Show HN: Gametje – A casual online gaming platform
gametje.com
It is a casual gaming platform focused on simple multiplayer games that can be played in person with a central screen (like a TV) or remotely via video chat. You can also play on your smart Android based TVs via the app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gametje (it was just released recently so could be buggy). It is also available directly in Discord: https://discord.com/discovery/applications/12153230008666071... as an embedded activity.
It is playable in 9 languages and doesn’t require any downloads. Most games revolve around creativity in some shape or form. They can be played by just about anyone whether or not you consider yourself a “gamer”. If you can text, you can play these games.
Why did I create it?
Some of you may see the resemblance to Jackbox games. I have been a huge fan of them for 10+ years and enjoyed playing their games a lot. However, I found their support for other languages a bit lacking. While living in the Netherlands, I have encountered quite a few non-native English speakers and wanted to help them have a similar experience. Jackbox also has some fragmentation issues between app stores. I own their games on PC and PS4 but I can’t share a “license” between them. They also come out with a pack every year with 5 games. You never know if the game(s) will be fun, or if you should try to buy a previous pack with the one killer party game in it.
I designed Gametje with these issues in mind. It is playable in multiple languages with more being added regularly (feel free to request one). You can play it from any device with a web browser. There is no need to install it via Steam or a game console. All games are available in one place with no “packs” to buy.
What’s up with the name?
I have been living in the Netherlands for some years and part of my original motivation stems from wanting to give my friends here a game to play in their native language. It's way easier to be witty/funny in your mother tongue after all! Because of that, I wanted to incorporate something Dutch into the site's name. The suffix ‘-tje’ is one of the diminutive endings in Dutch and is meant to soften a word or make it "smaller". Game + tje = Gametje, or a little game. I have been informed by native Dutch speakers that it should have been ‘Gamepje’ to be "correct" but I liked the way Gametje sounded better.
Where can I try it?
Go here: https://gametje.com/
You can test it out as a guest without signing up in order to get a feel for the games. Clicking into each game gives a short explanation and a small example of the gameplay. When creating a game room, you can choose to host via a central screen, host and play from a single device (like a phone) or cast the main screen to a Chromecast. There is also an Android TV app available that was just recently released: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gametje
After creating a game room, you can join from another browser window or device. You can also add AI players if you want to try it out on your own, although it is a lot more fun with real people. I also created a discord channel: https://discord.gg/7jrftHuHp9 where you can find other users to play with. If you sign up for an account, you can opt-in as an alpha tester and see the new games as they are developed. It’ll also keep track of all your previous games and make sure not to duplicate content. You can review previous games as well and relish in your past victories.
What am I looking for?
I am interested in feedback about the whole concept and also the gameplay. Is it fun? What could be improved? Interested in helping out? Let me know!
Happy to share the more technical details as well for those that are interested. You can also read a bit about the platform and games in my blog:
Thanks!