[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!
- Recreation activities that large groups can enjoy on Zoom
- [For Elementary School Students] A Collection of Games and Activities You Can Enjoy on Zoom
- Games you can play with just conversation. Classic and popular activities you can enjoy without any props!
- Icebreaker ideas for large groups you can use in Zoom meetings
- Special Feature: Games You Can Play Online [Board Games & Party Games]
- Fun activities that liven up the office: recreation games
- A roundup of recommended icebreakers for college students
- Fun activities for junior high school students. Recreation games.
- Break the ice with intros and team battles! Party games to spice up your welcome event
- Team-based recreational activities for adults that are fun even with large groups
- Games that liven up social and networking gatherings
- A simple and fun co-op game that enhances teamwork
- Brain-teasing game roundup
[Online] Recreation games that liven up Zoom (1–10)
King ◯◯ Quiz
A great recreation activity that tests how well you know the participants is the “◯◯ King Quiz.” Choose a main person from the Zoom participants, then come up with questions about them and try to answer.
The deeper the affection and bond, the more likely you are to get the answers right, so it’s recommended for close colleagues or friends.
Ask questions ranging from simple ones like their hometown or favorite food to more difficult ones.
Even if you’re close, you might discover unexpected sides of them, which makes it exciting!
Remote Duel
People often imagine card games being played face-to-face, but playing remotely lets you easily enjoy matches during free time at home.
Unlike in-person play, camera blind spots are more likely, so it’s important to film from above so the cards on the field are clearly visible.
In some games, card effects can be quite detailed, so when you play a card, be sure to explain its effect before placing it.
Since camera angles could be exploited for cheating, mutual trust is important, and it might also be a good idea to have a monitor or observer present.
Spot the differences
This is a spot-the-difference game that uses Zoom’s camera to compare two pictures and find what’s changed.
After participants watch the host’s screen for a while, the host stops the video; when the video resumes, players think about what has changed.
The key points are how well you remember the scene before the video stopped and how closely you can focus on small details when it restarts.
Since the video is stopped, it’s exciting that changes can be made not only to the background but also to the person themselves.
If it takes too long, people will realize it’s something elaborate, so aim to make the changes smoothly.
[Online] Recreation Games to Liven Up Your Zoom Sessions (11–20)
Personality test
A personality test that lets you get diagnosed just by answering questions that match videos or illustrations.
It’s a familiar activity in real life, and you can enjoy it online too.
Display the prompts and tests on the host’s screen, and have everyone on Zoom answer the questions together.
It’s a surefire way to liven things up, letting people discover hidden traits they don’t usually show.
Because it places little burden on participants, it’s something anyone can enjoy.
Try a wide range of topics—from simple themes to ones that probe the deeper layers of the psyche.
Lyric Recitation Quiz
In our daily lives, when we listen to music, we sometimes come across songs with amazing lyrics.
And often, we remember those lyrics not just as text, but together with the melody.
This is a simple game where you read the lyrics aloud and see if someone can guess the song title.
As long as there’s someone to read them, you can play it—so it’s easy to try over online calls, too.
It also seems like a game that can spark discussion about lyrics, such as standout words that make a strong impression or the songwriter’s stylistic quirks.
Communication game
It’s a game where you align with the feelings of the people in the conversation to arrive at a single correct answer.
The rules are very simple: you respond to the given prompt one character at a time in order, and check whether a proper word is formed.
It’s fun to confirm your bond with other participants by successfully forming a word, but the odd charm of words that don’t come together—and hearing everyone’s reasoning—sounds enjoyable too.
It might also be the perfect game to spark conversation when an online chat runs out of steam.
The “Haa” game
The “Haa” Game is where you convey the phrase written on a prompt card to others using your voice and facial expressions.
It’s a recreation that makes the most of Japanese, which can carry many nuances even with the same word.
If you’re hosting it online, designate a game master to support both the performers and the guessers.
Choose single words that convey emotion—like “haa” or “nande” (“why”)—as themes, and act them out in the situations specified by the game master.
You can enjoy everything from serious prompts to quirky ones, so it’s recommended for anyone looking for a game that gets everyone excited.