Perfect for killing time! A roundup of games for three people to enjoy
What kinds of games can you play when there are three people—like a close-knit trio, three siblings, or a family of three? Some games are easier with an even number, but once it’s an odd number, certain games get harder to play, right? In this article, we’ll introduce games you can play with your body or hands that work for three people.
We’ve gathered games you can use in various situations: to get some exercise, to burn off extra energy, or to kill time when you have a free moment.
Spend a fun time moving your body and hands together with your children or friends!
- Games you can play with just conversation. Classic and popular activities you can enjoy without any props!
- Games and activities everyone can enjoy together. A collection of fun play ideas.
- A card game for three players. Enjoy mind games and psychological battles!
- Fun activities for junior high school students. Recreation games.
- Brain-teasing game roundup
- Recommended for upper elementary grades! Exciting indoor recreation and games
- [Play Right Away!] Exciting Recreation Games Recommended for Elementary School Students
- [Simple Games] Recommended Indoor Recreational Activities for Adults
- Kill time while waiting or stuck in traffic! A roundup of games four people can play
- Perfect for killing time! Fun games you can easily play on LINE
- Indoor Games for Small Groups: Exciting Recreational Activities
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- Recreation Ideas That Truly Excite High School Students! A Fun Collection of Activities
Drawing, Music, and Communication Games (21–30)
Shape Transmission Game
@hidatok_ch You try writing it too! ⭐Shape Transmission Game⭐ Recreational Shapes Tokushukai Hidaka Tokushukai Shinhidaka Town Hospital New Graduates Mid-Career Recruitment Job Hunting fypage fyp Game Nurse Shape Transmission Lively
♫ Original Song – Hidaka Tokushukai Hospital – Hidaka Tokushukai Hospital
Here’s an idea for a “shape transmission game” that you can start right away with just paper and a pen.
This game is a recreational activity that lets you enjoy both how to convey and how to interpret words.
One person looks at a shape and describes it using only words, while the others try to draw the same shape based on that description.
Questions are allowed, but there’s a time limit, so the key is how efficiently you can align your understanding.
The best part is comparing the finished drawings at the end.
They’re often more off than you expect—or oddly similar—which leads to laughter, applause, and lots of excitement.
It naturally sparks conversation, making it a perfect icebreaker.
Classic Board, Card, and Video Games (1–10)
Old Maid
Simple is best—how about a classic game of Old Maid with playing cards? There’s hardly a better choice for a game whose rules everyone knows.
It’s also great because people of all ages can play—kids, adults, and grandparents alike.
Old Maid has lots of optional rule variations, so it’s fun to look some up and try them out.
For example, you could use two decks of cards or play in teams.
Creating your own original version—enjoying the process itself—might be a lot of fun, too.
UNO
UNO, a classic card game, is played by laying down cards from your hand in turn according to the rules, aiming to be the first to run out of cards.
It’s not just about how quickly you play your own cards—mind games to keep your opponents from reducing their hands also add excitement.
The rule of declaring “UNO” when you’re down to one card is another key point; the more your focus intensifies toward the end, the easier it is to forget to make that declaration.
Since there are many local rules, it’s also recommended to add rules to match your ideal game pace.
Jenga
Jenga is a game where you pull out wooden sticks so as not to topple a tower made of blocks.
It looks easy, but when you actually try it, your hands shake more than you expect and it turns out to be surprisingly difficult.
It’s also a game with strategy—deciding which piece to pull and how to pass the turn to the next player.
The more careful you are, the higher the tension rises… If you’ve played it, you probably know exactly what I mean.
If you search online, you’ll find colorful versions and even giant Jenga sets meant for the yard, so go ahead and find your favorite!
Dixit
This is a board game played with cards that have various illustrations.
First, each player is dealt five cards as their hand.
The player acting as the storyteller selects one card from their hand, places it face down on the table, and describes it with any phrase they like, such as “a fun card” or “a card with a person on it.” The other players each choose one card from their own hand that matches the storyteller’s description and place it face down on the table.
The cards on the table are then shuffled face down and revealed face up, and everyone tries to guess which card was the storyteller’s.
Points are awarded based on the results of the guesses, and the player with the most points at the end wins.
It’s a game where creativity and vocabulary are the keys to victory.
Nanjamonja Game
Since each card has a different character illustrated on it, you give an original name to the character on the card you draw.
After naming it, return that card to the deck.
Then draw the next card from the deck.
If a character that hasn’t been named yet appears, give it a name in the same way; if it’s a character that has appeared before, say the name you gave it as quickly as possible.
The person who says the name first gets that character’s card, and the player with the most cards at the end wins.
It’s a game that really tests everyone’s naming sense.
Also, if someone else takes a character you named, you’ll feel a little sad as its namer, so do your best to call out the name faster than anyone else!
Blox
Let me introduce a simple yet deeply strategic Blokus-style game for three players.
It’s a territory strategy game.
First, choose your color and start placing your colored pieces from a corner.
After the first move, players must place pieces so that they touch their own pieces only at the corners.
If you have no more places where your pieces can be placed corner-to-corner, you must pass.
The player with the largest total area of their color wins.
It’s easy to learn but offers plenty of depth.
Give it a try!
