17 Fun Online Party Games for Zoom in 2023

Team Building Resources

February 01, 2023

Here is our list of the best online party games.

Online party games are fun activities and challenges guests can play on virtual platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Skype. These games often facilitate communication during online parties. Examples include Virtual Party Bingo, Truth or Dare, and Dancing Freeze Game. The purpose of these activities is to keep virtual parties fun, interactive, and memorable.

These activities are examples of online games for large groups and can be entertainment during online celebrations and remote team events.

This list includes:

• free online party games
• online party games for large groups
• online office party games
• online team party games

Here we go!

List of online party games

Playing an online party game can be a game-changer for your online events. From Online Talent Hunt to Trivia, here are the fun games you can play online during your next party.

1. Pictionary

Pictionary is one of the most fun online team party games. In this activity, a player sketches a particular word or phrase. Then attendees attempt to guess the exact word. If you use Zoom for your party, then you can use the whiteboard feature to play this game. You should first share your screen, select the whiteboard, and assign a player to sketch. Also, set the rules on how other players can guess. Participants can communicate the answer by shouting out or raising their hands.

You can also use a free online Pictionary tool to play the game. Skribbl is a popular option. You can set up a private room with this multiplayer game and share the link for other attendees to join. The best part is that you can play this game without a video conferencing platform.

2. Virtual Party Bingo

Bingo is among the most exciting online party games for large groups. This game is the perfect icebreaker to help attendees loosen up during an online gathering. You can download a Bingo card online or create your own using your desired prompts.

Here are fun Bingo prompts great for online parties:

Once all attendees have the card, you can start the game. To play this game, participants will mark the boxes on the card containing relatable traits or actions. The first person to mark the boards fully or in a vertical line wins the game. You can split attendees into breakout rooms if you have a large group. However, all players in a room will share just one Bingo card. The goal is for a team to find which teammates have the traits on the cards. The first team to mark out the board according to the rules wins.

3. Virtual Trivia

Trivia is a fun party game you can play to boost engagement. The host will ask questions while participants try to provide correct answers. First, determine how you want to play the game. You can split attendees into teams to maximize the fun. The team can compete against one another or play different trivia games in the breakout rooms. Regardless of how you play, the team or player who answers a question correctly wins a point.

Also, set the trivia questions beforehand. You can decide to ask questions on a particular theme, like movies or history. If the purpose of your party is to commemorate a celebration like Christmas, Halloween, or Thanksgiving, then you can ask questions relating to the tradition. In the end, crown the team with the highest point as the winner.

One of the easiest ways to play online trivia is to use Kahoot! Once you make your quiz in the app, the tool will generate a room code. Players will enter the code on a mobile device, and use their phones or tablets to answer questions. The app automatically grades responses and assigns scores.

Trivia is fun and offers attendees an opportunity to expand their knowledge.

Here is a list of trivia games for Zoom.

4. Virtual Murder Mystery

Virtual Murder Mystery is one of the best online office party games. In a murder mystery game, you and other attendees get to test your detective skills. Participants simply play different roles with the ultimate goal of figuring out the identify of the killer. You can pick a theme to set the tone right for your party. Also, assign different roles to players and send their character packets. You can encourage attendees to come dressed in costumes that match their characters.

To see the scene, you can ask attendees to use on-theme virtual backgrounds. You might want to seek and share information secretly with other players during the game. Since whispering will be virtually impossible, you can use direct messages or send text messages to pass information to players. At the end of the game, team members must identify the criminal from the list of suspects.

5. Name Animal Place Thing

Name Animal Place Thing is a fast-paced game that will add great excitement to your virtual party. This game is quite similar to Scattergories. The goal is for players to write out the names of nouns, which can be of a person, city, animal, or even car brand. You can choose as many noun categories as you want. The first letter of each name must, however, start with the same letter.

To play this game, decide how players will take turns. The first player will select any letter between A to Z. Once the player calls out the chosen letter, other players will try to find names fitting into the noun categories. The first participant to type out all names wins. Also, how many points you earn depends on how unique your answer is, compared to other players’ answers.

6. Truth or Dare

You cannot go wrong with Truth or Dare during your online party. As the name implies, players take turns choosing between “truth” or “dare.” Picking “truth” means that a player must correctly answer a question. On the other hand, “dare” means that a player must carry out any given command.

You might want to set a limit to the commands given or the kinds of questions asked to ensure that there are no awkward or uncomfortable moments for attendees. Also, decide on how players will take turns. For example, you can create an online spinner wheel filled with all attendees’ names. After spinning, the player whose name the pointer lands on will take a turn. You can give attendees an option to pass their turn since you would not want to force anyone into doing actions or answering questions they find uncomfortable. However, once a player passes their turn three times, the player automatically leaves the game.

7. Virtual Rock Paper Scissors

You can entertain your guests during your online party with a rock-paper-scissors tournament. The game is fast-paced and will get your attendees excited. However, only two players can play at a time. To play with a larger party, assign a chronological number to the players. Then the first two players will start the games. Chances are that your guests are already familiar with the rules of this popular party game. Nevertheless, you can go over the rules before starting.

Both players will start by saying “rock paper scissors shoot” together. On the call of “shoot,” the duo must make a sign with their hands. You can make three signs in this game: rock, paper, and scissors. You can make a “rock” sign by clenching a fist. A horizontal peace sign represents “scissors,” while a flat hand represents paper.

These signs have different functions, like:

• Rock breaks scissors
• Scissors cuts paper
• Paper covers rock

Therefore, if “player one” makes a rock sign while “player two” makes scissors sign, then “player one” wins. If “player two” makes the same scissors sign while “player one” makes a paper sign, then “player two” wins. The first two players will keep playing until a winner emerges. Then the winner in the previous round will play with the next player. The game will continue until everyone gets a turn. Also, you can award points based on how many rounds a player won. The player with the most points wins.

8. Try Not To Laugh

Try Not To Laugh is one of the most fun online party games. As the name implies, attendees will try not to laugh while a participant tells a joke. You should agree on a player who will be the designated “comedian.” While playing the game, the designated comedian will tell jokes and do funny acts to make other players burst into laughter.

You would want to ensure attendees leave their cameras and microphones on so you can see all participants’ reactions. The first participant who laughs leaves the game. The game’s objective is to be the last player to remain in the game without laughing. If you do not intend to have a winner, then you can make the first player who laughs the next “comedian.”

9. Online Talent Hunt

Hosting an Online Talent Hunt is a fun way to entertain guests during your virtual party. First, choose a platform with the capacity to hold all your guests. Also, you can promote the talent show on social media to increase attendance. Depending on your preference, you can also call for interested participants outside your group to sign up for the contest.

During the contest, participants can show off what they know how to do best, whether singing and dancing or performing magic. Also, you can pick a theme and ask the participants to center their acts around that theme. Furthermore, determine how to judge the winner. You can appoint several guests to act as the judges and decide the winner using their best judgment. You can also create a poll online and ask the party attendees to vote for their favorite. An excellent idea is to choose winners in different categories, such as the funniest performance, the best group act, and the most unusual talent.

10. Scavenger Hunt

Scavenger Hunts are one of the most fun online team party games. To play the challenge, compile a list of items participants can scavenge for around their homes.

Examples of items participants can easily find at home include:

• Favorite mug
• Something you have owned since your childhood
• High school diploma
• Coupons
• Pet toy
• Book that starts with the letter B
• Funny hat

You can also ask participants to do an action like recreating a famous artwork, taking a selfie with a pet, or doing 20 sit-ups. Players can play individually or in teams. After giving each team a list of items to find, set a time limit for the game. Once the time runs out, players will come together to show the items found. The player or team that finds the most items that fit the description wins.

Check out more online scavenger hunt ideas.

11. Dancing Freeze Game

Dancing Freeze Game is a high-energy game your guests will love playing. You can enjoy this activity virtually or at in-person parties. The game is quite easy to play. Attendees will dance to music but must stop dancing immediately once the music stops. You can appoint a host that will be in charge of playing the music and monitoring the players’ actions.

Any player who keeps dancing or singing along after the music stops leaves the game. You can ask players who leave the game to put off their cameras. Therefore, the host can keep an eye on players still in the game.

12. Charades

Charades is a word-guessing game you can play during your online parties. In this game, a player gestures a word or phrase while the rest of the team guesses the word.

To play this game:

1. Divide players into teams
2. Team members will take turns being actors
3. An actor will receive a prompt from the host
4. The actor must gesture the word without making any sound or moving their lips
5. The rest of the team will then try to guess the word before time runs out

To make the game easier, you can center the words or phrases around a theme like movies, songs, or books. A team earns a point for every correct guess. In addition, before the game starts, you can send the teams into breakout rooms to discuss their secret gestures that signal a particular expression.

13. Read My Lips

Read My Lips is one of the most exciting online office party games. The game’s goal is for players to guess what another player is saying by reading the latter’s lips.

To play this game:

1. Divide attendees into several teams
2. Each team should present a volunteer who will mutter the assigned words
3. The game host will message the first volunteer the prompt privately
4. All players on a team, except the volunteer, must have their microphones on
5. Once the game starts, the volunteer will simply mutter the phrase with their microphone off.
6. Players on the volunteer team will try to guess the words before time runs out
7. If a player provides a correct answer, then the team wins a point

Teams will take turns playing the game. To maximize engagement and make the game fun, you can set a short time limit for a team to read their volunteer’s lips and guess the muttered expression.

14. Ten Things in Common

Ten Things in Common is an icebreaker game where team members will find common ground. You can split the party into smaller teams to maximize participation if you have many attendees. You can occasionally mix up team members in the breakout rooms. That way, attendees will get to meet and mingle with different people. You should set the rules for the game and exclude easy cop-outs like “we all wear shoes” or “we all have hair.”

This activity will encourage your guests to mingle and chat during the party. You can set a time limit within which participants must present a list of what they share in common. You can also award prizes to the team with the most common traits.

15. Impromptu Costume Contest

Impromptu Costume Contest is among the best online party games. The game’s goal is for players to create costumes with different props around their homes. The host should announce a theme for the contest each round, then give players two to five minutes to grab objects and create their costumes.

Once the time is up, participants will come together and show off their creative costumes. Also, let each participant say a few words about their costumes, including their inspirations. After, create a poll for attendees to vote for the best costume. You can also create other categories like the most creative, funniest, and scariest costume.

16. Guess The Childhood Photo

Guess The Childhood Photo is a game that often sparks laughter and conversation during an online party. Before the event, instruct participants to send a childhood photo of themselves to the party host. Then the host will share their screen and display the pictures one after the other.

Attendees have to guess who is in the pictures. You can also point out features like hairline, eye shape, or nose structure that made you believe the picture belongs to a particular guest. The host will take note of all attendees’ guesses and reveal the owners of the childhood photos at the end of the game.

17. Most Likely To

Most Likely To is one of the best free online party games. First, prepare a game card containing “most likely to” prompts.

For instance:

• Most likely to become a millionaire
• Most likely to get tipsy off a single drink
• Most likely to arrive late for their own wedding
• Most likely to win a Grammy
• Most likely to win a wrestling match

The game host will call out a prompt at a time. Then attendees will point out who in the party fits within the prompts. The best part of the game is that you and other guests can argue your point and have a lot of fun.

Conclusion

A virtual party can quickly become boring for guests compared to in-person interactions. Therefore, you should plan fun online party games to create a memorable experience for your guests. With many video chat options available, including WebEx and Zoom, you will find just the suitable games to play during your online party. Plus, these games are a great way to bring attendees out of their shells and increase engagement. Whether you have a large or small group, you can play party games online to help attendees bond and learn more about each other.

Read about more remote team engagement ideas.