TikTok Adds Secret Emoji Game to DMs for a Playful Twist

TikTok has quietly rolled out a secret emoji game in DMs, allowing users to bounce a character across alligators while avoiding skeleton ones.

The game is accessible in both one-on-one DMs and group chats, and users can enter it by sending an emoji and clicking on it to start playing. The goal is to bounce higher than the opponent, with the score and high score displayed in the top-right corner. Users can access the game by sending a single emoji at a time, and the game is available globally.

How to Play the Emoji Game in DMs

To access the game, users need to send an emoji in any chat and click on it to enter. The emoji that is clicked on will float across the screen, giving the user a speed boost when landed on. There are also alligators with propellers that provide the same boost. However, users need to be careful as broken alligators disappear after one landing, requiring a quick bounce to the next one above.

Inspiration from Instagram and Meta

TikTok's move is inspired by Instagram's own hidden emoji DM game, which was introduced two years ago. In that game, players use their finger to move a paddle and keep an emoji bouncing. Meta is also experimenting with games in chats, with an internal prototype of a basketball game that lets users virtually shoot hoops by swiping their finger.

Competitive Element and Easter Egg

TikTok says it launched the game to make messaging more fun and add a playful element of competition to DMs. The game is an Easter egg, and users can access it by sending a single emoji at a time. With this launch, TikTok is taking a page out of Instagram's book and adding a new layer of fun to its messaging platform.

Key Takeaways

• The game is available globally and can be accessed in both one-on-one DMs and group chats.
• Users can enter the game by sending an emoji and clicking on it.
• The goal is to bounce higher than the opponent, with the score and high score displayed in the top-right corner.
• Users can access the game by sending a single emoji at a time.
• The game is an Easter egg, and users need to find it by sending an emoji in any chat and clicking on it.