Scanpack is Northern Europe’s largest and most comprehensive packaging event—a place brimming with innovation, new materials, and next-generation technology in the packaging industry. If you’re looking to draw a crowd, engage attendees, and leave a lasting impression, here are 15 fresh and vibrant game ideas, spanning physical showstoppers, digital knowledge tests, quick-to-play skill contests, and chance-based crowd-pleasers. All are designed to fit into a two-minute play window, ensuring fast turnover and constant booth buzz.
1. Physical Games (4 Ideas)
These physical attractions will turn heads from across the expo floor. Each involves custom structures or materials, so attendees won’t assume they can replicate them at home. They’ll see them as memorable experiences unique to your brand.
1. Cardboard Castle Conquest
Picture a towering, custom-built castle façade constructed from large, sturdy corrugated sheets (far stronger than standard cardboard). Players don safety gear and race to scale the “castle wall” using built-in handholds that resemble packaging handles. Because the structure is large and striking, it demands attention. The goal is simple: ring the bell at the top before your competitor does. It’s active, fun, and decidedly not a do-it-yourself project for the average attendee.
2. Pallet Maze Race
Transform a portion of your booth floor into a labyrinth formed by stacked shipping pallets and crates. Two participants enter at different entrances, winding through the pallets as quickly as possible to reach the exit. Timers track each competitor’s finish, creating a sense of urgency and excitement. The sturdy pallet walls, branded with your company’s logo or packaging solutions, highlight the creativity and versatility of packaging materials.
3. Crate Tower Challenge
This game is reminiscent of giant Jenga but uses specialized shipping crates of varying sizes. Each crate is slightly heavier or shaped a bit differently, adding complexity and the need for real physical effort. Competitors stack crates higher and higher, carefully balancing them without letting the tower crash. Onlookers hold their breath with every new addition, and the moment of collapse is exhilarating—yet the crates are robust and custom-made, making this a spectacle rather than a backyard project.
4. Bubble Wrap Hopscotch
Turn large, industrial-grade bubble wrap into an oversized hopscotch court. Participants hop, skip, and jump from one circle to another, but the bubble wrap is thick enough to withstand heavy footfall—popping with every jump. It’s loud, eye-catching, and underscores the fun side of protective packaging. Again, the commercial-strength bubble wrap is a specialized item not typically available to casual buyers, emphasizing your company’s unique solutions.
2. Digital Knowledge Game (1 Idea)
Here’s a single game concept based on a familiar “right vs. wrong” falling-item mechanic. It weaves in packaging themes while fostering brand-awareness and knowledge retention.
5. Eco-Quality Guardian
- Story & Theme: The player is on a high-speed production line where sustainable packaging and eco-friendly practices are paramount. A conveyor belt leads to a “Recycling Gateway” at the end of the screen—symbolizing the perfect, eco-approved exit point.
- Gameplay: Various packaging prototypes (depicted as icons of boxes, bottles, and wrap designs) float downward. Some of these prototypes meet eco-standards (made of recyclable, biodegradable, or innovative materials), while others violate environmental regulations.
- Player’s Task: Click to “stamp out” (shoot) the non-recyclable, harmful items before they cross the Recycling Gateway, while allowing the correct, environmentally sound designs to pass through. If even one harmful item slips by or a good item is wrongly stamped, the game ends.
- Shooting Mechanic: Instead of bullets or lasers, the “stamp” is a big red rejection seal. A loud stamping sound and a quick “REJECTED” animation emphasize the notion of quality control.
- Meaningful Touch: Each correct item that passes triggers a green check mark and a small tip (“Made from post-consumer recycled plastics!”). Each wrong item—if not stamped—risks “contaminating” the final product, highlighting real-world consequences of poor material choices.
In just two minutes or less, visitors learn about sustainable packaging while enjoying a fun, interactive challenge.
3. Digital Skill Games
A. 3 Existing Casual Skill Games in the Market
Below are three popular skill-based casual games that could be adapted or used as inspiration. They’re successful, universally recognized, and can fit thematically into a packaging-focused environment with minimal creative tweaks.
6. Fruit Ninja (by Halfbrick)
- Stats & Gameplay: Launched in 2010, Fruit Ninja has surpassed one billion downloads globally. Players swipe the screen to slice flying fruit while avoiding bombs.
- Why It Fits: The tactile satisfaction of slicing could easily translate into “cutting through different layers of packaging.” Think of special branded fruit or packaging layers appearing on-screen to slice. It’s an instantly recognizable brand that draws crowds for quick, two-minute bursts of fun.
7. Paper Toss (by Backflip Studios)
- Stats & Gameplay: Paper Toss has seen tens of millions of downloads. The objective is straightforward: flick a crumpled paper ball into a virtual trash or recycling bin while accounting for wind (from a fan) or distance.
- Why It Fits: Packaging fairs already focus on paper and recycling. This game is a natural extension—players can “toss the used packaging” into a recycling bin. It’s quick, universally understood, and easy to brand with your company logos.
8. Stack (by Ketchapp)
- Stats & Gameplay: Stack challenges players to tap at the perfect moment to drop a moving tile onto a tower. Over 50 million downloads attest to its addictive nature.
- Why It Fits: This game echoes the idea of stacking boxes or packaging materials. Each tile in the app could be visually stylized as a cardboard or plastic unit, tying in neatly with packaging themes in under two minutes of playtime.
B. 5 New Digital Skill Game Concepts
Now, here are five custom game designs that align with the packaging industry’s focus on speed, efficiency, and innovation. Each can be played in about two minutes or less, ensuring a constant flow of engaged participants.
9. Shrink Wrap Sprint
In this fast-paced tapping game, players see a virtual shrink-wrapping machine on-screen. They must tap the correct onscreen prompts to wrap boxes perfectly before the conveyor belt speeds up. Each box must be fully “sealed” within seconds, and missed taps lead to unfinished packaging. The short session delivers an intense rush, with a final score based on how many boxes were wrapped correctly.
10. Recycling Run
Participants guide a character running along a warehouse floor strewn with packaging materials. With quick swipes, they must sort the items into color-coded bins (paper, plastic, metal) that periodically appear. Each correct placement earns points, while any wrongly sorted item reduces time. The game ends after two minutes, teaching quick thinking about proper recycling practices.
11. Corrugated Climb
This is a vertical scrolling game. Players control a cartoon forklift that needs to lift boxes up different platforms. Tapping at the right moment allows the forklift to jump to the next level. If they mistime the jump, the forklift misses the platform, and the game ends. Visuals can feature your company’s boxes and brand identity. Time constraints keep it under two minutes, encouraging repeat play for a higher score.
12. Label Mastery
Attendees see multiple shipping labels whizzing by, each needing scanning or rejection. Players must tap to scan correct, legible labels that match the shipping destination while avoiding incorrect or incomplete labels. The speed at which participants recognize correct labels and react determines their final score. It’s a fun tribute to real-world packaging processes where correct labeling is everything.
13. Box Launch
Players operate a virtual catapult that launches boxes onto passing trucks. Each truck has a small window of time in which it’s in range, so the launch angle and power must be just right. Successfully land your boxes on as many trucks as possible within two minutes. It blends comedic, cartoon visuals with the serious theme of efficient supply chain loading.
4. Digital Chance Games (2 Ideas + Customizations)
When it comes to quick engagement and broad appeal, chance-based games remain unbeatable. These suggestions pair the thrill of randomness with distinctive nods to the packaging world.
14. Customized Wheel of Fortune
- Theme & Design: Instead of a standard carnival wheel, envision a giant spool of packing tape divided into segments. Each segment of the “tape” might display a packaging-inspired artwork, such as corrugated flutes or iconic box icons.
- How It Works: Attendees spin the wheel for an instant win—maybe promotional items or tokens of your brand. The look alone sets your booth apart: a bold, oversized reel that keeps eyes glued while it spins.
15. Jackpot & Plinko
- Jackpot: Adapt the classic slot machine interface to revolve around packaging images—icons like sealed boxes, tape rolls, or label printers. Three matching symbols yield a prize. It’s bright, highly visual, and each pull takes only seconds.
- Plinko: Picture dropping a branded “packaging puck” down a series of pegs that resemble mini cardboard flaps. The puck bounces unpredictably into prize slots at the bottom. It’s easy to understand and keeps the crowd shouting as they watch the bouncing disc. Subtly incorporate your packaging solutions by featuring relevant text or playful icons along the board.
Conclusion
Whether you’re looking to underscore sustainability, highlight innovation, or simply energize your Scanpack booth, these 15 game ideas bring a perfect blend of fun, education, and branding potential. From crowd-drawing physical feats to fast-paced digital interactions—both knowledge- and skill-based—to the sheer excitement of chance, each option can be tailored to your company’s identity. Best of all, every game caps at two minutes, keeping lines moving and attendees constantly engaged.
Take this opportunity to captivate the Scanpack crowd with unique, on-brand experiences that showcase packaging in creative, memorable ways. And remember: the key to success is ensuring that each game ties back to your products and expertise, leaving visitors not only entertained but also enlightened about your role in advancing the packaging industry.