Entertainment ideas for year-end and New Year parties: games everyone can enjoy together
Are you struggling to decide on entertainment to liven up your year-end or New Year’s party? Bingo and karaoke are classics, but having games that make everyone smile can really boost the energy of the event.
If the rules are simple, easy to prepare, and anyone can join right away, it keeps things light for everyone.
In this article, we’ve gathered a wealth of ideas—from acts that instantly lift the mood to a wide variety of games that work regardless of group size.
You’ll find everything from show-stopping performances to conversation-sparking mind games and energizing activities that get people moving—plenty of variety to keep everyone engaged!
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Entertainment ideas for year-end and New Year parties: group-pleasing game ideas (1–10)
Stocking Sumo
Prepare two pairs of stockings and put the body (waist) part over your head.
Tie the feet together and pull against each other; whoever doesn’t have their stocking come off wins.
The highlight of this game is the faces people make while tugging on the stockings.
The players themselves are dead serious, but everyone around them will be in stitches for sure!
Fastest Finger Pie Face Battle
Let me introduce a game that uses a product called “Pie Face Cannon.” First, each player sets their face in the frame.
When the game starts, you rapidly press the button in front of you to push the pie-laden hand toward your opponent.
If you stop pressing or lose the button-mashing battle, the pie will hit your face and you lose.
Since your face gets messy when you lose, it’s a pretty tense game—but that’s exactly why it’s perfect for livening up a party.
Try preparing some wet towels to clean up and enjoy it together with everyone.
Who am I? game
A “Who am I?” quiz where players deduce the answer from hints.
For example, if the hints are “Born in Japan,” “Just add hot water to eat,” and “Comes in many flavors,” then the answer is “cup noodles.” The number and difficulty of hints and the question format are easy to adjust, so it can be enjoyed at any kind of party.
Start with easy questions to get everyone used to it, and finish with a super hard one! Offering prizes to the winners will make it even more exciting.
Create your own original quiz and have a great time!
Entertainment ideas for year-end and New Year parties: group-energizing game ideas (11–20)
Rap battle
Thanks to the influence of the TV show “Freestyle Dungeon,” rap battles have exploded in popularity.
This has also shone a spotlight on the hip-hop scene as a whole.
A rap battle is a head-to-head contest where two people freestyle over a beat, competing to see who delivers the better performance.
It tests quick thinking and a sharp sense for word choice.
Jumping in out of the blue might be tough, but trading bars for fun at a party could be a blast!
Hige Dance
A classic party act that everyone from children to adults can enjoy:Hige DanceIt takes practice, but the excitement when you succeed is the best!
Impersonation
When it comes to classic entertainment for parties, impersonations are a must! For year-end or New Year gatherings, doing impressions of the year’s popular actors, comedians, anime characters, or musicians is sure to be a hit.
Choosing well-known and easily recognizable subjects is the key to success.
If you record yourself practicing on your smartphone and watch tutorial videos on YouTube, you’ll likely be able to practice efficiently.
Umaibō Sommelier
Umaibo has many classic flavors that have been loved for years, but there are actually lots of rare flavors you only see once in a while too! And the flavor reproduction on all of them is pretty spot-on! So how about a party game where you put on a blindfold, taste a Umaibo, and guess the flavor? If you mix both the classics and the unusual ones, it’s sure to be a hit! If your local convenience store or supermarket doesn’t carry many varieties, I recommend buying them online!