Gaming Couch — a local multiplayer party game platform for 8 players. It was shared on Show HN in 2025 and received 437 upvotes on Hacker News. Play free online party games with friends, 1 to 8 players in the same room, no downloads, phones as controllers. Browser party games for game nights, parties and hangouts. Start in seconds. Your smartphone is your controller - no consoles or downloads required! Whether you're hosting a game night with friends, a family gathering, or a casual hangout, Gaming Couch turns any screen into a party game console. Simply open your browser, use your phone as a controller , and start playing instantly, no downloads, no consoles, no setup hassle. Every game is designed for same-room multiplayer fun and supports remote play via screen sharing on Discord, Zoom, or Google Meet. Gaming Couch works on any device with a web browser. I'm experiencing lag with the phone controls Can I use a console controller instead of a phone? Can I make a game for Gaming Couch? Browse All Party Games → Build a game for Gaming Couch → Looking for a free Jackbox alternative? Introducing it on Hacker News, the author wrote: "Hi HN, I’ve been working on Gaming Couch, a web-based game platform where up to 8 players use their smartphones as controllers to play real-time action mini-games on a central browser screen. Open the link on a computer, host a session, scan the QR code with your phone(s) and play!"