Simple mini-games that liven up a party
Are you looking for mini-games you can enjoy at a party without any special preparation? In this article, we’ll introduce simple mini-games that everyone can enjoy and that are easy to fit into your schedule.
No elaborate setup or complicated explanations needed! We’ll focus on games that both drinkers and non-drinkers can enjoy together.
We’ve gathered a variety of games, including ones that work with both small and large groups, and ones you can play in teams.
Try customizing them to match the number of participants and have fun!
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Simple mini-games that liven up a party (21–30)
Perfect Coke-Only Game
The “Cut the meat to exactly 300g” challenge segment on the midday variety show Pokapoka is so simple, yet it always gets everyone excited.
Maybe that active participation mindset boosts the fun even more.
So how about a game where you drink a beverage to exactly the designated line? Since some people aren’t fond of carbonated drinks, everyone can prepare their favorite juice and give it a try.
If it’s a drink in a clear bottle, you could even draw the line directly on the bottle!
Earphone Loud Telephone Game
You often see this game on variety shows too, right? I think the classic “telephone game” format is fun for all ages.
Preparing the music device is easy nowadays since we have smartphones.
If you don’t have headphones, earphones will do just fine.
For older participants, pick prompts about trends among young people; for younger participants, choose prompts with a Showa-retro vibe—add a little twist in how you select the topics.
The limit might be around 20 characters that people can memorize at once.
Getting some bitter tea ready as a penalty could make it even more exciting!
Tasting Game
Kirin, Asahi, Suntory—just hearing those names is irresistible to beer lovers, right? So instead of a sake tasting, how about a beer tasting or even a juice tasting competition to liven things up? Even the same orange juice can taste subtly different depending on the brand.
And that canned coffee you sip without thinking—if you taste it seriously, you’ll find it’s completely different from others.
At a party with lots of dishes, you could even do blindfolded tastings and try to guess the foods—that’s sure to get everyone excited.
If you usually act like a gourmet, make sure not to show any uncool moments!
No-Katakana Game
Let me introduce a super simple yet exciting game: the “No Katakana Words” game.
The rules are very easy—just like the name says, you’re not allowed to use words written in katakana during the conversation.
In the video, you’ll hear words we often use in daily life, like “pan” (bread), “orenji” (orange), and “geemu” (game), flying around.
But since katakana words are banned, going quiet is not allowed! Like in the video, choose a facilitator to keep things moving—someone who asks guiding questions like “What are you doing now?” or “Which food do you like?” to make it more lively.
Give it a try and use this as a reference!
Majority Game
Here’s an introduction to the “Majority Game.” First, choose a person to present a topic.
The other members close their eyes, raise their hands, and a vote is taken.
The side with the greater number of raised hands—the “majority”—wins.
In the video, the topic is: “When eating ramen, do you start with the soup or the toppings?” In this case, the “toppings” side had the majority, so the toppings side wins.
It could be even more exciting if you start with a large group, eliminate a few people each round, and have the last person remaining be the winner.
Give it a try!
Pedometer rapid-shake game
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Some of you may be using pedometers for your health.
Since many smartphones now come with a built-in pedometer function, there may even be young people who have never seen a standalone pedometer.
This little game using pedometers seems like something people of all ages can get really into.
You might even see your department head or manager going all out, mindlessly shaking a pedometer or their phone! There are lots of variations: time-attack challenges, matching a target count exactly, shaking two at once, and more.
Just be careful not to get too carried away and accidentally throw the pedometer.
playing rock-paper-scissors after seeing the opponent’s move (i.e., acting with hindsight/cheating)
Let me introduce “Reverse Janken,” which is perfect for large-group entertainment.
It also has a brain-training element, so it’s sure to be a hit! The rules are: after the chant “Reverse janken, janken-pon,” the caller gives an instruction—“win,” “lose,” or “tie”—and everyone plays their move after the caller, aiming to achieve that result.
Doing rock-paper-scissors exactly as instructed, instantly, is surprisingly tricky.
For parties or performances, pick one person to do the janken and give the instructions, and have anyone who fails to follow the instruction drop out.
Running it with elimination like this really amps up the excitement!
Aburi Karubi Game
Tongue twisters are the king of wordplay.
There are many classic tongue twisters that have long been loved, like “nama mugi, nama gome, nama tamago” (raw wheat, raw rice, raw egg) and “Tokyo tokkyo kyoka kyoku” (Tokyo Patent Approval Office).
Among them, the one that’s been getting a lot of attention in recent years on social media and in the media is “aburi karubi” (seared short rib)! It’s tough even to say once without tripping up, but you can make it as hard as you like by increasing the number of repetitions or combining it with other tricky phrases.
At parties, when alcohol is involved, your mouth doesn’t move as smoothly as usual, so it feels even harder.
Be sure to try playing with different patterns!
YES/NO Quiz
A key point of “Yes/No Quiz,” where you work toward finding the answer, is that it’s a game enjoyed by splitting into a question master and questioners.
The question master chooses a topic and answers the questioners’ questions with only “Yes” or “No.” The questioners listen to the answers and try to figure out what the topic is.
To narrow down the answer, it’s important for the questioners to think carefully as they ask their questions.
It’s also a great game for team competitions, so let’s all have fun together.
Improv Acting Showdown
Decide on three elements—the setup, the punchline, and the constraint rules—tell the performers, and start the game! Since it’s all improvised, you can’t practice beforehand or agree on the flow with the group.
In other words, it’s a pretty challenging game where you have to reach the punchline while sticking to the setup and constraints, all without knowing how the others will play it.
Even the person who came up with the setup and punchline doesn’t know how things will unfold, so it’s a thrilling, exciting experience! Who knows—an unexpected masterpiece might be born!
