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?
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Exciting New Year’s games: A fun collection of ideas from classics to DIY (31–40)
Blox
This is an introduction to Blokus, a strategic board game where you place colorful pieces on a board to expand your territory.
The rules are simple: place pieces of the same color so that they touch at the corners, and expand your area while anticipating other players’ moves.
A single placement can change your entire strategy, so both kids and adults can enjoy using their brains.
By getting creative with the shapes and placements of the pieces, you can secure the spaces you want or block your opponents’ progress, leading to exciting tactical battles.
Because it can be played in a short time, it’s easy to enjoy with family and friends—give it a try!
Milk Carton Stacking Game
The “Tsumitsumi Game,” made by cutting a milk carton into thin strips, is a simple handmade game you can enjoy with everyday materials.
Players take turns stacking the cut pieces and compete to see how high they can build without toppling the stack.
It’s great for young children to develop fine motor skills, and it also challenges adults’ concentration and sense of balance, making it fun across a wide range of ages.
With simple rules, it’s easy to play in a short time and is recommended for family or friends.
The satisfaction of a successful stack and the funny mishaps when it collapses make for lots of laughs.
Its appeal also lies in the convenience of using recyclable materials and the freedom to change how you play with a bit of creativity.
Who am I? game
Liven up your New Year’s with 10 “Who am I?” quiz questions! Each question comes with three hints, and you use the clues to figure out the answer.
For example: “I have a red body and I’m always standing with my mouth open,” “I used to be round, but now my body is more angular,” and “Someone comes at the same time every day to take what’s inside me.” By reading the hints carefully and using your imagination, you’ll enjoy the thrill of arriving at the answer.
It’s great for all ages—from young children to adults—and helps develop thinking and observation skills.
It’s a game where you can feel the excitement of guessing correctly and enjoy discussing the hints with friends.
Trump ‘Ikkyu-san’
A simple and fun card game with a deck of cards: “Ikkyu-san.” Arrange the cards face down in a circle like a donut.
Decide the order, then each player draws one card on their turn, flips it, and places it in the center.
When a card with “1,” “9,” or “3” appears, quickly put your hand on the pile.
The last person to put their hand on it takes all the cards in the center.
Repeat until the circular layout of cards is gone.
The winner is the player with the fewest cards in hand at the end.
The rules are very simple, so anyone who can recognize numbers can enjoy this game!
Donjara
It seems the origin of Donjara does indeed come from mahjong.
When the so-called mahjong boom arrived, Bandai released it in 1980.
Today, various character-themed Donjara sets are sold, and many people have probably played it at least once.
Its appeal lies above all in gathering around the table to play leisurely with a large group.
Even the clattering sound when mixing the tiles is fun, isn’t it?
Blindfolded Challenge! Guess the Tirol Chocolate Flavor Game
Tirol Choco, which you can easily buy at supermarkets and convenience stores and tastes great, comes in many flavors, including limited-time varieties.
This is a game where you guess the flavor of Tirol Choco while blindfolded—like a “tasting,” but for Tirol Choco.
Unlike alcohol, which only adults can enjoy, Tirol Choco is something kids can have fun with too!
mahjong
Mahjong has long had the image of being enjoyed mainly by older people.
However, it’s now gaining attention as a game for children as well, since it’s said to foster concentration and thinking skills! The patience needed to sit around the table for long sessions, and the social skills developed by reading other players’ moves and engaging in conversation, are also considered benefits of mahjong.
New Year’s, when families who usually struggle to find time all come together, is the perfect opportunity to settle in and play mahjong! Why not teach your children or grandchildren the rules and depth of the game so you can enjoy it together as a shared hobby from now on?
The “Haa” game
Do you know the game “Haa” where your acting skills are put to the test? The cards feature an interjection as the prompt along with various situations.
For example, if the prompt is “mou,” the situations might include being teased, running out of time, or feeling irritated.
You have to express those situations using only “mou,” and the person who gets the most correct guesses wins! In everyday life, most people rarely get a chance to act, so let’s gather a crowd and have a blast laughing at each other’s awkward performances!
Tempo Snail
Tempo Snail is a gentle board game that even very young children can enjoy.
You play with six colored snails and two dice that each show colors.
After lining up all the snails at the starting line, roll the two dice and move forward one space any snail whose color matches a color rolled.
If both dice show the same color, move the snail of that color forward two spaces.
No one owns a specific snail; using the colors you roll, you can move any snail you like.
The winner is the person who moves a snail to be the first to reach the cabbage patch finish line.
Alternatively, you can play with a rule where the winner is the person who moves the snail that finishes last.
Since there’s no counting or specific commands required, even small children can happily join in.
Intro Quiz
If you’re looking for a game that’s fun with a large group, it’s a classic, but how about an “intro quiz”? You listen to the intro of a song and guess the title.
There are plenty of videos made for intro quizzes on free video sites, so you can enjoy it easily with just a smartphone.
Try searching for compilation videos that match your group—like “Popular J-Pop” or “Anime Songs”—and give it a go.
If you want to make it harder, add variations like requiring both the song title and the artist’s name!