Want to get the party going, but everyone's still slouched on the sofa? A good drinking game turns the mood around in two minutes. This overview sorts the best drinking games by category and occasion — with the key rules right here and links to the full guides, so you find the right game for any round straight away.
💡 By the way: that's exactly why we built the SwigSki3000® — four people, one ski, one shot in sync. More on that further down ↓
What are drinking games? Drinking games are party games where drinking is part of the rules: whoever loses, messes up or draws a certain card takes a sip. They work as icebreakers, bring energy to any party, and almost all of them can be played alcohol-free with soft drinks too.
Drinking Card Games: The Reliable Classics of Every Party
A single deck of cards is enough for a whole evening. Drinking card games are the most reliable category, because the card sets the rule and nobody has to think twice.
Kings (King's Cup)
The king of all drinking card games. The cards lie face-down in a circle around a big cup in the middle. Everyone draws a card in turn, and each value triggers an action. One common set of rules:
| Card | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ace | Waterfall — everyone drinks, and you may only stop once your left-hand neighbour has stopped |
| 2 / 3 | "You" or "Me" — you pick a drinker or drink yourself |
| 4 / 5 | All women or all men drink |
| 6 | Touch the floor — the last one drinks |
| 7 | Heaven — hands up, the last one drinks |
| 8 | Choose a drinking buddy, who drinks alongside you for the rest of the game |
| Jack | Make a new rule, valid until the end of the game |
| Queen | Question master: whoever answers your questions drinks |
| King | A sip goes into the King's Cup — the fourth king drinks the full cup |
Ring of Fire, Ride the Bus & Higher or Lower
Ring of Fire is the variant with cards laid out in a circle around the can — break the circle and you drink. Ride the Bus and Higher or Lower are all about guessing: red or black, higher or lower? Every wrong guess costs a sip. You'll find every card variant with the full rules in our collection of drinking card games.
Intergastra recap reel with real customers, drinking – @apresallstars
Practical side effect: because the SwigSki3000® is made of four individually detachable modules, it goes straight into the dishwasher after the round instead of gathering dust in a corner.
Dice Drinking Games: Quick to Explain, Fast to Play
Two dice and a cup are all you need. Dice drinking games are ideal when the group is small or you just want something quick in between.
Liar's Dice (Mäxchen)
The classic bluffing game, known internationally as Liar's Dice. You roll the dice hidden under the cup, sneak a look, and call out a result — higher than the previous player's, true or bluffed. The ranking runs from low combinations through the pairs up to Mäxchen (one and two = 21, the highest roll). The next player either believes you and rolls on, or calls your bluff. Whoever gets caught lying drinks — whoever doubts wrongly drinks instead.
Schocken
Schocken, a German pub dice game, is played with three dice and up to three rolls per round. The goal is the best combination; the loser of each round collects a "coaster", and whoever holds all the coasters has to drink. The highest combination is the "Schock aus" (three ones), followed by the other Schock numbers and the simple straights. There are plenty of regional rule variations — agreeing on them beforehand pays off, or you'll spend longer arguing about the rules than actually playing.
Roll and Drink
The simplest dice game there is, and perfect for beginners: every number gets a fixed meaning beforehand — say, 1 = yourself, 2 = right-hand neighbour, 3 = left-hand neighbour, 6 = everyone drinks. You roll in turn, and the rule kicks in straight away. Explained in 30 seconds and endlessly expandable.
Skill & Action Drinking Games: When It's Allowed to Get Loud
These games need a bit of space and movement, but in return the mood hits its peak instantly.
Beer Pong
Two teams, 6 or 10 cups each set up in a pyramid, a third full. You take turns throwing ping-pong balls into the opposing cups — a hit means chugging that cup and taking it off the table. Whoever sinks all the opponent's cups first wins. Popular house rules: a ball that bounces first counts double but may be blocked, and if the ball is still spinning in the cup, the other team is allowed to blow it out. Beer pong scales well, making it one of the best drinking games to start with for large groups.
Flunkyball & Looping Louie
Flunkyball, a German outdoor classic, works like this: throw the ball, knock over the opposing team's bottle, and drink until the other team has rebuilt theirs. Looping Louie brings the battery-powered plane to the table — whoever it knocks over drinks. We've collected more games with movement and competition in active drinking games, and card-free skill games in drinking games without cards.
Word & Talking Drinking Games: Laughs Guaranteed
No equipment needed — just stories, confessions and dares. Perfect for getting to know each other and for the later hours of the night.
- Never Have I Ever …: Someone names something they've never done — whoever has done it drinks. Ruthlessly uncovers secrets.
- Truth or Dare (drinking version): Whoever dodges the question or the dare drinks.
- Drinking Roulette: Numbered glasses, a spun wheel decides who empties which glass — tension and chance in one game.
- Categories: Someone names a topic (car brands, beer types, ski resorts), and everyone takes turns naming a term. Whoever hesitates or repeats one drinks.
These drinking games with no equipment are ideal when there's nothing to hand and the group wants to get to know each other better — the confessions get more honest with every sip.
We go deeper into question and icebreaker games like "Most Likely To" in drinking games with questions, and unusual ideas in creative drinking games.
Which Drinking Games Suit Which Occasion?
The fastest way to the right game is through the situation. Sorted by group, location and mood:
- By group size: for two, for three, or drinking games for the large group.
- By occasion: house party, birthday, or Halloween.
- By location: outdoor on the go, relaxed out in the garden, or to go.
- No prep needed: with no equipment at all, or as an easy game for beginners.
- By mood: cool & trending, maximum fun, or as a movie-night version.
SwigSki3000 Shotski by Apres Allstars
Whatever the game — when everyone drinks at the same time, the modular wooden Shotski turns it into a group moment. Four to six glasses on one ski, one shared sip. From €29.50.
View the Shotski →Playing Safe Is Part of the Game
A good drinking game lives on everyone wanting to join in — nobody should be pressured to drink. Offer non-alcoholic alternatives (every game here also works with soft drinks), keep water and snacks on hand, and plan in breaks. If you like it hardcore, you'll find the shot-heavy variants in drinking games with alcohol — including tips on how to keep the round under control anyway.
FAQ
What's the best drinking game for a party?
For large groups, Kings and Beer Pong are the most reliable classics: quick to explain, they scale well, and bring the mood up instantly. For small groups, Liar's Dice or "Never Have I Ever" work better.
Which drinking games need no equipment?
"Never Have I Ever", "Truth or Dare" and word games like Categories only need you and the drinks. You'll find a whole collection under drinking games with no equipment.
How many people do you need for drinking games?
Most games work from two people upwards. Card games like Kings and team games like Beer Pong come into their own from four to six players; for two or three, there are dedicated variants.
Can you play drinking games without alcohol?
Yes. Every mechanic can be played with soft drinks, juice or water, or run as a pure points game — the fun stays exactly the same.
Which drinking game is the easiest to explain?
"Roll and Drink" and "Never Have I Ever" are explained in under a minute. Ideal when drinking-game newcomers are in the round, or the party's already in full swing.
What do you need for a drinking card game?
A normal deck of playing cards is enough for Kings, Ring of Fire and Ride the Bus. A bigger cup in the middle as the "King's Cup" makes Kings feel more complete.
Related articles:
Drinking card games ·
Drinking games for parties ·
Drinking games for groups ·
Drinking games with no equipment