Games you can play with just conversation. Classic and popular activities you can enjoy without any props!
I’m going to introduce games that can be played using only conversation, without any props.
There are times—like during school breaks or in the car—when you want to play but don’t have any tools or can’t move around freely, right?
In those moments, wouldn’t it be nice to have games you can play just by talking?
In this article, we’ve gathered popular conversation-based games you can enjoy simply by talking, singing, or answering prompts!
Use them when you want to have fun with friends, teammates, or your partner, or when you need to kill time while waiting—whenever you’re in a pinch.
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- Brain-teasing game roundup
Shiritori, wordplay, and brain-teasing conversation games (1–10)
Word association game
It’s a game where players announce words they associate from a given prompt, and others use those as hints to figure out the original prompt.
The person presenting the keywords is tested on how clearly they can choose their words, while the guessers are tested on their ability to interpret the clues and the breadth of their knowledge.
Another highlight is that you can enjoy it with various rules: by adjusting the number of people giving keywords or guessing the original prompt, strategies emerge in reading each other’s thinking, making it even more exciting.
Adding restrictions—like banned keywords or limits on the number of guesses—helps players focus more on the challenge, so that’s also recommended.
Answer checking game
The Answer-Match Game is a simple yet captivating activity that you can enjoy with friends or teammates anytime, anywhere.
Everyone reveals their answers to a prompt at the same time and sees whether you can all come up with the same answer.
Unexpected responses often pop up, leading to shared laughter and surprise.
It’s especially great as an icebreaker with new friends, since it lets you see how similar your thoughts and sensibilities are.
By getting creative with the prompts, you’ll find fresh surprises and fun every time you play.
Another plus is that it’s easy to enjoy with friends who are far away by using phone or video calls.
Shiritori, Wordplay, and Brain-Teasing Conversation Games (11–20)
Reverse word game
It’s a game where you present a word read backward and have the other person guess what the original word was.
It’s not just reversing; sometimes letters are changed as well—for example, presenting the reverse of “rakku” as “kutsura.” That’s why it’s important to clearly visualize the word as text.
The longer the reversed word, the harder it gets, so start with short words and gradually make them longer.
For the presenter, it’s important to pronounce clearly and pay attention to intonation so players can picture the letters in their heads.
A game that seems like it should exist, but doesn’t
It’s a game where you come up with names that feel like they could exist but actually don’t, based on a chosen theme.
The more the theme lends itself to different angles—like store names, TV show titles, and so on—the more you can enjoy a lively back-and-forth.
It feels like a conversation starter where everyone lists names using their imagination, but a fun twist is to decide winners by checking whether the names truly don’t exist.
Imagining the backstories behind the made-up names and making them sound convincing is another way to keep the conversation exciting.
Number guessing game
With a signal, a number is announced, and at the same time participants either stand or sit; if the announced number matches the number of people standing, that person wins.
You can enjoy the psychological element of scanning the surroundings, predicting everyone’s actions, and choosing which number to call.
A key point is that everyone does light jumps while waiting for the signal—by keeping bodies in constant light motion, it becomes harder to predict actions.
If the number doesn’t match, the turn immediately passes to the next person, giving everyone winning chances at a good pace—another factor that boosts excitement.
Tongue Twister Game
This is an easy-to-understand game that uses Japanese tongue twisters, a traditional form of wordplay.
Many people have played it before, so the minimal explanation needed makes it easy and casual to enjoy.
The rules are simple: take turns among all participants and try to say the given tongue twister three times in a row without stumbling.
Precisely because the game is simple, it’s worth putting thought into the penalties for tripping up—especially the visual aspects.
Since it’s an age-old pastime, there are plenty of prompts to choose from, making it fun right from the stage of selecting the phrases.
10-times quiz game
It’s a game where you first have someone repeat the same word ten times, then you give them a quiz and have them answer it.
By making them repeat the word, it’s an easy-to-understand trick that nudges their quiz answer in the wrong direction.
When you’re suddenly required to produce words quickly, you can make a mistake even if you realize it’s a trick.
You need the ability to calmly switch your thinking and retrieve the right word, and it’s a game where people who are good at it and those who aren’t are clearly divided.
So it seems like a game where you can enjoy both coming up with the questions and observing how people think.
No-Character Allowed! Shiritori
Shiritori is a classic time-killer that people of all ages can enjoy.
It’s a game that can drag on endlessly as you wonder how long it will continue and when it will end, but adding just one rule can make it much harder and more exciting.
This “forbidden-length shiritori” is a version where you set a restriction on word length—specifically, a number of characters that answers must not have.
For example, if “three characters are forbidden,” then words like “ringo” (apple) or “gorira” (gorilla) can’t be used.
Aside from that, it’s regular shiritori, but this rule makes it surprisingly tricky, and many players get tripped up and end up out.
Shiritori Conversation Game
It’s a game where you add a shiritori element to everyday conversation to see if you can keep the rules and still talk smoothly.
The fun part is that adding a thinking component makes an ordinary conversation just a bit awkward.
The standard approach is to attach a preface that starts with the last letter of the previous person’s word to what you want to say, and the game tests how well you can connect it.
How many suitable words you know—and how quickly you can recall them—seems to be the key.
Favorite-things shiritori
A game where you play shiritori while taking turns telling each other what you like about the other person.
It’s a playful way to express feelings for a friend or partner that you might normally be too shy to say.
First, choose one character from the Japanese syllabary, then play shiritori while also sharing something you like.
It’s also fun to set a rule that if you get embarrassed or start laughing, you get a penalty.
When playing one-on-one, you alternate turns, making it perfect for deepening a couple’s bond.
Even if you can’t meet in person, try this game to reaffirm each other’s love or friendship.
