Getting into the same session as someone you know — rather than being dropped in with strangers — is the part of The Past Within that people actually search for. Here is the whole process, start to finish.
Before you start
You each need your own copy on your own phone. The Past Within is on both the App Store and Google Play, so it does not matter which of you is on iPhone and which is on Android.
It is free to download, so there is no reason for one of you to hold off and watch over the other's shoulder.
Step by step
- Install it on both phones. Do this before you sit down to play — first-launch downloads are always bigger than you expect.
- Start a two-player session and connect with your partner. This is the step that connects the two of you rather than putting you in a public lobby.
- Each of you follows your own half of the story on your screen.
- Stay on a call while you set up the first time. Working out one game's friend system together takes five minutes; doing it over text takes half an hour.
When you cannot find each other
- Make sure you are both fully signed in, not playing as a guest — guest accounts are the most common reason a friend request never arrives.
- Check you have both got the app updated. A version gap can hide one of you from the other.
- Have the person creating the session send the invite rather than both of you searching at once.
- Restart the app on both phones before assuming something is broken.
Making The Past Within work as a couple thing
Once the setup is done, the question becomes whether you keep playing. The Past Within is a game where the two of you have to actually talk to each other to get anywhere, and that shapes how to fit it into a week.
- Designed for exactly two players — you truly need each other to finish.
- Splitting the story between two screens sparks constant conversation.
- A brilliant pick for a cozy couple game night in.
Agree on how long a session is before you start. "One more round" is how a ten-minute game eats an evening.
Similar games worth having installed
- Tick Tock: A Tale for Two — Tick Tock: A Tale for Two is a cooperative puzzle game designed for two people — you each see different clues on your own screen and must talk to make progress.
- Sky: Children of the Light — Sky: Children of the Light, from the makers of Journey, is a serene social adventure about flying through beautiful realms and sharing light with others.
- Minecraft — Minecraft is the iconic sandbox where you mine, craft and build almost anything, from a cozy cottage to a sprawling castle.
More of the same kind on our category page.
Where to go next
A tip from running this list: pair a competitive game with a calm one. Our Flower Garden is the calm half of ours — a shared garden that waits for you.
- Can You Play The Past Within on One Phone?
- Games Like The Past Within to Play as a Couple
- Is The Past Within Cross-Platform? iPhone & Android
- Is The Past Within Multiplayer? How to Play It Together
- Our full list of the best mobile couple games
Frequently asked questions
- How do I play The Past Within with my partner?
- Install The Past Within on both phones, start a two-player session and connect with your partner, then start a session together. The friend step is what keeps you out of a public lobby.
- Can you play The Past Within with friends as well as your partner?
- Yes — the same friend system that connects the two of you works for a wider group, so The Past Within scales up on the nights you want company.
- Why can't my partner see me in The Past Within?
- Usually one of you is signed in as a guest, or one copy of the app is out of date. Sign in properly on both phones, update both, then send the invite from one side rather than searching from both.
- Do we need to be in the same room to play The Past Within?
- No. The Past Within plays online, so the two of you can be anywhere as long as you both have a connection.
