Games Descriptions (A-B)
Asian Ninja Game
Icebreaker, Non-Active
Time - Short (5 minutes)
Group Size - Any
Equipment Needed - None
Everyone stands up to begin. The leader should run this game from a higher position, like a stage or standing on a chair.
The leader explains the actions to be used in the game, usually four but can be three when played with a group who isn’t familiar with the game. The actions are normally:
BEAR (hands raised like claws with palms facing forward)
CRANE (essentially the crane kick from Karate Kid)
SNAKE (right arm bent upwards with fingers pointing down and away from the body, with left hand supporting elbow)
DRAGON EGG (forearms creating circle shape over torso)
Each round, everyone chooses an action at the same time, which is counted in by the leader with two beats on their legs, with everyone revealing their action on the third beat.
The aim of the game is to avoid doing the same action as the leader, which results in being eliminated from the game. This continues until only one person remains.
Variations
This game has endless variations, as the actions can be chosen from any theme or category to suit a setting or theme of a night, e.g. Animals, Musical Instruments, Superheroes, Halloween, etc.
Bang
Icebreaker, non-active, circle
Time - Short (5-10 minutes)
Group Size - Any, but can get slow in larger groups
Equipment Needed - None
Everyone stands in a circle, making a gun shape with their hands. In an icebreaker situation, everyone would go around the circle and say their names.
The leader will call out a name of someone, who then has to duck before the people either side of them can turn and shoot them by saying BANG! The slowest person to say BANG is eliminated, unless the person in the middle was too slow or another rule was broken.
The last person to be eliminated also says the next name.
People can also be eliminated if they shoot or duck without needing to, or firing across the circle once multiple people have been eliminated (magic bullet).
Rounds continue until only two people remain, at which point they duel, where they stand back to back in the centre. Someone will call Walk, at which point they start walking, until Draw is called, where the fastest to turn and say BANG is the winner.
Variations
Not-Bang - the word when firing can be any word or phrase except BANG. Anyone who says the word BANG is out. The final round may also involve listening for an odd one out in a category as the cue to fire
Story Bang - the person calling a name tells a short story that eventually uses someone’s name, which is then the cue to duck and fire. The final round also uses a story that uses the words Walk and Draw
Mathematical Bang - Everyone is assigned a number. Rather than calling a name, the caller will present a simple maths equation. The answer indicates who must duck. The final round may also use listening for an odd one out in a common sequence, such as prime numbers or multiples of something
Musical Bang - Everyone chooses a band or artist. Rather than calling names, the caller says the name of a song belonging to one of the artists. Whoever has that artist then has to duck. A further variation would be to sing the song. The final round involves picking the odd one out for a certain artist.
Bon Voyage
Icebreaker, Non-Active
Time - Short (5-10 minutes)
Group Size - Any
Equipment Needed - None
Everyone forms groups of three.
The leader will say “Say Bon Voyage to the person with…” and specify something measurable. The person who best fits that description then leaves and finds a new group. Examples include longest hair, living the closest, most pets, etc.
Variation
Groups affirm the arriving player.
Bullrush
Active, Icebreaker, Running
Time - Short (5-10 minutes)
Group Size - Any
Equipment Needed - None
Everyone stands on one wall or side of an area. Two or three people are chosen/volunteer to be in.
One of the people calls the name of someone standing on the wall by saying “Bullrush (name)”. That person then starts running and calls “Bullrush all!” Everyone must then try to make it to the other end without being tipped. If someone is tipped, they are in.
Rounds continue until only one person has not been tipped.
Variation
Octopus - only those who start in can run, anyone who is tipped stands still and tries to reach people running past to tip them