How to Throw a Game Show Party

September 13, 2021

Are you organizing a bachelor party, a birthday party, an anniversary or another important occasion? Or maybe you and your friends are fans of a TV show and want to celebrate its final season with a party inspired by its themes? Perhaps you are simply bored with the standard parties filled with alcohol and food and want one where everyone engages in healthy competition?

Whatever the reason, game show parties are extremely suitable as party activities because nothing brings a crowd of people together like a bit of competition and a common goal. A game show party is an unusual type of social event because the atmosphere is fun and exciting, ensuring that such a party theme will be a hit with both a close-knit group of friends and large groups of people who do not know each other very well.

The best thing about this idea, however, is that the games themselves can be easily adapted to be played at home or in a restaurant, in large or small groups, and their individual elements tailored to the interests and passions of the participants, so that no one feels excluded.

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If you have already been persuaded and are looking for a game show party competition idea, then use the following tips and ideas to plan all the elements of your event, from the invitations to the decor to the games you will be playing. Whether you are basing your party around a specific game show, or you want to play a number of different shows to suit a general game show theme, we have plenty of inspiration for you. Where to start preparing?

Pick a theme of your game show party

If you want to throw a party where memories will resonate for months to come, you will certainly benefit from our unique game show party ideas guaranteed to leave your guests stunned from the fun. But let's not pre-empt the facts. Where should you start? Firstly, you need to choose a game show theme, or the main motif of your event. You can organize a party referring to one of the tv game shows, for example trivia game shows or several different programmes. It all depends on your preferences and the interests of your group. What are the most popular shows around which you can plan your game show party? Here are some of our suggestions.

The best game shows you can turn into main theme of your party:

1) Family Feud game show party

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Family Feud is the perfect game for any family reunion, corporate event, outing with a group of new friends, as well as a wedding or birthday party entertainment. For those unfamiliar with the show, we remind you that Family Feud is a cult American TV quiz show created by Mark Goodson. In the TV version, two families compete to be the ones who know the most popular answers to survey questions in order to win cash and prizes.

The programme has gained popularity around the world for a reason, as it is not necessarily just about dueling families, as it is also suitable for other collectives and the statistical questions can be based on one area, for example related to the industry in which the company operates, the interests of the group, or include general questions.

Okay, fine, but how do you play Family Feud at an event? Do you have to prepare the questions, answers, game show buzzer and more yourself? No, relax. You do not have to take everything on yourself because you have Quizado.

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What is Quizado? Quizado is family feud game show software that provides humorous fun straight out of a classic quiz show, with a minimum of effort and time spent on organization. With Quizado, you can use pre-made questions or create your own.

Thanks to this app, you will feel like a real quiz show participant in a hilarious and friendly competition. Best of all, you do not have to buy the program right away, you can download Family Feud simulator for a trial, take 3 test questions and see the gameplay for free.

And if you want to round off your experience with a family feud buzzer, you can also find it in the app. Sounds good, doesn't it?

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Family Feud, especially with the help of Quizado is one of the most original game show themes that is versatile, so when you buy Quizado license, you can use it during different events as there are 150+ questions to choose from.

You can have a quiz show night among your closest friends, offer this game show during a business event, Christmas party or family reunion and never get bored. We recommend giving it a try.

The Dating Game game show party

Our next suggestion for game show party ideas is a game of dating. Are you intrigued? Let's start with the fact that The Dating Game was an American television quiz show that first aired on 20 December 1965 and was the very first of many shows created and scripted by Chuck Barris between the sixties and eighties.

This iconic quiz show has been changed many times since the 1980s, adapted to different realities and screened, sometimes with different titles on television programmes around the world. But how do you adapt it to today's times and make it a game show theme for your next party? It is easier than you think!

The Dating Game is definitely not the game to choose if you are hosting a work-related event, especially in a formal setting, although it could work great for a company Christmas party too. Provided, of course, that all the members are able to maintain a sense of distance and humor.

The Dating Game would work even better as an idea for a birthday party, Saturday celebration or charity fundraiser. How to play? There are two options, either you can involve all the people at your game show party, or you can choose the usual three people applying for a date, one person deciding and of course, the host.

The game involves answering questions posed by the host and checking the level of compatibility with the main bachelor or missus, who then decides which of the contestants to ask out. The rest of the people not involved in the quiz show watch the game and have a good laugh at the participants.

The Dating Game is not one of the competition game shows, but it is an example of a game show that is more about strengthening bonds between people and laughing and having fun together. If you are looking for game show ideas for your next event, definitely try this variant.

Not only will you surprise the crowd with it, but you will also allow people to get to know each other better, and maybe even match your friends or yourself? You never know, but it is worth a try.

Wheel of Fortune game show party

Wheel of Fortune, which is a game modeled on the American game show created by Merv Griffin, is another of our proposals. Wheel of Fortune is one of those competitive game shows in which participants guess words and phrases, just like in the game of hangman, one by one, choosing letters to form a given word.

Prizes in cash and kind are won by spinning a wheel, similar to the wheel in roulette. The game is simple and it is very easy to make it a game show theme - all you need is a wheel of fortune and a person to play the role of host, and a nice touch if you all dress up in costumes from the 1980s, when Wheel of Fortune was one of the most popular quiz shows in the United States of America.

What do you have to prepare? How do you throw the perfect Wheel of Fortune themed party? All you need to do is decide on the prize pool - here it all depends on your budget, prizes can be small souvenirs, cash or take the form of challenging tasks and daring answers to questions.

Read your crowd. The next point is to create a wheel of fortune. You can make one yourself, following the many tutorials available on the internet, or buy ready-made ones on eBay or Etsy. Then it's on to the slogans, which are easy to create, either general or specialized, depending on the interests of your game show party guests.

Wheel of Fortune game show parties are great fun for the whole family. It is a nice and safe entertainment for family reunions, formal work environments, as well as other types of social events and one of those game shows you can play at home, in bars and restaurants.

Wheel of Fortune it is a casual game show party idea that is definitely worth trying out at your next event.

Jeopardy! game show party

The last of the TV game shows we would like to use as a suggestion for your next game show theme. Jeopardy! will work well for parties, birthdays, christenings, business events and more. It's a game that will rock any party.

For those who have never heard of this quiz show before, Jeopardy! is another American TV show created by Merv Griffin that has won the hearts of viewers all over the world. In this hilarious quiz show, contestants are given general knowledge clues in the form of answers and then have to formulate their answers in the form of questions.

Sound a bit convoluted? We guarantee that all it takes is one game and every participant will be caught up in the whirlwind of answers.

How can you use Jeopardy! as one of the games for parties? You can do it the traditional way and write the questions and answers yourself. If you know the participants of your game show party well, then match the topic of the answers to their interests, professions or hobbies.

This will obviously work best for work parties, people who share the same hobby or study together, but you may find, for example, that your friends are fans of one genre of music or type of series. If that's the case, then base the issues around that theme and get to the game!

Another option is to download ready-made questions and answers to Jeopardy! Less work and great fun is still guaranteed.

Jeopardy! is a full competition game show, so be careful that people do not get too caught up in the game. One thing you can be sure of, the Jeopardy game show party is not going to be one of those boring parties where hardly anyone talks to each other.

Such a game show theme will provide you with an unforgettable entertainment and involvement of all present. It's a great game for both young and old, for experienced teams as well as those new to the game, tight collectives and newly meet. That's why it's definitely worth trying it at least once during your game show party.

What else should you keep in mind when planning your game show party?

We have covered the topic of the game show theme. However, choosing a theme is only the first step in planning a game show party. There are at least a few other things you should prepare, or at least think about. What are these matters? Let's not elaborate, just get down to specifics.

Game show party host

It is not enough to choose a game, learn its rules and invite people for your game show party to be successful. Apart from these elements, it will be necessary to find the right person who will play the role of the game show host. Without a suitable host, it will be difficult to control the crowd, ensure the proper course of the game and relax the atmosphere after a loss of someone for whom only winning counts.

It is well known that all the best game shows have their own charismatic presenters. That is why you too should think about finding the suitable person for this position at your game show party. You can take over the reins yourself, ask your funniest friend to help you or hire a professional host. It all depends on the nature of the event and the budget you have to spend on your game show party.

Game show party gadgets

If you have already found the perfect person to host your game show party, it is time to get down to earth and start dealing with the mundane. Start by answering the following questions.

What electronic equipment do you need for a game show party? Where will I display the game results? Do I prefer the traditional version of the game, or the computer one? How do I count the points? What about sound effects – how to get the characteristic buzzer sound?

If you want a party like the best TV game shows, you will need at least a few party gadgets. At the beginning it is worth considering whether you are going to plan the game in a traditional form or online. If you opt for the second option, you will need a computer or laptop and special software.

If you conduct a face-to-face game show, you will need something to display the results of the game, so that everyone can see the progress of the competition. A TV screen, projector or traditional whiteboard would be great for this, but then you need to keep an eye on the scores.

What about sound effects? If you prefer to play with special software, you can be sure that it has pre-programmed sounds that mimic the game software, for example Quizado which is a Family Feud simulator.

The sounds available there make it possible for every player to have an experience close to that of a real game show. But what if you do not want to settle for computer sounds?

Then you need something that makes a buzzer sound. What could it be? Be creative and let your imagination run wild! A squeaky toy or a traditional bell or whistle will work as a game show buzzer. You can also download one of the free apps that mimic the buzzer sound, or play a game without it, for instance by having the first person to hit the table answer first. Quizado has an in-app buzzer so you don't have to worry about it.

As you can see, several gadgets will be necessary during a game show party, but all of them have their alternatives, so the most important thing is that you are happy and that the given items fall into your budget. The rest is not so crucial.

Game show party decorations

Once you have chosen which of the TV game shows you will use as the theme for your party, it's time to decorate. You need to prepare the decorations in the style of the quiz show. If you are throwing a Wheel of Fortune game show party, you will naturally need to get a Wheel of Fortune of some kind.

When going for trivia game shows, it is good if you choose elegant decorations and ask all the participants to dress up like serious game members. A game of Family Feud would not be complete without a game show buzzer, a special pulpit for the host and two responders.

Be creative and take inspiration from other events of this type. You can find many ready-made decorations, balloons, banners and disposable tableware with quiz show emblems online. Aside from these standard decorations, also think about food that relates to the theme or name of the TV show in question.

A cake with the name of the quiz show of your choice is one of those game show party ideas that no one will pass by indifferently! You can also opt for a DIY game show party and make everything your own, the participants should appreciate your involvement.

Game show party invitations

We already have a theme, gadgets, decorations and food. Do we need anything else to have a successful game show party? Nothing but guests! So, let's move on to inviting them. If you are throwing a themed party, you need to make sure that the invitations clearly signal this. Invitations can be sent out on paper via post or electronically via instant messaging, social media or email.

Speaking of social media, a very easy way to invite friends to your game show party is to create a special event on Facebook - then everyone will have all the details about the upcoming event at their fingertips.

Whichever option you choose, it's important that the invitation includes all the information about the event, such as the date, venue, dress code, theme, etc., and if possible, that the design relates to the quiz show you have chosen - the Internet provides many ready-made templates.

More game ideas you will love

Above you could only discover a few game show party ideas, referring to the most famous TV quiz shows. But that is definitely not all we have to offer you. On our blog, you will find a wealth of inspiration for other parties and games. Are you looking for ideas for trade show games? Or maybe you do not know what to play during your bachelor party?

If so, here you will find Bachelorette games that will make this evening unforgettable. For busy people we have virtual happy hour games and for those who work remotely 15 online games to play on Zoom. Enjoy! Who says games are only for children? Get rid of boredom and try your hand at entertaining games. Good luck!

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