Instagram has quietly added a secret emoji game that you can access in your DMs. The goal of the game is simple. Use your finger to move the paddle at the bottom of the screen to keep the emoji floating and bouncing continuously. If you delete the emoji, the game is over. This game reminds me of classic games like Breakout and Pong that came pre-installed on cell phones back in the day.
To access a hidden game, simply open a DM chat, send an emoji, and click on it. You will then be taken to a yellow screen with your selected paddle and emoji. As the game progresses, the emoji move faster and the background color becomes darker.
Image credit: TechCrunch/Screenshot
After testing, we found that you can use any emoji you like, but you have to send one emoji to access the game. The game saves your high scores, so you can return to the game at any time and update your previous high scores. High scores are saved in your DM, so you don't have to go back to the emoji you originally sent when activating the game. You can also activate the game by clicking on an emoji that someone sends you in a DM.
The person you're chatting with won't know what you're doing, so it's a good idea to let them know why you're sending random emojis.
The game works on both iOS and Android, but unfortunately not everyone has access to it. In testing, some TechCrunch users were able to access the game, while others were not.
An Instagram spokesperson told TechCrunch in an email that the company is always working on new ways to make “Instagram more fun,” which is why it rolled out this game. However, the company did not reveal details about its availability.