Hidden game discovered inside TikTok direct messages

Short-video platform TikTok has quietly introduced a hidden emoji-based game that users can access directly within their direct messages. The feature appears as a built-in mini-game designed to add a playful layer to conversations on the app.

The gameplay is straightforward but fast-paced. Players use their fingers to bounce upward by landing on a series of alligators, aiming to climb as high as possible. Certain obstacles add difficulty — skeleton alligators must be avoided, and broken alligators disappear after just one landing, requiring players to move to the next platform above quickly.

As players progress, they can gain advantages by interacting with special elements. Landing on floating emojis provides a speed boost that helps increase vertical movement. Similarly, touching an alligator equipped with a propeller also accelerates upward momentum. If a player fails to land on a platform or touches a skeleton alligator, the game ends immediately. The objective is to outperform your opponent by reaching a higher score. During gameplay, both the player’s current score and the opponent’s highest score are displayed in the top-right corner of the screen.

According to TikTok, users can access the game by sending a single emoji within any chat and then tapping on that emoji. Once activated, the same emoji chosen in the message will appear within the game as the floating boost element. While users can select any emoji they prefer, the feature only works when a single emoji is sent as a standalone message.

The company said it introduced this hidden feature as an Easter egg to make messaging more engaging and to bring a competitive, game-like experience into direct messaging conversations.

With this addition, TikTok appears to be following a similar approach to Instagram, which introduced its own hidden emoji-based game in direct messages a couple of years ago. In Instagram’s version, users control a paddle to keep an emoji bouncing on the screen, and the game ends when the emoji falls.

TikTok is not alone in exploring gaming features within messaging platforms. Meta confirmed earlier this year that its platform Threads is also experimenting with in-chat games. One of the prototypes being tested internally is a basketball-style game that lets users shoot with swipes.

TikTok confirmed on Tuesday that the emoji game is available globally and can be accessed in both one-on-one conversations and group chats, making it widely accessible to users across different regions.