Skip to content
manymini

Super Bowl party games for the whole room

Some guests watch every snap, and some came for the food and the commercials. These free Super Bowl party games give everyone something to play from pregame to the final whistle, and one phone runs all of them.

  1. Secret word, one liarImposterEveryone gets the same football word except the imposter, who has to bluff through end zone, foam finger or seven-layer dip. The deck mixes plays like fumble and kickoff with nachos, face paint and the marching band, so the fans don't have as much of an edge as they think. It takes 3 to 12 players around the coffee table.In the deck: Touchdown, Field goal, Quarterback, Referee, Cheerleader, Mascot…
  2. Phone-on-your-forehead guessingForehead GuessHold the phone to your forehead while the room shouts clues for wide receiver, pigs in a blanket or two-minute warning. The football deck mixes positions and plays with snacks and tailgate gear, and one 60-second round fits in a commercial break.In the deck: Touchdown, Quarterback, Halftime show, Foam finger, Nachos, Chicken wings…
  3. Act it outCharadesAct out throwing a touchdown pass, a goalie diving for the ball or a touchdown celebration dance. Play kids against grown-ups at halftime, or fans against everyone else, and find out who really knows their sports.In the deck: Scoring a soccer goal, Slam dunking a basketball, Hitting a home run, Throwing a touchdown pass, Serving a tennis ball, Putting a golf ball…
  4. Answer, pass, don’t get caughtHot PotatoA hidden timer ticks faster and faster while everyone names a snack food, a sport or something at a barbecue and passes the phone along. Nobody knows when it will go off, and a round is over before the game comes back on.
  5. Three answers, five secondsName 3 ThingsName 3 things before the five-second buzzer, then pass the phone down the couch. Each turn takes seconds, so you can play through a timeout and stop the moment the ball is snapped. It takes 2 to 10 players.
  6. Point on threeMost Likely ToWho's most likely to talk to their pet like it's a person, or to forget where they parked? Everyone points on three, nobody needs to know the rules of football, and it's an easy warm-up while guests arrive.
  7. Impossible choicesWould You RatherSneeze glitter or hiccup bubbles? Two choices, no right answer, and the whole room votes at once. Read a few out loud during pregame or at halftime, when people want to talk but nobody wants to get up.
  8. Forbidden-words gameDon’t Say ItThe big-group game: two teams, a watcher on the buzz button and five forbidden words on every card. In the Sports & hobbies deck, try describing football when touchdown, quarterback, tackle and helmet are all off limits. It takes 4 to 20 players.In the deck: Soccer, Basketball, Baseball, Football, Swimming, Tennis…

A Super Bowl party game plan

A Super Bowl party runs four or five hours, with plenty of breaks in the action. Fit the games into the breaks, and the fans never miss a play.

  1. 1Pregame: as guests arrive, read Most Likely To or Would You Rather out loud. Once the snacks are out, play a few rounds of Imposter with the football deck at the coffee table.
  2. 2Commercial breaks: keep the phone face down during play and pick it up when the game cuts away. Hot Potato and Name 3 Things are over in a minute or two.
  3. 3Halftime: the longest break of the night. Split into teams for Forehead Guess or charades. If the room wants to watch the show, play a quick round before it starts.
  4. 4After the game: for the guests who stay, play Don't Say It in two teams, or a calm round of Most Likely To while the dishes get done.

You don't need every game on the list. Pick one for each part of the day, and let the score decide how much you play. In a close fourth quarter, nobody wants a phone in their face.

Games for fans and non-fans together

Most Super Bowl parties are a mix: people who know every rule, people who came for the food, and people who aren't sure which team is which. The best games give all three something to do.

The football decks in Imposter and Forehead Guess mix game terms like fumble and end zone with nachos, face paint and the halftime show, so a non-fan can get just as many as a fan. When you split into teams, pair each fan with a non-fan. The fan can explain what a punt return is, and the non-fan handles the food words.

Some games aren't about football at all. Most Likely To, Would You Rather and Hot Potato are about the people in the room, which levels the field and gives the fans a break between quarters.

Super Bowl games for kids

Kids at a Super Bowl party usually last about one quarter before they want something else to do. Give them a game of their own, or bring the whole room in at halftime.

  • Charades with the Sports deck. Kids love acting out a touchdown dance or a slam dunk, and a grown-up can whisper the prompt to anyone who can't read yet.
  • Hot Potato. The ticking timer is the whole fun, and prompts like naming a pet or a pizza topping are easy for kids.
  • Forehead Guess with the Kids deck for younger players, or the football deck for kids who follow the game.
  • Name 3 Things with the Kids category, for a quick turn around the couch.

If half the guests are families, see family game night for more games every age can play.

Tips for the host

  • Put the phone in the middle of the coffee table, where everyone can reach it, and keep a charger close. A long game day drains the battery.
  • Turn the brightness up and the volume on, so the timer and the buzzer can be heard over the TV.
  • Keep score across the whole day with the game night planner. Add the players and your games, give out points after each one, and it keeps a running total and shows a podium at the end.
  • Pick the first game before kickoff. Deciding as a group takes longer than a commercial break.
  • Keep the wings and the dip at the other end of the table. Sticky fingers and touchscreens don't mix.
  • For a big crowd, run two games at once in different rooms. Our party games for large groups has more ideas.

Want something on paper too? Our free printables include a Find Someone Who bingo sheet, a good mixer for guests who don't all know each other.

Quick games for the commercial breaks

A commercial break is only a couple of minutes, enough for one short game. These start in seconds and stop as soon as the game comes back on.

  • Hot Potato: one round, passed around the room until the timer goes off.
  • Name 3 Things: once around the couch, one prompt each.
  • Forehead Guess: one 60-second round per break, with a new guesser each time.
  • Would You Rather: one card, and everyone answers on three.
  • Most Likely To: one question, and everyone points at once.

If half the room came to watch the commercials, play during timeouts and the break between quarters instead, and save the longer games for halftime.

Questions

What are good Super Bowl party games?

Imposter and Forehead Guess with their football decks, charades with the Sports deck and Hot Potato work for almost any crowd. Add Most Likely To or Would You Rather for the guests who don't follow football.

What Super Bowl games work for adults and kids together?

Charades and Forehead Guess in mixed teams, either kids against grown-ups or each kid paired with an adult. Hot Potato and Name 3 Things are quick enough for young kids, and nothing on the cards needs to be skipped.

What games can we play at halftime?

Halftime is the longest break, so it's the time for a team game: Forehead Guess with the football deck, charades or Don't Say It. If the room would rather watch the show, save the team games for after the final whistle.

Do I need to know football to play?

No. The football decks mix game terms with food, tailgate gear and the halftime show, and most of the games on this page aren't about football at all.

Is the football deck only for the Super Bowl?

No. The football decks in Imposter and Forehead Guess are there all year, for any game day, tailgate or watch party.

How many people can play?

Forehead Guess, Hot Potato and Don't Say It take up to 20 players. Imposter takes 3 to 12 and Name 3 Things takes 2 to 10, so with a bigger crowd, swap players in between rounds.

Are these games clean?

Yes. Every card is family-friendly. There's no betting and no drinking, so the games fit any Super Bowl crowd, from grandparents to the kids' table.

Do these games need an app or a sign-up?

No. Every game runs free in your browser on one phone and is supported by ads. There's nothing to install and no account.

More game night ideas