20 Party Games That Will Keep Everyone Laughing All Night

Every great party has three ingredients: good people, tasty snacks, and games that break the ice and get everyone moving (or at least laughing so hard their cheeks hurt). Party games are the secret sauce that transforms a regular get-together into a legendary night. They give shy guests something to talk about, they bring out the competitive spirit in even the quietest friend, and they create inside jokes you’ll laugh about for months afterward.

In this list, I’ve gathered 25 party games: some classics, some fresh new hits that you can pull out for birthdays, reunions, family nights, or just a Friday hangout. Each one comes with an easy-to-follow explanation, plus a few cheeky tips to maximize the fun. Get ready: things are about to get loud, silly, and unforgettable.

1. Fishbowl

Fishbowl is the ultimate mash-up of several classic games rolled into one, and it guarantees belly laughs. To play, each person writes down a few words or phrases on slips of paper—these can be anything from “ice cream truck” to “dancing llama.” All the slips go into a bowl, and the game happens in three rounds. In round one, you can describe the word however you like (except saying it directly), while your team guesses. In round two, you act it out silently like Charades. In round three, you can only use one word as a clue, so it becomes about memory and strategy. By the end, the phrases feel like inside jokes, and even the quietest person in the room ends up acting like a mime on stage.

2. Jackbox Games

Jackbox has completely reinvented what a party game can be, especially if your friends love a little technology with their humor. You only need one screen (like a TV or laptop) to host, and everyone else can join using their phones as controllers. Games like Quiplash ask you to come up with the funniest answers to prompts, while Fibbage challenges you to make up fake trivia that sounds convincing. It’s fast, it’s witty, and the fun lies in how creative (and ridiculous) people can get. The best part? There’s no setup mess—no cards, no dice, no pens just pure fun that lets everyone feel like they’re on a comedy game show.

3. Telestrations

If you’ve ever played Telephone, you know how hilariously twisted a message can become after passing through multiple people. Telestrations takes that idea and adds doodles, creating chaos and comedy in every round. Each player starts by drawing a phrase, like “penguin on roller skates.” The next person guesses what the drawing was, then the next draws that guess, and so on until the final reveal. By the end, the original idea has often morphed into something bizarre, like “ostrich dancing at prom.” The game works whether you’re an amazing artist or can only draw stick figures in fact, bad drawings often make it way more fun.

4. Codenames

Codenames is a smart but surprisingly silly team game that mixes wordplay with creative thinking. A set of cards with words is laid out on the table, and two teams compete to guess their own words first. Each team has a spymaster who gives one-word clues, like “Ocean: 2,” to guide their team toward picking the right words. But here’s the catch—choose wrong and you might hit the other team’s word, or worse, the assassin word that ends the game instantly. While it sounds serious, the real fun is in watching teammates stretch their brains, connect wild dots, and argue whether “Banana” really relates to “Space.”

5. Reverse Charades

This game flips the traditional Charades format and turns the chaos up a notch. Instead of one person acting while the team guesses, the entire team acts together while one person tries to figure it out. Imagine five people simultaneously flailing their arms to mime “washing machine” or attempting “fireworks” with zero coordination—it’s ridiculous in the best way. The guessing person usually ends up laughing so hard they can’t even say their answers properly. It’s perfect for groups that don’t mind looking silly and want to get everyone up and moving, and it creates those embarrassing-but-legendary memories you’ll tease each other about for ages.

6. What Do You Meme?

What Do You Meme? is the party game tailor-made for the internet generation. The rules are simple: one player lays down a meme image card like the “Distracted Boyfriend” or “Woman Yelling at Cat”—and everyone else submits a caption card from their hand to match it. The judge picks the funniest pairing, and the laughs are nonstop as players try to outwit each other with perfectly ridiculous captions. The best part is how subjective the humor can be what one person thinks is comedy gold, another might find just plain weird, which only adds to the chaos. It’s basically Cards Against Humanity’s cheeky cousin, except this one lets you flex your inner meme lord.

7. Giant Jenga

If regular Jenga makes people nervous, Giant Jenga raises the stakes and the tower sky-high. Instead of small blocks on a table, you get oversized wooden blocks that stack taller than some players. Each person takes turns removing a block and placing it on top, making the tower wobble dramatically with every move. The tension builds, the crowd holds their breath, and then CRASH! laughter erupts when the tower finally topples. To add even more fun, write dares or challenges on the blocks, so when someone pulls one, they might have to do a silly dance, share an embarrassing story, or speak in accents until their next turn.

8. The Floor Is Lava

This game is pure childhood nostalgia reborn for adults who still like to be a little ridiculous. At random moments, someone yells “The floor is lava!” and everyone has five seconds to get both feet off the ground. Suddenly, couches, chairs, tables, and sometimes even each other’s backs become safe zones. It’s fast, chaotic, and surprisingly strategic if you’ve got competitive friends who like to sabotage each other’s escape routes. It works best in a big living room or yard, though beware: once the game starts, expect a lot of screaming, laughing, and dramatic jumps that could rival Olympic long jumpers.

9. Cup Pong (a.k.a. Beer Pong’s Cousin)

Cup Pong is the lightweight, family-friendly version of the infamous Beer Pong but trust me, it’s just as competitive. You line up cups filled with water, soda, or juice at the end of a table, and players take turns trying to toss ping pong balls into them. Every successful shot means the other team has to chug or complete a funny dare. The game is easy to learn, fun to watch, and has endless room for variation. Want a twist? Try trick shots, bounce shots, or sudden-death rounds to up the drama. Even non-drinkers love it because it’s less about the beverage and more about bragging rights.

10. Scattergories

Scattergories is the perfect mix of brainy and goofy, which is why it’s a hit at parties. The host picks a letter, and players race to fill in categories like “Things at a Party,” “Famous People,” or “Something You Wear” with words starting with that letter. The catch? You only score points if no one else has the same answer, which leads to players getting creative (or downright absurd) with their entries. Nothing’s funnier than someone trying to defend why “Banana Suit” counts as “Formal Wear.” The energy stays high as people scramble under the time limit, and by the end, you’ll have a list of hilariously questionable answers to laugh about.

11. Mario Kart Tournament

Mario Kart is one of those games that can turn best friends into bitter rivals in under five minutes and that’s exactly why it makes the perfect party activity. Set up a tournament bracket on the big screen, grab your controllers, and let everyone race for glory. The thrill of dodging shells and racing through Rainbow Road has a way of making even casual players scream like they’re in an actual racecar. To make it even more entertaining, award silly prizes like a plastic crown, snack trophies, or even a banana for the winner. The energy is pure chaos as people yell, laugh, and occasionally curse the dreaded blue shell.

12. Human Knot

If you’re looking for a game that combines teamwork, laughter, and a bit of awkward arm tangling, Human Knot is a guaranteed hit. Everyone stands in a circle and grabs two random hands across the group. Then, without letting go, the team has to twist, turn, and strategize their way back into an untangled circle. It sounds simple until you realize you’re stuck shoulder-to-shoulder with someone doing a crab walk underneath two others. The best part? There’s no real “winner” here just a lot of giggling, occasional frustration, and that satisfying moment when the circle finally comes together again.

13. Telephone Pictionary

Telephone Pictionary combines the whispering chaos of Telephone with the creative madness of Pictionary. Each player starts with a phrase like “A dog riding a skateboard” and draws it. The next person guesses what the drawing is, then the next draws that guess, and so on. By the end, the original idea might morph into “A horse flying to the moon with pizza.” The laughter comes not just from the bizarre final results, but also from seeing just how wildly people interpret simple drawings. Bad artists shine here, because the worse the drawing, the funnier the outcome.

14. Murder Mystery Dinner

Few party games are as immersive as a Murder Mystery Dinner. Each guest receives a character role—maybe a glamorous movie star, a sneaky butler, or a suspicious scientist and throughout the evening, they mingle, trade clues, and try to uncover the murderer. The host provides a storyline, and players lean into their roles, adding drama and humor along the way. What makes it unforgettable is how over-the-top people get with their acting, accents, and wild theories. It’s part game, part theater, part dinner party—and by dessert, you’ll feel like you’ve starred in your own detective movie.

15. Cards Against Humanity (or Apples to Apples)

Cards Against Humanity is notorious for its outrageous humor, making it a crowd favorite for adult gatherings. One player lays down a sentence card with a blank, and everyone else submits a card to fill in the blank in the funniest or most shocking way. The judge picks the winner, and the game moves on, often leaving the group crying from laughter. For family-friendly events, the cleaner cousin “Apples to Apples” works just as well, letting kids join in on the fun. Either way, the joy comes from the wild combinations and watching people defend why their ridiculous card choice “made perfect sense.”

16. Silent Disco Freeze

Silent discos are already hilarious—everyone’s dancing to music in their own headphones while outsiders just see a group of people flailing silently. Now, add a twist: the host stops the music at random moments, and players must freeze in place. The fun isn’t just in the dancing but in the outrageous poses people get caught in mid head bang, awkward squat, or dramatic hair flip. Anyone who moves after the stop is out, and the game continues until there’s only one dancing champion left. It’s equal parts workout, comedy show, and Instagram-worthy chaos.

17. Kahoot Trivia Night

Bring out everyone’s competitive spirit with Kahoot Trivia, a free online quiz platform that turns your phones into buzzers. The host sets up custom trivia questions maybe pop culture, sports, or even inside jokes about the friend group—and everyone races to answer correctly on their screens. The leaderboard updates instantly, creating nail-biting moments and plenty of bragging rights. The best part? Even people who claim they “don’t like trivia” end up hooked, because the mix of speed and silliness keeps the energy high. Perfect for family gatherings or friend groups that love showing off random knowledge.

18. Pass the Parcel (Party Edition)

Pass the Parcel is a party staple that works for kids and adults alike, especially when you add some creative twists. Wrap a small gift in many layers of wrapping paper, and play music while the parcel is passed around. When the music stops, the person holding it peels off one layer sometimes revealing a small prize, a funny dare, or even a gag gift like socks with pizza prints. The suspense builds as the parcel gets lighter and the final prize gets closer. It’s silly, lighthearted, and guarantees squeals of excitement every round.

19. Balloon Stomp

Balloon Stomp turns your living room into a full-on battleground of squeaks and pops. Each player ties a balloon to their ankle with a string, and the goal is to pop everyone else’s balloon while protecting your own. Suddenly, your calm party becomes a chaotic dance of stomping feet, desperate jumps, and triumphant cheers when someone survives. The sound of balloons popping adds to the excitement, and everyone gets surprisingly competitive. Kids love it, adults get even rowdier, and the last person with an unpopped balloon is crowned the balloon gladiator.

20. Escape Room in a Box

Escape rooms are all the rage, but you don’t have to leave the house to experience the thrill. With an Escape Room in a Box kit, you and your guests solve puzzles, crack codes, and race against the clock to “escape” within a set time. It’s teamwork at its finest everyone brings different skills, from logic to puzzle-solving to sheer creativity. The pressure is high, the laughs come fast, and the sense of accomplishment when you finally solve it is unbeatable. It’s immersive, dramatic, and makes everyone feel like Sherlock Holmes at a dinner party.