What You Need for a Game Show Night

A game show night needs more than quiz questions and a microphone. You will need answer cards, score sheets, pens, prizes, tableware, drinks, and reliable equipment for displaying questions and playing sound. Plan two to three drinks per guest for the first hour, then about one per hour after that. Buy or pack technical spares early, especially HDMI adapters, extension cords, and power banks, because these are easy to forget and difficult to replace just before guests arrive.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Tablesqty 8
Chairsqty 60
Tableclothsqty 8
Stoolsqty 4

Equipment

Laptop
Monitor screen
HDMI cableqty 2
HDMI adapterqty 2
Speakersqty 2
Microphoneqty 2
Microphone standqty 2
Power stripsqty 4
Extension cordsqty 4
Power banksqty 2

Game materials

Answer cardsqty 60
Score sheetsqty 15
Writing pensqty 70
Joker cardsqty 20
Buzzer buttonsqty 8
Stopwatchqty 2
Scoreboard
Whiteboard
Whiteboard markersqty 6
Cleaning clothqty 2
Quiz foldersqty 10
Prizesqty 3

Tableware

Drinking glassesqty 70
Coffee cupsqty 30
Platesqty 70
Cutlery setsqty 70
Serving plattersqty 12
Serving tongsqty 6

Kitchen

Coolersqty 4
Thermos flasksqty 3
Corkscrewqty 2
Bottle openersqty 3
Cutting boardsqty 3
Bread knivesqty 2
Kitchen knivesqty 3
T serving traysqty 4

Decorations

Balloonsqty 50
Buntingqty 6
Table décorqty 8
Name badgesqty 60
Arrow stickersqty 12

Lighting

LED string lightsqty 4
Standing lampsqty 2

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 4
Bucketsqty 2
Mopsqty 2
Broomqty 2
Dustpan and brushqty 2
Dustpan and brushqty 2

Catering

Groceries
- Coffee - 2 packs
- Tea - 2 boxes
- Sugar - 1 kilogram
- Milk - 6 liters
- Oat milk - 3 liters
- Cola - 8 bottles
- Cola Zero - 8 bottles
- Sinas - 5 bottles
- Ice tea - 5 bottles
- Sparkling mineral water - 6 bottles
- Still mineral water - 8 bottles
- Apple juice - 3 packs
- Orange juice - 3 cartons
- Ice cubes - 8 bags
- Paprika chips - 4 bags
- Plain chips - 4 bags
- Tortilla chips - 4 bags
- Salted sticks - 3 bags
- Party nuts - 3 bags
- Popcorn - 3 bags
- Mini pizzas - 6 boxes
- Mini frikandels - 4 boxes
- Vegetarian snacks - 4 boxes
- Baguettes - 8 pieces
- Herb butter - 6 tubs
- Young cheese - 2 kilograms
- Brie - 6 pieces
- Hummus - 6 tubs
- Cucumbers - 6 pieces
- Cherry tomatoes - 2 kilograms
- Grapes - 3 kilograms
- Apples - 50 pieces
- Mini cucumbers - 3 packs
- Mayonnaise - 2 bottles
- Ketchup - 2 bottles
- Mustard - 2 jars
- Napkins - 150 pieces
- Paper cups - 100 pieces
- Aluminum foil - 2 rolls
- Cling film - 2 rolls
- Baking paper - 2 rolls
- Paper towels - 6 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Trash bags - 3 rolls
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- Dishwasher tablets - 1 package
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Disinfectant wipes - 3 packs
- Hand soap - 3 bottles

Tips

Prepare one answer card and one pen per player or team, plus at least 10% extra. For 20 teams, that means 22 cards and 22 pens.
Buy or prepare one prize for each winning category, then add one or two small backup prizes in case you include a tie-breaker or bonus round.
Count plates, drinking glasses, coffee cups, and cutlery sets against your guest list, adding 10% extra. For 30 guests, plan for at least 33 of each item used throughout the evening.
Test the laptop, monitor screen, speakers, microphone, HDMI cable, and HDMI adapter at least 24 hours before the event. Keep a power strip, extension cord, and charged power bank with the equipment.
Print quiz files, score sheets, and rules no later than the day before. Put each round in a quiz folder and keep the answers and scoring materials separate so the host can find them quickly.

Frequently asked questions

What do I need for a game show night for 20 people?: Plan answer cards and pens for every player or team, plus 10% extra. You will also need score sheets, quiz folders, prizes, a laptop, display screen, speakers, microphone, HDMI connection, power strips, extension cords, and enough tableware for at least 22 servings.
How many drinks should I buy for a game show night?: For the first hour, allow two to three drinks per person. After that, plan about one drink per person per hour; for 20 guests over three hours, this equals roughly 80 to 100 drinks, depending on the drink sizes and whether coffee or water is also served.
How many prizes do I need for a game show night?: Buy at least one prize for each winning category or final winner. Add one or two extra prizes if you are using a tie-breaker, joker round, or bonus question, so an unexpected result does not leave you shopping during the event.
When should I prepare the game show equipment?: Test all audio, presentation, and display equipment at least 24 hours beforehand. Pack cables, adapters, power strips, extension cords, and a charged power bank together, then reconnect everything on site at least 60 minutes before the first round.

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