[For Adults] Fun recreational games. Perfect for short breaks too!
Introducing fun games and recreational activities for adults!
When adults play, games that involve analysis and brainpower, or activities that offer a bit of excitement, really bring up the energy.
So this time, we’ve gathered card games and board games that adults can enjoy, along with no-equipment games and recreational activities.
They’re great for coworkers and friends, and families can enjoy them too—especially if you have middle or high schoolers.
Simple games are perfect for filling small pockets of time, so take this opportunity to give them a try!
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- A collection of simple indoor recreational games
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- Get the Fun Going! Easy Classroom Games You Can Play at School: Recreational Activities for the Whole Class
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[For Adults] Fun Recreation Games. Perfect for spare moments! (1–10)
zip line
Zip lines, which have been increasing in number even in Japan recently, offer such long airtime that you might feel as if you’re taking a stroll through the sky.
The higher the elevation, the greater the exhilaration.
It’s not recommended for those with a fear of heights, but if that’s not you, definitely give it a try.
Vaguely Remembered Drawing Showdown
Are you all good at drawing? How about trying a “drawing showdown” that you can do anywhere as long as you have paper and a pen? And to make it more fun, we’ll use “hazy memory” prompts—things everyone only kind of remembers.
The finished drawings are sure to have everyone in stitches!
Association Cooking Relay Game
You choose ingredients and make a dish, but each person has a five-minute time limit, and you cook in turn without telling anyone what you’re making.
Since you can’t see how the person before you cooks, you have to use your imagination.
The excitement of not knowing how the dish you started will turn out is really great.
For adults: Fun recreation games. Perfect for spare moments too! (11–20)
Compliment-kill rap battle
A “compliment-rap battle” is an absolute blast when you do it with close friends.
In hip-hop battles, trading insults and disses is the norm, but switching to compliments instantly creates a laid-back vibe.
It works with coworkers or club teammates, and the more participants, the more fun it gets.
If someone isn’t comfortable rapping, it’s totally fine to skip the beat and just face each other and trade compliments.
The game where you say “Haa” in a youthful way
It’s a game where you read subtle nuances in words and figure out which situation is being portrayed.
As the title includes “Youth,” the prompts evoke student life and moments of fluttering excitement.
You lay out cards with words and choices on the table; the questioner draws a choice card and performs an act that matches it.
It’s important to glean the performance from voice and facial expressions, but also to consider the person’s everyday character when judging what kind of expression they’re likely to use.
If you aim for performances that could be mistaken for other choices, the game will get even more exciting.
A game to match answers
It’s a game where everyone thinks of an answer that fits a given theme and announces it at the same time, enjoying differences in how people think.
The broader the theme—like “What comes to mind when you think of pets?”—the more individual perspectives you’ll see, which also makes the follow-up conversation livelier.
If you have a large group, split into teams and award points when answers match; this encourages a spirit of compromise and is highly recommended.
It might also be fun to allow some discussion time—while being careful not to end up with overly direct, leading answers.
Otrio
Even if you’re not familiar with the word “Otrio,” many of you probably know tic-tac-toe.
This game is like an evolved version of tic-tac-toe, where you line up Os or Xs on a 3×3 grid.
The rules are similar—win by aligning your pieces vertically, horizontally, or diagonally—but in Otrio there are three sizes of pieces: large, medium, and small.
There are three ways to win: line up a sequence of large–medium–small in order; line up three pieces of the same size; or place all three sizes of your own pieces in a single space.
Since the pieces come in four colors, up to four players can play at the same time.