Party games for adults: 20 that work at a house party

The best party games need almost no setup and get people laughing in the first two minutes. Here are 20 that work in a living room, sorted by group size and energy.

No-prep games (start here)

• Two truths and a lie. Each person says three things about themselves. Everyone guesses the lie. Great when not everyone knows each other.

• Never have I ever. Ten fingers up, one goes down every time you’ve done the thing. See our list of 100 questions.

• Would you rather. Ask, pick a side, defend it in ten seconds. Easy debates, no losers.

• Most likely to. Ask “who here is most likely to…” and everyone points on three.

• Contact. One person thinks of a word and gives the first letter. Others try to guess it with clues.

Games for big groups

• Mafia. A few secret mafia, a detective, a doctor and townspeople. Best with 8 to 20 players and a good narrator.

• Dumb charades. Two teams act out film names without speaking. Bollywood titles make it chaotic in the best way.

• Heads up. One person holds a phone to their forehead while the team gives clues for the word on screen.

• Celebrity (or Salad Bowl). Everyone writes names on slips. Round one: describe. Round two: one word. Round three: act it out.

• Antakshari. Sing a song starting with the last letter of the previous team’s song. Loud and very desi.

Card and table games

• Kings cup (with any drink). Each card means a rule. Works with mocktails too.

• Bluff. Play cards face down and claim what they are. Call out the liars.

• Uno. Everyone knows it, and someone always takes it too seriously.

• Codenames. Two teams, one clue-giver each, a grid of words. Clever and calm.

• Pictionary. Draw, guess, laugh at the drawings. Paper and pens are all you need.

Quieter games for a dinner table

• Hot seat. One person answers any question for two minutes.

• The story game. Each person adds one sentence to a story going round the table.

• Guess the song. Hum a song, others guess. Harder than it sounds.

• Desert island. Everyone names three things they’d take. Then defend them.

• Year in three photos. Everyone shows three photos from their year and tells the story behind one.

Tips from people who host often

• Start a game early. The first 30 minutes are the most awkward. A game fixes that.

• Pick one big game, not five. Mafia or charades can carry a whole night.

• Have a host for the game. One person explains rules and keeps it moving.

Make it happen on 8club

• Send one invite. Create a Hotspot, share one link, and see who’s coming.

• Play card games. Teen Patti and other card games are right in the 8club app.

• Run a poll. Let your guests vote on the date, the theme or the playlist.

• Check the guest list. Every Hotspot shows who’s going, and people you know show up first, so you can see if your friends are in before you join.

Quick answers

What is the best party game for adults who don’t know each other?

Two truths and a lie or would you rather. Nobody can be wrong and everyone learns something about the others.

What games can you play at a party without drinking?

Mafia, dumb charades, heads up, Codenames and Pictionary need nothing but people.