Introduction
There’s more to your home climbing wall than training drills and session circuits. If you’re looking to break out of a rut—or just bring more joy to your wall—these lesser-known, offbeat, and downright fun climbing games are guaranteed to get you laughing, sweating, and leveling up without even realizing it.
From partner games to solo challenges, here’s a lineup of creative climbing games you probably haven’t tried... but absolutely should.
1. Wall Tag (Yes, It’s What It Sounds Like) 🏃♂️
How it works:
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Two climbers start on opposite ends of the wall.
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One is “it” and tries to tag the other without touching the floor.
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No contact with the ground, and no crossing paths!
Why it’s awesome:
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Insanely fun and fast-paced.
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Great for footwork, route reading, and strategy.
Play it safely: Make sure to have lots of padding and set clear rules for tagging.
2. Hold Roulette 🎲
How it works:
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Use a spinner, dice, or app to randomly select hold types or wall zones.
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Examples:
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"Only slopers"
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"Right side of wall only"
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"3 random holds + dyno required"
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Why it works:
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Builds adaptability and grip strength variety.
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Keeps solo sessions from feeling repetitive.
🔗 Need more hold options to pull this off? Explore our climbing hold packages designed to mix things up.
3. King (or Queen) of the Wall 👑
How it works:
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Players take turns setting short problems (4–5 moves max).
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Everyone tries the problem—if you flash it, you earn points.
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Rotate the setter each round.
Why it works:
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Encourages creativity and friendly competition.
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Builds route-setting skills alongside movement.
4. Shadow Climb 🕶️
How it works:
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One climber moves up the wall at a steady pace.
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A second climber follows behind, mirroring their every move exactly.
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If you lose sync, reset and try again.
Why it works:
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Amazing for improving movement fluidity and focus.
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Great warm-up for group sessions.
5. “One and Done” 🔁
How it works:
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You only get one attempt on each new route.
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Whether you fall or flash, you must move on to a different climb.
Why it works:
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Builds focus, commitment, and mental game.
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Simulates the pressure of outdoor onsight attempts.
6. Build-A-Problem Challenge 🧱
How it works:
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Start with a blank section of wall.
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Roll dice or draw cards to choose hold types, move count, or direction.
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Set a problem using whatever comes up—and then try to send it.
Why it works:
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Trains your route-setting skills.
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Adds structure to wall resets and keeps things playful.
🔗 Use our modular wall design instructions to rearrange your wall layout for endless problem-building.
7. Climb & Freeze ❄️
How it works:
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Climb with music playing in the background.
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When the music stops (someone else hits pause randomly), freeze in your exact position.
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Hold it for 5 seconds—then keep climbing.
Why it works:
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Great for building static strength and mental control.
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Hilarious and engaging, especially for families or groups.
8. The Impossible Beta Game 🤯
How it works:
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Set a route using the weirdest, most awkward beta possible.
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Make it do-able—but not obvious.
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Bonus points if your partner figures out a better way!
Why it works:
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Encourages creative problem-solving and humor.
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Gets you thinking outside the box (and body).
Conclusion
Climbing isn’t just about progress—it’s about play. These under-the-radar games make every session more engaging and dynamic, whether you’re training alone, with a partner, or with your family.
Give your wall a boost of variety with new climbing hold packages and expand your creative space using our modular wall design instructions. Get weird, get playful, and keep the stoke high!