The Chromecast probably isn’t the first device you think of when you want to play on the TV. But for particular kinds of games, it performs admirably. Many good trivia, card, and strategy games lend themselves to this format, as everyone’s phone is their personal controller. And TV is the central hub for the action. Go for the choices that are well-suited to playing on the Chromecast. They’re nearly all family-friendly and designed for playing with a group, making for a fun night of high-tech play. The Chromecast may not meet the expectations of Android TV gaming. It has some good options for livening up a party.

Big Web Quiz

This is the most well-thought-out version of a game built for the Chromecast. It’s designed for a party-to-get-together play, up to five can join in. Each able to represent themselves with a zany avatar. Each player selects their answers on their phone. There’s an app for Android and iOS responding to the questions broadcast on the screen. I found the questions tend to slant pretty heavily toward pop culture entertainment. So if that’s your thing; you’d definitely crush me. The game doesn’t just lock you into picking one of four answers. As you have some questions like the following the order of three Ne-Yo songs in the order of release.

Big Web Quiz (free)

SCRABBLE Blitz 

This is an excellent adaptation of the classic word-making game. Scrabble Blitz is fast-paced; you must form as many words as possible from your block of letters. If you don’t like the hand you were dealt, shake your phone for a new batch. As a play-off of the traditional board game. Some letters will have double letter or word point value if you use them during gameplay.

Scrabble Blitz (Free)

Math Duel

Enough with all the trivia card games; it’s time to battle mathematics. Math Duel is for those who like the challenge of quickly solving problems with mental math. The questions don’t require complex calculations; it’s about how quickly you can answer. Up to four can play, and the first to 10,000 points are declared the winner. Another Kudo for the game is its use of Material Design. It has thin fonts, bright colors sharp colors to feel right at home on a Lollipop device.

Math Duel (free)

Connect 4 Quads

Connect Four is really well configured for play on the Chromecast. Up to four players can use their phones to drop the virtual checker pieces onto the virtual game structure. Use gestures to swipe, rotate, or direct the pieces into specific slots on the gameboard. You can play this solo, trying to outdo yourself each time by coming up with the highest score. It’s smooth and lag-free and one of my favorites from this group of games.

Connect 4 Quads (Free)

Emoji Party

Nothing says a party like Emoji. They can represent just about anything now; they’re perfect for this game. Where you guess movie titles based on the Emoji. A few films like Schindler’s List seemed inappropriate to demonstrate wacky cartoon characters. Emoji Party is a fun choice. It throws in an excellent competitive element by letting you zap other players with cards that slow their progress.

Emoji Party (free)

Just Dance Now

Just Dance Now was a popular choice on the iPhone; it makes a pretty good transition to the Chromecast. When you fire it up for the first time, please grab a cup of coffee, as it takes a while to download the playlist. The game is then what you’d expect: you mimic a translucent dancing figure to rack up points. Your phone’s accelerometer tracks you along the way, rewarding you for getting down. If you enjoy the game, you can skip the commercials. And get the entire song library by buying a VIP pass as an in-app purchase. It’s crazy expensive: $0.99 for an hour, $1.99 for two hours, or $54.99 for a year. Skip the upgrade; just put up with the commercials.

Just Dance Now (free)

Alien Invaders

This is a Space Invaders knockoff has a little more lag than it should. And is fun for a few rounds. You control the spaceship with your phone. Moving it to the left or right using the middle button to blast the aliens. The game is easy in the early rounds. As you approach round 10, there’s an almost indefensible armada of aliens to shoot down. The best odds are if you gather as many players as possible to form a more substantial front line.

Alien Invaders (Free)

Monopoly Dash

Just as it did with Scrabble, Hasbro has scaled down its popular real estate game for the Chromecast. You may actually finish a game this time. IOS and Android gamers can play. Which involves a mixture of Monopoly and a Go Fish-style element of trying to guess other players’ cards. Once you collect a collection of cards from the same real estate group. You can build houses and start collecting rent. If you’re playing against the computer, be extra patient, as sometimes the back-and-forth jockeying can drag on.

Monopoly Dash (free)

Trivia Bash

This is another good trivia game that can make for some time battling wits with friends and family. It has a good mixture of genres, which should help keep one person from dominating the gameplay. Everyone can answer, even if someone corrects it. The faster you are, the more points you earn. You can add in some personality by choosing one of many different avatars.

Trivia Bash (free)

MemoryCast

If you enjoy playing games like Memory, where you must use your recall, you’ll like MemoryCast. You flip the cards using your phone to find the matching pairs. These pop up on the big screen. Your phone is used to select which cards to reveal. You can pick different genres, like animals or space, depending on what you feel like playing with that day. You can play solo to test your Memory or compete against up to six others. One annoyance: you have to watch a TV ad between rounds. The game is free, it’s a $4.99 in-app upgrade. The simple memory game is a good choice for small kids.

MemoryCast (free)