This past year was the first year since COVID where I was really able to host significant gatherings. I usually try to host little tournaments with scratch off prizes, but most of my friends just patronize me (in a good way) to play because they all know pinball is something I’m passionate about. 99% of the time, it’s just the kiddos that “play” the games during big gatherings, and that’s fine.

For New Years this year, I tried something a little different. A “play as you go” pingolf tournament. I gave people the rules on a sheet, and made the objectives as clear as humanly possible. Friends could go to the game room and play a single hole, or all of them, and like minigolf, they’d just post their own scores using the honor system. I’d just collect their sheets at the end and gave the winner a lottery ticket and little homemade trophy.

It worked really well! Since it wasn’t score based, there was less pressure for people, and on the whole, it was really well received! Things I would do differently: make the objectives even easier.

How do you guys incorporate your games into parties? Any tips or fun ways to get people involved? I’d love to hear them!

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This is more or less how I feel. I do have some friends who genuinely look forward to the games, but on the whole, most don’t care. The pingolf structure this year was an optional thing. Had the stack of paper rules and score cards with a little cup full of pencils. If people chose to play, they could. Most didn’t, and again, it was fine.

All great insights. Thanks all!

One thing I’ve noticed is that simply turning the games on doesn’t incentivize playing. I think part of it is that the gameroom is completely separate from the room (read: kitchen) with the drinks and snacks.

I think if I were to have the gameroom in the same room as the snack table, things would change.