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
- A fun punishment game recommended for women
- A party game that gets everyone excited at home. A fun recreational game.
- How embarrassing! Lines recommended for punishment games
- 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 penalty game! A roundup of party games that get everyone excited (1–10)
High-difficulty Jenga
Jenga is a classic party game.
The basic setup stacks rectangular blocks in layers of three, alternating 90 degrees each layer, but changing how you stack them creates higher-difficulty Jenga and doubles the fun.
You can stack five blocks per layer on their narrow faces, or three on their narrow faces.
The ultimate challenge is standing pieces upright as you build, which makes the tower even more unstable.
At that point, beyond how to remove the pieces, the real question is whether you can even stack them in the first place.
Pop-up Pirate
Since its release in 1975, Pop-up Pirate has been a long-selling hit, spawning numerous variations.
Players take turns sticking swords into a barrel with a pirate figure, and whoever triggers the randomly determined “bad slot” that makes the figure pop loses—a thrilling rule set that many people across generations have played at least once.
In recent years, versions with more figures that pop or with stronger popping force have increased the impact of the decisive moment, making it exciting even for adults.
It’s a classic game you’ll want to have ready when a large group gathers at home.
Painful crocodile
Itaiwani is a thrilling game where you press the teeth lined up inside an open crocodile’s mouth one by one, and if you hit the unlucky one, the mouth snaps shut.
It’s known as a hit product that delivers the same heart-pounding suspense as the classic toy “Pop-up Pirate.” Because the losing tooth changes randomly each time you start a new game, you can play under the same conditions over and over.
The original is large and mostly for playing at home, but in recent years pocket-sized versions have appeared, making it a party game you can bring along and enjoy when meeting up outside.
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!