[Definitive Guide] Guaranteed Crowd-Pleasers! Party Acts and Gags Everyone Will Enjoy
In addition to enjoying food and drinks at New Year’s parties, year-end parties, and farewell parties, it’s also common to set aside time for entertainment.
If you’re asked to come up with the entertainment… it can be a real headache, right?
For those who absolutely want to get laughs and make it a fun time for everyone, I’d like to introduce some can’t-miss entertainment ideas!
Of course, “can’t-miss” doesn’t mean a guaranteed success, but try choosing based on the age range and makeup of the group.
We’ll also introduce classic games that get everyone excited regardless of age or gender.
Here’s hoping your gathering is fun and lively!
- Roundup of easy party tricks. A collection of ideas that require no preparation.
- Simple! Easy one-shot gags. Surefire bits that liven up parties and performances [2026]
- Entertainment ideas for year-end and New Year parties: games everyone can enjoy together
- Conquer “Do something funny!!”: One-hit gags that fire up the office
- [Hilarious] Rhythm Gags That Kill at Parties and Performances
- Party acts that hype up the crowd: Recommended entertainment and performances for banquets and drinking parties [2026]
- [Entertainment/Performance] Impressions that women will nail (crowd-pleasing impersonations)
- [Comedy] Summary of Recently Popular Bits and Gags
- [Hilarious] One-Liner Gags That Kill at Parties and Events
- Party tricks that are sure to liven up a company party
- [Simple Impressions] Fun Classic Bits Even Beginners Can Do [2026]
- [One-Shot Gag] A roundup of sure-fire skits that will definitely get elementary school kids excited!
- No More Worries!! A Catalog of Crowd-Pleasing Party Tricks
Definitive Edition: Guaranteed Crowd-Pleasers! Party Games and Gags Everyone Will Love (1–10)
recorder
The recorder we played in elementary and middle school music class—many people never touch it again after graduation, right? But if you can perform on the recorder with flair, it’s sure to liven up any party! Even if you think, “I could do it as a kid, so I can do it now,” it’s surprisingly hard to produce each note cleanly.
The high and low notes are especially tricky, so it’s better to practice than to rely on a one-shot performance.
If you pick a song that’s currently popular or one that’s a topic of conversation among the group, it’ll be even more of a hit!
Russian roulette
You can’t tell them apart by appearance at all, but one of them is super spicy! It’s a terrifying game of Russian roulette where only one of the prepared foods is secretly filled with wasabi or mustard, and everyone takes turns choosing and eating.
For the unlucky person who gets it, it’s less a party trick and more like a punishment game! Year-end and New Year parties are, after all, events for everyone to enjoy together.
You often see tons of ultra-spicy ingredients used on TV and in videos, but if you incorporate Russian roulette into your party, be very careful about the amount you use and whom you ask to take on the challenge!
100-yen rock-paper-scissors
In a rock-paper-scissors tournament where you aim to keep winning until you’re the last one standing, the promise of prizes at the end really heats things up.
Going straight for a big prize is great, but how about a setup where the prizes step up gradually? Each participant holds a small prize; those who lose place their prize in a prize pool and leave, and the last person standing takes all the prizes.
Recommended variations include: everyone starts with the same item and the quantity grows as the game goes on, or participants freely choose their prizes so the winner can scoop up a variety of different items at once.
Definitive Edition: Guaranteed Crowd-Pleasers! Party Entertainment & Gags That Make Everyone Have Fun (11–20)
Childhood photo guessing quiz
It’s a game where you collect participants’ childhood photos and guess whose photo is whose! Some people look exactly the same as they did when they were little, while others look completely different.
You might even be able to guess the era from the photo quality.
At year-end or New Year parties with coworkers you only know as adults, it’s sure to spark reactions like, “You look totally different!” or “You haven’t changed at all!” It could be a great opportunity to chat about personal stories you usually don’t share and help everyone feel closer.
Magic
If you’re unsure what to do for entertainment, magic is a crowd-pleasing theme in any era.
It’s enjoyable for all ages and genders, and with practice beforehand, your success rate goes up.
For example, tricks like the “vanishing coin” or the “floating bill” are popular table magic you can perform with simple props.
Audience-participation tricks like “pick a card,” and simple yet astonishing effects like “spoon bending,” provide delightful surprises for viewers.
These days, there are plenty of tutorial videos on YouTube, so even beginners can try them with ease.
If you want to liven up a venue with a performance, trying magic is highly recommended.
Stocking Sumo
When it comes to entertainment that always livens up year-end or New Year parties, “stocking sumo” tops the list.
Participants pull a pair of pantyhose over their heads, hook the legs together, and then tug against each other.
It’s not only exciting to compete for victory like a sumo match, but the stocking-covered faces are guaranteed to be funny, so laughter is a sure thing! However, some people may be reluctant to put pantyhose on their heads, so it’s important to be considerate—either select participants in advance or make it voluntary.
parody song
If you like singing or are good at it, why not perform a parody song at the party? Take a popular tune and sing it with original lyrics that incorporate your recent experiences or current events everyone knows.
If you’re short on ideas, check out popular parody videos for inspiration.
Also, instead of relying on just the singing, consider adding costumes or choreography.
Simply singing earnestly in a funny outfit can get laughs and help ease your nerves.
