Tug

Getting started

1. 1

   Open the TV screen

   One person opens the game on a TV or a computer hooked up to one and presses HOST. The TV shows a 4-letter room code and a QR code. Tap once on the TV to start it.

2. 2

   Join on phones

   Everyone else scans the QR code, or types the code on this site. Each player types a name (up to 12 characters) and picks a color. Names and colors can't be shared.

3. 3

   Teams are made for you

   The TV puts players on Orange or Blue so the teams are as even as possible. Orange is a diamond, Blue is a circle. Press Shuffle to mix them again. The match starts by itself after 30 seconds, or the host can start it.

4. 4

   Players and watchers

   You need at least 2 players, and 12 can play. Phones 13 to 16 join as watchers and can see the match but not play. Nobody can join after the start.

How a round works

1. 1

   A mini-game is picked

   Each round is one of four mini-games. All four come up in a random order before any repeats. The TV and every phone explain it in one line for 4 seconds, then count down 3, 2, 1.

2. 2

   Tug of War

   Mash one big button for 20 seconds. The rope moves by the difference in average taps per player. If one team leads by 40 taps per player, the rope is pulled all the way across and the round ends early. Otherwise the leader at 20 seconds wins.

3. 3

   Quick Draw

   Wait for the screen to flash GO, then tap. There are 5 flashes with a random wait of 1.5 to 4.5 seconds. The fastest tap on each team wins that flash. Tap too early and you are frozen for 1 second. The team that wins the most flashes wins. If it is level, the faster average time wins.

4. 4

   Simon Squad

   The TV shows a short pattern of shapes. Everyone repeats it on a phone with 4 pads. There are 3 levels, with 3, then 4, then 5 shapes. The team with the fewest mistakes per player wins. A wrong press and a missed shape each count as a mistake. A tie goes to the faster team.

5. 5

   Steady Hand

   Hold and slide a slider to keep it inside a moving band for 15 seconds. The TV shows every player as a marker in their own lane. The team with the most time in the band per player wins.

6. 6

   Result

   The TV shows the score and who won the round. After 7 seconds the next round starts, or the host can press Next round. When a team has 2 wins, the match is over. The host can then play again with the same teams, play again with shuffled teams, or go back to the lobby.

Rules

• Team scores are averages per player, so a team of 3 against a team of 2 is fair.
• A drawn round doesn't count. A match is at most 5 rounds, and if it is still level after 5, it is a draw.
• Taps over 14 per second per player are ignored. The phone shows Slow down a little.
• In Quick Draw the server makes up for a slow phone connection by up to 150 milliseconds. Nobody gets credit for a reaction under 100 milliseconds.
• A player who does nothing for 2 rounds in a row stops counting toward their team's average and shows as sitting out. Any input brings them back.
• A player who drops during a round without playing is left out of that average. One who dropped after playing still counts.
• If teams end up 2 or more apart after people leave, the most recent joiner on the bigger team moves over at the next round.
• If a team has nobody left, the match pauses. It carries on when someone comes back.
• A phone that refreshes goes back to its seat and team.

Host settings

Shuffle teams

On the TV team screen, and again after a match.

Start

Starts the match before the 30-second timer runs out.

Next round

Skips the 7-second wait on the result screen.

Play again

After a match: same teams, shuffled teams, or back to the lobby. Watchers move to the front of the line when you shuffle.

Sound

Off by default. Turn it on with the toggle on the TV.