Try these 10 fun virtual games with your squad this New Year’s Eve

The Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus may have dampened our plans of a full-fledged New Year’s Eve bash, but hosting a small-scale party at home can be equally exciting. And if you are away from your dear ones this time of the year, here’s how you can make it exciting with fun virtual games.

So, while you prepare your favourite appetisers and drinks, all you need to do is make a list of some of the best online games for a virtual New Year’s Eve party. Invite your friends for a video call, and throw in some cool competitions and challenges while you all wait for the ball to drop.

Be as creative as possible with the games you’d want to play. While these can include online versions of old favourites, you can also add a challenging twist to make them more engaging.

From classics like Never Have I Ever to Bingo and Virtual Scavenger Hunt, there is no dearth of party games options for friends, parents, children and everyone else.

Just be sure to send the invite link on time!

Check out these fun virtual games to play this New Year’s Eve

Virtual Bingo

A round of virtual bingo or tambola will surely begin your party with a bang. Sending tickets, collecting money, shuffling the numbers and assigning winning cash prizes for each row you strike out or the ultimate full-house, it is one of the best party games you can play.

There are many online apps available that can generate tickets for any number of participants. Each player can buy multiple tickets to increase their chances of winning. The app can generate the numbers from 1 to 99 for the moderator to announce it before the group. Whoever has it on their ticket strikes it out.

What’s more exciting with this classic game is when someone doesn’t get a single number ticked, while another finishes their ticket well ahead of time. See how fierce the game turns the second round onwards if, out of sheer luck, one person wins multiple prizes.

The amounts collected from the tickets are divided among categories like ‘first row’, ‘second row’, ‘third row’ and full house. Send the amount online and see your virtual New Year’s Eve party turn into a celebration.

Virtual round-up card

To play this game, make a classic bingo chequered box with new year’s as the theme, and fill it with items that you and your friends might have. Send the template to everyone on the video call and have a fun game night.

See who gets the maximum boxes ticked. All the others can raise a toast and drink to the one who wins.

You can make it a tad more competitive with others by sending out e-gifts every time a player completes a row or a column.

Never Have I Ever

The ultimate fun way to get your squad to drink is probably by playing Never Have I Ever.

Over a zoom call, get your friends to take turns to share something that you haven’t done. All those who have done the deed have to take a shot or a sip of their drink.

Give it a new year’s twist by curating a list of activities based on a year-ending theme. Include statements like ‘Never have I ever danced all night at new year’s eve’ or ‘Never have I ever had five back to back shots in a new year’s eve party’. Pop the bottle of champagne, and have fun with your friends on New Year’s Eve with this virtual game.

Virtual Scavenger Hunt

Do you think this game is all hustle and tussle only when the players are face-to-face? Not anymore. Experience the same enthusiasm and energy with a virtual version of the game as well.

To get started, the moderator makes a list of items that are commonly found at home and asks the participants to look for them.

Pick a good mix of easy and tricky items to make an exciting scavenger hunt game. Assign maximum points to the tricky items to make the game more interesting.

You can also add fun activities, like ‘send a 30-second video of cuddling with your pet’, ‘get a bauble from your Christmas tree’ or ‘take a selfie with your partner’, to give virtual scavenger hunt a new spin.

In this fast-paced game, it’s a race against time. Whoever finds all items assigned to them the soonest and earns the maximum points wins. Send e-gifts or drinks to the winner, and have a fun New Year’s Eve.

New Year’s Charades

One of the most popular and simplest games, we all have played dumb charades at some point, and it’s a party hit. Even when playing as a virtual game, it can be a great way to get everyone screaming with excitement through their screens.

Make two or more opposing teams. While one team enacts what’s been assigned to them, the others have to guess what it is. The theme can be anything — from movies and books to a significant event from the year gone by. Just be sure everyone is aware of one of the most important rules — the person enacting the task cannot speak.

Check out who’s got the best acting skills and whose guessing game is the strongest.

Tree or Bob Ross

Nothing beats a fun question game that makes you scratch your head. Get your virtual gang connected over video calls and get ready to have a gala.

Similar to ‘Eye Spy’, this game starts with one player assuming the identity of an object, personality or anything that the imagination allows. From being a Squid Game character to pop legend Michael Jackson or even a rubber ball, it can be absolutely anything.

Now, let the others ask questions, starting with ‘Is it more like a tree or more like Bob Ross?’ The person can choose whichever is the closest and stick to that choice while the others follow with their questions. For instance, if you have chosen to be Santa Claus, then your answer will be Bob Ross.

Keep the competition alive by setting a bar on the number of questions that can be asked, or you can give it a twist by asking questions with only ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers.

2 Resolutions and 1 Lie

A spin on 2 Truths and 1 Lie, this game will surely reveal who knows the gang better, and it is one of the easiest games you can play online with a group of friends.

All you need to do is ask every player to send in one new year’s resolution along with two false ones to the moderator. Once all resolutions are in, the moderator can read out each message and ask the others to guess which of them is the correct resolution and whose it is.

Who Is Most Likely To

If you are on Instagram, then it is hard to miss this immensely popular and fun trend.

Once your New Year’s Eve party gang is ready before their screens, have everyone prepare cards with each other’s names.

Let one person, who can be the moderator, ask questions such as ‘Who is most likely to get married in the new year?’ or ‘Who is the most generous?’ The players will have to show the card with the name of the person they think is most suitable.

Throw in some cool and personal questions to make the game more fun and interesting.

New Year’s Scrabble and Word-making

Scrabble, among other word-making games, has evolved into an online board game that can be played with friends and family no matter where they are across the world.

Want to channel your inner nerd with word games this New Year’s Eve? Set a holiday theme to the game or begin with ‘Happy New Year’ and see who can make the most out of these letters. Make as many words as you can to gain points.

Virtual Escape Rooms

Virtual escape room games are a great way to get your gang together to celebrate a virtual New Year’s Eve. Aimed at team bonding, they keep you engaged for a long time as you solve clues, puzzles and much more, all the while keeping up with time.

The themes often include murder mysteries, pulling off heists and breaking out of jail cells. While this can be a great team-building exercise, you can enjoy a big win that comes as a relief from solving the mind-boggling riddles.

What’s even better is that if you get bored with one, you can choose from several virtual escape room games available online.

So, remember to include them in your New Year’s party game list.

Hero and feature image credit: Kelsey Chance/ @kchance8/ Unsplash

This story was first published on Prestige Malaysia.