The Bowl Game (Best Party Game You've Probably Never Played)

Finding the right party game for a large crowd can be tough, especially if you’re looking for something that encourages both social deduction and good conversation.

That’s where The Bowl Game comes into play—a real game changer that fits the bill perfectly.

This easy but brilliant game has a way of bringing out people’s wackiest secrets and getting everyone to really see new, unexpected sides of each other.

And all you need is paper, pens, and-you guessed it-some sort of bowl.

Read on to discover how The Bowl Game can turn your next party from dull to delightful.

The Lowdown for The Bowl Game (Not to Be Confused with Fishbowl – That’s a Totally Different Game)

A-woman-yelling-excitedly-with-friends-laughing-behind-her-and-speech-bubbles-expressing-enthusiasm-for-playing-The-Bowl-Game.

The objective of The Bowl Game is to keep your own secrets hidden while trying to guess which secrets belong to the other players.

The player who best manages to conceal their own secrets and accurately guess others’ secrets collects the most points and wins the game.

Materials Needed:

A Bowl: This is where all the secrets go. Any bowl will do.
Paper Strips: Enough for everyone to have two strips.
Pens: For all that secretive scribbling.
Candy (optional): If you want to sweeten the deal, use candy for keeping score.

Setup:

Each player pens down two wild, true facts about themselves on the strips. Key point: don’t sign your name.

Once everyone’s done, fold the strips up tight and drop them into the bowl. Mix them up good to keep the mystery alive.

How to Play:

Pick someone to start the game. They’ll pull out a strip, read it aloud to the group, and then the guessing begins.
IMPORTANT: The reader of the strip doesn’t guess. Conflict of interest. They’ve seen the handwriting and that might give the reader and unfair advantage.
Starting with the person to the right of the reader (clockwise), everyone takes turns guessing who they think the fact belongs to. The trick is, if it’s your fact, you gotta keep a straight face and not let on.
After everyone’s had a guess, the person who wrote the fact stands up and reveals themselves. Cue the laughter, stories, and explanations!
Now, here’s how the scoring works: if someone guessed correctly, they get a point. But if no one guessed it right, the person who wrote the fact gets a whopping 5 points! The goal is to stump people with your facts.
Pass the bowl to the next person, and keep the game going until all the strips have been read and guessed.
When you’re all done, tally up the scores and crown the winner! You can even up the ante by using candy as points if you want.

Tip

To keep the game moving at a quicker pace, after the slip of paper is read, you can give the players 5 seconds to point to someone that they think the slip belongs to.

Helpful Tips for Winning:

Go obscure: Choose facts about yourself that are so off the wall, they leave people scratching their heads. Trust me, the time I said I had won a yodeling contest in junior high, no one believed it was me!
Bluff: Act surprised or confused when your fact is read—it throws people off. But remember, overacting can sometimes backfire. Keep it cool, kind of like that time I tried too hard to deny my obsession with spicy food and just made everyone more suspicious.

facebook alert!

Ever had a game night where the only thing organized was the chaos? Same.

This Facebook group is like that one drawer full of random stuff in your kitchen; it’s a bit of everything and somehow EXACTLY what you need. Dive into the treasure trove of laughs, printable games and tips for moms who wish “winging it with style” was a recognized party planning strategy.

I NEED THIS FACEBOOK GROUP IN MY LIFE!

Make It Easier:

Common Ground: Share facts that might apply to several people in the group, like “I love horror movies.” It makes for easier guesses and less pressure.
Hint Haven: When people are writing down their truths, have them write down a tiny hint to help people guess that it was them. Give every player the “power” to have hint read aloud – at one point during the game.

Make It Harder:

Two Lies and a Truth: Twist it up by having everyone write down two lies and one truth, ramping up the challenge as players sift through the deception.
Quick Guess: Set a timer for guesses—say, 30 seconds each. It adds a dash of adrenaline and keeps the game pacey.

“Okay, so you can easily play this game with a large group of people. Maybe 15 + players without breaking a sweat But, heads up. It’ll make the game harder, because you’ll have a much more difficult time figuring out whose 2 truth slips have been guessed or not. Enjoy!” – Aquita, Fun Party Tips

Variations to Spice It Up:

Celebrity Secrets: Everyone writes facts as if they were a celebrity. Guess both the fact and the celeb to win double points.
Themed Facts: Choose a theme for the facts—like embarrassing stories or childhood memories. It adds a layer of fun and unity to the guesses.
Dynamic Duos: Pair up and combine your secrets. Others have to guess the pair the facts belong to, adding a little twist to the tale.

Pros and Cons of The Bowl Game

The Bowl Game is one of the best party games ever and a great way to break the ice. But before you start scribbling secrets, let’s chat about what makes this game a hit and what might be a bit of a hiccup.

Every game has its highs and lows, right?

Here’s a quick rundown of the good stuff and the not-so-good stuff to help you figure out if it’s the perfect game for your crew

Pros:

Inclusive Fun: Suitable for various group sizes and types, making it perfect for any gathering.
Easy Setup and Play: Minimal materials needed and straightforward rules that anyone can pick up quickly.
Engaging: Keeps everyone involved and guessing throughout the game, making for an interactive experience.
Icebreaker: Great way to learn hilarious and unexpected things about friends and family.
Flexible Scoring: Use candy for a sweet reward, or just keep tally for simple fun.

Cons:

Privacy Concerns: All player must be comfortable sharing personal facts. If not, well….
Potential for Repetition: The game might lose its novelty after several rounds with the same group.
Length of Play: This game can go pretty long – especially when people start explaining the wacky stories behind their truths.
Dependent on Honesty: The game’s fun factor hinges on players being truthful in their facts.
Not for the Non-Creative: Requires a bit of creativity and imagination, which might not suit everyone’s taste.

Want More Game Ideas?

If you’re having a big get-together (or any kind of get-together), make sure you’re armed with the best games possible.

Because a good game can really bring a party and people together in wonderful, WONDERFUL ways.

Take a peek of these articles. You’ll sure to find something awesome to for you and your crew.

Your Turn

What sort of truth can you see yourself sharing during the Bowl Game? Share it here. I promise not to tell anyone. …Other than the Internet, that is.

The Bowl Game (Best Party Game You’ve Probably Never Played)