How to Host the Ultimate Games Night

Is it your turn to host next month’s games night with your friends? Or do you simply enjoy having people over and are looking for an excuse to send out invitations? Games nights have been enjoyed by friends and families for decades and are a perfect way to get everybody together to have some fun.

Hosting guests can at times be stressful and trying to balance enjoying yourself with making sure everyone else is having a good time, the food is cooked and so on, can be a challenge. Here are some top tips to use as a guide when it’s your turn to host the next games night.

Select Inclusive Games

Some games work better for a group than others, and to make sure that no one is bored and everyone is having a good time, it’s important to select more inclusive games. There is a variety to choose from, including video games, that are big crowd-pleasers. For example, Mario Kart is a classic video game and suitable for all ages. If board games are more your thing, Cluedo or Trivial Pursuit are both good choices. Cards Against Humanity is ideal for those looking for a more adult, risqué tone to their party. 

Comfort is Key

When hosting any type of event,you must make sure your guests are comfortable. Make sure your living room or area you’re playing the games in is clean and tidy. There should be enough seats for everyone to use, and you may have to bring some other furniture in from other rooms to accommodate this. Bean bag chairs might be worth investing in, as they can be stored away in another room and brought out when needed. They’re comfortable and fun, and places like SumoLounge have even designed some of these chairs specifically with gamers in mind. Click here to see their chairs.

Have a Theme

To add a little more fun into the evening, consider choosing a theme for your game night. For example, you could travel back to the 90s when you played games and dressed up as characters from your favorite games and TV shows from that era. If fancy dress isn’t your thing, but you still like the idea of having a theme, you could use just board games/card games and use decorations to reflect your theme around your house. Either way, your guests will love it.

Food and Drink

Part of hosting is making sure everyone is fed and watered, but there are some things you need to consider when organizing beverages for a game night. A three-course sit-down meal is all well and good, but it’s not the best idea for a night of video gaming and so on. Move away from classic dinner party style recipes and focus on foods that can be eaten while sitting on the couch. Snack foods are the way to go, but if you want to still show your guests that you’ve made an effort, there are plenty of things you can make yourself from scratch if you wanted to. You could serve up homemade pizzas, nachos, chicken skewers, or jalapeño poppers for those who like a bit of spice in their life! All of these kinds of foods are ideal for a game’s night, as people can pick up their plates and put them down with ease. As for drinks, a nice, fruity punch would be perfect for cocktail lovers and easy to make. Beers are also common alcoholic beverages that appear at game nights. However, if you’re trying to host this game night on a budget, don’t be afraid to tell your guests it’s BYOB.

Keep it Rotating

Even if you have selected inclusive games, if you have a large number of people coming to your game night, likely, there will still be those who have to wait their turn to play. To avoid people getting bored and others hogging the controls or dice, keep a steady rotation going to make sure everyone gets a turn on each game. Use the timer on your phone or another device if this helps to keep things moving.

Have Back-Up Games

While people are waiting for their turn, have other games they can play in twos or smaller groups. Card games or Battleships and Connect-4 are all good examples of these ‘filler’ games your guests can enjoy while they wait until a spot frees up on the console. It’s also worth having some of these games and general back-ups in case people aren’t keen on your initial choices, or console controllers break or their battery dies, etc. It’s certainly a good idea to have a mix of games for guests to choose from, especially for groups with larger numbers.

Have Prizes

To encourage some healthy competition or just to add yet another level of fun and excitement to your game night, offer your guests prizes. These don’t have to be expensive items, something simple like a candy bar, or a cheap novelty gift will be fine. If you don’t want to spend money on prizes, think about introducing forfeits the losers of the game have to carry out, and the winner gets to choose what the forfeit is as their prize. The whole purpose is to have some fun and be a little bit silly. Perhaps you could even make a tacky game night trophy? Your guests will love it.

Having to take on the role of the host should be fun, and if you like entertaining, you probably host most gatherings at your home already. Sometimes though, thinking of new ways to keep your guests happy and entertained can get tricky. Game nights are perfect for entertaining people long into the evening and are suitable for both small and larger groups of friends and family. With so many games to choose from and include at your game night, you’ll never struggle to find something for everybody, either. For your next game night, use the tips above as a guide that will turn you into the ultimate host and keep your guests happy.

Diljeet Malik

I am a dedicated casino writer with a passion for all things related to the world of gambling and entertainment. With a deep understanding of the casino industry and a love for sharing insights and strategies, I strive to inform and entertain readers with my casino-related content.

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