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Lovely Play & Recreation

[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 (21–30)

Who am I?

#1 [Who Am I?] An icebreaker you can enjoy online! From elementary school kids to seniors! A communication game that also works as brain training!
Who am I?

It’s a game where the questioner thinks of a single thing, and the other participants try to guess what it is.

The respondents ask questions that the questioner can answer with “yes” or “no,” gradually narrowing down the answer.

Because the game proceeds with simple Q&A, it can be enjoyed easily even online.

You can play with various rules, such as declaring the person who answers quickly with few hints the winner, or ending the game once all respondents know the answer.

Memory Drawing

Snow Man “Drawing from Memory” — has a masterpiece… or a miscreation… been born?!
Memory Drawing

It’s a simple activity where a prompt is given, and you draw the subject relying solely on your memory without looking at anything.

When something is presented only in words, it can be surprisingly hard to recall where different parts were attached or what patterns it had.

It’s a game where you can enjoy seeing how each participant remembers things, while also inevitably revealing everyone’s drawing skills.

Since all you need is something to draw with, you can play it anytime—even in an online setting—without any loss of enjoyment.

Impersonation Contest

Chibi Maruko-chan: The Boys’ Remote Learning
Impersonation Contest

Because it’s a face-to-face call, you can do full-on impressions that include outfits and facial expressions.

Besides each person showcasing the impressions they’re best at, you could also compare different quality levels of impressions on the same theme, or turn it into a conversation between characters to make it even more engaging.

If you make use of features like stopping the video, you can also create a flow where you switch to a different character when the screen comes back on.

Be sure to use props effectively and aim for high fidelity within the small screen.

Intro Quiz

[#Reiwa Hit Songs] Hit songs released in the Reiwa era — an intro quiz that makes you want to sing them at karaoke [Presented by Intro Maestro]
Intro Quiz

The intro quiz, familiar from TV shows and the like, is easy to play as long as you have the songs, making it a game that works well online.

Since many tracks start with vocals rather than an instrumental intro, it’s easier to think including the voice, so I think it’s best to use this in the early rounds.

Working out the song from the prelude is also a great way to draw attention to the sound of the music.

It would be fun if, through the quiz, we could also notice trends in music—like songs that begin with vocals or tracks with long intros.

Yamanote Line game

[Serious Knowledge Showdown] Theory that if they’re University of Tokyo students, the Yamanote Line game could go on forever
Yamanote Line game

The Yamanote Line game is a simple game where players take turns naming items that fit a given topic.

It’s a classic party game that draws on the knowledge you have stored up.

Rather than topics with only a few possible answers, it’s often more fun when there are countless answers and you try to keep going without repeating.

Since players speak in turn, it’s just as enjoyable online as it is in person.

Some versions have you answer to a rhythm, but in online settings where lag is common, it might be easier to play without a rhythm.