Game nights have become more and more popular over the last few years, and it’s easy to see why. Who doesn’t love a night filled with fun games, snacks, drinks, and their friends and family? It’s the perfect event to host in a home setting – not quite a party, but lively enough to be inclusive for everyone.
In this article, you’ll learn how to host a games night that everyone will remember!
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Choosing the Games
It’s key to start with the most important aspect – the games. Choosing which games are going to resonate most with your guests can be tricky, but here are some ideas for the main categories:
Roleplaying Games
Dungeons and Dragons is always a great go-to, and with the dungeon master being completely in control of the gameplay and narrative, anyone and everyone can get involved. If you regularly get fantasy game subscription packages, like dice subscription boxes, for example, you can even gift each of your guests a little piece of the experience to take home with them.
Strategy
If you’re playing with a primarily adult audience, go for games like Catan or Risk. These games are both strategic and complex enough to get people thinking, without the likelihood of going over people’s heads.
Party Games
If you’re looking to host a snappier, high-octane night, you have a number of choices. Party video games like Mario Kart and Overcooked are always excellent options to bring out, as are basic card games aswell as UNO.
Setting the Mood
The mood is everything when hosting a great get-together. If you’re playing something like D&D, going all-out with themed decor and lighting can really go a long way to enhance the atmosphere, and in all scenarios, appropriate music based on the types of games you’re playing is a must.
Comfortable seating is also key. This isn’t a party, so you want to make sure you don’t have people stood around feeling uncomfortable; plan accordingly to have the seating you anticipate you’ll need and then a bit extra (usually, bean bags are a great overspill).
Organising the Night
A good games night can last well into the wee hours of the morning, so you need to ensure you have a loose plan for the whole night. Here are some tips:
- Make sure you bring enough snacks and drinks: you want to make sure that once the night begins, no one has to make a dash to the shops!
- Have everything set up before your guests arrive – you don’t have to play right away, but when you want to start, ensure you can do immediately.
- Know the rules well. As host, you should know the rules of each game you’ve laid out off by heart; there’s nothing worse than floundering about at the beginning because no one knows what’s going on.
Wrapping Up
Organising the ultimate games night doesn’t have to be complex – it mostly pertains to knowing your guests well, and everything else should fall into place. Stay organized, remember to relax, and most importantly – have fun!