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[Online] Recreation Games to Liven Up Your Zoom Sessions
Work and classes conducted online, which rapidly spread during the COVID-19 pandemic and became the norm.
In this environment where you can chat face-to-face even from afar… it’s not just for work or study—you can play, too!
So in this article, we’ll introduce recreational activities you can enjoy using Zoom.
There are tons of games that might actually be easier to get together for and more exciting on Zoom than meeting and playing in person.
We’ve picked out plenty, from ones suited to small groups to games you can play with large groups, so choose based on your headcount and mood!
[Online] Recreation games that liven up Zoom (1–10)
Noun guessing quiz
One person (the question setter) thinks of a noun, and the others ask any yes-or-no questions about that noun.
The group collaborates to ask questions and tries to arrive at the answer within the time limit—it’s that kind of game.
Since overlapping voices on Zoom make it harder to hear than in-person conversations, make sure to ask questions smoothly so the question setter can hear clearly.
Another point that makes it easy for people to join is that the difficulty can be adjusted through detailed rules, such as the category of things to think of and the time limit settings.
Borrowed Item Race
When you think of a scavenger race, you think of a sports day classic, right? But with Zoom, you can do it from home.
It’s so funny to watch your friends’ reactions through the screen.
When someone says, “Go find a ___!” everyone scrambles around their house in a panic.
Just seeing that makes you laugh.
It’s surprisingly simple, yet it really gets everyone hyped.
Plus, the great thing is you can play with people who are far away.
It’s perfect for reconnecting with friends you haven’t seen in a while, too.
It’s kind of amazing how fun it is even though all you’re doing is searching for things around your house.
Talk with no katakana
It’s a game where you add a rule to your usual conversations: no katakana words allowed.
Because it’s a conversation-based game, it’s easy to play over online calls.
These words are so blended into everyday speech that the more lively the talk gets, the more likely people are to say them.
The key point is that it’s “no katakana words,” not “no English,” so you also have to watch out for Japanese words written in katakana, like “doki-doki,” while you keep the conversation going.
It can be fun to set situational rules, like a time limit or penalties for being too quiet.
As the conversation heats up, katakana words tend to come out rapid-fire and counting them gets harder, so it’s recommended to have a calm judge keep score.
Extreme Close-Up Quiz
A super close-up quiz where the host zooms an object right up to the camera and everyone tries to guess what it is.
It’s perfect for online settings where you can share your screen with a large group, making it great for building communication on Zoom.
By bringing the object very close to the camera, it becomes hard to tell what’s being shown.
If no one can guess, gradually move the object farther from the camera to give hints.
It’s a fast-buzzer style quiz, so everyone can have fun participating.
Give this quiz a try—it’s a game that’s uniquely enjoyable online.
Werewolf game
When it comes to recreational activities that can get a large group excited even through a screen, Werewolf is a great choice.
Its simple yet deep rules—finding the hidden werewolves among the villagers—make it very enjoyable.
On Zoom, use the screen-splitting feature so everyone’s expressions are easy to read.
It’s recommended to appoint one person as the Game Master to handle role assignments and timekeeping.
Since it’s a deduction-focused game, it runs smoothly online as well.
It’s also perfect for large groups to enjoy over longer periods, so try using it in situations where you want to deepen communication.
Don’t copy me, okay? / No copying, okay?
It’s a game that adds psychological warfare elements to a simple quiz.
Because players read each other’s thoughts through conversation, it’s easy to play online.
A quiz with multiple possible answers is posed, and each participant thinks of their own answer.
Here’s the key point of the game: the participants discuss the quiz, trying to infer each other’s answers.
In the end, each person announces just one final answer.
Points are awarded for correct answers, and additional points are given if your answer doesn’t overlap with any other participant’s.
The simpler the quiz—so that anyone can answer—the more intense the mind games in the conversation, making it even more exciting.
Earphone Loud Telephone Game
One fun recreation game you can play on Zoom is the “Blasting Earphones Telephone Game.” You pass along a prompt while listening to loud music—and that’s exactly what makes it fun because you can’t hear! You have to read lips, which leads to surprising chains of words.
It’s exciting to see what the final phrase turns into.
It’s perfect for online parties or break time because everyone can laugh and play together.
Just be careful with the volume—protecting your hearing is important.