Chinese New Year (CNY) is approaching, and that means it's time to reunite with family and friends, catch up on life, and exchange blessings with one another! Aside from the endless feasting as we hop from house to house and grandparents serving mountains of food to the little ones, one thing we absolutely love about the New Year gatherings is playing cards!
To include the little ones and get them off their mobile phones during Chinese New Year, here are some fun and easy-to-play games suitable for all ages. This CNY, grab these affordable, easy-to-understand games to get everyone engaged and enjoying the moment! Read on to discover our top recommendations, in addition to popular favourites like Singaporean Dream, Cards Against Humanity, and Catan.
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Taboo
Photo credit: Hasbro official website
Test your creativity without spilling any of the taboo words! In celebration of the Chinese festive season, this game is perfect for teaching little ones to avoid inauspicious words. Taboo is a team-based game where you describe a target word to your teammates without using the listed taboo words, and they must guess it within the time limit. It's an ultimate test of creativity that will get your heart racing and your energy soaring this CNY!
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza
Photo credit: Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza on Amazon
Prepare your earplugs, as this game is guaranteed to bring the noise level through the roof! This simple yet chaotic game is similar to the childhood favourite "Heart Attack" hand-smacking game, but with cards and a few extra rules to make it even more fun. It’s also reminiscent of "Snap," where the last person to smack the deck loses. Without giving too much away, we highly encourage you to try this easy game with your relatives and friends during your CNY gathering!
Exploding Kittens
Photo credit: Exploding Kittens official website
Even though the game might sound a bit morbid, it’s actually a lot of fun! The goal is to avoid drawing the Exploding Kitten card, or else you’ll "explode" and your round ends. Be the last one standing who hasn’t exploded, and you’ll win the game—and the bragging rights! As the deck gets smaller and the chances of drawing an Exploding Kitten increase, tensions and nerves start to rise. This game is perfect for playing with friends or older children, as the rules and graphics might be a bit complicated or scary for younger kids.
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UNO Show ‘Em No Mercy
Photo credit: Mattel official website
If you grew up playing Uno in all its various forms, Show 'Em No Mercy is a must-try! As the name suggests, Uno Show 'Em No Mercy is a game where players show no mercy to one another, thanks to the addition of 56 more cards and new "power cards." Expect to face dreaded " +10" cards or "pass the deck" action cards that could change the fate of the game in an instant. Be careful—unlike the usual Uno, where the goal is to empty your deck, this game is all about elimination. If you end up with more than 25 cards in your hand, you’re out! The last player standing wins! Get ready for plenty of dramatic moments, with lots of shouting and crying as players force each other to draw more cards.
Kopi King
Photo credit: Origame official website
Created by a Singaporean, this game is a great way to teach the young ones about Singapore’s coffee culture. Kopi King is an easy-to-play competitive game where you mix and match coffee orders as accurately as possible. Be the first to complete all your orders correctly and you’ll be crowned the Kopi King! If you're playing with younger players, make sure to give them a quick crash course first, as some of the drinks can get quite complicated. This simple yet fun and exciting game is both educational and enjoyable—perfect for players of all ages!
Codenames
Photo credit: Czech Games on Amazon
Split everyone into two groups and get ready for a mission that might make you question your teammates' logic! Codenames is an easy-to-play word association game where team members must guess the right words based on one-word clues given by their chosen teammate (the Spymaster). The goal is to be the first team to guess all the words of your team's colour without selecting the “assassin” word, which will immediately eliminate your team. The game becomes progressively tougher as fewer words remain, and the Spymaster must find a word that links them together, all while ensuring their teammates get the connection right. This game is perfect for both young and old, as it stimulates the brain and keeps everyone engaged—rather than doom-scrolling on their phones during CNY.
Mahjong Cards
Photo credit: Children's Fun Store on Shopee
Mahjong tiles and tables are loud and take up a lot of space! Switch to Mahjong cards, which are lighter and easy to bring along to every house you visit. Since Mahjong has been shown to stimulate the brain and help prevent dementia in the elderly, we highly recommend playing this game with older family members during CNY.
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Chinese New Year is the perfect time to reconnect with relatives, some of whom you may only see once a year. Instead of being fixated on our mobile phones, it’s a chance to engage and connect with the people who are present. These games serve as great tools to keep conversations flowing and help us disconnect from our devices while connecting with those around us. We hope this CNY brings lots of new, fond memories and laughter to your household. Happy Chinese New Year!