---
key: mechanic/point-and-click--family-39
type: mechanic
id: point-and-click--family-39
lang: en
title: Cooperative play and device capabilities
summary: >-
  A challenge uses coordination between participants or the device's available
  capabilities.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/point-and-click--family-39/'
jsonUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/point-and-click--family-39.json
markdownUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/point-and-click--family-39.md
aliases:
  - Cooperation and device features
tags:
  - Point-and-click adventures
  - Hybrids and uncommon branches
sourceIds:
  - source-909400af9fbfca32
sources:
  - id: source-909400af9fbfca32
    title: Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
    url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/341800/'
    verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
  - catalogId: point-and-click
    id: family-39
    title: Point-and-click adventures
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/point-and-click/#family-39'
    categoryIds:
      - section-5
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  preview:
    updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
    title: Cooperation and device features
    description: >-
      A challenge uses coordination between participants or the device's
      available capabilities.
    image:
      src: images/mechanics/adventure-keep-talking-10.webp
      width: 1440
      height: 810
      game: Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
      sourceUrl: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/341800/'
      originalUrl: >-
        https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/341800/ss_abacdee611c0cabeedc8c445ef52bea600417b07.1920x1080.jpg?t=1699020889
      credit: Steel Crate Games
      rights: >-
        Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Publisher-distributed
        Steam screenshot; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.
      caption: Virtual hands interact with the device’s modules
      alt: Virtual hands interact with the device’s modules
      markers:
        - x: 90
          'y': 48
          label: Hand interactions in the VR version
        - x: 48
          'y': 45
          label: Modules require communication with an expert
    tips:
      - Test information sharing and action accessibility on the target device.
    examples:
      - title: Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
        url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/341800/'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
  Original taxonomy adapted from user-selected design discussions; linked
  sources support specific examples, not the whole classification.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
catalogKey: catalog/point-and-click
---
# Cooperative play and device capabilities

id: point-and-click--family-39
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/point-and-click--family-39
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/point-and-click--family-39/

A challenge uses coordination between participants or the device's available capabilities.

## At a glance

![Virtual hands interact with the device’s modules](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/adventure-keep-talking-10.webp)

[Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes](https://store.steampowered.com/app/341800/) · Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Publisher-distributed Steam screenshot; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.

1. Hand interactions in the VR version
2. Modules require communication with an expert

- Test information sharing and action accessibility on the target device.

- [Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes](https://store.steampowered.com/app/341800/)

## How it works

A challenge uses coordination between participants or the device's available capabilities.

## Variants

### Variants

<a id="family-39-branch-1"></a>

- Divided information: share different images, texts and observations. <a id="family-39-variant-1"></a>
- Roles: one controls while another reads instructions or hidden conditions. <a id="family-39-variant-2"></a>
- Synchronization: coordinate presses, positions, order and timing. <a id="family-39-variant-3"></a>
- Shared plans: explain observations, agree terminology and coordinate distributed tasks. <a id="family-39-variant-4"></a>
- Multiple pointers: hold, move and activate elements simultaneously. <a id="family-39-variant-5"></a>
- Voice: speak words, reproduce sounds or use microphone interaction. <a id="family-39-variant-6"></a>
- Sensors and cameras: use supported tilt, motion, images or position. <a id="family-39-variant-7"></a>
- VR: inspect, take, place and match objects through spatial actions. <a id="family-39-variant-8"></a>

## Context and limits

A working classification with 44 families and 355 variants. Families overlap: one puzzle can combine items, dialogue, deduction and a character schedule. Core actions, progression architecture and assistance are separate layers. Sources identify examples from neighboring adventure genres.

## Connected materials


## Sources and provenance

Original taxonomy adapted from user-selected design discussions; linked sources support specific examples, not the whole classification.

- [Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes](https://store.steampowered.com/app/341800/) (id: source-909400af9fbfca32)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors