Snappables: How to Play Snapchat Games

You can play games on Snapchat with your friends using a feature called Snappables. Like the Lenses feature, Snappable games come built right into the app and are extremely easy (and, dare we say, addictive) to start playing.

What Are Snappables and How Do They Work?

Snappables are AR (Augmented Reality) video games. You play them by holding your device out in front of you as if you were going to take a selfie with your front-facing camera.

Using face detection technology, Snapchat will identify the features on your face to augment and animate parts of it for the game. Game elements will also be added to parts of your face and other parts of the screen.

How Snappables Are Different from Lenses

Snappables are very similar to Lenses, which also use face detection technology to apply AR filters to your face so you can snap them in a photo or video. The difference between Snappables and Lenses is that Snappables are interactive, while Lenses are not.

Snappables require you take some form of action using touch, motion, or facial expression to gain points or try to perform to the best of your ability. They also encourage you to keep playing by sending Snappables back and forth to your friends until someone wins the game.

Lenses, on the other hand, have no point systems or competitive elements to them. You can send one just once without being encouraged to send many back and forth to a friend.

Where to Find Snappables

Finding Snappables is pretty straightforward and can be easily found in the Snapchat app.

To find Snappables:

1. Open Snapchat, which should automatically bring you to the Camera tab. If you're already in Snapchat, swipe left or right between tabs until you get to the Camera tab.

2. If necessary, tap the camera switch icon in the top right corner to make sure you're using your front-facing camera.

3. Hold your device steadily out in front of you so you can see yourself on the screen.

4. Tap and hold your finger down on your face to activate the app's face detection.

   It might take the app a few seconds to detect your face properly — especially you're very low or high light. You'll know it's complete when the rotating "thinking" animation disappears from the screen and a set of additional buttons appear at the bottom on each side of the big white circular button.

5. Swipe right to browse through and activate the Snappables, located on the left side of the big white circular button.

6. Choose a Snappable and tap the blue Start button that appears over the Snappable button.

How to Start Playing Snappables With Your Friends

Snappables are meant to encourage your friends to join in on the fun. Here's how to get them to play too.

1. Follow the steps above to select a Snappable and start the game.

2. Follow the instructions that appear over the screen to play the game. The Snappable will tell you when to tap the main snap button to take a photo or tap and hold it down to record a short video.

3. Tap the blue arrow button in the lower right corner to send your Snappable to friends or tap the white square with a plus sign icon in the lower left corner to post it as a story.

   Posting your Snappable as a story is a great way to give more friends the option to play the game with you, but without being so direct about it by messaging them with a snap. Friends who view your story can choose to pass or play on their own terms.

Anyone who views your Snappable will be asked if they want to play along. Likewise, if you view a friend's Snappable, you'll be able to tap Play or Skip on the screen that appears when the Snappable is over.

Some Snappables, especially those that rely on earning points, can be set up as challenges. Friends can accept your challenge by trying to beat your point score, then reply or add it as a story.

How Often New Snappables Are Released

New Snappables are released every week, while favorite ones will remain accessible for longer. You'll be able to tell a Snappable is new by looking for the blue dot that appears at the top of the Snappable button.

Look out for these fun Snappables if you're interested in checking out a few good ones:

• Cucumber Biting Snappable: Use your mouth to bite as many cucumbers as possible and challenge your friends to beat your score.
• Truth or Dare Snappable: Choose a truth or dare question and share your answers via video snap.
• Our Baby Snappable: Take a selfie and ask for a selfie from a friend to see what your baby would look like if you had one together.