Party and drinking games to liven up a company welcome party
At many companies, when it comes to welcome mixers or onboarding parties, they often plan some kind of game as entertainment, don’t they?
It can be hard to break the ice just by eating together, so it’s great when a game helps deepen connections!
In this article, we’ll introduce not only classic party games that are sure to liven things up, but also games perfect for onboarding parties that double as self-introductions, as well as team-based cooperative games.
Use the ideas introduced here as inspiration to plan a wonderful event!
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Banquet and party games to liven up the company welcome party (31–40)
Finding commonalities
Common-ground finding is a fun game that helps you talk with people you’re meeting for the first time and feel closer to them.
There are various ways to play: for example, participants form pairs or groups and, within a time limit, look for things they have in common through conversation; or they present common points they’ve written down in advance—those are standard approaches.
Conversations can stall without a prompt, so set simple topics like “How you spend your days off” or “Favorite foods.” It’s also a good idea to set a target number of commonalities to find beforehand.
YES/NO Quiz
A key point of “Yes/No Quiz,” where you work toward finding the answer, is that it’s a game enjoyed by splitting into a question master and questioners.
The question master chooses a topic and answers the questioners’ questions with only “Yes” or “No.” The questioners listen to the answers and try to figure out what the topic is.
To narrow down the answer, it’s important for the questioners to think carefully as they ask their questions.
It’s also a great game for team competitions, so let’s all have fun together.
Team Competition Bingo
How about turning the classic bingo game into a team competition? As usual, you mark off numbers on your card, and you get bingo when you complete a line vertically, horizontally, or diagonally… but you don’t win just by being the first to finish.
For example, you can set a rule like “the round ends when three people at the table get bingo,” which removes the “it’s over as soon as I win” scenario and keeps everyone on the edge of their seat until the end.
Whether you snag a lavish prize comes down to luck—let’s all cheer and groan together with every number that’s called!
Birthday line
A birthday line sorted by birthdates using gestures only.
Without speaking, everyone uses their hands to show their birthdate to those around them and lines up in order from the earliest birthday to the latest.
If you end up in the correct order, you clear the game! At welcome events for new students or new hires, it can take courage to start a conversation.
But with this game, you can communicate at close range without speaking and even learn each other’s birthdays, making it a great icebreaker that brings people closer.
It’s perfect for onboarding events, as it naturally leads to smoother communication afterward.
Lavinute to the Future Game
This is a rhythm game introduced by Hiroyuki Yagosima of the comedy duo 2700 on TV Tokyo’s “Zakkuri High Touch.” It’s a game that seems especially fun with a large group.
When the person controlling the overall rhythm says, “Lovin’ you to the future,” the chosen person responds, “Slowly.” When the rhythm leader says, “Lovin’ you to the fashion,” the chosen person responds, “Action.” You keep repeating this.
Company Welcome Party Hype: Banquet and Party Games (41–50)
Telepathy Game
It’s a game where all participants simultaneously picture something that fits a given theme and try to match their answers.
The themes are broad, like “What’s a cute animal?”, and you see whether everyone’s on the same wavelength within that broad scope.
Because a wider range makes matching less likely, it’s recommended to narrow things down—for example by specifying a character limit or deciding whom to align with.
The joy when answers match and the sense of bonding are what make this game so appealing.
Quiz using puzzles
How about a groundbreaking game that combines puzzles and quizzes? All you need is a store-bought blank jigsaw puzzle and a permanent marker.
For preparation, assemble the puzzle in advance and write a quiz question on it with the marker.
On the day, proceed as follows: first, distribute the disassembled puzzle to each table and have the guests at the same table complete it.
The team that answers the quiz written on the completed puzzle the fastest wins.
Since too many pieces will take too long, the key is to choose a puzzle with a number of pieces that can be completed in just a few minutes.
