Drinking Games 101: A Definitive Guide to Booze Filled Fun
“Drinking games.” Your heart may skip a beat at the sound of those words. You know that you are about to not only play a fun game but also get a little tipsy in the process.
The truth is that you can add booze to almost any game, and it will instantly become more fun—except maybe Scrabble, which could honestly get a bit confusing. There are literally hundreds of different drinking games out there, so narrowing down the best ones can be a bit confusing. In this post, we will break down everything you need to know about drinking games and give you some of our favorite boozy game recommendations!
DRINKING GAMES IN HISTORY
Alcohol has been around basically since 10,000 B.C., and games maybe even longer. Whether a contest of strength or speed, competition is part of our DNA.
So, as humans, we think, why not combine two things we love to do? Thus, drinking games were born. You can date drinking games back to ancient Greece when the men played Kottabos. A game where they would throw sediment at a target in the middle of a room, and the winner would receive a prize, usually sweets or kisses.
In ancient China, people played games involving dice and riddles. Players would draw lots, which dictated how much alcohol they would have to drink. All over the world, drinking games have brought together a sense of camaraderie and fun—well, if done in moderation, at least.
DRINKING RESPONSIBLY
We never want to hear it, but it is incredibly important. While playing games is fun and potentially even more so with booze, you should always remember to drink responsibly.
Alcohol can be great when drunk responsibly. You can enjoy yourself without having to worry about the hangover the next day. Here are some tips for the next time you decide to play some drinking games.
- Eat before and during: Having a bite to eat before you drink anything can slow the absorption of alcohol. Eat something before and have plenty of snacks readily available.
- Pace yourself: We know drinking games can make you drink a lot of booze quite quickly. It is important to pace yourself and take breaks between drinks. Perhaps throw in a bottle of water in between drinks.
- Know your limits: Obviously, we all have different limitations when it comes to alcohol, so it is important to know your own. Drinking can drastically cloud your judgment, so plan ahead and stick to your limit.
MOST POPULAR DRINKING GAMES
The following are the most popular drinking games ever. This is not based on any real statistics because people were likely drunk when they voted. So we’ve simply chosen the most well-known games that everyone can enjoy.
- QUARTERS – Quarters is a simple game where you try to bounce a quarter into a shot glass.
- CHANDELIER – Chandelier is a fantastic game that will quickly get you drunk. Basically, throw a ping-pong ball into a cup, and if it’s your cup, drink!
- BEER PONG – Beer pong is another classic. Place some cups in a triangle on opposite sides of a table and try to get the ping-pong ball in.
- KING’S CUP – King’s Cup is another classic. Place a deck of cards around a massive glass of booze and draw a card. Each card has a rule you must follow.
- FLIP CUP – This is a classic drinking game with cups. Solo cups, a table, and booze are all you need for this one. Fill the cups and finish them, then flip the cup.
- RIDE THE BUS – This must be one of the most fun and difficult drinking games ever.
- NEVER HAVE I EVER – Finally, never have I ever. This game will either have you red in the face from drunkenness or embarrassment.
CRAZIEST DRINKING GAMES
You won’t believe that these are real games, but trust us, they are. We’ve personally tested and played every one of them. (kidding) Some of them you can even play virtually with your friends or during your next beer Olympics.
- HORSE RACE – if you’ve ever wanted to become a horse race announcer, now you can. All you need is a deck of cards and some booze.
- FUZZY DUCK – A fun tongue twister game that will have everyone cursing and dying of laughter.
- CAN BOWLING – Who says you need to go to the bowling alley to bowl? All you ned are the empty cans you’ve gathered from the other games.
BACHELOR/BACHELORETTE DRINKING GAMES
When you’re out on a bachelor or bachelorette, the goal is to enjoy the bride or groom-to-be’s last night of “freedom.” The general idea is that you need to play some drinking games because there is nothing more fun during a pregame. Here are a few ideas for games to play before the epic night out.
- DRUNK JENGA – this is basically like regular Jenga, except each block will have a rule and if you knock it over, finish your drink.
- PIZZA BOX – Pizza box is a classic game where you write your name and rules on a pizza box. Then, throw a coin into the box. If it hits your name, drink; if it hits a rule, follow it.
- MOST LIKELY – your friends know you best, so you can ask questions about who will most likely do something during the night. If you have the most votes, you drink.
- NAME THAT WINE – Simple and fun. Blindfold players and have them guess the wine. Yes, you can play with beer too.
- DRUNK PICTIONARY – This is just like the regular pictionary, except you have to drink if you can’t guess correctly.
DRINKING BOARD GAMES
We all remember playing board games as a kid or even as adults. Believe it or not, they can be even more fun. Just incorporate a bit of booze into these board games and enjoy. Contrary to popular belief, not all drinking games need a deck of cards.
- CARDS AGAINST HUMANITY – Yes, you can add some booze to make this game even more funny!
- LIARS DICE – Ever wanted to gamble like Davy Jones in those pirate movies. Now you can, and you’ll get drunk while doing it.
- NAUGHTY JENGA – This is also similar to the original, except the rules on each block are naughty.
- DRUNK TABOO – almost the same as normal Taboo, except, if you say the word, you drink!
- STRIP TEASE – It’s sort of a board game. There are dice involved and not a ton of clothing.
THEMED DRINKING GAMES
Games revolving around a specific theme are also great. You can keep all the games to the specific theme for the whole night or simply pick your favorites. Whether it’s sports-themed, such as the Super Bowl, or movie-themed, you will surely find one that suits you.
- COUPLES DRINKING GAMES – These games are geared more towards couples. However, if you have a good friend you don’t mind potentially stipping in font of then by all means go ahead.
- COLLEGE PARTY GAMES – No matter what stage you are in life, there are games for you. These are geared toward a college theme.
- ICE BREAKER GAMES – Ice breaker games are for those groups who don’t quite know each other very well. These games will definitely make you feel closer to these new strangers.
DRINKING CHALLENGES
Some games are honestly made just to challenge your skills. Just like the ancient Greeks and Chinese, you must show that you can rise to the occasion and complete the drunken task.
- STRAIGHT FACE – This game will test your poker face. If you so much as crack a smile, you lose and drink.
- STRAWPEDO RELAY – This is a relay race but with a strawpedo involved. That’s just a fancy way to chug a bottle of beer.
- BOAT RACE – Do you think you have what it takes to be the ultimate beer-chugging champion? Find out in the boat race.
- SHOTGUN RELAY – Yes it’s another relay, but in this one, you have to shotgun a beer. This is really a test of your drinking skills.
- STARING CONTEST – We couldn’t leave out the ultimate test of skills. A staring contest.
Hopefully, these games can add a little flare to your next get-together. There are endless types of games, so they should be able to cater to any occasion. Whether you want a spicy night with a partner or a massive party with friends, our list has you covered.
Gamerules.com is constantly adding new games to our list so you can stay updated on the latest drinking games.