co-op with controllers |
| PAC-MAN Party Royale | Apple Arcade | A game controller for each local player | Up to 4 on one TV with controllers | 4+ | Fast multiplayer with controllers |
Prices and age ratings from the US App Store, checked October 12, 2026. Prices can change; check the App Store before you buy.
Apple TV party games that need only the Siri Remote
Pass the Remote! is built for one Siri Remote passed around the room: 11 games, no phones, no controllers. Family Quiz Party also plays with the Siri Remote; it's a single quiz game, with up to four players in its paid version.
Pass the Remote!
Pass the Remote! is an 11-game party pack for Apple TV played with a single Siri Remote. There are no phones, controllers or accounts: the remote passes from hand to hand. Play solo, with 2 to 4 players, or split a bigger group into color teams. It's free to play, with one optional $9.99 unlock.
- Nobody needs a phone, an account or a controller: one Siri Remote runs all 11 games
- Mixed ages on color teams, from trivia to charades to quick arcade turns
- No ads, no subscriptions; privacy label Data Not Collected
- Only one person holds the remote at a time, so it's turn-taking, not everyone at once
- Apple TV only, and players have to be in the same room
- No drawing games, and nothing like Jackbox's adult comedy writing
Price: Free; optional $9.99 Unlock Everything. Players: Solo, or 2–4 colors; each color can be a whole team. Age rating: 9+. See all 11 games
Family Quiz Party
A single family quiz game for Apple TV, played with the Siri Remote. The free version is solo; multiplayer for up to four players on the same screen comes with the $3.99 full version.
- Plays with the Siri Remote
- Low one-time price
- One quiz game, not a pack
- Multiplayer needs the $3.99 full version
- Up to four players
Price: Free; $3.99 full version for multiplayer. Players: Solo free; up to 4 with the full version. Age rating: 4+. Family Quiz Party on the App Store
Games where one phone or iPad gets passed around
SketchParty TV
A Pictionary-style drawing game. Teams pass an iPhone or iPad around to draw, the drawing shows up on the TV, and everyone else guesses.
- Drawing on a full iPhone or iPad screen
- Pass-and-play teams of up to eight
- One price, no subscription
- Needs an iPhone or iPad as well as the Apple TV
- One artist at a time, and it's a single drawing game
Price: $5.99. Players: Teams of up to 8 players each. Age rating: 4+. SketchParty TV on the App Store
Games where everyone uses their own phone
The Jackbox Party Packs
Jackbox sells its party games in packs, from the numbered Party Packs 1–11 to spin-offs like the Party Starter and Survey Scramble. The game runs on the Apple TV, and every player answers on their own phone at jackbox.tv.
- Lots of variety across many packs
- Everyone answers at once on their own phone
- Friends elsewhere can join over a video call or stream
- Every player needs a phone, tablet or computer
- Each pack is a separate purchase
- Rated 13+; many games are written for teens and adults
Price: $19.99–$29.99 per pack. Players: Varies by game; the listings say 1–100 counting an audience. Age rating: 13+ (Naughty Pack 16+). The Jackbox Party Packs on the App Store
Kahoot!
A quiz platform rather than a TV game. There's no Apple TV app: the host shares a phone, iPad or Mac screen to the TV, and players answer on their own devices.
- Built for quizzes and classrooms
- Make your own quizzes
- No Apple TV app; you share another screen to the TV
- Every player needs a device
- Quizzes only
Price: Free, with paid plans. Players: Large groups. Age rating: 4+. Kahoot! on the App Store
Games that need game controllers
Crossy Road Castle
A co-op arcade platformer from the makers of Crossy Road, included with Apple Arcade. Up to four players play at once on the same TV, each with a game controller.
- Everyone plays at once, side by side
- Included with Apple Arcade: no ads, no in-app purchases
- Needs a game controller for each player
- Needs an Apple Arcade subscription
Price: Apple Arcade. Players: Up to 4 on one TV with controllers. Age rating: 4+. Crossy Road Castle on the App Store
PAC-MAN Party Royale
A multiplayer Pac-Man battle, included with Apple Arcade. Up to four players can share one screen, each with a game controller, or play online.
- Fast, chaotic four-player rounds
- Included with Apple Arcade: no ads, no in-app purchases
- Needs a game controller for each local player
- Needs an Apple Arcade subscription
Price: Apple Arcade. Players: Up to 4 on one TV with controllers. Age rating: 4+. PAC-MAN Party Royale on the App Store
Which should you pick?
It depends on who's in the room and what they have in their pockets.
- Mixed ages, grandparents, or no phones: Pass the Remote!, with one Siri Remote and color teams of any size.
- Teens and adults who love wordplay, or friends joining from elsewhere: a Jackbox Party Pack.
- Drawing: SketchParty TV, with an iPhone or iPad passed around.
- Very large groups where everyone has a phone: Jackbox or Kahoot!.
- Classrooms: Pass the Remote! when students don't have devices; Kahoot! when every student does.
- Gamers with controllers: Apple Arcade games like Crossy Road Castle or PAC-MAN Party Royale.
Pass the Remote! vs Jackbox · Games for the classroom · Games for seniors and grandparents · All 11 Pass the Remote! games
Apple TV party games: questions
Which Apple TV party games don't need phones?
Pass the Remote! needs only the Siri Remote that came with the Apple TV: players pass it around, with no phones and no controllers.
Can you play multiplayer games on Apple TV without controllers?
Yes. Some games use only the Siri Remote, like Pass the Remote!, where players take turns with one remote. Others use a phone or iPad, either everyone's own or one passed around.
Do Jackbox games work on Apple TV?
Yes. The Jackbox Party Packs run on Apple TV, and every player joins on their own phone or a browser. Pass the Remote! vs Jackbox
What's the best free Apple TV party game?
Pass the Remote! is free to download, and all 11 games are free to play with a starter lineup; one optional $9.99 purchase opens everything else. We make it, so weigh that accordingly.
What are good Apple TV games for families?
Games that mixed ages can play together on the couch: team trivia, charades, memory and quick turn-taking games. Pass the Remote! has all of these, played by passing one Siri Remote. Family game night ideas
