This New Year’s Eve Scattergories game is a fun way to remember things from the year in a quick and easy game! See who can come up with the most correct answers and be the big winner!
This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase via these links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
One of my all-time favorite board games is Scattergories, although I guess technically it’s more a word game than a board game.
If you’ve never played Scattergories, it’s pretty easy. In the actual game, you have a bunch of different category lists and a letter die. You roll the die then have to come up with words starting with that letter for the category lists.
It’s easy to learn, easy to play, and a lot of fun! And this New Year’s Eve version would make a great addition to any New Year’s Eve party!
New Year’s Eve Scattergories
This free printable New Year’s Eve Scattergories game is designed to be played in four rounds on New Year’s Eve! Instead of having different Scattergories categories lists and a random letter based on the roll of the die, it’s just one set of category lists and the letters will be Y-E-A-R.
New Year’s Eve Scattergories Rules
In addition to the written out rules below, there’s a video in this post that shows how to play as well! If you don’t see it, refresh the page and don’t click out of the video that pops up.
Print out one sheet for every person who will be playing. Give everyone a sheet and a working pen. (These are my favorite pens!)
Set a timer for two minutes.
When you say go, start the timer and tell everyone to start.
During the two minutes, they must come up with an answer for each of the categories first for letter Y. The goal is to come up with a real answer but also one that is original because you only get a point for each answer if no one else has the same answer.
Keep writing answers until the timer ends then starting with one person, go around the circle and read off your answers for the first category. If anyone else has the same answer as you, cross out that answer. If no one else has the same answer, you score one point for that answer.
Continue going around in the circle reading your answers for each of the categories then total up the points for the letter Y.
Set the timer again and do the same thing for the letters E, A, and R.
How to Win
After all four rounds, everyone adds up their total amount of points they scored during the game. The person who has the most points wins.
If there’s a tie, ask one of the questions below and whoever gets the closest wins.
- In what year was Scattergories published by Milton Bradley? (1988)
- How many total categories are in the original Scattergories game? (192)
New Year’s Eve Prize Ideas
For any New Year’s Eve games, I love to have a number of prizes that are related to the current year. One of my favorite things to do is $19 gift cards (or whatever year it is) or any of these:
- Star Wars movie collection
- Marvel Studios Character Encyclopedia
- Fandango gift card
- Baby Yoda mug (or other items)
- Screaming lady + cat sweater
- Forky (or other Toy Story 4) toys
- New Year’s Eve movie
Need more ideas? I have an entire collection of great New Year’s Eve prize ideas here!
Download the Free Printable Scattergories Game
Enter your first name and email address in the pink form below to get a PDF copy of the game. If you do not see the form, click here to get to it.
More New Year’s Eve Games
- Free printable New Year’s Eve trivia games
- New Year’s Eve games for adults
- Who can ring in first game?
- New Year’s Eve scavenger hunt
- 20+ best New Year’s Eve games
Don’t forget to pin this New Year’s Eve Scattergories game for later!
Have a question? Leave a comment below. Looking for a free downloadable PDF? Scroll back up and fill out your name and email in the pink form above instead.