As long as a man has been brewing alcohol, you can be reasonably certain he has also been playing drinking games since. Sure, the rules in ancient times probably weren’t as complicated as they can be today (the rules for the “Eurovision Drinking Game” appear to be more complex than the actual “Eurovision” tournament!), but you can be certain they still exist, and for a very good reason.
Top 12 Simple Yet Fun Drinking Games to Play with Friends
California Kings
When talking about drinking games with cards, "California Kings" should never be forgotten. Just like playing cards, but with the added benefits of players getting to enjoy a tasty beverage. You just need a standard deck of cards and a large cup. Yes, you will need to remember what the different cards represent, but that just makes this game all the more interesting! Definitely a good one for a large group sitting around a campfire or a big table, as it involves a lot of interaction amongst players.
Chandelier
Perhaps not as classy as the name might suggest, but this fun drinking game is excellent for a small group who can’t be bothered moving much (think a group of close mates rather than a 21st birthday party). You will need a ping pong ball and a mild amount of co-ordination, but “Chandelier” will give top players optimal bragging rights over their ability to bounce a ping pong ball into a beer glass.
Flip Cup
Generally played by two opposing teams, “Flip Cup” is the ideal fast-paced game to get lots of people involved early on in the night, preferably when hand eye co-ordination on the part of the guests is still a viable possibility. You’ll need plastic cups, not advisable with the good crystal, and a long table, one that you don’t mind mopping beer dribbles off.
Alcohockey
Have you ever watched a game of ice hockey? Well, “Alcohockey” is just a fun drinking game like that, only with four players, a deck of cards and quantities of beer, or your preferred beverage of choice. Break off into two teams and try and score as many points as possible. As this is a smaller scale game, it’s better suited to small gatherings, or else get multiple decks of cards and break off into several groups.
Shot Roulette
Safer than “Russian Roulette” and with simpler rules than standard “Roulette”, “Shot Roulette” is awesome for when you‘ve got a big crowd together, like for a birthday party or bachelor night. You’ll need either a customized “Shot Roulette” wheel (order online), or just a standard wheel and some plastic cups that you can write numbers on. Then start the ball rolling and see whose lucky numbers turn up!
Beer Pong
As addictive to watch as any Olympic sport, “Beer Pong” is one of the oldest and noblest of the beer drinking games. Once again, you’ll need ping pong balls, plastic cups and a modicum of hand-eye co-ordination. As this is another team game, it’s an excellent choice for both large and small gatherings. Just vary your team sizes depending on how many participants you have, and it is also a good choice for the designated driver spectators amongst the group.
Thirty One
A real gentleman’s drinking card game, “Thirty One” is ideal for those who are thirsty, competitive and still able to count up to 31. Much like the traditional “Blackjack” or “Twenty One”, this fun drinking game involves a deck of cards and several players. As a slight variation, it also involves beer. Like the “Alcohockey”, this game works best in small groups, so either reserve for a boy’s night in or break off into smaller groups.
Power Hour
Imagine a great night out involving music, drinking and dancing. Now condense that image down into 60 minutes. This should give you a more or less accurate portrayal of what power hour is like. Ideal for large gatherings where you’ll get music and dancing, the “Power Hour” will require each participant to have their own cup and some way of refilling those cups effectively at 60 second intervals. Not for the faint of heart.
Circle of Death/Kings Cup
As this drinking game isn’t as hard core as it sounds, it is ideal for a big group, early on in the night, although perhaps not for those who are intimidated by scary names. This drinking game resembles “California Kings” in some ways, sort of in the way that a mountain lion can resemble a house cat, if you’re standing far enough away. Just think bigger, better, and sometimes, scarier.
Drink or Dare
Not for the faint hearted, “Drink or Dare” is best played with close friends, the kind of friends who have already seen you at your worst, so you no longer care if you embarrass yourself in front of them. For this game, you’ll need to download the free “Drink or Dare” app to your smart phone, or else spend a really long time preparing questions before your guests arrive. Be warned, it will get weird!
Would You Rather?
This is another fantastic drinking game for either large or small gatherings, but just remember that as the game progresses and the alcohol is consumed, inhibitions will inevitably be lowered and you may start confessing to things you’d rather not share with your boss or your mother-in-law! Since the questions are all crazy hypotheticals, this game can continue as far as your imaginations can carry you.
Let's Go Camping
Another of the hypothetical drinking games, although with less cause to make you blush than “Would You Rather?”, “Let's Go Camping” is an ideal game to play whilst you’re actually out camping as you don’t need any equipment or particular set up (besides the drinks…they’re important). Just gather in a circle around the campfire and start guessing where this hypothetical camping trip will be taking place based on what other players say they’ll be taking along with them.
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