Facebook Messenger games are a fun way to connect and play with friends right within your Messenger app. With a wide variety of games to choose from, Messenger games offer something for everyone. But you may be wondering, how exactly do you access and play Messenger games? Here’s a quick guide on how to find and start playing FB Messenger games.
Open Your Facebook Messenger App
The first step is simply to open up the Facebook Messenger app on your mobile device or desktop computer. If you don’t already have Messenger installed, you can download it for free from the App Store or Google Play Store on mobile, or access it directly in your browser on desktop at www.messenger.com.
Once you have the app open, you’ll see your recent conversations and contacts. Now it’s time to discover the game options!
Look for the Games Tab
On mobile devices, you should see a set of icons along the bottom toolbar of the Messenger app. One of these options is a game controller icon labeled “Games.” Tap this to open the games interface.
On desktop, you’ll find the game controller icon in the left sidebar menu. Click this to open the games.
Browse the Game Options
Once in the games interface, you’ll see a carousel of games available to play. Swipe left and right on mobile or use the arrows on desktop to browse the options. The games include classics like Solitaire, Sudoku, Blackjack, and instant games you can play with friends like Pool, Battleship and more.
When you find a game you like, tap on it to open the game page. This will give you a game description, show you which friends have it so you can play together, and let you select “Play Game.”
Start Playing!
Once you tap “Play Game,” the game will open directly in your Messenger window. Depending on the game, you may be able to invite friends to play a multiplayer game together or challenge them directly from the game interface.
Others like Solitaire allow you to play solo games right within Messenger. Play around and get familiar with the game controls within the app!
Play Instant Games with Friends
One of the most fun parts of Messenger games is playing live head-to-head games with your friends and family. To invite someone to an instant multiplayer game:
- Open any instant game, like Pool or Battleship
- Tap the Invite Friends button inside the game
- Choose which friend or friends from your Messenger contacts you want to play with
- They’ll get an invitation notification to join the game!
Once they accept, you can start playing together in real time and chat within the game interface. Have fun competing and collaborating on games!
Create Your Gaming Profile
To build up your reputation as a top Messenger gamer, make sure to create a gaming profile others can see.
- Go to the Games tab
- Tap on your profile icon in the top left corner
- Add your name, profile pic, and other info
This profile will be visible to friends when you play games, so they can see your scores, stats and other gaming achievements.
Discover New Games
The Messenger games catalog is always expanding with new instant games and solo play options. Here are some ways to find fresh game choices:
- Tap “More Games” at the bottom of the games interface
- Check the recently added games section
- See recommendations based on your profile and friends
- Search for a specific game genre or title
Save new games to your favorites or select “Get Notifications” on a game to stay updated on new levels and features.
Play Games on Desktop
While the Messenger mobile app has the biggest collection of games, you can play a number of games on the desktop messaging site as well. Simply head to messenger.com in your browser and look for the game controller icon in the left sidebar.
This will show you available games you can play solo or invite friends to play multiplayer titles as well. Desktop play works best for classic games like Chess, Sudoku and card games.
Log Back in Anytime
One of the best things about Messenger games is that they save all your progress in the cloud. You can close out of a game and when you return later, whether on mobile or desktop, you can pick up where you left off.
This works great for longer games like Solitaire or puzzles. You also maintain progression in multiplayer games so you can keep playing with the same friends over multiple sessions.
Play Games with Bots
In addition to playing with your friends, some Messenger games let you play against game bot opponents. These are AI opponents that provide fun, configurable challenges.
To find bot games, search for keywords like “bot” or “AI” in the Messenger games interface. Select a bot difficulty level that matches your skills and compete to improve your high scores.
Discover Mini Games
Mini games are fast, hyper-casual games that you can play directly in chat windows. To try these out:
- Open a Messenger conversation with a friend or group
- Tap the smiley face icon to open the stickers interface
- Scroll down until you see the mini games section
- Choose a mini game icon to send as a sticker and instantly play
Mini games work great as quick icebreakers or time-fillers during chats. There are arcade style games, puzzles, sports games and more to choose from.
Compete on Leaderboards
Many Messenger games include global leaderboards so you can see how your high scores rank against the world. Tap into your competitive spirit by climbing up the leaderboards.
You can also compare leaderboard ranks with your friends. Some games will explicitly show you where your Facebook friends sit on the leaderboard ladder, so you know exactly who you need to beat.
Link Your Facebook Account
To unlock certain features in Messenger games, you’ll need to connect your Facebook account. Linking your account happens automatically in many cases, but if prompted inside a game, simply follow the instructions to link your account.
Linking allows you to compete against friends, track achievements and leaderboard ranks. It also pulls your profile info to personalize the gaming experience.
Set Up Facebook Gameplay
For a seamless gaming experience across Facebook’s apps, be sure your Facebook app game settings are configured:
- Open the Facebook app and tap the hamburger menu
- Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Gameplay
- Toggle “Facebook can use my gameplay activity” ON
This will let your Messenger games connect properly with your overall Facebook gaming presence and info.
Play on Multiple Devices
Thanks to cloud saving, you can start playing a game on your phone and then pick up right where you left off on desktop, or vice versa. All your game progress syncs across mobile and desktop.
To switch devices, simply open the Messenger app on the new device and navigate back to the game. Tap to open it and your game status should load.
Send Game Requests & Invites
Challenge your friends to play games together by sending them game requests and invites directly in Messenger:
- Open a conversation with a friend
- Tap the “+” icon and select “Request Game”
- Pick a game and they’ll get a notification
You can also invite friends who are already playing a game by tapping the Invite Friends button from within a game.
Customize Your Gaming Experience
For certain games like Solitaire and Blackjack, you can customize settings and preferences to match your gaming style:
- Toggle sound and music on/off
- Adjust difficulty levels
- Set hints and card draw options
- Review game rules and controls
Look for the settings cog icon within individual games to tweak things to your liking.
Join Multiplayer Tournaments
Some games in Messenger feature competitive tournaments you can join to test your skills against groups of players.
When a tournament event is running, you’ll see it highlighted on the games interface. Tap to join and you’ll be matched up against other players in a bracket-style tournament.
Win matches to advance and compete for first place on the podium! Tournaments are a fun and social way to engage with competitive games.
Form Gaming Groups
If you have a squad of friends you like gaming with, bring them together into a Messenger gaming group for easy coordination:
- Create a Messenger group or use an existing thread
- Give it a fun name like “Game Squad”
- Chat about games, share invitations, set up voice calls
A dedicated gaming group makes it simple to game together and motivate each other to climb the leaderboards.
Connect with Facebook Gaming
To expand your gaming sphere even wider, check out Facebook Gaming. You can live stream your play, watch top streamers, and join gaming Groups.
Many popular Messenger games are also available in full versions on Facebook Gaming. Try tapping “Play on Facebook” on certain games to open the full experience.
Invite Friends Who Don’t Have Messenger
Want to play games with friends who aren’t on Messenger? You can still invite them from directly within games:
- Inside a game, tap the Invite Friends button
- Select Invite via FB
- Choose friends from your Facebook friends list
They’ll get an invite on Facebook to install Messenger and join your game! This helps expand your gaming network.
Report Bugs or Issues
If you run into any trouble while playing Messenger games, use the in-game reporting features:
- Open the Help menu inside a game
- Select Report a Problem/Leave Feedback
- Describe the issue so it can be fixed
You can also provide suggestions for new games or features you’d love to see added in future updates.
Add Games to Favorites
To make it easier to access your most-played games, add them to your Favorites:
- Tap into any game
- Select the heart icon to favorite it
- Open Favorites to see your saved games in one place
You’ll be just a tap away from launching your favorites from the main Games interface.
Conclusion
Messenger games provide a fun way to stay connected through play with friends and family. With classic board and card titles, real-time multiplayer instant games, and mini games integrated right into chats, there are tons of options to explore.
Hopefully this guide covered all the key things you need to start enjoying Facebook’s gaming ecosystem. Download Messenger, browse the available games, and get ready for some friendly competition or solo play relaxation. Happy gaming!