30 Large Group Games for 2025 You’ve Ever Played
Planning a get-together with a large group of friends or family can be exciting but also a bit challenging.
So, in this article I’ll share a list of 30 great games that are perfect for big groups, easy to set up and play.
Let’s get started!
30 Large Group Games
1. Guess Who
In Guess Who, each participant writes the name of a fictional or real character on a sticky note and sticks it to the forehead of the person to their right.
The objective is for each person to guess the name on their forehead by asking yes or no questions to the group.
The game proceeds in turns, with players asking questions like, “Am I a female?” or “Do I appear in movies?” until they can accurately guess their assigned character.
2. Murder Mystery Game
The Murder Mystery Game involves guests dressing up and assuming various characters for the evening, each with their own background and motives.
One guest is secretly assigned the role of the murderer, and the others must determine who it is through conversation and clues.
The host can purchase or download a murder mystery game pack, which includes character roles, clues, and instructions.
Throughout the evening, guests will question each other and reveal secrets to unravel the mystery.
3. Cool Beans
Cool Beans is a hilarious game where odd words or sentences are placed under each person’s dinner plate.
Once seated, guests read their hidden phrase and must seamlessly integrate it into the dinner conversation without being detected.
Points are awarded for successfully using the phrase unnoticed and for catching others using theirs.
This game is perfect for adding humor to a meal, as participants come up with creative and subtle ways to use their phrases.
4. Two Truths, One Lie
Two Truths, One Lie is a classic icebreaker where each participant shares two true facts and one falsehood about themselves. The group then guesses which statement is the lie.
This game is perfect for helping people get to know each other better in a fun and engaging way.
It encourages storytelling and creativity, as players try to make their lie believable and their truths interesting.
5. Great Minds Think Alike
In Great Minds Think Alike, guests are divided into two groups and given a sheet of paper and a pen. The host calls out a category, such as “something you find on the side of the road” or “a famous person with a mustache.”
Each player writes down the first three things that come to mind. Points are awarded for each matching answer within the group.
This game is fantastic for generating laughter and discovering commonalities among participants.
6. Trivia Night
This involves preparing questions on various themes, such as pop culture, history, or sports. Participants can be divided into teams, and each team writes down their answers.
Points are awarded for correct answers, and the team with the most points at the end wins. This game promotes teamwork, friendly competition, and learning in a relaxed setting.
Trivia Night is perfect for engaging a large number of people and can easily be adjusted in difficulty to suit different knowledge levels.
7. Salad Bowl
Salad Bowl combines elements of charades, password, and taboo. In this game each person writes down names of celebrities, fictional characters, or friends on pieces of paper, which are then mixed in a bowl.
Teams take turns drawing a name and trying to get their teammates to guess it within 60 seconds using descriptions in the first round, acting it out in the second, and using one word in the third.
It’s a versatile game that can be played with various themes, ensuring it remains fresh and entertaining for every group.
8. Dinner Pictionary
Dinner Pictionary involves players drawing words or phrases from a bowl and sketching them for their team to guess within a set time limit, usually 30 seconds.
No speaking or writing words is allowed. Teams score points for each correct guess. This game is great for sparking creativity and laughter as players interpret words through drawings.
It promotes team collaboration and is a fantastic way to break the ice and get everyone involved.
9. Drinking Jenga
In this game each block is inscribed with a rule or challenge, such as “take a drink,” “tell a secret,” or “do five push-ups.”
Players take turns pulling blocks from the tower and must complete the challenge written on the block they pull.
If the tower collapses, the person responsible must drink from a communal pint glass filled with contributions from everyone’s drinks.
10. Make A Rule
Make A Rule involves setting unique rules for the dinner, such as not using first names, not crossing your legs, or only speaking in questions.
If someone breaks a rule, they incur a penalty, such as taking a drink or performing a fun dare.
This game adds an extra layer of challenge and humor to the dining experience as participants try to remember and follow the rules while catching others breaking them.
11. Mafia
In the Mafia game; players are assigned roles of either mafia members or townspeople. The goal of the mafia is to eliminate the townspeople without being caught, while the townspeople try to identify and eliminate the mafia members.
The game begins with a “night” phase where the mafia secretly chooses a townsperson to eliminate. During the “day” phase, all players discuss and vote on who they think the mafia is.
This cycle continues until either all mafia members are eliminated or the mafia outnumber the townspeople.
12. Telephone Pictionary
In Telephone Pictionary, each player starts by writing a simple sentence on a piece of paper. They then pass the paper to the next person, who draws a picture based on the sentence.
The paper is folded to hide the original sentence and passed again, with the next person writing a sentence based on the drawing.
This continues until the paper returns to the original writer, who reveals the hilarious transformations that occurred.
13. Spoons
Spoons is a fast-paced card game where players pass cards around, trying to collect four of a kind. When a player gets four of a kind, they grab a spoon from the center of the table.
As soon as one player grabs a spoon, everyone else must quickly grab one too. The player left without a spoon is out of the game. The game continues until only one player remains.
14. Who Said That?
In Who Said That?, the host prepares by finding old social media statuses or quotes from the guests. These are typed out without names and printed.
During the game, each status or quote is read aloud, and guests must guess who originally posted or said it.
This game is a great icebreaker and provides plenty of laughs as players reminisce about their past online personas.
15. Human Machine
Human Machine is an improvisational game where teams collaborate to create a “machine” using their bodies.
Each person adds a unique movement and sound, building a larger and more complex machine with each addition.
The result is a dynamic and often hilarious human contraption that moves and makes noise in unison.
16. Red Ball
Red Ball is an improv game where participants pass around imaginary objects, starting with a simple red ball.
As the game progresses, the objects become more varied and complex, such as a wriggling cat or a heavy suitcase.
Players must act out the passing and receiving of these objects with appropriate gestures and expressions.
17. The Viking
In The Viking, participants stand in a circle and perform loud, exaggerated actions while shouting Norse words.
One player starts by shouting “Mjolner!” and air punching to the left or right, passing the role of Viking.
The next player must quickly respond with the correct action and word. Any hesitation or mistake results in elimination. The game continues until only one Viking remains.
18. Guess the Whistler’s Tune
In Guess the Whistler’s Tune, one player whistles a tune while the others try to guess what it is. Points are awarded for correct guesses.
The game is simple but can be surprisingly challenging, especially for those who aren’t confident whistlers.
It’s a fun way to test musical knowledge and listening skills, and it often results in plenty of laughs as players struggle to recognize or produce the correct tunes.
19. Dinner Murder
Dinner Murder is a mystery game where players draw cards assigning them roles as detective, murderer, or victim.
The murderer “kills” by subtly winking at other players, who must then lay their heads on the table to indicate they are out.
The detective must observe and deduce who the murderer is before everyone is “killed.” This game requires careful observation and quick thinking.
20. Charades
In the Charades players act out words or phrases without speaking while their team guesses what it is.
The player draws a card with a word or phrase, then uses gestures, expressions, and movements to convey the meaning to their team.
The team has a set time to guess correctly. Charades is a timeless favorite that encourages creativity, teamwork, and lots of laughter.
21. Stop Walk Races
In Stop Walk Races, participants stand at one end of a space and walk towards a finish line when “Walk” is called. When “Stop” is shouted, everyone must freeze immediately.
The game continues in this stop-and-go fashion until someone crosses the finish line. The first to reach the finish line wins.
This game is fun and promotes attentiveness and quick reflexes. It works well for all age groups and can be played both indoors and outdoors.
22. Capture the Flag
Capture the Flag involves splitting players into two teams, each with a designated territory and flag.
The objective is to capture the opponent’s flag and bring it back to your territory while protecting your own flag.
Players who enter enemy territory can be tagged and sent to a holding area until a teammate rescues them. This game promotes strategic thinking, teamwork, and physical activity.
23. Jenga
Jenga is a game of physical and mental skill. Players take turns removing one block at a time from a tower of 54 blocks and placing it on top, trying not to let the tower collapse.
The game continues until the tower falls. It’s a game that requires a steady hand and strategic planning, as each move can make the tower more unstable.
24. Spy
Spy is a creative and collaborative game where teams create and pass imaginary objects, such as parts of a machine.
Each person adds a movement and sound, contributing to a larger, evolving creation. This game encourages physical activity, creativity, and teamwork.
It’s ideal for energizing a group and breaking the ice, as participants must coordinate and think on their feet.
Spy can be played indoors with minimal space, which makes it perfect for classroom settings or team-building exercises.
25. Switch
In Switch, everyone’s names are written on pieces of paper and placed in a container. Each person draws a name and must switch seats with that person when instructed by the host.
The host calls out “Switch” at random intervals, and players quickly change seats. This game is simple yet effective in mixing up the group, promoting interaction.
It’s perfect for dinner parties or any gathering where mingling is encouraged. The spontaneous movement keeps the energy high and the atmosphere lively.
26. Follow the Leader
Follow the Leader is a game where one person is designated as the leader, and everyone else must mimic their actions.
The leader performs various movements, and the group follows. This game encourages coordination, observation, and quick reactions.
It’s fun for all ages and can be played anywhere, including around a dining table. The simplicity of the game means it can be adapted to fit the group’s energy level.
27. Table Topics
Table Topics uses conversation starter cards to spark interesting discussions. Each card has a question or topic, and participants take turns drawing a card and sharing their thoughts.
This game helps people get to know each other better and can lead to meaningful and entertaining conversations.
It’s ideal for dinner parties, family gatherings, or team-building events. The questions can range from light-hearted to deep and thought-provoking.
28. Memory Game
In the Memory Game, a tray of items is shown to participants for a brief period, then covered. Players write down as many items as they can remember.
The person with the most correct items wins. This game enhances memory and observation skills and can be played with any age group.
It’s simple to set up and can be adapted with different themes or difficulty levels, such as increasing the number of items or reducing the viewing time.
29. Categories
In this game you choose a category, and players go around the table naming something that fits within it until someone can’t think of an answer.
The game continues with new categories, and players are eliminated if they fail to come up with an answer.
This game encourages quick thinking and creativity. It can be tailored to suit any age group and can cover a wide range of topics, from food items to movie titles.
30. Hot Seat
In Hot Seat, one person sits in the “hot seat” and must answer rapid-fire questions from the group within a set time limit.
The questions can be about anything, from personal preferences to hypothetical scenarios. This game is fast-paced and encourages spontaneity and honesty.
It’s great for getting to know people better and can lead to surprising and entertaining revelations.
