New Year's Eve party games

The hard part of New Year's Eve is the three hours before midnight. Put Bluff Buffet on the TV around nine: everyone joins from their phone, a game takes about 15 minutes, and you can stop for the countdown and pick it back up after.

1. Bluff Buffet2-12 · TV

   Up to 12 players, free. People can join between rounds as they arrive.

2. Impasta3-10 · Pack

   Five-minute rounds, so it's easy to stop for the ball drop. Best for 4 to 10.

3. Would Eat1-12 · Phone or TV

   For the 1 a.m. question of what to order. Everyone swipes until you match.

A plan for the night

1. Around 9: Bluff Buffet while people are still arriving. Late guests join on the next round.
2. Around 10: Impasta, a few rounds, while the room is loud.
3. 11:50: stop for the countdown. The room stays open, so nobody has to rejoin.
4. After midnight: Would Eat on the TV to settle the late-night food order.

If people are spread out

Share the TV screen on a video call and the friends who stayed home can play from their phones too.

How to set it up

1. Open the game on a laptop, smart TV browser or a tablet everyone can see. A laptop plugged into the TV works best.
2. The screen shows a four-letter room code and a QR code.
3. Everyone opens eatnow.lol/play on their phone and types the code with their name.
4. The first person to open the room is the host and taps Start.

Questions

What games can a big group play on New Year's Eve?

Bluff Buffet and Would Eat take up to 12 phones. For more people, play in teams of two sharing a phone.

Do guests need an app?

No. They open eatnow.lol/play in their phone's browser and type the room code.

Is it free?

Bluff Buffet, Would Eat, Big Cheese and the daily Picnic Panic board are free. Impasta, Breadwinner and the Picnic Panic race come in the Launch Pack, which the host buys once ($5 at launch). Players never pay or sign up.