- Set-up
- About 5 min
- Reading
- Little
The quick verdict
Full verdict ↓Great for Family get-togethers where everyone crowds round a TV: cast the game and the whole room sees each wobbly sketch appear
Think twice if You don't have a smartphone or tablet to hand over to the game: it works only with Mattel's free Pictionary Air app on an iPhone or iPad (iOS 15 or later, Mattel says) or an Android device (Android 8.0 or later), and the clues need a second device
How we rate it
Learning curve. The rules are classic Pictionary: draw, guess, score. The only learning is the app and the knack of drawing in the air, so it sits at 1 on our scale.
Luck & skill. Quick sketching and good guessing matter most, but which clue comes up, and whether the camera catches every line, add luck.
Interaction. Your team shouts guesses at the screen while the Picturist acts and draws, and everyone watches every turn.
Set-up. Download the app on two devices, switch on and pair the pen, scan the QR code on the second device and place the capturing phone in its stand; after the first game it takes a minute or two.
Reading. Only the Picturist reads a short English clue on the second device; guessing needs no reading.
Learning curve: 1 = UNO or Connect 4; 3 = Catan; 5 = a heavy strategy game. These describe the experience, not an overall score.
Is Pictionary Air 2 right for you?
Great if
- Family get-togethers where everyone crowds round a TV: cast the game and the whole room sees each wobbly sketch appear
- Groups who enjoy dumb charades as much as drawing, because you can act with your sketch, such as holding a drawn umbrella over your head
- Homes with two spare phones or tablets and a wish for a no-paper, no-cleanup game night
- Children of 8 and up playing alongside adults, especially in the mode where the person drawing can watch the screen
Skip it if
- You don't have a smartphone or tablet to hand over to the game: it works only with Mattel's free Pictionary Air app on an iPhone or iPad (iOS 15 or later, Mattel says) or an Android device (Android 8.0 or later), and the clues need a second device
- Your phone is one Mattel lists as not working (Google Pixel C and some Huawei, Sony Xperia and Xiaomi models), or you can't dim bright room lights, which can add stray lines
- You want a screen-free evening: Pictionary India Special or Junior Pictionary is played with markers or pencils
How Pictionary Air 2 plays
Before the first game, download Mattel's free Pictionary Air app on a phone or tablet, switch on the light pen and follow the app's pairing steps; the pen tip turns red when it is connected. Open the app on a second device too and scan the QR code it shows, so the person drawing can read the clues privately. Stand the capturing phone in one of the two stands so its front camera faces the drawing area. Split into two teams.
- Time to teach: about 5 minutes, plus 5 minutes to set up the app and pen.
- Reading and language: Clues appear in English in the app, and only the person drawing reads them. Guessers can shout answers in any language the group shares. The app itself offers English and about 30 other languages, but Hindi is not among them.
Pictionary Air 2.0 | Mattel Po Polsku | AD · Mattel Po Polsku · Official
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A turn, step by step
- 1Read
The Picturist reads the clue privately on the second device, then says they're ready while a teammate starts the app's timer.
- 2Draw
Hold the pen's button and draw in the air; the phone's camera turns the light into a sketch on screen. No letters, numbers, sounds or sign language.
- 3Score
When your team guesses, add a point with the pen and the next clue comes up; then the other team plays.
- 4Win
After the final round, the team with the most points wins.
The full explanation: how a game of Pictionary Air 2 goes
On your team's turn, one player becomes the Picturist and reads the clue on the second device. The player running the app starts the timer, and the Picturist holds the pen's button and draws in the air. The phone's camera follows the light and the sketch appears on screen, with the Picturist in the picture. No letters, numbers, sounds or sign language: just drawing, symbols, arrows and breaking a word into syllables.
Teammates guess. When they get it, the Picturist adds a point with the pen and the app moves to the next clue; you can also skip a clue or clear the screen. Teams take turns, and when the last round ends, the team with the most points wins.
You choose how hard it is. In one mode the Picturist faces the camera and can't see the sketch, while teammates watch from the other side; in the other, everyone stands on the same side (or watches a TV) and the Picturist can see what they are drawing, which is easier for beginners and children. Agree before you start how close a guess has to be.
Tip: play in a room with soft, even light, and ask the Picturist not to wear bright red or green; Mattel says strong light and those colours can create unwanted lines. If casting, the Picturist should still face the phone, not the TV.
What's in the box
- 1Light pen
draws in the air; its buttons add points and clear the screen - 2Device stands
hold two phones or small tablets - 3AAA batteries
for the pen; Mattel's rules sheet says they are included - 1Rules sheet
Not in the box: a smartphone or tablet with Mattel's free Pictionary Air app (Mattel asks for iOS 15 or later, or Android 8.0 or later), a second device to read the digital clues, Wi-Fi for downloading clue packs, and a streaming device or HDMI adapter if you want to cast to a TV. There are no printed clue cards: the box's clue pack is digital, and themed packs are extra in-app purchases. Contents are from Mattel's HNT74 rules sheet and match the Amazon.in listing (light pen, 2 device stands, instructions). Mattel's sheet says the pen's 3 AAA batteries are included, but one US review says they are not, so keep spares. Pictionary India Special, on our main Pictionary page, is a different box with a board, erasable boards, markers and 200 cards.
Where to buy
How to make sure you get a genuine copyEditions and the details worth checking.
What reviewers and players say
Reviewers like Pictionary Air 2 as a fresh, active take on Pictionary: TTPM's editors rate it 4.5 out of 5 and call drawing in the air a fun challenge, and they like that the clues now live in the app. The Toy Insider found it easy to learn and says letting the Picturist see the screen makes it much easier for beginners and younger players, while acting with your own sketch adds a fun twist. The catches are practical: you need two phones or tablets for the clues, the pen's erase button wipes the whole drawing rather than one stroke, and extra themed clue packs are paid in-app purchases. Mattel's own support page warns that bright light and red or green clothing can cause stray lines, so the room matters.
What people love
- Drawing in the air, and acting with your own sketch, is a fun new challenge even for people who know Pictionary well
- Clues come in the app, so there's no deck to lose, and themed packs can be added
- The see-the-screen mode makes it easier for beginners and children aged 8 and up
- The pen adds points and clears the screen, so nobody has to keep tapping the phone
Common complaints
- You need two phones or tablets to read the built-in clues
- The erase button clears the whole drawing, not just a mistake
- Extra themed clue packs are paid in-app purchases, and bright lights or red and green clothing can add stray lines
Based on 5 reviews and discussions
- Review Pictionary Air 2 review (TTPM editors, date not shown) · TTPM
- Review Pictionary Air 2 Challenges Young Artists to Draw in the Air (Maggie Dougherty, July 2023) · The Toy Insider
- Reference Pictionary Air FAQs (Mattel Support, undated) · Mattel
- Reference Pictionary Air 2 rules sheet HNT74-2B70 (Mattel, 2022) · Mattel
- Reference Pictionary Air app listing (Apple App Store India, version 6.1.4) · Apple App Store
Summarised in our own words from the sources above. We don't use Amazon reviews or ratings.
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Why consider it | This game Needs a phone or tablet: draw clues in the air | A different fit The 2019 original: same app and air-drawing, with 112 printed clue cards, so one phone is enough | A different fit Mattel's India Special board game: erasable boards and markers, Indian clues and no phone needed | A different fit Another fast team guessing game, with spoken clues and banned words instead of drawing |
| Players | 4–12 | 4–12 | 4–16 | 4–10 |
| Best with | 6-8 | 6-8 | 6-8 | 6-8 |
| Play time | 20–40 min | 20–40 min | 30–60 min | 20–60 min |
| Age | 8+ | 8+ | 8+ | 13+ |
| Rules | Easy | Easy | Easy | Easy |
| Indian edition | Imported | Imported | Available | Available |
| On this page | Explore Pictionary Air | Explore Pictionary | Explore Taboo |
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Questions people ask about Pictionary Air 2
What do I need to play Pictionary Air 2?
Besides the box, you need a smartphone or tablet with Mattel's free Pictionary Air app; Mattel asks for iOS 15 or later on iPhone and iPad, or Android 8.0 or later, with Bluetooth on so the pen can pair. For the built-in digital clues you also need a second device and Wi-Fi, because the box has no clue cards. A TV is optional: cast from an iPhone through an Apple TV, or from Android through a Chromecast or Roku, or use an HDMI adapter.
Can I play Pictionary Air 2 with only one phone?
Not with the built-in clues: Mattel's support page says the digital clues need a second device to read them on. Mattel's support team can send a printable clue sheet instead, and its service site hosts a home-print set of clue cards, so one phone can capture the drawings while the Picturist reads from paper.
Does the Pictionary Air app still work?
Yes. On 19 October 2026 the app was listed on Apple's Indian App Store (version 6.1.4, dated 18 August) and on Google Play in India (updated 18 August 2026), both from Mattel, and both descriptions name Pictionary Air 2; Mattel's support page also covers it. The app is free; extra themed clue packs are in-app purchases.
What is the difference between Pictionary Air and Pictionary Air 2?
Both use the same free app and a light pen that you wave in the air. The original (2019) has 112 printed clue cards, so one phone is enough, and someone scores on the phone. Air 2 (2023) has a pen that adds points and clears the screen, two device stands, and clues only in the app, which means a second device.
How is Pictionary Air 2 different from the Pictionary board game?
Pictionary India Special, on our main Pictionary page, is a board game: two teams draw on erasable boards with markers, race along a board and use 200 printed cards that include Indian clues. Pictionary Air 2 has no board, cards or markers; you draw in the air, the app shows the sketch and keeps time and score, and the team with the most points wins.
Game facts
- Publisher
- Mattel (Mattel Games)
- In India
- Mattel Toys (India) Pvt. Ltd. (named as importer on the Amazon.in listing)
- First published
- 2023
- Players
- 4–12
- Barcode
- 0194735149469
- Language
- Some English – Clues appear in English in the app, and only the person drawing reads them. Guessers can shout answers in any language the group shares. The app itself offers English and about 30 other languages, but Hindi is not among them.
Sources & photo creditsThe references behind this guide.
Facts on this page come from the publisher, the Indian maker or distributor, and the sources below. Photos are credited under each one.
- Mattel Consumer Relations - Pictionary Air 2 (HNT74) product page
- Mattel - Pictionary Air 2 rules sheet, HNT74 (PDF)
- Mattel - Pictionary Air 2 home-print clue cards (PDF)
- Mattel Shop (Canada) - Pictionary Air 2, item HNT74
- Mattel Shop (UK) - Pictionary Air 2, item HNT74
- Mattel Support - Pictionary Air FAQs
- Apple App Store (India) - Pictionary Air app by Mattel, Inc.
- Google Play (India) - Pictionary Air app by Mattel
- TTPM - Pictionary Air 2 review
- The Toy Insider - Pictionary Air 2 Challenges Young Artists to Draw in the Air (July 2023)