A fun way to socialize and bond with friends and family is by hosting a game night. To ensure a successful and enjoyable event for all attendees at the game night, careful planning is necessary. Certain tried-and-tested tricks and tips can help people make organizing game nights a truly memorable activity. The key is to choose proper games, serve the right food, and set up a cozy atmosphere for the attendees.
1) Preparing the Guest List Carefully
After deciding on a theme and reviewing different game night setup ideas, one must carefully evaluate which guests to invite to the event. It is advised to limit the invitations to close friends who share similar interests and are okay with the spirit of competition. One can even invite friends from different areas of one’s life to widen social connections.
Before choosing whom to invite, one must consider how many guests to invite. Ideally, a guest list comprising 6 to 8 people or 3 to 4 couples is considered perfect for a game night for adults. Inviting a small number of guests will keep things fun and not too busy for everyone. After carefully considering the type and number of guests, one can start sending game night invitations and RSVP lists.
2) Serving Food Suited for the Occasion
Free food is a massive draw on any gaming night. People typically love munching on snacks while competing with one another in board games or video games. If close friends are involved, they will likely show up hungry for the game night. This highlights how making the right food becomes critical to the success of a game night. There are various game night food ideas one can follow to make the dishes suited to the occasion.
The idea is to keep things simple for the occasion. For example, single-serve chips are an ideal choice. One must get or make food that requires minimal effort to eat. Sticky, cheesy, or crumbly snacks generally get in the way of gaming, making it inconvenient for the guests to eat and play. Similarly, avoid having any food that will cause sauces or oils to drip everywhere, from the guests’ clothes to the gaming equipment. Pizza or chips and dips are popular choices, but they typically need accompaniments to balance flavors. Safe game night food ideas include a meat/cheese/crackers tray and a fruit/veggie tray. Cookies and brownies are ideal dessert options. This way, the guests can pick and choose what they like. Finger foods also work well as the guests don’t have to use utensils to consume them, so they can play their games uninterrupted.
The trick here is to pick delicious foods that are easy to make, cheap to buy, and not too crumbly (as that would stain the floors, couches, sofas, tables, and gaming equipment by the end of the event). Good food has the power to elevate a game night, and conversely, poor food choices can affect everyone’s experiences.
3) Selecting the Right Games
The choice of games plays a key role in the success of the game night. Opting for a mix of games that suits the group’s size, experience levels, and interests is important. A host must take care of certain aspects while choosing the games.
Firstly, the chosen games must contain multiple popular options. When hosting a DIY game night, games like Bowl of Nouns and Codenames will work. Certain games, such as One Night Ultimate Werewolf, will help keep the energy high throughout the event. If the guests love trivia, options such as Buffalo Games’ Hella 90s Pop Culture Trivia Game are a solid choice. For a good laugh, Cards Against Humanity can be considered.
Secondly, adding personalized game pieces like Authentic Agility’s How Do You See the World? will foster deep and meaningful conversations. Custom tokens and cards make the play more fun and personal and help the game night stand out. They make the event unique and memorable.
4) Creating a Photo Booth Corner
Be it a game night or any other event, people often love to take selfies to capture their special moments. One can set up a photo booth corner in their gaming zone to cater to this need. People can capture the fun vibes and excitement of the night by setting up a DIY photobooth corner. The guests can get some props and costumes to match the overall casual game night theme. This enables them to become models for the night and take candid pictures throughout the evening. To share the experience with everyone involved, one can create a shared digital album or even printed photographs before sharing them with everyone.
There are many other tips to make game nights special, including preparing the perfect space for the night and having game night awards. With the right strategies, one can host a game night that is special for all the guests involved, leading to an enjoyable gathering.