Party games for 3 people
Most party games are built for four or more. With three, teams don't split evenly, voting games end in ties, and guessing games turn into a coin toss. These are the ones that still work.
Why three is tricky
- No teams. Three can't split into two even sides, so most team games are out.
- Easy guessing. In "who wrote this?" games, there are only two suspects, so guessing is a 50/50.
- Tied votes. With two voters, ties happen constantly.
The games below get around this by letting everyone play for themselves, or by making the guessing about something other than who.
No equipment needed
1. Two Truths and a Lie
Everyone says three things about themselves: two true, one made up. The other two guess the lie. Works just as well with three as with ten, because the guessing is about what, not who.
2. Would You Rather
Take turns asking impossible choices. "Would you rather only whisper or only shout for a year?" The fun is in defending your answer, so three is plenty.
3. 20 Questions
One person thinks of something, the other two get 20 yes/no questions between them. Fast, and nobody sits out for long.
4. The story game
Tell a story one sentence each, going round the circle. With three, everyone gets a turn every few seconds, which keeps it chaotic.
5. Name, Animal, Thing, Country
Pick a letter. Everyone writes a name, an animal, an object and a country starting with it, as fast as they can. Unique answers score more. You only need paper.
With cards or a board
6. Uno
Plays perfectly with three, and turns come round fast.
7. Backgammon tournament
Two play, the winner stays on, the third takes on the winner. Everyone is either playing or trash-talking.
On your phones
Who Said It is free in the browser, and five of its nine modes work with three players:
8. Partners in Crime
Two names are drawn: one gives clues out loud, the other is their partner. The third player tries to steal the word first. With three, every round is two against one, which makes it tense. How to play.
9. Hot Takes
Everyone writes their spiciest opinion, the others rate it from 1 to 10, then guess who wrote it. The author also predicts the average rating, so there's a skill to it beyond guessing. How to play.
10. Chain Story and You Drew That?
Chain Story is the story game from above, but each writer only sees the end of the last part, and it's read out loud at the end. You Drew That? has everyone drawing someone at the table: with three, you're drawing one of only two people, and somehow it's still hard to tell.
Two Truths and a Lie works on phones too, with the scoring done for you.
Tips for a three-person game night
- Play to a score, not to a winner. First to 50 keeps things moving better than "best of three".
- Rotate who picks the game. With three, someone always feels outvoted.
- Short rounds. Nobody wants to sit and watch the other two for ten minutes.
More ideas: icebreaker games · all Who Said It modes · play now →