Long Distance Card Game

Play Speed with someone in another city

You can play a card game with someone far away without both needing to download anything. On Speedcards, one person creates a private game, copies the link, and sends it over text, DM, or email. The other person taps the link. The game starts in their browser. Both players see the same cards and play in real time on their own screens.

Games take 60 to 90 seconds. You'll finish a round before your FaceTime call buffers.

How to set it up

1. One person goes to speedcards.xyz and taps Private Game.

2. Copy the link and send it to the other person however you normally talk - iMessage, WhatsApp, Discord, email, whatever.

3. They open the link on their phone or computer. The game starts automatically.

You don't need an account or a download. Both players play in the browser. The entire setup takes about 10 seconds.

Playing while on a video call

Speedcards runs in the browser, so it works alongside any video call app. You can FaceTime, Discord call, or Zoom while both playing on your own screens. The game doesn't use your microphone or camera - it's a separate tab.

On an iPhone, FaceTime keeps running in the background while you play in Safari. On a computer, put the video call and the game side by side. Either way, you get the social part of playing together - the reactions, the trash talk - while the game handles the cards.

You don't need to be on a video call to play, though. The game works fine on its own. The private link is all you need.

Why Speed works for long distance

Speed is a 2-player card game with no turns. Both players play at the same time, racing to get rid of their cards by placing them on shared center piles. A card is playable if it's one rank higher or lower than the top card. First to empty their hand and draw pile wins.

The 60-second rounds are short enough that there's no awkward "I'm losing and we still have 30 minutes left" feeling. Lose a round, rematch immediately. Play 5 games in 10 minutes. The real-time racing makes it feel like you're in the same room even when you're not.

If you want to learn the full rules before playing, check the rules page. Or jump into a couples game and figure it out as you go - the rules are simple enough for that.

FAQ

Do we both need to download something?

No. Speedcards runs in the browser on any device. One person creates the game and sends the link. The other person opens it. No app store involved.

Can we play on our phones?

Yes. The game is mobile-friendly and works in any phone browser. You can play and video call at the same time.

Can we voice or video call while playing?

Yes. The game runs in a browser tab and doesn't interfere with FaceTime, Discord, Zoom, or any other call app. On a phone, the call stays active in the background.