Top 8 Fun Online Taboo Games to Keep Your Teams Guessing

If you want to kick-off your remote team gathering with a real burst of energy and laughter, skip the usual weather chit-chat and small talk. What you really need is something dynamic—like an exciting game of online Taboo. An oldie but a goodie, Taboo is a classic team building game that offers an enjoyable break from the monotony of regular meetings while helping teams break the ice, bond, and have fun.

In this article, we’ve curated a list of online platforms and bonus tips to explore when playing online Taboo with your team. Let’s get into it.

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What is an Online Taboo Game?

Online Taboo is the digital version of the classic Taboo board game that’s typically played via an online video conferencing platform or game platform. Participants have to guess a specific word without using a list of “taboo” words mentioned on the screen. If the player slips out a taboo word by mistake, the opposing team can end their turn. Think of explaining the word Christmas without using words like ‘Santa’ or ‘Jesus’. The goal of the game is to guess as many words as possible within a set time. This game is perfect for remote teams looking to bond and sharpen their communication and collaboration skills.

What Makes Online Taboo a Fun Team Building Activity?

Taboo is an interactive game that gets teams to collaborate with each other as they try to guess a target word without using a list of related “taboo” words that would make it too easy. Plus, it works as a great icebreaker to get the conversations flowing before a meeting. The game of taboo is easy to play, suits all skill levels, and makes for an inclusive choice for team-building sessions. The fast-paced nature of this game builds excitement and boosts communication skills, all of which carry over into the workplace.

Online Taboo Games for Remote Teams

The virtual taboo game is sure to bring some excitement to your remote workplace, along with stronger team bonding. Here are some of the best platforms to play online Taboo with your team. 

1. Hooray Teams

No. of Participants: 10-1000
Price: From $249 per group
Duration: 60 minutes
Is it hosted? Yes 

Hooray Teams’ Online Taboo Game is a great option to supercharge your team before a meeting or liven up a team-building session. The platform will provide everything needed for the game, including a lively host who keeps the energy high throughout the event. Teams will play in groups, with one person trying to describe a target word without using any related taboo words for the others to guess. Word categories for the game will be chosen at random, but you have the option to tailor them to your liking. 

2. Play Taboo

No. of Participants: Customizable
Price: Free
Duration: Customizable
Is it hosted? No

Teams seeking an easy-to-use platform to bring the excitement of Taboo to their virtual gatherings can explore Play Taboo. You can simply create a new game and send the game code to your teammates to begin. Team members can then select one of two in-game teams to start playing. To make things easier, you can refer to the ‘How to Play’ tab for a detailed instruction sheet. If you have an interesting taboo card idea, you can submit it and see it in future games.

3. Lingo Taboo

No. of Participants: Customizable 
Price: Free
Duration: 60 seconds per round
Is it hosted? No 

For multilingual remote teams who enjoy quick thinking and clever wordplay, Lingo Taboo can be a perfect option. Teams can play the game in the language of their choice, with options including Italian, Spanish, French, German, and Portuguese. Each language pack comes with a set of instructions and 68 unique taboo cards. The cards feature words from diverse categories, perfect to keep the game interesting and improve your vocabulary along the way. Teams also have the option to add a custom timer based on their preferred pace and varying skill levels. 

4. PlayTaboo.Online

No. of Participants: Customizable 
Price: Free
Duration: Customizable
Is it hosted? No

PlayTaboo.Online gives you the chance to sharpen your creativity and vocabulary skills. You can simply create a game room and share the link with others to start playing. Before starting the game, you can choose which in-game team you want to join. You can also select the number of rounds you want and customize the ‘turn time.’ The platform generates a random list of words, which gives players a mixed bag of categories to play. 

5. Wordwall

No. of Participants: Customizable 
Price: Free
Duration: Customizable
Is it hosted? No 

Wordwall is an online Taboo platform that transforms playing Taboo online into an interactive experience. Teams can choose different visual styles to set a wallpaper for the game, such as Autumn, Clouds, Pets, Spooky, Comics, and more. You and your team can also try a variety of fun templates to assign cards, like ‘spin the wheel,’ ‘open the box,’ and ‘flash cards,’ among others. 

6. Play Taboo Game

No. of Participants: Customizable 
Price: Free
Duration: Customizable
Is it hosted? No 

Play Taboo Game is perfect for teams that want to enjoy a few quick rounds of taboo before a team meeting or an icebreaker session. This platform allows teams to create their groups and play the game without navigating the site for different options. In each round, teams get 40 seconds to guess as many words as possible before passing the chance to the next team. 

Teams have three options to share their responses — Correct, Pass, and Taboo! (for the time they share the hint words). Additionally, teams can keep an eye on the leaderboard at the bottom of the screen for a friendly competition. 

7. Quiz Mode On

No. of Participants: Customizable 
Price: Free
Duration: Customizable
Is it hosted? No 

Quiz Mode On offers an engaging experience for remote teams with different game modes and fun features. Teams can easily use the platform’s theme editor to add custom logos, backgrounds, and brand colors for a personalized experience. You also have the option to create your own taboo cards or use any one from the existing templates. The game offers four different user roles: guesser, clue-giver, moderator, and system to ensure seamless gameplay. 

8. Playtaboo.com

No. of Participants: Customizable 
Price: Free
Duration: Customizable
Is it hosted? No 

For teams who like fast-paced challenges, Play Taboo can be an amazing option. With 60 seconds in hand, teams need to guess the correct words shared by their ‘clue-giver.’ The platform offers three in-game teams and an option to maintain a manual score sheet where you can enter the scores after each round. Teams can also connect with the platform to submit their own cards. This site offers completely unique cards to keep things engaging throughout the game. 

The platform offers three in-game teams and an option to maintain a manual score sheet where you can enter the scores after each round. 

Smart Ways to Make Online Taboo a Hit with Your Team

• Assign a lively moderator to time the rounds, track scores, and keep the energy high throughout the event. 
• Use custom taboo game cards or use different themes for each round to enjoy a personalized experience.
• Rotate roles more often so that everybody on the team gets to be a ‘clue-giver.’
• Offer some funny digital certificates or badges to the winners so they can celebrate their bragging rights.
• End with a debrief session to share fun moments or vote on the best or worst rounds. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How to play taboo online?

To play the taboo game online, select a video conferencing platform suitable for your team size. Use an online Taboo platform or Google Slides to share the cards. Assign a moderator to explain the rules, track scores, and lead the game. Send out meeting links with game details so that team members can join the session. Alternatively, opt for remote team building platforms like Hooray Teams to enjoy a fully-hosted experience. 

How many players can play virtual team building taboo? 

Online taboo for teams can be played with a minimum of 2 players in each group. This game is scalable and can accommodate both small and large teams.

Can we play the taboo online game for free?

Yes, there are many free platforms where you can play taboo online multiplayer games for free.

What are taboo game rules?

The rules are simple, the clue giver has to explain a target word without using any of the taboo words mentioned on the list. If they utter any word from the list, their turn will end.