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: Fun group games (21–30)
Doburokku
Doburock, who won the 2019 King of Conte.
Speaking of Doburock, they’re a male duo with just one acoustic guitar, ridiculously good vocals, and dirty jokes.
Depending on how risqué the material is, if it’s on the lighter side, won’t it get laughs pretty much anywhere, in front of anyone? Haha.
Go ahead and copy the bit perfectly and perform it proudly and full-on!
Picture shiritori
Literally, you play shiritori with pictures instead of words. To keep the second player from having an advantage, either make it so only the first player knows which letter it starts with, or have the second player wear earplugs so they can’t hear at the start. It’s a game you can enjoy right up to the final answer reveal.
How to Play
- The first person draws a picture.
- The next person looks at the picture and draws something that starts with the final letter.
Repeat this in order.
End of the game
Pattern 1: Just like regular shiritori, if you draw a picture of a word that ends with “n,” the game ends. The person who drew that picture loses. Pattern 2: If the next person misinterprets the drawing and draws something that starts with a different initial letter, they also lose and the game ends. It’s nice that you can enjoy it regardless of the quality of the drawings.
Bubble Dance
In 2017, the dance club of Osaka Prefectural Tsubomioka High School performed the “Bubble Dance” to Yoko Oginome’s ‘Dancing Hero.’ It sparked a huge movement through video sites and social media.
If you have a large number of participants for your entertainment segment, definitely give it a try! The song has a great groove, so it’s sure to excite the crowd regardless of how skilled the dancers are.
Rather than obsessing over details, it’s best to dance boldly and energetically without feeling shy—turn up the energy and go for it.
Hey hey, doctor
Let’s try “Hey Hey Doctor,” the bit by Shunshun Clinic P, who’s both a physician and a comedian! Even non-doctors can get it—it’s a collection of “doctor-life clichés” that will make you chuckle, all performed to a snappy melody with dance moves.
You could perfectly copy his doctor jokes, but how about giving it a twist with some in-house humor—do a “company-life clichés” version instead?
Impressions that are too subtle for anyone to get
A variety-show-style act that imitates things that are barely known or borderline obscure—like tiny everyday happenings, someone’s quirky habits, or minor sound effects.
For example, an impression of Hiromitsu Ochiai in his playing days hitting a perfect timely shot to left-center on a 2-strike, 1-ball count, or the launch sound of the only operating roller coaster at a nearly defunct rural amusement park.
In short, it’s a full-throttle, dead-serious, faithful recreation of things so minute that you might not even recognize the original.
Because the subjects are so hyper-specific, whether it resembles the original isn’t the point—the earnestness is what gets appreciated.
And even if the audience doesn’t react, you can always claim they just don’t know the original, which is easier on the psyche.
Recommended for those with a craftsman’s mindset.
Flip joke
In a flip-board routine, comedians perform using boards (flips) with drawings or words on them.
Because the flips provide visual information in addition to words, the jokes are easier to convey and can be performed solo.
The content can be anything.
You can write part of the routine in words, or get laughs from the drawings on the flips.
Popular comedians like Bakarhythm and Sosina from Shimofuri Myojo also perform flip-board comedy, so use them as references and try creating your own original material.
Russian roulette
Is the dud a super-spicy chili pepper? Let’s bond over Russian roulette! Here’s a simple idea using the chocolate eggs you can find in the snack aisles of supermarkets and convenience stores.
Split the chocolate eggs in half, place marshmallows or gummies inside, and stick them back together.
Using the bottom of a warmed pot makes it easy to seal them.
Peanut butter or prunes can be fun fillings, too.
For the “losers,” add pickled plum—and for the ultimate dud, a fiery hot chili pepper! Finally, place the chocolate eggs into an empty egg carton and you’re done.
No matter what you get, it’s sure to liven things up—perfect as a welcome-party activity.
