Hosting A Virtual Halloween Party? Try These Online Games For A Scary Fun Time

If you're planning a virtual Halloween game night this year, there's nothing like a scavenger hunt to bring the crew together. Whether you decide to embrace the eerie vibe of the holiday with a murder mystery party or pay tribute to your fave horror movie, you can still get in on the fun from the comfort of your own home. To help get you started, check out these 10 Halloween Zoom scavenger hunt ideas to get you into the ~spirit~ of spooky season.

Getting into game night mode with friends and family from a distance can be just as easy as IRL, thanks to Zoom's video features. You'll want to first make sure you've signed up for a free Zoom account, or, if you think your party will last more than 40 minutes, a monthly Zoom plan, which will clock in at $14.99 per pay period. From there, the host will want to plan a date and time to hold the Halloween soiree. Once the date arrives, simply join the invite from your computer, and let the fun begin. If you're going to be having a bigger group playing or you want to keep track of what's happening in Zoom, make sure to take advantage of Zoom's breakout rooms, screen sharing, and chat features.

If you are gathering in person with a few of your pals for your Halloween game night, you can still use this scavenger hunt inspo without needing Zoom. All these virtual Halloween party ideas work well with players cozied up in the same living room, but Zoom is a great tool to utilize when your go-to scavenger hunt crew can’t meet up in person.

Light the candles, grab some candy, and prepare to set the mood for a scary-fun Halloween game night with any of these online scavenger hunt ideas.

1. Take your scavenger hunt completely online with GooseChase.

While there are plenty of printable scavenger hunt maps you can find online, the app GooseChase saves you a trip to the printer and keeps track for you virtually. The free app, which has thousands of rave reviews, lets users customize their experience by choosing from any of the suggested "missions" or by making your own. One player needs to download the GooseChase app, share his or her screen with the others, and then you're ready to play.

2. Up the stakes with a virtual escape room.

If you want a more collaborative experience, download an app for a virtual escape room like this free Harry Potter-themed one. You and your friends will need to race against the clock to prove you're the ultimate Potterheads. You can play as many times as you want.

3. Pay homage to the holiday with a Halloween movie theme.

Are you a Rocky Horror Picture or Hocus Pocus fan? Pick a horror or Halloween movie you and your friends love, and have the host come up with a list of 10 items inspired by the film to search for around the house. To make it extra challenging, cut the time limit.

4. Play detective with a Sherlock Holmes-themed murder mystery.

If you want to go all out for your scavenger hunt, channel your inner Enola Holmes and sign up for the 90-minute Sherlock Holmes Murder Mystery Party. The game, which can host between four and 15 players, is more expensive than some of the other options — you'll be spending about $300 for the whole experience. However, the company will be doing all the work for you, and you can split the cost among friends. All you need to do is test your detective skills by taking notes, developing theories based on often-contradictory witness statements, and trying to solve the mystery.

5. Get into character with a costume murder mystery.

While you might not be in the same room as your fellow players, you can really get into the theme of the night by purchasing a murder mystery game online and having your costume and props sent to you beforehand. All of the games are specifically made to be played with a video chat service, so you can rest easy knowing you won't have to worry about the logistics yourself.

6. Test your smarts with online riddles.

Real-life escape room company Puzzle Break released the popular Grimm Escape Room, which quickly took off during the pandemic. If you want to solve riddles with a side of fantasy, this game — which is set in an enchanted forest — will make you feel like you're far from home.

7. Weed out the enemy on Spyfall.

If you want to play multiple rounds of a scavenger hunt, the app Spyfall is a simple but fun game to try. During each round, which lasts up to 10 minutes, all players will be given a card with a location on it except for one player, who will get a "spy" card. Players will then go around asking other players questions to find out the location.

8. Get comfortable (but not too comfortable) with a game of scary movie bingo.

For those whose ideal Halloween celebration involves popcorn and a cozy night under the covers, a scary movie viewing via Teleparty is the perfect way to go. Using Teleparty (formerly known as Netflix Party), friends can stream a movie from their individual devices simultaneously, from either Netflix, Hulu, Disney, or HBO. To incorporate the crucial competitive element, the host can create Bingo cards for each person with classic scary movie moments to check off, like “Characters don’t have cell phone service,” or “Someone wants to go inside the really old house.”

9. Prove your wits with Trivia Murder Party.

Have you ever played trivia like your life depended on it? Now’s your chance, using Jackbox Game’s Trivia Murder Party. Answer the questions correctly, or you may find yourself at risk of becoming a ghost. But have no fear, because ghost players can still come out on top and haunt your dreams of winning trivia forever. To get started, have one player download Steam — a free application needed for the game to run — on their computer, before purchasing Trivia Murder Party at $16.24. Have the owner of the game share their screen, and you’re good to go.

10. Race to Halloween with the Wikipedia game.

Find out who’s got the fastest fingers and can stay on their toes with the fan favorite Wikipedia race. Each player will start on a different, obscure Wikipedia page using the random article generator, and the goal is to make it to the Halloween Wikipedia page the fastest by only clicking on the hyperlinked words. When playing over Zoom, all players can either start at the same time and see who finishes first, or players can take turns sharing their screen and timing their speed, seeing who comes in with the quickest time.

These are just a few of many virtual Halloween party ideas, so consult with your crew about what kind of game you want to play, and start planning for your virtual Halloween get-together.