Party Games: 62 of the Best Party Games for Any Group, Room and Mood (With a Chooser)

By The Rondovo team · Published August 3, 2026 · Updated October 11, 2026 · 26 min read

The best party games are quick to explain, let everyone play at once, and leave room for people to be funny. For most groups that means Charades, Fishbowl, Two Truths and a Lie, Mafia, Codenames and a draw and guess game, then something new once the room is warm. Below are 62 party games, each with the player count, how long it takes, what you need and how to play in two lines, plus a chooser so you can pick the right one in under a minute.

We run a site of party games, so we play a lot of these. The list is mostly games anyone can play with nothing, paper, a deck of cards or a box from a shop. Our own games come in where they fit, and they are one option among many.

In short

• Nothing in the house? Charades, Contact, Wink Murder, Psychiatrist and Would You Rather need no props at all. See games to play with no props for more.
• Paper and pens? Fishbowl is the best party game you can make in five minutes. Telephone Pictionary is a close second.
• Buying one box? Codenames for word lovers, Telestrations for groups that laugh at bad drawing, Just One for mixed ages.
• Big group of 12 or more? Mafia, Fishbowl in teams, a pub quiz, or any game where everyone answers at once on their own screen. Our guide to party games for large groups goes deeper.
• Friends on a video call? Jackbox if someone owns a pack; skribbl.io, Gartic Phone and Codenames Online are free. Full comparison in online party games.
• Kids? Short games with movement and no elimination. Our kids' birthday party games are sorted by age.

What is a party game?

A party game is a game built for a social group rather than for winning. The rules fit in one breath, new people can join between rounds, and the fun comes from the players (what they say, draw, act or hide) more than from the pieces.

That is why a party game can be a bowl of paper slips, a boxed game, or a game on a screen. Board game shops call some of their boxes party games, video game stores have a party genre, and families have played parlour games like Charades for a couple of hundred years. They share the same idea: the group is the entertainment.

What makes a party game work

After a lot of game nights, these are the five things that decide whether a game takes off or dies after one round.

1. The rules fit in 60 seconds. If you need the rulebook, play it at a game night, not a party. You can always add a rule in round two.
2. Everyone is busy most of the time. In the best games, everybody guesses, votes or writes at once. Games where one person acts and nine people wait work only if the waiting is fun to watch (Charades is; a slow trivia turn is not).
3. Nobody sits out for long. Elimination games are fine if a round is short. If someone could be out for 20 minutes, give them a job: judge, timekeeper, narrator.
4. Being bad is funny. Terrible drawings, wild guesses and failed bluffs are the point. Games that reward expertise (hard trivia, strategy) split the room into players and watchers.
5. It stops while people still want more. Two or three rounds, then switch. Ending on a high means the game comes back next time.

A sixth one for hosts: match the game to the room, not to your favourite. The chooser below is built for that.

Pick the right party game

Four questions narrow 62 games to three or four: how many people, how much energy, where you are, and what you have.

By group size

For groups of 15 and up, split into two games at once rather than forcing one huge one. Two rooms of 8 is a better party than one room of 16 waiting their turn.

By energy

By setting

• A house party: games people can join halfway, and that survive noise and a kitchen full of people. See our full house party games plan.
• Online, on a video call: browser games where everyone sees the game on their own screen, so nobody has to share theirs. Virtual game night ideas has the setup.
• The office: nothing personal, nothing physical, nothing that ranks colleagues. Pub quiz, Codenames, Just One, Pictionary, Fill-In with work-safe prompts. Our team building games and icebreaker games are written for work.
• Family, mixed ages: team games where a seven year old and a grandparent can be on the same side. Charades, Pictionary, Just One, Bingo. Family game night ideas has more.
• Kids: short, active, simple, with prizes for everyone. Musical Statues, scavenger hunts, animal charades.
• Adults only: the same games with sharper prompts. Party games for adults keeps it fun without going explicit.

By props

Classic party games with no props

These need nothing but people. Learn five of them and you are never stuck.

1. Charades

4 to 20 players · 20 to 40 minutes · nothing (slips of paper help)

Two teams. One player acts out a film, book, song or phrase in silence while their team guesses against a one minute timer; the other team chooses what they act. Our charades ideas has prompts sorted by difficulty.

2. Twenty Questions

2 to 10 players · 5 minutes a round · nothing

One person thinks of a thing; everyone else asks yes or no questions, 20 in total, to work it out. Start with "animal, vegetable or mineral?" and you will rarely need all 20.

3. Two Truths and a Lie

3 to 15 players · 15 to 30 minutes · nothing

Each player says three things about themselves, one of them false, and the group votes on the lie. The best lies are boring and the best truths sound made up; our two truths and a lie guide has examples to borrow.

4. Would You Rather

2 to 20 players · as long as you like · nothing

Someone poses a choice between two options, and everyone picks a side and defends it. Keep both options equally good or equally awful, or there is nothing to argue about.

5. Most Likely To

4 to 20 players · 10 to 20 minutes · nothing

Read a prompt ("most likely to get lost in their own town"), count to three, and everyone points at a player. Whoever gets the most fingers explains themselves. There is a long prompt list in most likely to questions.

6. Never Have I Ever (points version)

4 to 15 players · 15 minutes · nothing

Everyone holds up ten fingers. Someone says a thing they have never done, and anyone who has done it folds a finger; the last person with fingers up wins. Keep the statements about travel, food and embarrassing moments, and nobody needs a drink to play.

7. Contact

4 to 10 players · 15 to 30 minutes · nothing

One player thinks of a word and reveals only its first letter. Another player gives a clue to a word with that start; anyone who knows it calls "contact", and if the two say the same word together before the word holder guesses it, the next letter is revealed.

8. Wink Murder

6 to 20 players · 10 minutes a round · nothing (or a deck of cards to deal roles)

Secretly pick a murderer (deal cards: whoever gets the ace of spades). The murderer kills by winking at people, who die dramatically a few seconds later; anyone can accuse, but a wrong accusation puts you out.

9. Psychiatrist

5 to 12 players · 15 minutes · nothing

One player leaves the room while the rest agree on a hidden rule (everyone answers as the person on their left, say). The "psychiatrist" comes back and asks questions until they can name the rule.

10. Botticelli

3 to 10 players · 15 minutes a round · nothing

One player picks a famous person and says the first letter of their surname. Others ask disguised questions ("Are you a footballer?"), and the holder must name someone who fits with that letter or give away a direct yes or no question.

11. Fortunately, Unfortunately

4 to 15 players · 10 minutes · nothing

Go round the circle telling one story, one sentence each, alternating "fortunately" and "unfortunately". Anyone who hesitates, contradicts the story or uses the wrong word starts the next story.

12. Zip Zap Zop

6 to 20 players · 5 to 10 minutes · nothing

Stand in a circle and pass an imaginary bolt of energy by pointing and saying zip, then zap, then zop, in that order. Say the wrong word or freeze and you are out; speed up until the last two standing.

13. Categories

4 to 12 players · 10 minutes · nothing

Keep a clap rhythm going round the circle. The leader names a category (cereals, Bond films), and each player must name a new thing in it on their beat; a repeat or a pause puts you out.

14. Ninja

5 to 15 players · 10 minutes · nothing

Everyone starts in a ninja pose in a circle. In turn, you make one quick move to strike another player's hand, who can dodge with one move, and a hand that gets hit is out of play. Last ninja with a hand left wins. Needs a little space and no breakable glasses nearby.

15. Ghost

3 to 8 players · 10 minutes · nothing

Take turns adding a letter to a growing word fragment. Finish a real word of four letters or more and you lose the round; add a letter that cannot lead to a word and you can be challenged.

Pen and paper party games

Five minutes of setup, hours of play. Keep a stack of paper and a few pens in a drawer and these are always ready.

16. Fishbowl (Salad Bowl, the Hat Game)

6 to 20 players · 45 minutes · slips of paper, pens, a bowl, a timer

Everyone writes five names or phrases on slips into a bowl, and two teams race to get through as many as possible in a minute each turn. The same slips go round three times: first describe, then one word only, then act in silence, and by round three the whole room has running jokes.

17. Sticky Note Who Am I

4 to 20 players · 20 minutes · sticky notes, a pen

Write a famous name on a sticky note and stick it on the forehead of the player beside you. Everyone asks yes or no questions about their own note; it works well as a mingling game because people can play in pairs around the room.

18. Pictionary at home

4 to 16 players · 30 minutes · paper, pens, a bowl of words, a timer

Two teams; one player draws a secret word while their team guesses within 60 seconds, with no letters or numbers allowed. Our online drawing games guide has the full home rules and 90 words to draw, sorted by difficulty.

19. Telephone Pictionary

5 to 15 players · 20 minutes · a small notebook or folded paper per player

Everyone writes a phrase, passes it on, and the next player draws it. The next describes the drawing in words, the next draws that, and so on, and at the end each book is read aloud from start to finish.

20. Consequences

4 to 12 players · 15 minutes · paper and pens

Write a line of a story (a name, then who they met, where, what was said), fold it over so it is hidden, and pass it on. Each answer goes on a new fold. Unfold and read the nonsense aloud.

21. Name Place Animal Thing

3 to 12 players · 20 minutes · paper and pens

Pick a random letter; everyone races to write a name, a place, an animal and a thing starting with it. Unique answers score 10, shared ones 5. Add categories (films, foods, excuses) to make it harder.

22. Back to Back Drawing

4 to 16 players in pairs · 15 minutes · paper, pens, simple pictures to describe

Pairs sit back to back. One describes a simple picture without naming what it is and the other draws it. Compare at the end; the funniest mismatch wins.

23. Taboo at home

4 to 16 players · 30 minutes · cards you write yourself, a timer

Write a word and five words you cannot say on each card. One player gets their team to guess as many words as possible in a minute while the other team watches for slips; our how to play Taboo guide has the full rules and card ideas.

24. Pub quiz

6 to 60 players · 45 to 90 minutes · questions, answer sheets, a quizmaster

Teams of three to six answer rounds of ten questions on general knowledge, music, pictures or the people in the room. Mark between rounds and read the scores aloud for drama.

Card and board party games worth buying

If you buy one party game, it is probably one of these. We checked player counts, ages and prices against the publishers' pages or major retailers in October 2026; editions differ, so check the box you buy.

25. Codenames

4 or more players · 15 to 30 minutes · ages 14+ · the box, or the free official browser version

Two teams face a grid of 25 words. Each team's spymaster gives a one-word clue and a number to link several of their team's words, and teammates guess, avoiding the other team's words and the assassin that ends the game. There is a free official version at codenames.game, and our guide to games like Codenames covers the alternatives.

26. Just One

3 to 7 players · 20 minutes · ages 8+ · the box

A cooperative word game from Repos Production. Everyone secretly writes a one-word clue to help the guesser find a mystery word, but any clues that match are removed before the guesser sees them, so the obvious clue can backfire.

27. Telestrations

4 to 8 players in the original box (a 12 player Party Pack exists too) · 20 to 30 minutes · ages vary by edition · the box

The boxed version of Telephone Pictionary from The Op, with sketchbooks and dry erase markers. Optional scoring rewards the best guesses and drawings, but most groups just read the books aloud.

28. Exploding Kittens

2 to 5 players · 15 minutes · ages 7+ · $19.99 for the original edition

Draw cards until someone draws an Exploding Kitten and is out, unless they have a Defuse card. Action cards let you skip, peek or make others draw. Expansions raise the player count. Our games like Exploding Kittens has free alternatives.

29. Pictionary (the board game)

Two teams · 30 to 60 minutes · ages 8+ · the box

Mattel's classic: draw words from cards against a sand timer and move round the board. The All Play cards, where both teams draw the same word at once, are the best part.

30. Heads Up!

2 or more players · 10 minutes · one smartphone with the app ($1.99 on the App Store as of October 2026, with extra decks as in-app purchases)

Hold the device to your forehead, screen facing out. Friends shout clues and you tilt it down for a correct guess or up to pass.

31. Spoons

4 to 13 players · 10 minutes a round · a deck of cards, one fewer spoon than players

Pass cards round the table quickly, trying to make four of a kind. When someone does, they quietly take a spoon, and everyone else grabs for one; the player left without a spoon is out.

32. Cheat (I Doubt It)

3 to 10 players · 20 minutes · a deck of cards (two for big groups)

Deal every card. Players take turns laying cards face down, claiming they are the next rank in order, and anyone can call "cheat". A wrong call or a caught lie picks up the whole pile; first to empty their hand wins.

Drawing party games

Bad drawing is one of the most reliable sources of laughter at any party. These range from free websites to our own games.

33. skribbl.io

2 to 20 players in a private room · 10 to 20 minutes · a browser each

A free online draw and guess game: one player draws a word they choose, everyone else types guesses, and faster guesses score more. Custom word lists make inside jokes easy.

34. Gartic Phone

Up to 50 in a lobby (as of October 2026) · 15 to 30 minutes · a browser or the app each

A free online telephone game. Everyone writes a sentence, draws someone else's, describes someone else's drawing, and watches the chains replay at the end. Its own site suggests getting on a voice call first.

35. Scrawl

3 to 16 players · 15 minutes · a screen each, a TV if you have one

Our draw and guess game. The drawer picks one of three words and draws on their own screen, it appears live for everyone, and guessers type answers; the first correct guess scores 10, and the drawer earns 10 for each player who gets it.

36. Spindoodle

3 to 16 players · 10 minutes · a screen each

Draw and guess, but the round sheet of paper spins under your pen, slowly at first, then faster as the clock runs down. When the answer is revealed, the paper stops the right way up.

37. Chain Sketch

4 to 12 players · 30 minutes · a screen each, a TV optional

Our telephone game. Draw or guess whatever page is handed to you, then pass it on until every book comes home; each book is replayed at the end (on the TV if you have one), and its owner picks a favourite drawing and guess. Three rounds of about 10 minutes each.

38. Doodle Recall

2 to 16 players · 8 minutes · a screen each

Everyone draws the same words against the clock without seeing each other's drawings. Then you get your own drawings back with the words hidden and have to name them from memory.

Word party games

For groups who like to talk. Most of these work around a table with food in reach.

39. Hush

4 to 16 players · 15 minutes · a screen each

Our take on the forbidden words game. The clue giver describes a word without saying it or any of six banned words, and the other team can see the banned list and buzz a slip; correct answers score a point, buzzes cost one.

40. Mindline

2 to 16 players · 15 minutes · a screen each

One player sees a secret spot on a line between two extremes (Freezing to Scorching) and gives a clue for it, like "fresh pizza". Everyone moves a slider to where they think the clue sits; exact hits score 10, and the clue giver scores the group's average.

41. Fill-In

3 to 12 players · 15 minutes · a screen each

A sentence with a blank appears; everyone types the funniest answer. Answers show without names, everyone votes, and each vote is a point. This is our take on the fill in the blank style that Quiplash made famous.

42. Five Letters

2 to 16 players · 10 minutes · a screen each

Everyone races to solve the same five letter word in six guesses on their own screen. The shared view shows only coloured squares, so nobody can copy, and faster solves score more. See Wordle with friends for other ways to play.

43. Speed Wits

2 to 16 players · 10 minutes · a screen each

A phrase hidden in an arrangement of words and letters (like "head" written over "heels") appears on screen, and everyone races to type what it means. The sooner you answer, the more it is worth.

Social deduction party games

Hidden roles, bluffing and accusations. These are the games people still talk about the next day. Our word games for groups has calmer options if your group does not enjoy lying to each other.

44. Mafia (or Werewolf)

6 to 16 players plus a moderator · 20 to 45 minutes · nothing, or a deck of cards for roles

A few players are secretly the Mafia; each night they pick a victim, and each day the town debates and votes someone out. Town wins by finding every Mafia member; Mafia win when they equal the town. Our how to play Mafia guide has role tables for every group size.

45. Nightfall

4 to 16 players · 20 minutes · a screen each, a TV optional

Our version of Mafia with no moderator: roles appear on each player's screen and the game runs the night, narrating through the TV or, without one, on every player's screen. Every living player makes a move at night (villagers record a suspicion), so nobody gives themselves away by being busy.

46. Odd One Out

4 to 12 players · 15 minutes · a screen each

Everyone gets the same secret word except the odd ones out, who get a related word and are not told. Trade hints, then vote; a caught odd player can still score by guessing the majority word.

47. Spy Grid

4 to 16 players · 15 minutes · a screen each

Our take on the one-word clue team game. Two handlers see which words on a 5 by 5 grid belong to their team and give clues; teammates tap words on their screens and must avoid the trap.

48. Murder mystery party

6 to 12 players · 2 to 3 hours · a kit or a script you write

Each guest gets a character and secret information, and the story unfolds over dinner in rounds until everyone accuses the killer. Plan this one ahead; it is the whole evening, not a game between games.

Team and active party games

For when there is space and people want to move.

49. Act It Out

4 to 16 players · 15 minutes · a screen each

Charades where the other team picks the first word of your turn, and only your screen shows it. Teammates guess out loud and you mark each one right or skipped.

50. Face Up

3 to 12 players · 10 minutes · a screen each

Hold your screen to your forehead facing the group; everyone describes the word and you guess. Tilt to mark it right or pass. Everyone takes a turn each round.

51. One-minute challenges

4 to 30 players · 30 minutes · cups, balloons, cookies, string

Set up short challenges to finish in 60 seconds: stack 20 cups into a pyramid, move a cookie from forehead to mouth without hands, keep three balloons in the air. Teams rotate through them for points.

52. Balloon relay

8 to 30 players · 10 minutes · balloons

Teams pass a balloon down the line without using hands (between knees, under chins), and the first team to the end wins. Pops are part of the fun; have spares.

53. Scavenger hunt

4 to 40 players · 30 to 60 minutes · a list per team, a phone camera if you want photo proof

Teams race to find or photograph items on a list. Add points for creativity ("something older than the host") rather than just speed.

54. Name That Tune

4 to 40 players · 20 minutes · a speaker, a playlist

Play the first five seconds of a song; first team to shout the title and artist scores. Pick songs from every decade represented in the room.

55. Sardines

6 to 20 players · 15 minutes a round · a house with hiding places

Hide and seek in reverse: one person hides, and anyone who finds them squeezes into the hiding spot too. The last seeker left alone hides next.

56. Musical Statues

5 to 30 players · 10 minutes · music

Dance while the music plays and freeze when it stops. Anyone still moving is out, or (kinder for kids) becomes a judge.

Online and screen party games

For friends on a call or a living room where everyone has a screen. Full side by side comparison in online party games, and see games like Jackbox for free alternatives.

57. Jackbox Party Packs (Quiplash and others)

3 to 8 players per game, plus an audience · 15 minutes per game · one copy for the host, any browser for players

Jackbox Games sells packs of five party games. Only the host buys and runs it; players join on jackbox.tv with a room code (how it works). Quiplash 3, for example, is in The Jackbox Party Pack 7 ($29.99 on Steam as of October 2026), takes 3 to 8 players, and lets an audience of up to 10,000 vote.

58. Codenames Online

4 or more players · 15 minutes · a browser each, a voice call

The official free browser version of Codenames. Create a room, share the link, and talk on any call while you play.

59. Most Likely To (on Rondovo)

3 to 16 players · 10 minutes · a screen each

The game asks who is most likely to do something, and everyone votes in secret. You score when you vote with the room, so it rewards reading your friends rather than picking on one person.

60. Bingo and Tambola

2 to 16 players on Rondovo, any number on paper · 10 to 15 minutes · tickets or a screen each

The caller reads numbers; players mark their tickets and race to claim a line, corners or a full house. Our tambola rules and tickets guide covers the Indian version with Early Five and printable tickets.

61. Frostmatch

2 to 16 players · 3 minutes a round · a screen each

Our match-three race. Everyone gets the same board and plays at once; every 150 points sends ice to an opponent's board. The top two from a 90-second round go to a final.

62. Showdown!

2 to 10 players · 25 minutes · a screen each

Our take on the classic match the colour or number shedding game. Empty your hand first, and press Showdown! when you are down to one card before someone catches you. For more, see games like Uno.

How to run party games so people actually play

The game matters less than how you start it. A few things that work:

• Start with a game that needs no explaining. Most Likely To or Would You Rather. Nobody has to perform, everyone laughs, and the room relaxes.
• Explain by playing. "Let's do one practice round" beats a five minute rules speech every time.
• Make teams for people, not the reverse. Mix couples and close friends across teams so nobody is stranded with strangers, and put quieter guests on bigger teams.
• Give the shy roles. Timekeeper, scorekeeper and judge are real jobs and a way in.
• Keep score on paper, not in drinks. A running tally on a fridge whiteboard is enough. The prize can be choosing the next game or the last slice of cake.
• Plan three games, play two. Have a backup for when a game falls flat, and do not be precious about stopping one that is not working.
• Watch the clock. Most party games peak around round two or three. Switch while people are still laughing.

Rondovo: party games on your own screen

Rondovo is our free site of party, board and card games. One person hosts a room, friends join on their own screens with a four letter code, and a TV is optional (open rondovo.com/tv in the TV's browser and add it to the room). Guests do not need a download or an account. The party shelf has 20 games; the biggest take 16 players, and several top out at 10 or 12.

Honest limits: it is not a replacement for a room shouting at Charades, there are no public rooms with strangers, and 16 players is the top for any one game, so a crowd of 30 needs two rooms. Where it helps is the games above that need a moderator, a scorekeeper or secret information: Mafia (Nightfall), the forbidden words game (Hush), one-word clue games (Spy Grid), anonymous voting (Fill-In) and bluffing (Odd One Out).

Every party game guide on Rondovo

This page is the starting point. For a specific occasion or group, these go further:

By setting and group

• House party games: a running order for the evening
• Party games for adults: dinner parties, bigger parties, couples nights
• Birthday party games for kids: by age, 3 to 12
• Party games for large groups: 10 to 50 people
• Online party games and virtual game night ideas
• Games to play with friends and game night ideas for adults
• Games for couples and sleepover games
• Icebreaker games, team building games and office party games
• Party games for teens and games for seniors
• Family game night ideas

By what you have

• Games to play with no props
• Card games for groups and best board games for groups
• Word games for groups and online drawing games
• TV games without a console

Holidays

• Halloween party games, Christmas party games, New Year's Eve games, Diwali party games and Holi games

Celebrations

• Baby shower games, bachelorette party games, wedding reception games, sangeet games and kitty party games

Rules and prompts for single games

• How to play Mafia, How to play Taboo, Charades ideas, Pictionary words, Tambola rules and tickets, Antakshari rules
• Most likely to questions, Never have I ever questions, Would you rather questions, Truth or dare questions, Two truths and a lie
• Games like Jackbox, games like Codenames, games like Spyfall, games like Among Us and games like Uno

Questions people ask

What are the best party games?

For most groups: Charades, Fishbowl, Two Truths and a Lie, Mafia, Codenames and Telephone Pictionary. They are easy to teach, work for 6 to 16 people, and get funnier the longer you play. Pick using the chooser above if your group is unusual in size or mood.

What are fun party games with no supplies?

Charades, Contact, Wink Murder, Psychiatrist, Most Likely To, Would You Rather, Two Truths and a Lie, Zip Zap Zop and Sardines all need nothing at all. With paper and a pen you add Fishbowl, the best of the lot.

What party games work for big groups?

Games where everyone plays at once or in teams: Fishbowl, Mafia, pub quiz, Name That Tune, Most Likely To and Sardines. Above 15 people, run two games side by side instead of one long one.

What are good party game ideas for adults?

Fishbowl, Codenames, Mafia, Telestrations, Fill-In style prompt games and a pub quiz about the people in the room. Our party games for adults has more for dinner parties, bigger parties and couples nights.

What party games can you play online?

Jackbox Party Packs if someone owns one, and free browser games such as skribbl.io, Gartic Phone and Codenames Online. Rondovo's party games also work on a video call: share the four letter code, everyone picks "Just this screen", and each person sees the board on their own device, so nobody needs to share a screen.

How do you get shy guests to join party games?

Start with games where everyone answers at once and nobody performs alone (Most Likely To, Fill-In, Just One). Put quiet guests on bigger teams, offer the timekeeper or judge role, and never force a turn.

How long should a party game last?

Fifteen to thirty minutes is the sweet spot for most. Stop after two or three rounds while people still want more, then switch to something different in energy.

Codenames, Czech Games Edition, Just One, Repos Production, Telestrations, The Op, Exploding Kittens, Pictionary, Mattel, Heads Up!, App Store, Taboo, skribbl.io, Gartic Phone, Jackbox Games, Jackbox Party Pack, Quiplash, Steam, Wordle and Uno are trademarks of their owners. Rondovo is not affiliated with them.