Break the ice with intros and team battles! Party games to spice up your welcome event
It’s about time for welcome parties, isn’t it?
With new students and fresh graduates coming in, many of you are probably planning welcome events.
In this article, we’ll introduce party games and fun activities that will liven up your welcome party.
If you’re thinking, “I want games that are fun even with people meeting for the first time,” or “I want to plan simple, easy-to-run games,” this will be a great reference.
In particular, games that help you learn about each other through self-introductions, and team-based cooperative games, are recommended because they make it easier to get to know one another and create a friendly atmosphere.
Now, let’s take a look at our recommended games!
- Games to Liven Up the Freshers’ Welcome Party
- [Self-Introduction & Games] Icebreaker Ideas Collection
- Fun games recommended for making friends with people you’ve just met
- Team-based recreational activities for adults that are fun even with large groups
- Games you can play with just conversation. Classic and popular activities you can enjoy without any props!
- A simple and fun co-op game that enhances teamwork
- A great way to get to know each other! Entertainment and performances to liven up a welcome party
- Ideas for team-based games to enliven a party
- [Let’s Get Closer] A Collection of Engaging Questions for Self-Introductions
- [Simple Games] Recommended Indoor Recreational Activities for Adults
- [For University Students] A Roundup of Fun Games and Recreational Activities
- A roundup of recommended icebreakers for college students
- Games that liven up social and networking gatherings
Break the ice with intros and team battles! Party games to spice up welcome events (51–60)
Samurai sword-fighting (chambara) battle
It’s a large-scale mock sword-fighting game where teams clash on a battlefield.
Participants hold sponge swords and wear a ball called a “life” on their arm, aiming to knock off the opposing team’s ball with their sponge swords.
It’s advantageous to gang up on a single opponent with multiple teammates, so your strategy for how to press the attack really matters.
To keep things safer and more exciting, it’s recommended to set rules like only using the hand holding the sponge sword and only targeting the arm with the ball.
Illustration Telephone Game
It’s a game that tests members’ ability to communicate and understand each other—both the willingness to convey your message and the skill to grasp what others want to express.
Players depict a given prompt through a drawing; the next person interprets the prompt from that drawing and then passes it along with their own drawing to the next participant, and so on.
The final person states, in words, what they believe the original prompt was, and everyone enjoys seeing whether they got it right.
If the group reaches the correct answer, you can feel a strong sense of unity; even if they don’t, it’s fun to analyze how the meaning shifted along the way.
The ability to capture distinctive features and one’s drawing skills are also part of what makes this game enjoyable.
Two-person hane-ori showdown
Does everyone know it? Let’s have a two-person haori showdown! Two people wear one big haori: the person in front sticks their face out, and the person in back puts both hands through the sleeves.
Let’s play a game in that setup.
How about a speed-eating contest with noodles or piping-hot oden? A smartphone puzzle game could get everyone excited too.
Two-choice game
The two-choice game that went viral in short videos on social media! You present two options for a prompt, and everyone moves to the side they choose.
If you’re doing this at a welcome party for new students, topics that help people warm up to each other are great, like “Cat person? Dog person?” or “Cute style? Cool style?” It’s also recommended to use prompts that help you learn about others, such as “Humanities? Sciences?” or “Outdoorsy? Indoorsy?” The game gets more exciting when you keep a brisk pace, so prepare lots of prompts that people can answer without overthinking.
In-joke quiz
How about making a quiz out of inside jokes and holding a quiz contest? You answer questions about your company or school’s bosses and seniors, or common “relatable” situations—but that can put new people at a disadvantage.
Still, it’s a great chance for them to get to know everyone through funny quiz topics!
Intro Quiz
There was a music show that did this, right? A game where they play only the intro of a song and you have to guess the title.
Depending on the generation, there’s a range of songs people know and don’t know, which might actually make it more exciting.
Listening to unfamiliar songs could spark interest, too!
No-English game
I also recommend the “no-English” game that you can start right away.
The rule is simple: as long as you don’t speak any English, you’re fine.
It sounds easy at first, but you’d be surprised how often it slips out.
Words like “game” and “OK,” which we use in everyday life, tend to pop up.
You can deepen your bond by playing this while doing something else or enjoying a conversation.
Have fun while keeping an eye on each other to make sure no one uses English.
potato chip tasting
If it’s a welcome party, there might be some snacks, so how about a game where you guess potato chip flavors? Like a tasting session—but for chips: “chip tasting.” There are so many flavors of potato chips on the market, right? But when you’re blindfolded, it’s surprisingly hard to tell the flavors apart.
Marshmallow Catch Game
It’s a game where one person, blindfolded, drops a marshmallow from a high spot like a chair, and the other person lies down and tries to catch it.
The person lying down gives directions to indicate where to drop it.
Since it’s played in pairs, teaming up with a new friend helps you naturally get to know each other.
Disposable Chopstick Catch Game
It’s a game where one person holds a pair of disposable chopsticks and another tries to catch them when they’re dropped at an unpredictable moment.
Since it tests your reflexes, people in sports clubs or those who’ve been active for a long time might be good at it.
Because you naturally focus on your partner, it’s a good game for breaking the ice and getting closer.