Most free emoji games are word puzzles in disguise: you look at a row of emojis and guess the film, phrase or word they stand for. Others merge emojis into new ones, match them in pairs or use them as characters in a story puzzle. Several listings here say they work without Wi-Fi.
Emojis are a language most of us use every day without thinking, which is exactly why they make such good puzzles. A pizza, a clock and a ghost might be a film title, and your brain enjoys the click when you get it.
For this list I read the Google Play listing of each game and noted the developer, installs, the Contains ads and In-app purchases labels, the content rating and any offline wording. Eight are rated Everyone, Emoji Quest [RPG] is Everyone 10+ and Emoji Quiz - Guess the Emojis is Teen. No ranking is implied.
One game stands apart from the rest. Emoji Quest [RPG] is a small role-playing game set in a world made of emoji art, and its listing shows neither ads nor in-app purchases labels, which is rare on this page.
Emoji apps and their store labels
| Game | Developer | Google Play installs | Ads / in-app purchases | Offline wording on the listing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disney Emoji Blitz Game | Jam City, Inc. | 10M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| Emoji Merge: Fun Moji | HIGAME GLOBAL | 10M+ | Contains ads, no in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| Emoji Story: Tricky Puzzles | Teos Oyun | 10M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| Emoji Makeup Game | Promedia Studio | 10M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | Mentions playing 'offline honing your skills' |
| Guess The Emoji | Random Logic Games, LLC | 5M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | 'No Wi-Fi needed' |
| Emoji Guess Puzzle | SayGames Ltd | 5M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| Match The Emoji: Combine All | Tapps Games | 1M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| Emoji Quest [RPG] | Cappy1 Games | 100K+ | No ads label, no in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| Emoji Quiz - Guess the Emojis | PrizePool Studios | 100K+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | 'This game can be played offline' |
| Emoji Puzzle: Guess The Emoji | TadkaGames | 50K+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | 'Offline Mode Allow' |
The ten emoji games explained
Disney Emoji Blitz Game
A match-three puzzle from Jam City using Disney, Pixar and Star Wars emojis. You collect new emojis as you go and complete missions between fast rounds.
Emoji Merge: Fun Moji
An alchemy-style game where you combine emojis to create new ones. HIGAME's listing shows ads but no in-app purchases label.
Emoji Story: Tricky Puzzles
You drag and drop emojis and characters into a scene to craft a surprising ending. Each level plays like a tiny story with a twist.
Emoji Makeup Game
A makeover game where you give an emoji-style character a new look and compete in beauty battles. Its listing mentions practising offline as well as battling online.
Guess The Emoji
Random Logic Games calls this the original emoji trivia game: you read a set of emojis and work out the word or phrase they stand for.
Emoji Guess Puzzle
SayGames flips the usual quiz around. You're shown a phrase, saying or film title, and you pick the emojis that express it.
Match The Emoji: Combine All
A pairing game from Tapps Games where you combine emojis, discover new ones and build up your collection.
Emoji Quest [RPG]
An open world built entirely from emoji art, with quests, battles and a level system. It's rated Everyone 10+ and shows no ads or in-app purchases labels.
Emoji Quiz - Guess the Emojis
A guessing quiz from PrizePool Studios with plenty of levels. It's rated Teen, so look at it yourself before handing it to a younger child.
Emoji Puzzle: Guess The Emoji
A matching and guessing game from TadkaGames with a big bank of levels. Its listing mentions an offline mode.
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Four kinds of emoji game
- Guess the meaning: Guess The Emoji, Emoji Quiz and Emoji Puzzle show emojis and you name the phrase.
- Reverse guessing: Emoji Guess Puzzle shows the phrase and you choose the emojis.
- Merge and match: Emoji Merge, Match The Emoji and Disney Emoji Blitz Game are about combining.
- Story and play: Emoji Story, Emoji Makeup Game and Emoji Quest use emojis as characters.
Guessing games are the most social of the lot. Read a puzzle out loud at the dinner table and everyone joins in, including people who'd never open a game on their own phone.
Why grown-ups get hooked on emoji puzzles
Emoji quizzes are really lateral thinking puzzles. You're decoding pictures into words, and that mix of language and pattern spotting is the same itch that keeps adults playing crosswords. There's more on that in why puzzle games are so popular with adults.
If you're curious how a level like this is designed, with hints and a gentle difficulty curve, this explainer on how video puzzle games work breaks it down.
Make your own emoji quiz on paper
You don't need an app for this one. Write five film titles in emojis on a sheet, hand it round and see who decodes the most. It's a lovely rainy-day game, and you'll find more pen-and-paper ideas in my guide to free printable puzzles.
Quick checks before you download
Nine of the ten show a Contains ads label, so expect breaks between levels. Most also have in-app purchases, often hints or extra levels, and Emoji Quiz is rated Teen. If a child's playing, switch on approval for in-app purchases in Google Play first.
Frequently asked questions
Are emoji games free to play?
All ten here are free to install from Google Play. Most list in-app purchases, though Emoji Merge: Fun Moji and Emoji Quest [RPG] show no in-app purchases label.
Which emoji games work offline?
Guess The Emoji says no Wi-Fi is needed, Emoji Quiz says it can be played offline and Emoji Puzzle mentions an offline mode.
Is there an emoji game with no ads?
Emoji Quest [RPG] shows no Contains ads label on its Google Play listing.
Are emoji games suitable for kids?
Eight of the ten are rated Everyone. Emoji Quest [RPG] is Everyone 10+, and Emoji Quiz - Guess the Emojis is rated Teen.
Is there a Disney emoji game?
Yes. Disney Emoji Blitz Game from Jam City is a match-three puzzle with Disney, Pixar and Star Wars emojis.
Can emoji games be played as a group?
Guessing games work well out loud. One person reads the emojis and everyone else shouts out answers.
