New Year’s Eve with games
New Year’s Eve is a long night with one fixed appointment: at midnight, everything stops. So games need to fit the clock – a long game between dinner and the countdown, something quick after the fireworks for everyone drifting back in.
- for 6–12 people
With bigger groups, it’s a relief that nobody has to shuffle cards or keep score. The game table keeps score, and everyone has their cards, roles and dice on their own phone – even when the table is long since covered in glasses.
Games that fit
Quiz Night
1–10 players5–10 minA 20-question Quiz Night is the classic way to start the evening. The leaderboard after every question gets a friendly rivalry going right away.
Cover Word
4–12 players15–30 minCover Word splits nicely into games of a manageable length – handy when the evening is counting down to midnight. Two teams of six argue enough that nobody watches the clock.
Village at Night
5–12 players15–30 minVillage at Night is the game for the hour before the countdown, when everyone is together. With ten or twelve players it gets properly twisty, and the Hunter adds surprises.
Corner Chaos
1–6 players3–5 minCorner Chaos after the fireworks brings everyone back to the screen fast. A race only takes a few minutes, and anyone still outside is replaced by a computer driver.
Little Max
2–8 players10–20 minworks without a TVLittle Max is for the hours after midnight, when the group gets smaller. Up to eight people bluff over their three lives without anyone having to turn the TV back on.
How it can go
After dinner
A Quiz Night with everyone, then two or three games of Cover Word. The group stays together while people are still eating and topping up drinks.
The hour before midnight
Village at Night, while everyone is in the room. Start in good time so you don’t have to abandon the game just before the countdown.
After the fireworks
Corner Chaos for everyone coming back in from the cold. A few races, and then the party breaks up into smaller groups.
The small hours
Little Max at the table for those who stay. All it needs is one phone as host.
Tips
- Set an alarm for 11:30 pm – that way no game ends in the middle of a tense moment.
- If guests are staying over, set up the Wi-Fi connection in the afternoon, before the mood gets too lively.
- A game runs as long as Gather stays open on the host device. Don’t let it switch off during the fireworks if you want to carry on afterwards.
More occasions
- Game night with friends
- Birthday games for grown-ups
- Kids’ birthday party: games with little reading
- Games for Christmas
- Family gatherings: games for young and old
- Office parties and team events with games
- Game night for two
- Bachelor and bachelorette party games
- Flatshare night with games
- Rainy day: what to play when you’re stuck inside
- Holiday rental evenings: games without a TV
- School trips and youth camps: evening games
- Seniors’ club: familiar games on a new table
- Pre-party: quick games before you head out
- Getting-to-know-you night: games for new groups
- Halloween: games for a dark night
- Easter: games for the long weekend
- Family game night: playing with your kids
- Grandparents and grandkids: games for two to four
- Match night: games before kick-off and at half-time
- Cabin weekend: games for several evenings
- An evening on your own: games against the computer