Drinking Games That Need Nothing but a Cup
Most drinking games don’t need a special deck, a ping-pong table or a shopping trip, just one rule everyone understands. Here are ten of them, each with a non-alcoholic version, because a good game is one everyone at the party can play.
The best drinking games are the ones you can start in thirty seconds, without a rulebook and without moving furniture. The list below starts with games that need nothing but your voice, moves on to a deck of cards and dice, and ends with the swaps that make each one work sober.
Drinking games that need only one rule
- Charades pass rule.Phone on the forehead, 60 seconds. Every pass costs a sip. Suddenly charades turns tactical: passing is easy, but it has a price. Sober version: every pass is minus one point, and the lowest score after three rounds picks the next game.
- Never Have I Ever.Someone says something they have never done. Anyone who has done it drinks. The classic, because it takes zero prep. Sober version: everyone starts with ten fingers up and folds one each time; first person out of fingers does a dare from the group.
- Categories.Someone names a category (car brands, Pixar movies, NFL teams) and everyone names one in turn. Hesitate or repeat and you drink. Sober version: you are out for the round, and the last one standing picks the next category.
- Forbidden word.At the start of the night, agree on a word that nobody can say, like “phone” or “literally”. Say it and you drink. It runs all evening and catches almost everyone. Sober version: keep a tally on the fridge; whoever has the most marks at the end does the dishes.
- Thumper.Everyone drums twice on the table and claps once, and in rhythm each player names a word from a category. Break the beat and you drink. Sober version: lose a life, three lives and you are the drummer who keeps the beat for the next round.
Drinking games with cards and dice
- Kings Cup.Cards spread around a cup in the middle, every card has its own rule. The best known of the lot, but agree on the rules before you start, because every college had its own version. Sober version: the fourth king doesn’t drink the cup, they get to set a house rule for the rest of the night.
- Higher or Lower.Flip a card and guess whether the next one is higher or lower. Wrong guess, you drink. Sober version: correct guesses build a streak, longest streak of the night wins.
- Sevens and Elevens.Roll two dice. A 7 or 11 means you choose who drinks. Sober version: a 7 or 11 means you choose who acts out the next charades word.
- Ride the Bus.Four rounds of card guessing (color, higher or lower, inside or outside, suit), and the worst result rides the bus. A longer game, good for when the night starts to slow down. Sober version: the bus rider hosts the next game and keeps score.
- Flip Cup.A team relay: finish your cup, then flip it upside down from the edge of the table before the next teammate can go. The only game here that needs a table and some space. Sober version: works perfectly with water, the flipping is the hard part anyway.
Non-alcoholic versions of every drinking game
Every game above can be flipped so nobody feels left out. A mixed group can also play with both stakes at once: drinkers sip, non-drinkers take points. These are the easiest swaps:
| Original stake | Non-alcoholic swap |
|---|---|
| One sip | Minus one point |
| Finish your drink | A task: act out one charades word |
| Sit out a round | Sit out a round (stays the same) |
| You choose who drinks | You choose who acts in the next round |
| Ride the bus | The loser hosts the next game |
How to pick the right game for your group
The best choice depends less on the drinks and more on the size of the group and the energy in the room.
| Game | Players | Props | Best moment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charades pass rule | 2-20 | One phone | Early, to break the ice |
| Never Have I Ever | 4-15 | None | Once people know each other a bit |
| Categories | 4-10 | None | Any time |
| Forbidden word | Any | None | All night in the background |
| Thumper | 5-12 | A table | When energy is high |
| Kings Cup | 4-10 | Deck of cards | Middle of the night |
| Higher or Lower | 2-8 | Deck of cards | Small groups |
| Ride the Bus | 4-8 | Deck of cards | When things slow down |
| Flip Cup | 6-16 | Cups, table | Big parties with space |
For two people, Higher or Lower and the charades pass rule work best. Circle games like Categories and Thumper need at least four. With more than ten people, card games get too slow, and a team charades tournament or the forbidden word keeps everyone involved. More ideas in party games.
Mixing drinkers and non-drinkers
The easiest setup for a mixed room is one scoreboard for everyone. Drinkers can add a sip on top of the point if they want, but the game itself is decided on points. That way the person drinking sparkling water can still win the night, and nobody’s glass becomes the topic of conversation.
Safety rules that keep the night from going sideways
- Make the stake a sip, not a glass. “Chug it” rules end a party in half an hour.
- Put water on the table. Not as a gesture. Actually put it there, and refill it.
- Nobody gets pressured. Whoever isn’t drinking plays for points. It doesn’t ruin the game, and nobody should have to explain why.
- Have food out. Snacks before and during, not just at the end.
- Set an end time. Drinking games are fun when they are one part of the night, not the whole night.
- Sort out rides early. Designated drivers, rideshare or a couch. Decide before the first round, not after the last one.
- Watch out for each other. If someone has had enough, switch everyone to the sober version without making a scene.
Adult game nights don’t need alcohol to be loud. For more grown-up ideas that work completely dry, see charades for adults.
Frequently asked questions
What drinking games work without any props?
Never Have I Ever, Categories, the forbidden word and Thumper all work with nothing but your voice. The charades pass rule only needs one phone.
How can you play drinking games without alcohol?
Swap the sip for a minus point or a small task, like acting out a charades word. The logic of the game doesn’t change, only the stake. Mixed groups can use both at once.
What is a good drinking game for two people?
Higher or Lower and the charades pass rule both work with two. Circle games like Categories and Thumper need at least four players.
What drinking games are best for a big group?
The forbidden word and a team charades tournament, because not everyone has to take a turn at the same time. Card games get too slow with more than ten people.