New Year party games that get everyone excited: a fun collection of ideas from classics to DIY
When it comes to New Year’s, it’s a special time spent with family and relatives.
Osechi dishes and New Year’s money are exciting, but having games everyone can play instantly livens up the gathering.
In this article, we’ll introduce game ideas perfect for the New Year.
From classic New Year’s games and easy DIY activities to popular board games and active play, these are all things people of all ages can enjoy! As the new year begins, why not put down your phones and spend some fun time laughing together?
Exciting New Year’s games: A collection of fun ideas from classics to DIY (1–10)
Dobble
Dobble, which lets you play five different mini-games, is a card game for 2 to 8 players.
There are 55 cards in total, and any pair of cards will always have exactly one symbol in common.
Try games that make use of these differing symbols: modes where you grab as many cards as you can from a central pile, where you win by emptying your own deck, or where the number of cards remaining decides the winner.
It’s a card game that’s perfect for livening up New Year gatherings.
Fukuwarai (a traditional Japanese “lucky laugh” face-making game)
As the proverb says, “Good fortune comes to a laughing gate,” people laugh together at New Year’s to invite good luck for the year, and from this idea the New Year’s game “Fukuwarai” became established.
It’s a simple and fun game: you blindfold yourself and place facial features onto a sheet that only has the outline of a face, then everyone laughs at the funny face that results.
TOSSIT
TOSSIT, pronounced “Toss-it,” is Europe’s first darts game.
Unlike traditional darts, the tips aren’t sharp, so players from children to seniors can join in safely.
There are various ways to play, such as competing to have your thrown dart end up on top, or winning by placing your dart closest to the black dart.
As long as you have enough darts, it’s fun with either small or large groups.
The official TOSSIT website showcases many ways to play, so be sure to check it out for ideas.
Ubongo
This is a game for small groups of 1 to 4 players.
Complete your puzzle before the sand in the hourglass runs out.
Players who finish first choose valuable gems in order.
The game lasts 9 rounds.
The player with the highest total gem score wins.
Each puzzle has a front and back with different difficulty, so you can adjust it per participant.
Roll the die, flip the hourglass, and start! Use the puzzle indicated in the section matching the symbol on the die and complete it.
When you’re done, shout “Ubongo!” and claim gems in the order the word was called.
It’s a game you can’t help getting absorbed in—sure to get everyone excited.
Prey of the Vulture
This is a game where you play numbered cards to compete for vulture cards.
Each player plays one card, and the player with the highest number on their card gets the vulture card.
If the vulture card has a minus sign, the player with the lowest number gets it instead.
If there is a tie for the same number, no one takes the card, and it goes to the next highest number.
The game ends when the vulture card deck runs out, and the player with the highest total from their collected cards wins.
Bozu Mekuri
This is a way to play using only the picture cards from Hyakunin Isshu.
Make one stack of the picture cards and draw one card at a time in turn.
If you draw a male poet, you keep the card; if you draw a female poet, you get to draw one more card.
If you draw a monk, you have to return all the cards you’ve accumulated.
The player who ends up with the most cards wins.
The rules are simple but exciting, and it’s also recommended for playing with young children.
The Game of Life
Have you ever started playing The Game of Life, gotten so absorbed that time flew by in an instant? You can become a millionaire or suddenly lose your entire fortune—the unpredictable twists make it all the more exciting.
The Game of Life was released in the United States in 1960, and since its 1968 release in Japan, it has been a beloved board game among many children.
Its appeal isn’t just in the fun; it offers plenty of learning too—like needing insurance and doing money calculations.
Why not enjoy it as a family while answering your child’s “What does this mean?” questions along the way?
