17 Interactive Games That Keep Guests Engaged and Entertained
17 Interactive Games That Keep Guests Engaged and Entertained
If you are planning an event and want to encourage crowd engagement, team building, or simply want to elevate the fun factor, then consider adding interactive game enhancements to your party budget. Whether you are entertaining adults, teens, or kids, interactive games encourage guests to challenge each other through friendly competition. There are many interactive games out there, so we’ve picked 17 crowd-pleasers and explain them in more detail so you can decide what would work best for your upcoming event.
Giant Connect 4: This game is a backyard barbecue favorite and now it has been taken to the next level with a giant playing board. The objective of the game is to get four color counters in a line. This line can be diagonal, horizontal, or vertical. The first person to get four in a row is the winner. Perfect for all ages.
Giant Chess: Chess game enthusiasts will love the giant board that is ideal for outdoors–whether it be in a backyard or outside of a school or office. The large board allows veteran chess players to teach others how to play the game–that’s been around for 1,500 years. Throwing a party for someone who loves chess? This would be the perfect add-on to the celebration.
Giant Jenga: Created by the British designer Leslie Scott, this game challenges players to change or remove the blocks of a tower without toppling it—on a grand scale. Since the 1980s, players all over the world have been challenged to master the art of rebuilding a tower by removing one block at a time and placing that block at the top of the tower. It’s excellent for a group that wants to show off their exceptional motor skills.
Giant Water Pong: This game is modeled after the college game beer pong that included ping pong balls, cups of beer, and a table. Teams of two take turns bouncing ping pong balls into a set of cups on a table. Each time a ball lands into a cup, it is removed and the team drinks from the cup. The winning team is one that drinks the most!
Giant Billiards: This soccer pool hybrid game consists of an inflatable pool table where soccer balls are used as pool balls and kicked by a cue ball so you can knock the other balls in the corner holes. It’s a great outdoor game that is sure to draw both soccer and pool enthusiasts alike.
Foosball: Also known as table football or soccer, it was invented in 1921. The objective is to manipulate rods that have figures attached to them to move a ball into the opponent’s goal. The game can be played in teams up to four. This is a great indoor game that can be paired with other indoor interactive games.
Laser Tag: This game is often played indoors and involves two or more players that use handheld laser guns to tag opposing team members. No physical contact between players is allowed. The winning team eliminates the opposing team by laser tagging them off first. Think of it as a virtual battle that is totally safe.
Air Hockey: Here’s a classic indoor tabletop game designed for just two players. It is played on a table that is supplied by air to reduce friction so the puck glides easily across the table. The game was invented in 1969, took off in the mid-1970s, and has been popular ever since.
6 Player Air Hockey: If you enjoy traditional air hockey with two players, try multi-player air hockey with up to six players! It kicks the game up a notch by creating greater engagement and can be played indoors or outdoors. Add LED Light to a 6-player hockey table and you capture gaming excitement with dramatic staging.
LED Corn Hole: This classic country fair and backyard bean bag toss gets a high-tech twist with LED lighting that illuminates the corn hole. This is a fun and easy game for people of all ages.
LED Mini Golf: Always an outdoor game favorite, adding LED lights makes it easier to bring it indoors for an event and play year around.
Ping Pong: Known as tabletop tennis, traditional ping pong has been around since the 1800s. It can be played with two or four people. Using a LED table takes it to the next level. When in doubt about choosing a game, know that ping pong is a game most everyone has played.
Ms. Pac Man/Galaga: Ms. Pac-Man is a maze arcade game born in 1982 and is the sequel to Pac Man. Ms. Pac Man must eat all the dots inside the maze to avoid ghosts. Similarly, Galaga, launched in 1981, is a fixed shooter game that controls a starship on mission to destroy evil forces. Those who came of age during the 1980s would enjoy these games out of a sense of nostalgia.
Pop A Shot: This is a mini basketball game that came on to the arcade gaming scene in the 1980s. It is a great choice for a crowd representing all age groups.
Basketball Madness: This game offers flexibility because there is a center divider that separates two hoops on either side. It allows two players to shoot two hoops or four players to shoot individually. It’s a great choice for a sport-themed function.
Skeeball: This is an old-time classic that was patented in 1908. It also has broad-based appeal to all age groups because of its straightforward game tactics. You simply roll a ball to make it into a hole, which will eventually score one person with the highest points.
Dunk Tank: Long an attraction at fairs and carnivals during the 1940s, it is comprised of a large tank of water and a collapsible seat. When a ball hits a target, down goes the person into the water! Be advised, this may not be appropriate for a formal affair, but it would be great for a themed event that harks back to when the game was highly popular.
So, there you have a round-up of the some of the most popular interactive games people play at events—whether it be a backyard birthday party, a corporate event, or a fundraiser. Just know that gaming customization is always an option to make any special occasion more memorable. Think out of the box and dream big!
