Road trip games have come a long way over the years.
They’ve gone from the license plate game where all you need is a list of all 50 states to tiny magnetic versions of games to having a million games at your fingertips with your phone.
Your phone app store has a lot of games to choose from for road trip entertainment. So many that it can be overwhelming to know which ones to download before your trip.
Don’t worry, we’ve got you.
This list of road trip game apps has the very best games available in multiple categories, so you’ll be sure to find ones that fit your game style.
Let’s dive in and find some stellar road trip game apps to download before your big trip.
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Trivia Game Apps
Where’s a better place to start our journey through the best road trip game apps than with trivia games?
Trivia games have come a long way from that old paper copy of Trivial Pursuit.
In this list, we’ve got everything from trivia games for music lovers to the greatest game shows of all time. You’ll be sure to find a trivia game app that’s right for you.
Let’s hit the road with our picks.
Jeopardy
Are you ready to play the most iconic trivia game ever created? Now you can take the stage with your road trip partner for a game of Jeopardy.
This app comprises thousands of Jeopardy questions, themed trivia contests, and weekly updates. In addition, in-app purchases expand the types of challenges available.
The core Jeopardy game has been updated to feature power-ups, challenges, and new contests to keep things fresh. We hope there’s room in your road trip for Alex Trebek to come along for the ride!
And remember, don’t forget to phrase your answer in the form of a question!
Trivia Crack 2
How about a trivia game that really embraces what a smartphone can bring to this experience?
Trivia Crack 2 offers a nearly endless array of trivia categories. Are you traveling with an art history buff? What about a math magician? This app has a little something for everybody.
You and your traveling partner can compete together on a team against other real-world players to compete for prizes. Or you can choose non-competitive game modes if you are looking for a way to keep the brain stimulated on your long car ride.
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire has been a fixture in the world of trivia game shows for decades now. This legendary trivia game started in the late 90s, and it’s now been updated to work on mobile devices.
The Who Wants to Be a Millionaire app features the game show’s classic elements like 50/50 and “Phone a Friend.” You can also acquire “Experts” as you can level up to help you answer tough questions. There’s even a leaderboard where you can compete to be the best trivia champion in your region.
A great feature of this app is that it has an off-line mode for when you hit those no-signal zones while traveling.
Popcorn Trivia
This Trivia app is for all of the movie buffs out there.
PopcornTrivia lets you use all your movie-watching hours by answering some challenging questions straight out of Hollywood.
PopcornTrivia adds new movies every week so the content stays fresh. They even boast that some of its questions are written by serious cinephiles.
As you play, you’ll earn points that you can use to help you out during tough questions.
Take some time on your next road trip to play PopcornTrivia and test your movie knowledge!
SongPop 3 — Guess the Song
No list of trivia games would be complete without a game designed for music lovers as singing and enjoying new tunes is one of the best parts of a good road trip.
And SongPop 3 is one of the best game apps for long car rides for music lovers. This app plays a song clip and has you guess what you’re hearing.
These are real clips from actual songs. And you’ll hear everything from Cardi B to Queen. You can even play in dedicated music genres to focus on your favorites.
You can even spice things up a little by trying to sing the next lyrics in the song.
Word Game Apps
Word games have always been a hit on road trips since they are minimalist all-stars.
For word games, all you need is a little creativity to live your best life as a wordsmith. These fun apps for long car rides combine classic word games with a few unique options for the digital age.
Wordscapes
Wordscapes is a powerhouse of word game apps. This one has a little bit of everything, including anagrams, crosswords, and word puzzles. You and your traveling partner can build up your vocabulary and keep your brain tested while on the road.
This game regularly updates its challenges, so you can expect fresh content. The makers of this game, People Fun, have also made a few other word game apps. If you like playing Wordscapes, be sure to check out their other games.
Typeshift
Typeshift has everything you look for in the best road trip game apps. It’s fun, unique, and is a great way to have some fun even when the drive gets a little long.
This word game takes an original approach to classic word games. It combines a word search, anagrams, and a crossword puzzle to make for an intriguing and addicting game.
This game has a minimalist style that can be a refreshing alternative to the Candy Crush look.
Blackbar
Blackbar isn’t like the other word games on this list. It’s a story-driven gaming experience that lets you discover the narrative as you solve word-related puzzles.
This word game is set in a sci-fi future. To play, you’ll read letters of correspondence between the game’s characters, but the catch is that certain words are blacked out. To move the game forwarded, you’ll have to do your best to figure out what they are saying.
Words With Friends
You thought we were going to get through a list of word games for road trips without mentioning Words With Friends, didn’t you?
Words With Friends is one of, if not the, most popular word game app. The secret to this app’s success is that it is Scrabble, but for the smartphone age. Being a digital Scrabble allows Words With Friends to give you more options to play while you’re traveling.
You and your traveling partner can play together using your own devices, or you can challenge friends and family back home. Since it’s basically Scrabble, you know what you’re getting into with this app.
Classic Road Trip Game Apps
Some of the best road trip game apps recreate those iconic road trip games we played as kids. These game apps for road trips update classic road trip games for the smartphone era.
Let’s take a look at how modern technology is putting its spin on classic road trip games.
PlateSpot
PlateSpot gives you new options for enjoying one of the most classic road trip games out there, the License Plate Game.
This app is an easy way to keep track of all the license plates you spot on your travels. With a built-in database of license plates for all 50 states, Canadian provinces, and even Mexican states, this app can be used in several travel locations.
The fun part of using PlateSpot for playing the License Plate Game is that you’ll unlock information about the state those plates come from as you enter new license plates. This makes playing this game a little educational as well.
One of the most enjoyable things about PlateSpot is that it gives you a place to store all the license plates you find. Rather than wondering if you’ve seen that plate before, you can check your PlateSpot app to keep an ongoing record.
There’s even an international option if you take your road trip overseas!
RoadTrip — Bingo
RoadTrip Bingo gives you a digital way to keep track of playing bingo on your next road trip.
The app comes with 9 game boards and plenty of options for customizing your bingo game.
You can focus your game on gas station signs, the sights of the road, or even switch over to airplane mode if you have to fly during your trip.
Just like a classic road trip game, there’s not a lot of fussing around with RoadTrip Bingo. You can get straight to having a little bit of relaxing fun rather than clicking through tons of menus on an app-based game.
What If…
What If has been a go-to road trip game for decades. It remains a classic because it’s fun to get to know the person you’re traveling with or just goof around.
The What If app makes playing this game even easier since it generates intriguing questions for you.
To play the game, you’ll ask your traveling partner a question that has a challenging trade-off. For example, a question maybe something like: “What if you had Superman’s powers, but now your Kryptonite was all of your favorite foods?”
The app allows you to tailor these questions to match your style and your experience. And is a silly game that you can have fun with.
Solo Game Apps
We’ve all been there. You’ve been on the road for hours, maybe even days, and you need a little “me time.” These solo games will help you take a little break from socializing while keeping your brain busy.
Don’t Starve: Pocket Edition
The desktop version of Don’t Starve has won international acclaim due to its unique style with a flair for the gothic in the magical.
Don’t Starve: Pocket Edition has you take control of Wilson, a scientist who’s been transported to a magical wilderness. The game challenges you to survive by your wits in this hostile environment.
Even if you’re not that good at staying alive, this game will keep you entertained with its unique, Tim Burton-y style graphics.
What better way to pass the time on your road trip than to test your virtual survival skills?
Florence
Florence is a puzzle game. But it’s not like any other puzzle game we have on this list.
Florence is about love, life, and the occasional heartbreaks we face on the way.
This story-driven game has a unique art style and is widely recognized for its music. You’ll play the character of Florence as this young woman experiences her first real love. This is a slice-of-life game that’s something like a playable graphic novel. You’ll have to solve puzzles on the way as you move the story forward.
While you are busy traveling the winding roads, playing Florence allows you to spend some time exploring a more personal space as well.
Neko Atsume: Kitty Collector
We’re rounding out our list of the best road trip game apps with what is possibly the most “purrfect” game out there.
Neko Atsume is an amazingly relaxing game. There is no stress, just an incredible puzzle game that has you collecting unique and sometimes quirky cats. According to the developers of Neko Atsume, all you do is place playthings and snacks in your yard and wait for cats to show up.
It might sound a little strange, but trust us, Neko Atsume is one of the most relaxing and addicting games out there.
More Road Trip Entertainment Ideas:
Best Boredom-busting Podcasts
Best Audiobooks for a Long Car Ride
Road Trip Questions: 100+ Conversation Starters
Entertaining Road Trip Games
Entertaining Games to Play on a Bus
