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.
- Fun two-player games recommended that you can play using conversation only
- Games and activities everyone can enjoy together. A collection of fun play ideas.
- Perfect for killing time! A roundup of games for three people to enjoy
- Recommended games and activities for five people
- Games you can play in the car! Fun activities to liven up drives and traffic jams
- Challenge together! A roundup of word games for adults
- [For 2 Players] Easy Pen-and-Paper Time-Killing Game
- Get the Fun Going! Easy Classroom Games You Can Play at School: Recreational Activities for the Whole Class
- Perfect for killing time! Fun games you can easily play on LINE
- Fun games recommended for making friends with people you’ve just met
- Recommended games for two people that you can enjoy without any equipment
- [Rec] Interesting! A roundup of wordplay games
- Brain-teasing game roundup
Classics and favorites! Party games that get lively with just conversation (51–60)
Onomatopoeia Game
@user92800579326613 We played an onomatopoeia game and it was way too funny lol
♬ original sound – Justistar / Justistar Fan – Justistar / Justistar Fan
Word association is a game you can jump into and enjoy right away.
It gets even more fun if you turn it into an onomatopoeia game where you answer with sound effects for whatever comes to mind.
For example, if the previous person says “train,” you could reply with “clackety-clack.” Another tip is to keep giving the prompt “computer” repeatedly before switching to a different prompt.
Suddenly changing the prompt creates a sense of urgency in the answers.
There’s also a tense, exciting anticipation about when the prompt will change or when someone will change it.
Liven things up with unique prompts and onomatopoeia!
A game where you can only use honorific language
The “Polite Speech Only Game” is a simple wordplay idea that two people can enjoy.
The rules are easy: just repeat whatever the other person says, exactly as they said it, but in polite language.
When you actually try it, you’ll stumble, make mistakes, burst out laughing—it’s guaranteed to be a hit.
If any non-polite wording slips out, you’re out immediately.
It’s simple, but it tests your focus and quick reflexes.
You don’t need any props at all—just two voices.
It’s perfect for playing while on the move or during short waits.
Friends, couples, even parents and children can enjoy it, and it will likely bring hearts closer through words.
This is a new kind of word game where the overly polite exchanges become delightfully addictive.
Infinite Shiritori
@hannariz.haru Only people with a really good memory can do this, lol.#HannariestranslationTranslation
♬ Original song – Hannaries – Hannaries
This is a game of shiritori—where you take the last character of a word and connect it to a new word—that adds a memory element.
Instead of just saying the next word, you also line up all the words that have been said so far and then add the next one.
As the turns progress, it gets harder because you have to recall the sequence of how you got to the current word.
If you keep the turns moving to a rhythm, the difficulty increases but the rhythm helps you remember, so that pattern is recommended.
Guess the prompt instantly in the word association game!
@haruu_kun_ Struggling badly with an insanely hard game where you have to guess the prompt instantly in a word association game#EffectMama#Harukun's#shorts
♬ original sound – Harukun's Room – Harukun's Room
This is an association game played to a rhythm: between two hand claps, players take turns saying answers that fit the given theme.
You might figure it out if you think slowly, but it gets hard when you’re required to keep the tempo.
There’s also a version where the people who know the theme keep giving rhythmic answers, and at the end they ask someone who doesn’t know the theme to guess what it is.
That one is even harder.
It’s the perfect size for four players, so give it a try.
Classics and fan favorites! Party games that get exciting with just conversation (61–70)
Memory Game
Let me introduce a memory game where your memory really matters.
While clapping your hands, first repeat the word the previous person said, then say a new word you want to add.
As the game progresses, the list of words you have to remember keeps growing.
Plus, because you also have to come up with your own word to connect, you might start to feel pressured.
Try to keep calm and careful, and enjoy beating the game.
It’s also great fun with a larger group.
Mind Control Game
@sanei.jumbo.recruit Do you all know why this happens? 😆CompanyBoss and subordinatetranslationNew graduateClass of ’25 graduates
♬ Original Song – The Bang-Bang Man Sakai and His Cold-Shoulder Subordinates – The Bang-Bang Man Sakai and His Cold-Shoulder Subordinates
In situations where people are asked to choose what they like, it may seem as though they’re making their own choices, but it’s possible they’re actually being guided by the preceding context.
This piece uses that kind of psychological steering to have someone make a free choice and then correctly name what they chose.
The participant is asked to do simple addition in sequence: from “2+1” to “3+3,” then “6+6,” “12+12,” and “16+16.” After that, you ask, “Pick a number between 12 and 5 that you like,” and once they answer, the setup is complete.
It’s said here that people are psychologically inclined to choose 7, so if you name 7, you can segue into explaining that there’s a psychological tendency for this to happen.
Shiritori, wordplay, and brain-teasing conversation games (1–10)
No-dakuten game
This is a game where you aim for Japanese to have a beautiful sound by prohibiting dakuten (voiced marks) during conversation.
The rules are straightforward and simple, but precisely because dakuten are so ingrained in everyday language, the game is quite difficult—and through playing, you’ll likely feel just how pervasive and important dakuten are.
If people stop talking out of fear of being counted, the game falls apart, so it’s important to set a theme and keep the conversation going.
You can let penalties accumulate each time someone uses dakuten, or you could decide the loser by the final count—both approaches seem fun.