New Year’s Eve party games until midnight
The hardest part of New Year’s Eve is the three hours before the countdown. These games fill that time, get everyone talking about the year that was, and make sure nobody falls asleep before midnight.
Each pick has a New Year card pack with resolutions, countdowns and party poppers. It switches on by itself from Boxing Day to the first week of January.
The 5 best games
1. Most Likely To (3+ players)
Who will break their resolution by 2 January? Who will be asleep before midnight? Point and see.
- Read the “Most likely to…” prompt out loud.
- Count to three. Everyone points at the player they think fits best, all at once.
- Tap the player with the most fingers pointing at them. A tie means all tied players score.
- Tap Next turn for a new prompt.
2. Never Have I Ever (3+ players)
New Year confessions, from kissing someone at midnight to writing the wrong year on a form.
- Read the “Never have I ever…” statement out loud.
- Anyone who HAS done it raises a hand. Telling the story is optional.
- Tap each player with a hand up. They each score 1.
- Tap Next turn. The highest score at the end is the most adventurous.
3. Imposter (3+ players)
Party words like Ball drop, Twelve grapes and Noisemaker, with one guest bluffing their way through.
- Pass the phone round. Each player taps their card to see the secret word, then hides it.
- One player sees “Imposter” instead (plus a one-word hint, if hints are on). They must bluff.
- Go round the circle. Everyone says one word linked to the secret word, then discuss and vote.
- Catch the imposter and everyone else scores 1. If they escape or guess the word, they score 2.
4. Would You Rather (2+ players)
Huge party or quiet night in? Keep one resolution or make twelve and keep none?
- Read both options out loud.
- Count to three. Everyone points left for the first option or right for the second.
- Tap every player on the bigger side. They each score 1. A tie means nobody scores.
- Tap Next turn for a new question.
5. Pass the Bomb (3+ players)
A loud last game before the countdown: name resolutions or things that sparkle before the fuse runs out.
- Read the category out loud, then tap Light the fuse.
- Say one answer that fits, tap Pass, and hand the phone to the next player.
- No repeats. If the group says an answer doesn’t count, try again before passing.
- When the bomb explodes, whoever is holding it loses. Everyone else scores 1.
The New Year card pack
78 themed cards for 8 games. It switches on by itself from 26 December to 7 January, and you can pick it any time.
Imposter (16 cards)
- Rockets
- Countdown
- Resolution
Charades (10 cards)
- Watching the ball drop on TV
- Counting down to midnight
- Popping a bottle of bubbly
Would You Rather (8 cards)
- Spend New Year’s Eve at a huge party / Spend it at home with close friends
- Watch the fireworks in London / Watch them in Sydney
- Keep one resolution all year / Make twelve and keep none
Most Likely To (10 cards)
- Most likely to break their resolution by 2 January
- Most likely to fall asleep before midnight
- Most likely to send a “Happy New Year” text to the whole contact list
Never Have I Ever (10 cards)
- Never have I ever kept a New Year’s resolution all year
- Never have I ever fallen asleep before midnight on New Year’s Eve
- Never have I ever written the wrong year on something in January
True or False (9 cards)
- The Pacific island nations of Kiribati and Samoa are among the first places to see in the New Year
- In Spain, many people eat twelve grapes at midnight for good luck
- The ball drop in New York’s Times Square began in 1907
20 Questions (10 cards)
- Party popper
- Hourglass
- Calendar
Pass the Bomb (5 cards)
- New Year’s resolutions
- Things that sparkle or glow
- Party drinks of any kind
Tips
- Start your last game about twenty minutes before midnight, and tap End when the countdown starts.
- Turn spicy mode on only if the whole group is in.
- Keep sound effects on: the bomb blast is a great wake-up call at 11:45.
Questions
What are good New Year’s Eve games for adults?
Most Likely To and Never Have I Ever are favourites, with spicy mode for bolder prompts. For an 18+ party with drinks, Kings Cup also works well.
Are there New Year games for families?
Yes. Imposter, Would You Rather and Pass the Bomb all have family-friendly New Year cards.