Here are four multiplayer cycling games. Play against friends on real routes, using your live GPS position. No downloads required – everything happens right in your browser.
How to start a game
- Visit the Games page and choose a game type, then tap Create Game. This will make you the game host.
- You’ll get a 6-letter code. Share it with friends however you like: text, WhatsApp, shouting across a car park, or whatever works for you.
- Friends also visit the Games page, enter the code, and join your lobby.
- The host sets any waypoints on the map (where needed), then taps Start Game.
- Ride! Your map updates automatically every few seconds as everyone moves.
🦊 Fox & Hounds
One rider runs. Everyone else hunts.
One player is the Fox. They get a three-minute head start to put distance between themselves and the pack, then the hunt begins. The Hounds can see the Fox’s live position on their map and get turn-by-turn navigation routing toward them, which updates automatically as the Fox moves. The Fox can see how many Hounds are active and a compass bearing to the nearest one, but not their exact locations.
🦊 Playing as the Fox: Use every junction to your advantage. Change direction frequently, use parallel paths, and above all else, keep moving. You score points every few seconds you stay uncaught. The game ends when a Hound gets within 100 metres of you, or when time runs out.
🐕 Playing as a Hound: Your map shows the Fox’s position in real time, with a live cycling route routing you toward them. The route recalculates automatically whenever the Fox moves significantly. Get within 100 metres of the Fox to make the catch. The first Hound to do so wins.
👥 2–8 players⏱ 20–40 mins🏃 Chase
🗺️ Waypoint Race (No Crossing)
Collect all the waypoints, without crossing anyone else’s path.
The host places between 4 to 10 waypoints on the map before the game begins. All players see all the waypoints and must collect as many as possible in any order they choose.
Here’s the catch: your route must never cross another player’s trail!
Cross someone’s path and you receive a time penalty. Every player’s trail is visible on the map in their own colour, so you can see which routes are already taken and plan around them.
The winner is the first player to collect all waypoints, or – if nobody manages that – the player with the most waypoints at the end of the time limit, with the fewest crossing penalties as a tiebreaker. Smart routing is often more valuable than raw speed. Remember, in addition to collecting waypoints, you will want to ensure your route presents as much of an obstacle as possible to other players, so some strategic zig-zagging might be helpful.
👥 2–4 players⏱ 30–60 mins🧠 Strategy
🎯 Territories
Ride to claim the map. Most cells wins.
The map is divided into a grid of hexagonal cells, each about 100 metres across. Riding through a cell claims it for your colour, and you’ll see the hex grid light up as you move. All players can see which cells are claimed and by whom, but not each other’s live positions. To steal another player’s cell, ride through it.
Do note that there’s a 30-second contest window after a cell is first claimed, during which entering it marks it as disputed (grey, owned by nobody) rather than awarding it to you, so sometimes you may have to leave, and re-enter a grey cell again.
The game ends when time runs out. The player with the most coloured cells on the map wins. The key tension: do you spread out to claim new territory, or do you revisit rival cells to contest them?
👥 2–4 players⏱ 30–45 mins🗺️ Territory
🧩 Checkpoint Scramble
Same checkpoints, different order, all with a twist.
The host places between 6 to 10 checkpoints on the map. Every player must visit all of them. The catch is each player receives them in a different random order. Your map shows only your next checkpoint, and you have no idea where anyone else is heading. Because everyone’s sequence is different, paths cross and diverge unpredictably throughout the game.
Each player starts with one Swap Token. Using it lets you see another player’s next checkpoint for 60 seconds. This may (or may not) be useful for working out if a rival is about to take a shortcut past you, or just to understand the shape of the race. The first player to complete their full sequence wins, or (if nobody finishes) the player with the most checkpoints collected when time runs out.
👥 2–6 players⏱ 30–45 mins🎲 Race
💡 Tips for a great game
- All games work best on traffic-free cycling routes with multiple path options – loops, branches, and parallel tracks create much more interesting play than a single out-and-back trail. It is possible to play the games on roads, but obviously you have to be careful. Do NOT let the game distract you from safe cycling.
- For Fox & Hounds and Checkpoint Scramble, a starting area where everyone can gather before the game begins makes it easier to coordinate.
- Keep mobile data on during play. The games need a connection every few seconds to update positions. WiFi calling can sometimes interfere with GPS accuracy, and if your position seems sluggish, check that mode is off. Remember, you alone are responsible for any data charges you may incur.
- Battery usage is higher than normal during play because of your phone screen being on all the time, as well as continuous GPS and data usage. Charge before you ride, and consider using a small power bank for longer games. You will undoubtedly benefit from a bar-mounted phone holder.
- If a player loses signal for a while, their position simply stops updating on others’ maps until they reconnect. That’s not the player’s fault, and they won’t be disqualified for that. However, unsportsmanlike behaviour, such as intentionally turning off data, is grounds for immediate disqualification.
- Remember, you’re playing these games in public space, so show care and consideration to others. Obey all road laws, too, including stopping for red lights. If nothing else, it adds drama to the games.
- Turn the volume up on your phone. Where you get turn-by-turn navigation, you will want to hear it, so you don’t have to stare at the screen the whole time.
⭐ Who can play?
Some or all games may be available to all visitors as a taster, while others are reserved for WillCycle members. This varies from time to time – check the Games page to see what’s currently available. Members always have access to everything.