Checkers or Letter Hunt?

Both games come with Gather. Here’s how they differ and when each one fits better.

The key differences

From 3 players on, only Letter Hunt works: it goes up to 10 players, Checkers only up to 2.
Letter Hunt needs a TV, or an iPad or Mac as the table; Checkers also runs on phones alone.
Letter Hunt is louder than Checkers (lively vs. silent).
Only Checkers can be played against the computer – Letter Hunt needs real players.
Letter Hunt is quicker to learn than Checkers (explained in a minute vs. clear after one round).
Checkers rewards skill more than Letter Hunt (pure skill vs. mostly skill).
Checkers works from age 6, we recommend Letter Hunt from 9.
Letter Hunt requires reading and writing, Checkers doesn’t – worth knowing with younger kids.

At a glance

At a glance	Checkers	Letter Hunt
Type	Board and dice games	Party games
Players	2 players	2–10 players
Length of a game	10–25 min	10–25 min
Age	ages 6+	ages 9+
Luck or skill	pure skill	mostly skill
Noise level	silent	lively
Learning curve	clear after one round	explained in a minute
Interaction	you react to each other	you react to each other
TV	not needed	needed
Against the computer	yes	no
Teams	no	no
Bluffing	no	no
Reading needed	no	yes

Which one suits you?

Checkers

Pieces move diagonally, captures are made by jumping, and capturing is compulsory. That rule is what makes it sneaky: use it well and you can lure your opponent into traps.

Pick Checkers when two people want a board duel with more traps than Nine Men’s Morris.

Letter Hunt

The classic word game without pen and paper: one letter, several categories, and whoever finishes first calls “Stop!”. You score together – dodgy answers can be challenged and the majority decides.

Pick Letter Hunt when you enjoy playing with words and don’t mind a friendly argument.

What they have in common

Both only work with exactly 2 players.
Both come free with Gather and need no account.