I use the best Jeopardy! categories to push game night past “just questions” and into that messy, unforgettable space where everyone is shouting and laughing.

Best Jeopardy! categories: TL;DR

1. Pop culture

If there’s one category that always gets people shouting from the couch, it’s pop culture. Movies, music, viral moments, and hit streaming shows give even casual players something they feel good buzzing in on.

When I build this category, I mix current obsessions with classic staples. That way, the movie expert and the TikTok addict both feel like they can own a clue.

Sample Pop Culture topics

• Hit TV shows and streaming originals
• Billboard-charting songs and iconic albums
• Awards shows, reality TV, and celebrity moments

Sample Pop Culture clue Q&A

TV & Streaming

• Clue: This New York-set sitcom followed six friends and turned into one of the most‑rewatched shows in TV history.
• Correct response: “What is Friends?”

Music & Albums

• Clue: This chart‑topping pop star is famous for dropping surprise albums and hiding Easter eggs for fans in videos and album art.
• Correct response: “Who is Taylor Swift?”

Awards & Reality TV

• Clue: This glitzy annual ceremony hands out trophies for movies, actors, and directors and often sparks viral red‑carpet moments.
• Correct response: “What are the Oscars?”

2. Decades: 80s, 90s, 2000s

Decade-based categories are some of the best Jeopardy! topics. It's because they instantly create little “teams” in the room based on age and nostalgia.

I’ve watched parents light up over 80s music clues while younger players crush questions about early internet culture. When I build this category, I mix news, tech, fashion, slang, and entertainment, so it won't turn into “Who remembers this one band?”

Sample Decades topics

• 90s Kids Only (toys, cartoons, snacks)
• The Y2K Era (early internet, pop acts, reality TV)
• Totally 80s (big hair, arcade games, blockbusters)

Sample Decades clue Q&A

90s Kids Only

• Clue: This handheld digital pet had kids frantically feeding and cleaning it during recess in the late 90s.
• Correct response: “What is a Tamagotchi?”

The Y2K Era

• Clue: This long-running MTV reality show put strangers together in a house and turned their real-life drama into must‑see weekly TV.
• Correct response: “What is The Real World?”

Totally 80s

• Clue: This classic 80s arcade game had players dodging ghosts while gobbling pellets in a neon maze.
• Correct response: “What is Pac‑Man?”

3. Food, drink, and travel

Food and travel categories are easy wins because everyone eats, lots of people travel (or want to), and almost everyone has a hot take on pizza toppings.

I love using this category to draw out quieter guests. A clue about a regional dish or a famous city almost always turns into someone saying, “I went there once …” and suddenly the room is buzzing.

When I build this one, I mix light, familiar stuff (fast food, snacks, cocktails) with a few slightly nerdier angles (cuisines, wine regions, famous markets). It allows people to feel both comfortable and pleasantly stretched.

Sample Food and Travel topics

• Around the World in 5 Dishes
• Drinks of the World
• Name That City from the Landmark

Sample Food and Travel clue Q&A

Around the World in 5 Dishes

• Clue: This Spanish rice dish, loaded with seafood or meat, is closely tied to the region of Valencia.
• Correct response: “What is paella?”

Drinks of the World

• Clue: This Italian coffee drink combines a shot of espresso with steamed milk and a small layer of foam.
• Correct response: “What is a latte?”

Name That City from the Landmark

• Clue: You’ll find the Eiffel Tower, a major art museum called the Louvre, and plenty of cafés in this European capital.
• Correct Response: “What is Paris?”

4. General knowledge grab bag

A good “everything and anything” category anchors the board and keeps the game from feeling too themed or narrow. When I use this, I like a loose mix of history, science, sports, literature, and random facts, so different people light up at different moments.

Pace with purpose, setting up easy gimmes at the top to warm everyone up, then a gentle climb so winning actually feels earned. I almost always sneak in at least one clue tailored to a specific person at the table, so everyone gets a hero moment.

Sample General Knowledge topics

• Everyday science and “how the world works”
• History and geography basics
• Sports, books, and random fun facts

Sample General Knowledge clue Q&A

Everyday Science

• Clue: People refer to this planet as the “Red Planet” because of its rusty-looking surface.
• Correct response: “What is Mars?”

History & Geography

• Clue: In 1776, the United States declared its independence from this kingdom.
• Correct response: “What is Great Britain?”

Sports & Fun Facts

• Clue: In baseball, this is the total number of bases a runner touches when they hit a home run.
• Correct response: “What is four?”

5. “About Us” personal categories

The most electric boards I’ve ever run were the personal ones. You can use inside jokes, shared trips, office lore, and tiny references only your group would catch.

A category like “Our Friend Group Lore” or “Team Inside Jokes” turns the game into a highlight reel of your own history instead of random facts.

Sample “About Us” topics 

• First jobs, college majors, and hometowns
• Iconic party moments or trip disasters
• Running jokes, misquotes, or group catchphrases

Sample “About Us” clue Q&A

First Jobs

• Clue: This teammate once worked the late shift at a movie theater and still refuses to eat popcorn.
• Correct response: “Who is [Name]?”

Iconic Party Moments

• Clue: At our last New Year’s party, this person accidentally started the countdown a full minute early.
• Correct response: “Who is [Name]?”

Running Jokes

• Clue: This 2-word phrase became our go‑to catchphrase after someone badly misread a menu at game night.
• Correct response: “What is ‘[Inside Joke Phrase]’?”

6. Movies, music, and screen quotes

Even if you already have a broad pop culture category, it’s worth giving movies and music their own lane.

I love building a column around things like “Name the Movie from the Plot,” “Guess the Film from the Song,” or “Who Voiced This Character?” because people light up when a favorite scene or soundtrack shows up.

What works best on game night is mixing genres and eras so everyone at the table gets a turn feeling oddly brilliant.

Sample Movies and Music topics

• Name the Movie from the Plot
• Soundtracks & Theme Songs
• Who Voiced This Character?

Sample Movies and Music clue Q&A

Name the Movie from the Plot

• Clue: In this film, a young lion prince runs into exile after his father dies, then returns to reclaim his place as king.
• Correct response: “What is The Lion King?”

Soundtracks & Theme Songs

• Clue: This 90s blockbuster about a doomed ocean liner features a power ballad that became one of the best‑selling movie songs of all time.
• Correct Response: “What is Titanic?”

Who Voiced This Character?

• Clue: This actor voiced a charming toy cowboy in a series of Pixar animated films about toys that come to life.
• Correct Response: “Who is Tom Hanks?”

7. Geography and “Where in the world …”

Geography stops feeling dry when the clues feel lived-in, not textbook. I lean into iconic skylines, street foods, travel-famous festivals, and odd world records tied to real places so players can picture themselves there.

I also use this lane to slip in light learning without killing the vibe; people remember “this country protects elephant sanctuaries” or “that river cuts through the city” when the fact rides along with a fun, visual clue.

Sample Geography topics

• Name the City from the Skyline
• Street Food, Country, City
• Rivers, Mountains, and Monuments

Sample Geography clue Q&A

Name the City from the Skyline

• Clue: This city’s skyline features a steel tower that looks like a giant needle and sits on the shore of Lake Ontario.
• Correct response: “What is Toronto?”

Street Food, Country, City

• Clue: You’ll find banh mi on countless street corners in this Southeast Asian country’s capital, Hanoi, and its southern hub, Ho Chi Minh City.
• Correct response: “What is Vietnam?”

Rivers, Mountains, and Monuments

• Clue: This European capital straddles the Danube and is home to the Chain Bridge and a hilltop castle district.
• Correct response: “What is Budapest?”

8. Nerdy Fun: Science, tech, and mythology

Nerdy categories like science basics, astronomy, superheroes, or mythology light up geeky groups big time. I’ve seen mythology become a surprise hit even with people who claim they “hate nerdy stuff.”

When I choose this, I skip technical jargon and stick to big ideas, cool facts, and familiar names like planets, famous inventors, well-known heroes, and viral pop-science tidbits.

Sample Nerdy Fun topics

• Planets & Space Basics
• Greek Gods & Creatures
• Inventors & Big Ideas

Sample Nerdy Fun clue Q&A

Planets & Space Basics

• Clue: This gas giant boasts a massive storm called the Great Red Spot.
• Correct response: “What is Jupiter?”

Greek Gods & Creatures

• Clue: This half-man, half-horse roamed ancient Greek forests.
• Correct response: “What is a centaur?”

Inventors & Big Ideas

• Clue: This inventor created the phonograph and gave us the first practical light bulb.
• Correct response: “Who is Thomas Edison?”

Try out Jeopardy! on Volley Games

To get the best Jeopardy! categories, try out the official Jeopardy! game on Roku, Fire TV, LG Smart TVs, and Samsung Smart TVs. Jeopardy! by Volley Games delivers show-style categories and clues, so you can see what your group loves and then mirror those themes on your own DIY board.

Of course, you could just host a legendary game night using Jeopardy! by Volley Games and let it run the whole night for you. It packs the best Jeopardy! categories right into the easy-to-play official TV game.

Play a few rounds. See what lights up your group. Use those ideas to build your own setup. Or keep playing. The choice depends on the mood of the group.

Other Volley Games titles to keep the party going:

• Song Quiz for music fans who love guessing artists and titles
• Wheel of Fortune on Roku for puzzle-solvers
• 20 Questions on Roku for quick, low-pressure guessing
• Karaoke on Roku for anyone who wants a mic moment

Head straight into a shout-out-loud game session with a 7-day free trial to all our games. You can download the Volley app directly to your Fire TV, Roku, Samsung, or LG Smart TV now.

FAQs

How do I download the Volley Games app for a smart TV?

To download the Volley Games app for a smart TV, search “Volley” on Roku, Fire TV, Samsung, or LG, then install the app and sign in. I like to get it set up before guests arrive so we can jump straight into Jeopardy!, Song Quiz, and other games.

Is Jeopardy! the only game Volley Games offers?

No, Jeopardy! is not the only game Volley Games offers; it’s one of several voice-powered titles, alongside Wheel of Fortune, 20 Questions, Song Quiz, and Karaoke on Roku. I use Jeopardy! as the main event and swap in the others as the night loosens up.

What are the top 3 best Jeopardy! categories?

The top 3 best Jeopardy! categories for most groups are Pop Culture, Decades (80s, 90s, 2000s), and Food, Drink, & Travel. I start with those three, see what my crowd clicks with, and then add personal or nerdy categories around them.

Is Volley's Jeopardy! an officially licensed version?

Yes, Volley's Jeopardy! is an officially licensed version of the game, created with the official rights holders. That official seal makes it feel like hosting a real game show at home, which is exactly the vibe I want on trivia night.