Simple yet exciting! Recommended games and activities for year-end parties
Many of you probably attend several year-end parties—at work, with friends, and in your neighborhood—every year, right?
Looking back on the past year and chatting with colleagues and friends makes for a great time.
And the entertainment games—like bingo and quizzes—might be part of the fun, too.
But when you’re in charge of the entertainment, it can be hard to decide what games to play.
Ideally, you want something simple that everyone can enjoy and get excited about.
In this article, we’ll introduce classic games that meet those needs!
Once you’ve decided on the games for this year’s year-end party, don’t forget to prepare the prizes!
Simple yet a blast! Recommended games and activities for year-end parties (1–10)
Don’t copy me, okay? / No copying, okay?NEW!
Let’s play a game called “Don’t Overlap!” where players must not give the same answer to a prompt.
Prepare several prompts, and each participant writes down exactly one answer that fits the prompt.
If none of the participants’ answers overlap, the challenge is a success; if even one overlaps, the challenge fails.
Prepare prompts that are easy for anyone to answer, such as “What’s a fruit?” or “What’s a spring flower?” If there are many participants, divide into teams and compete to see how many times each team can succeed.
Number guessing game
For those who want to play in a small space without using any tools, a number-guessing game is also recommended.
There’s just one rule: you win if you guess the number.
First, gather multiple players and form a circle.
Then, each player says one number on their turn.
At the same time, the other players choose whether to stand or sit.
If the stated number matches the number of people who are sitting, you win.
It’s fun as is, but preparing a small penalty for the loser could make it even more exciting.
Umaibō Sommelier
Since its debut in 1979, Umaibo has long been loved for its low price and great taste.
Focusing on one of Umaibo’s key charms—its variety of flavors—this is a game where you guess the flavor relying only on your sense of taste.
The rule is to wear a blindfold and pinch your nose, putting your taste alone to the test.
Because the flavor lineup is so broad, it’s recommended to choose prompts from the classic flavors that most people have tried.
Tissue Catch ChallengeNEW!
In this game played in pairs, one person stands on a platform or the like and drops a tissue, while the other catches it with chopsticks.
Because a tissue is light and falls in an unpredictable path, it’s surprisingly difficult to grab it with chopsticks—even if it wouldn’t be so hard with your hands.
That’s why the dropper needs to say something like “Here it comes!” and make eye contact.
Even people meeting for the first time naturally start talking, and the act of tackling a single task together as a duo fosters a sense of camaraderie.
NanjamonjaNEW!
Let’s play the hugely popular card game “Ninja Monja.” Here’s how to play: Players take turns drawing one card at a time from the deck and give a name to the creature illustrated on the card.
For a newly revealed card, you give it a name; if a card that has already been named appears, you must immediately say the name that was given.
The first person to say the correct name gets that card, and the player with the most cards at the end wins.
You can choose easy-to-remember names, but giving quirky names tends to spark curiosity about the naming reasons, leading to conversation and making the game more exciting.
Kaki no Tane Mountain CollapseNEW!
Arrange some Kaki no Tane (spicy rice crackers) on a plate and stand a single chopstick upright in the center.
When it’s your turn, eat one piece of Kaki no Tane.
Repeat this, and whoever knocks over the chopstick loses.
You can safely eat from the outer edge, or you can raise the tension by eating pieces closer to the center.
If you’re okay with spicy flavors, the rules are simple—just eat! It’s a relaxing game to play while snacking, and it’s likely to spark fun conversation.
First Impressions Game
The First Impressions Game is perfect as a year-end party classic.
It’s easy to prepare and you can start right away—that’s the key.
Just throw out prompts like “Who looks the most athletic?” and you’re good to go.
As participants share their impressions of each other, unexpected sides come to light and laughter flows.
If it’s a gathering of acquaintances, it’ll bring everyone closer in no time.
It’s a great way to share each other’s image in a fun way and deepen connections.
Why not include it in this year’s year-end party?