Apps to enjoy at drinking parties: from games to handy utilities

Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICsasashina
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. During my student years at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, I studied a wide range of fields including sound, lighting, and video technology, building a foundation in comprehensive stage production and creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, consistently building experience in production and engaging in a variety of music-centered tasks. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting and what I feel and discover through daily interactions with my kids. I hope my work can be of help to you, even in a small way!
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I’ve been playing the Electone since I was six, mainly performing Disney music, anime songs, and music from dramas and films. I post performance videos on YouTube and social media, and I also give concerts. Building on my Electone experience, I took up synthesizer and piano during my student years and performed at school-sponsored events. As a writer, I’ve covered not only music-related topics but a wide range of genres, so I hope to draw on my experience to deliver articles that make readers think, “I want to try that!” or “I want to listen to that!”

When you’ve got a little downtime in the middle of a drinking party or want to spark some excitement, smartphone apps are the way to go!

Most apps are free or can be installed for just a few hundred yen, making them easy to enjoy.

In this article, we’ll introduce smartphone apps recommended for drinking parties—from full-fledged party games that get everyone hyped to handy, slightly fun utility apps that are useful to have around.

Many of these apps are available for both iPhone and Android, so if you find one that interests you, be sure to install it and have fun together!

Apps to liven up drinking parties: from games to handy tools (11–20)

Who did what, when, and where game

A smartphone app where multiple people combine words to create unique sentences.

Each member is given a prompt of when, where, who, and what happened, and they come up with their own original words.

Once everyone finishes writing, the completed sentence appears on the screen.

You can gather members online, but for parties we recommend setting a passcode and playing offline.

The rules are simple—everyone just thinks of words—but it’s a fun game that often results in sentences that make you laugh.

You can play in a short amount of time, so give it a try during downtime, like while you’re waiting for something.

When and where online
Category: Games Free iOS Universal Rating: 4.53467
iPhone / iPad Android

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Half Werewolf

If you want to try playing Werewolf but feel like the rules seem difficult, why not start with Half Werewolf? Half Werewolf is basically the same as the regular Werewolf game, but it’s tweaked so you can play with fewer people and in a shorter time.

That makes it easy to play repeatedly and learn the rules.

Another difference from the standard Werewolf game is how roles are assigned.

In the regular game, each player is given one role, right? In Half Werewolf, each player is assigned two roles.

So it’s also recommended for those who’ve grown a bit tired of the standard Werewolf game.

Half-Werewolf: A werewolf game to play with few people in a short time
Category: Games Free iOS Universal Rating: 4.08153
iPhone / iPad Android

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Power Word Werewolf

Werewolf games have spawned all kinds of variations.

One of them, Word Wolf, has been further tweaked into Power-Word Werewolf.

The rules are very simple, so you’ll pick them up quickly.

First, the players just have a normal conversation.

Meanwhile, the werewolf has to somehow work a designated “power word” into the dialogue.

If the players catch on, the werewolf loses.

There’s a wide variety of these power words, and some of them are downright funny.

Power-Word Werewolf [New Word Wolf]
Category: Games Free iOS Universal Rating: 4.27377
iPhone / iPad Android

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Give a witty caption to this photo

I think many people have seen “Photo One-Liner Bokete.” It’s commonly known as bokete.

This app is also perfect for livening up drinking parties.

As the name suggests, bokete is a comedy app where you add a one-liner to a photo, like an improv caption contest.

If participants at the party show off their jokes to each other, it should bring everyone closer.

Even if you’re a bit shy about making jokes yourself, just looking at other people’s captions together will get everyone excited.

Plus, bokete lets you save photos with your own captions in advance and show them off later.

If you want to get some laughs, definitely make use of that feature too.

Caption this photo (Bokete): laugh in 3 seconds! Funny photo comedy battle
Category: Entertainment Free Rating: 4.64065
iPhone / iPad Android

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Lateral Thinking Game

Do you know lateral thinking puzzles? It’s a game where you ask questions that can be answered with yes, no, or “I don’t know” to deduce the truth.

The app New Theory: Turtle Soup lets you enjoy such lateral thinking puzzles easily.

In it, one person becomes the questioner and the other the answerer, and the two of you progress through the game.

You can enjoy some pretty challenging deductions.

If you have a large group at a party, you can increase the number of questioners too.

First, give it a try and experience the depth of this game!

New Theory: Turtle Soup [Lateral Thinking Game]
Category: Games, Free, iOS Universal, Rating: 2.8254
iPhone / iPad Android

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Momotetsu JAPAN+

The Momotaro Dentetsu series lets you travel all around Japan by rail while snapping up properties.

Momotetsu JAPAN+ is released as a mobile app, so you can enjoy the game with just your smartphone.

Its hallmark is the simple controls—you just roll the dice and move along the spaces.

It’s a party game that gets everyone hyped, yet you can still play on a single screen, which is great.

The rules also allow for surprise comebacks, so you never know the outcome until the very end! Liven up your get-together with this simple game where you compete to build assets within a set number of years.