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 (31–40)
Quiz: Let’s Aim for the Sweet Spot!
The buzzworthy board game “Good to go! Quiz SHOW!” features quiz questions that are all answered with numbers—and nobody actually knows the correct answers.
The rules are simple: players take turns tackling a question and write down the number they think is correct on a board or card.
The person closest to the correct answer earns points, and after multiple rounds, the total scores determine the winner.
Since all the questions are ones you don’t really know the answers to, the thrill of making a guess and the excitement it creates are the highlights.
Playing with family or friends sparks conversation and laughter, making for a great time.
It’s a quiz game anyone can jump into with ease.
No Katakana Hint Quiz
Figuring out the answer from the hints is the same as in a regular quiz.
However, in this “No Katakana Hint Quiz,” there’s a rule that you must not use katakana in the hints.
For example, if the answer is “supercar,” you might want to say “faster than a sports car” or “has a cool design,” but katakana is not allowed, so you have to rephrase it as “faster than other cars” or “the shape of the car body is cool.” The quiz giver should make full use of their vocabulary and choose words that are easy for the solver to understand!
linked ring traversal
Why not liven up your party with the Linked Ring Pass-Through Game? Divide participants into several teams.
Each team lines up side by side and holds hands.
When the game starts, players pass a ring over their bodies one by one starting from the person at the end.
Since you’re not allowed to let go of hands, twist and crouch as needed to get the ring through smoothly.
The first team to have everyone pass the ring all the way through wins.
The difficulty changes depending on what you use as the ring, so prepare one that suits your participants.
Playing music during the game will make it even more exciting!
Hilarious tablecloth pull
Speaking of tablecloth-pulling, Masahiro Sakai from the New Year’s TV special “Entertainer’s Hidden Talents” used to be famous for it, and more recently, Wes-P has drawn attention.
There’s no way a tablecloth-pulling act won’t get the crowd going.
It does take some practice, but I don’t think it’s impossibly difficult.
If you’re looking to pick up a new trick, definitely give it a try!
Kanji of the Year
Prepare an enormous sheet of paper and an oversized brush, then swing the brush boldly with a spirited shout of “Eiya!” At a year-end party, write a single, definitive character that will get everyone excited—just like the annual “Kanji of the Year.” For a New Year’s gathering, it’s kakizome, the first calligraphy of the year.
It’s best to choose auspicious, uplifting words such as “mubyō sokusai” (good health and safety).
Entertainment ideas for year-end and New Year parties: Group-pleasing game ideas (41–50)
Heart-Pounding New Year’s Gift Exchange
Prepare numbered tickets that correspond to the prizes you can get inside the New Year’s money envelopes, along with a description of the performance participants must do to win that prize.
Then hand out the envelopes to everyone, have them open them in turn, and let them perform! If you’re short on time, prepare plenty of “lucky” envelopes that allow people to receive a prize without performing.
Name Bingo
When it comes to bingo, the standard version uses numbers, but this one is played using participants’ names and headshots.
You’ll need the photos to create the roulette, so be sure to request them in advance.
Prepare bingo cards with names already filled in, or have participants write them on the day.
If there are many participants, some people may not recognize faces and names, so it would be helpful for the host to say, “This is Mr./Ms.
___.” Sharing a small bit of info about the person who appears on the roulette can also make the atmosphere friendlier.