Draw & Guess – How to Play

This is a basic guide on how to play Draw & Guess – with some rule suggestions from the developers.

How to Host a Game

When hosting a game, you have two options:

1. Host a game with friends.
2. Host/Join a game with strangers.

For 1., simply start Draw and Guess, select the language you want to play in, and click Play with friends. Make sure to invite at least three friends, otherwise you can’t really start the game.

For 2., simply start Draw and Guess, select the language you want to play in, and click Play with strangers. This will either create a lobby that other random players can join – or you will be teleported to an existing lobby.

If you are the host, select the numbers of rounds you want to play by using – or + next to the rounds display. This option won’t be available to joining players.

As host, you can select a specific set of words (e. g. “animals”) or just use the standard set.

Once you’re ready to play, hit the ready button (green checkmark). The game automatically starts once all players are ready.

How to Join a Game

When joining a game, you have two options:

1. Join a game with friends.
2. Join a game with strangers.

For 1., either accept your friend’s invitation, or right-click on their name in your Steam friends list, and select Join game.

Note: If you select “Play with friends” in D & G, you will create a separate lobby.

Note 2: When playing with friends, you can change the UI language without impacting the language of the game itself. Just start Draw & Guess, select the language you want the UI to be in, then join a game as described above.

For 2., simply start Draw & Guess, select the language you want to play in, and click on Play with strangers. If a relevant lobby has already been created, you will automatically be teleported to it. If no strangers are currently waiting for you to join, you will become host of the lobby. Read “How to host a game” to see what settings you can apply.

Once you’re ready to play, hit the ready button (green checkmark). The game automatically starts once all players are ready.

How to Actually Play a Round of D & G

Once the game starts, you can choose one of three words shown. If you don’t choose, Draw & Guess will choose for you.

In the first round, draw the word you have selected.

In the bottom left you can see the player you are receiving from. In the bottom right you can see the player you are passing on to.

• You can undo the last line by clicking on the back arrow in the top.
• You can delete everything by clicking on the bin icon.
• You can submit your drawing by clicking on the checkmark.
• If you do not submit your drawing when the time is up, it will be submitted automatically.

Hint: Just clicking once in the drawing area will draw a dot.

• In the second round, guess the word that was drawn.
• Enter the word at the bottom and confirm with the checkmark.
• If you haven’t entered a word when the time is up, a random new word will be submitted for you.

Note: Hitting Return/Enter will open the chat.

Repeat until the round is over. You will now see all the great artworks and misconceptions of your fellow players.

Once a word/drawing combination has been fully processed, either confirm the prompt (when final word and initial word match), or vote yes (green checkmark) or no (red x).

If there is a match, the originator will receive a trophy.

When your own word is being presented, choose your favorite drawing to award a special trophy to a fellow player.

Hint: If you need a quick break, this part of the game is a good time for it. But make sure to let fellow players know in the chat, otherwise everyone will be wondering why the game doesn’t advance.

Repeat until the game is over and all scores are shown.

Hint: The score screen won’t close automatically. Leave the game by clicking on the door icon.

Rule Suggestions

The developers have played different versions of this game for many years. In the course of that time, they have agreed on some rules to increase the fun (or really make the game more difficult?!).

Anything is possible in Draw & Guess, and there are no set rules, but if you want to play the game as the developers do, here are the rules they use:

• Do not use letters, words or numbers.
• Special characters such as ?, !, *, and arrows are allowed.
• Currency symbols are allowed.
• If you want to refer to the context of the drawing, draw a square with a circle “[o]” in one corner of the drawing area. For example when you want to draw “wedding”, you might draw a bride and groom and the context symbol.

Most importantly, play the game the way it is most fun for you. ^-^