There are those moments when you want to liven things up with everyone—like while waiting at a theme park or during the trip to your destination.
In this article, we’ll introduce games and recommended apps that everyone can enjoy together.
From nostalgic games everyone knows to trending time-killer apps, there’s plenty to choose from! It’s a waste if everyone’s just glued to their own phone when you’re together, right? When you’ve got some downtime, that’s your chance—let’s hype things up and turn it into a fun time for everyone!
- Kill time while waiting or stuck in traffic! A roundup of games four people can play
- Perfect for killing time! A roundup of games for three people to enjoy
- A fun, everyone-joins-in game that gets everyone excited!
- Games and activities everyone can enjoy together. A collection of fun play ideas.
- Games you can play with just conversation. Classic and popular activities you can enjoy without any props!
- For two players: from games without equipment to tabletop games and apps
- [For University Students] A Roundup of Fun Games and Recreational Activities
- [For Kids] Popular party games. Fun games that get everyone excited
- A card game you can enjoy on the app
- Apps to enjoy at drinking parties: from games to handy utilities
- A game that the whole family can enjoy playing together
- A party game that gets everyone excited at home. A fun recreational game.
- Single-player games: a roundup of time-killing games
Games everyone can play (1–10)
Logic/Puzzle Game (Umigame no Soup)
This game is a type of brain teaser also known as a lateral thinking puzzle.
In Japan, it’s often called “Turtle Soup” after the title of a representative problem.
In this game, you’re presented with situations that don’t make sense at first glance, and the respondent asks the questioner yes/no questions to get closer to the correct answer.
Because you can ask questions from many angles, it’s also great fun as a game for large groups.
Magical Banana
If you’re looking for a game that requires no preparation and can be played easily with just words, how about “Magical Banana”? In this game, players quickly link associated words, like “Banana makes me think of yellow,” “Yellow makes me think of dandelions,” and so on, based on the previous person’s word.
If you can’t come up with a word or fail to keep the rhythm, you’re out, and the last person remaining wins.
Mr. Wolf, what time is it now?
Let’s play tag while enjoying a call-and-response using the phrase, “Mr.
Wolf, what time is it?” First, choose one player to be “It” (the wolf).
The children face the wolf and ask, “Mr.
Wolf, what time is it?” The wolf answers with various times, and if it’s anything other than “3 o’clock,” the children respond, “Phew, thank goodness!” If the wolf says “3 o’clock,” that’s the signal to start chasing.
Run away so you don’t get caught! Whoever gets caught becomes the next wolf.
Personality test
Personality tests are popular games, and many people can’t resist trying them when they see them in magazines or online.
And when you hear that they were “used by the FBI,” it makes them even more intriguing, doesn’t it? If you want to enjoy these kinds of games with a group, it might be helpful to prepare a few questions in advance and write them down, or put them on flip cards for clarity.
Playing this game can also liven things up by revealing hidden sides of your friends.
Do-Re-Mi Song Game
If you’re looking for a music-themed game, the “Do-Re-Mi Song Game” really gets everyone excited! Here’s how it works: you start singing the familiar “Do-Re-Mi” song from a specified pitch, and anyone who slips into the wrong pitch or messes up the lyrics is out.
Because you’re suddenly given a pitch, people often get flustered and sing in funny ways, which makes everyone laugh.
It’s also a great icebreaker to help people get to know each other.
The “Haa” game
This game is a card game where players act out prompts using only their voice and facial expressions and try to guess each other’s performances.
Even a single word like “haa” can carry many meanings depending on how it’s said.
You have to figure out whether the current “haa” is an angry “haa,” a feigning-ignorance “haa,” an impressed “haa,” and so on.
Based on the situation card you were dealt, everyone votes on whether the “haa” you performed matches the prompt, and the player who earns the most points wins.
It’s a game that seems well-suited for online play, too.
No Japanese Allowed Game
Many people might be familiar with the “no-English (no katakana loanwords) game,” since it often appears on TV, but I also recommend the opposite: the “no-Japanese game.” While playing this game, using Japanese is prohibited, and you do everything in English (or other languages).
Playing a telephone game can be fun, and simply having everyday conversations in English is likely to be lively as well.