Put a penalty on the line! A roundup of party games that get everyone hyped
In recent years, board games have become a boom, and getting together to play has been really taking off.
It’s even being featured on TV shows, so I bet many of you who came here are interested.
In this article, I’m going to introduce some exciting party games that let you decide who has to take the punishment!
We’ll cover a wide range—from games you can play without any props to the latest board games.
Hope you find it helpful!
- A simple punishment game you can do anywhere without any props—even at school or outdoors.
- A party forfeit that gets everyone hyped
- [Punishment Game] A collection of romance-themed prompts. Punishment games that get men and women excited
- Simple but intense! A quick-and-easy penalty game that hypes everyone up
- Party games that get everyone excited at school
- With friends or couples! A set of questions perfect for penalty games
- A fun, everyone-joins-in game that gets everyone excited!
- [For Kids] Popular party games. Fun games that get everyone excited
- [Punishment Game] Embarrassing Lines: A Collection of Material That Will Make You Blush
- A fun punishment game recommended for women
- A party game that gets everyone excited at home. A fun recreational game.
- A fun penalty game recommended for men
- Punishment games that amp up the fun at year-end parties—from hilariously gross to super embarrassing!
Bet a punishment game! A roundup of party games that will liven things up (11–20)
Nanjamonja
Nanjamonja is a card game born in Russia.
You flip a card, give the mysterious creature on it a name, and if the same card appears again from the deck, whoever shouts that name first gets the card.
It’s a game that tests both memory and quick reflexes.
Because the characters are so strange and mysterious, each person’s naming sense really shows—but if you give a name that’s too long, you’ll end up forgetting it and holding your head in frustration later.
Then again, that’s exactly what makes the game so fun.
Bobu Jiten
Bobu Jiten is a no-katakana game where you must describe prompts written on cards—like “coffee” or “subculture”—using only Japanese, and when the guesser gets it right, both players earn points.
If the clue-giver is sharp, you get precise Japanese; if not, some goofy hints might fly out—but either way, it’s fun to play.
In a time when katakana words are overflowing in everyday conversation, our vocabulary is being put to the test.
UNO
UNO stands alongside playing cards as a classic card game! From the 7 cards in your hand, play a card that matches the color or the number of the card in the center.
If you can’t play, you must draw one card from the central deck.
When you’re down to your last card, declare “UNO,” and the player who runs out of cards first wins! That’s the basic framework, but there are many small rule variations depending on the region, so it might be a good idea to align on the rules at the start.
Bamboo shoot, bamboo shoot, nyokki-ki!
Start with the chant: Take-no-ko, Take-no-ko, Nyokkikki! Everyone stands by in a circle, and then pops up like a sprouting bamboo shoot, calling out “1-nyokki,” “2-nyokki,” and so on.
If two people speak at the same time, they’re out! The rules are simple, but timing your voice while reading the room can be pretty nerve-racking.
The more players there are, the harder the game gets, so why not try it when you have a big group? You might need plenty of penalties ready!
Sevens (card game)
Sevens, where you line up playing cards starting from 7, is a classic among classic card games! Deal the cards evenly to all players, then place the four 7s on the table first.
In the decided turn order, players place cards that are one rank higher or lower than the 7s, and the first person to run out of cards wins.
If you can’t play a card, you pass; however, after four passes you’re out—and a penalty awaits! It’s a card game where luck plays a big role, depending on whether you’re dealt favorable numbers.
List five good things about the questioner!
Have the game winner list five good things about the person receiving the penalty.
We don’t often get the chance to tell our friends or partners what we like about them directly.
Even if we think it, it can be pretty embarrassing to say it face-to-face.
But that’s exactly why it works as a penalty! Use this penalty to encourage honest expressions of feelings.
It may be embarrassing for the speaker, but it will make the receiver happy and give both of you a great opportunity to grow closer.
No Voiced-Sound Game
Voiced sounds refer to “muddy” sounds like da and ji.
For example, daijoubu and gomen are words that contain voiced sounds.
This game is about having a conversation while banning these voiced sounds.
When you talk, choose a topic and discuss it.
Saying you won’t talk is not allowed.
Remove the voiced sounds and keep the conversation going.
If you answer reflexively, you’ll end up speaking as usual, so be careful.
Announcing that there will be a penalty game for each voiced sound used will make it more thrilling!
In conclusion
I introduced non-cooperative games where there are winners and losers. I hope you’ll make good use of them when playing with friends or at year-end and New Year parties. As for penalties, please come up with ones that everyone can enjoy!