The Gauntlet
A medium-confrontation non-elimination game for 5-8 players on WhatsApp. Inspired by Ultimate Chicken Horse, Mario Maker.
“If I make this too easy, nobody scores. If I make it too hard, I fail my own gauntlet.”
The Concept
Each round, every player builds one obstacle — a challenge the whole group must attempt. Then everyone runs the full gauntlet. Points awarded ONLY when some players clear an obstacle and others don't.
How It Works
Everything happens on WhatsApp — the group chat is your game room, and private DMs with the host are where you make your secret moves. Each step has a multi-hour window so no one needs to be online at the same time.
- 1Each morning, DM the host one obstacle (trivia, puzzle, estimation, etc.)
- 2At noon, all obstacles are posted anonymously
- 3Everyone attempts every obstacle (including their own)
- 4If EVERYONE passes → 0 points (too easy)
- 5If NOBODY passes → 0 points (too hard)
- 6Points awarded only when the group splits: some pass, some fail
Highlights
- ✓The Ultimate Chicken Horse mechanic adapted for WhatsApp
- ✓5 obstacle types: Trivia, Puzzle, Estimation, Multiple Choice, Word Count
- ✓Builder and Runner scores tracked separately
- ✓Hero Run bonus: 3 points for being the only one to pass
At a Glance
- Inspired by
- Ultimate Chicken Horse, Mario Maker
- Best for
- Competitive thinkers, trivia fans, anyone who likes building traps for friends
- Players
- 5-8
- Duration
- 5 days
Who is The Gauntlet for?
The Gauntlet is perfect for competitive thinkers, trivia fans, anyone who likes building traps for friends. If you enjoy ultimate chicken horse, mario makerbut want something you can play asynchronously with friends who aren't always available at the same time, this is your game.
It runs entirely on WhatsApp over 5 days — no app downloads, no video calls, no scheduling. Just message when you can. Works great across time zones and for groups who are busy during the week but still want a shared experience.