Plastic cups and pong balls don’t have to be the cornerstone of your pregame entertainment. Leave the ball under the couch and check out ten games to take your party to the next level. Results may vary; drink responsibly.
1. Buffalo
What you’ll need: The contents of a red Solo cup
What you’ll do: The ongoing game can last for the party…or the rest of your life. Though players may hold their drink in either hand, they may only drink with their non-dominant hands. If a righty drinks with his left hand, a fellow player may call “buffalo,” forcing the deviator to chug his drink. On the contrary, if the player was using the correct hand or his drink was non-alcoholic, the other player must drink. Don’t play unless you’re willing to sign over your life…and your liver.
2. Spoons
What you’ll need: A deck of cards and a spoon for every player (except 1)
What you’ll do: Cards move around the table as players strive to collect a “four of kind” and avoid being the poor sap that doesn’t end up with a spoon The first player to collect four of the same card may grab the first spoon from the table, prompting all other players to snatch the remaining spoons. Be sly; you don’t want to lose an arm. The spoon-less player finds himself emptying his glass.
What you’ll need to know:
- Players all begin with the same number of cards (5-7 works best)
- Game play begins with a dealer, who draws cards from the deck and either passes it on to the next player or keeps it, passing down a card from his hand to his neighbor
- Play continues around the table until it returns to dealer
- Players choose the pace; the faster, the more difficult
3. Smoke or Fire
What you’ll need: A deck of cards
What you’ll do: The two-player game is a guaranteed trip to happy town when you and your roommate can’t get into the frat (sorry bro, we’re at occupancy). One plays dealer and the other guesser. The guesser must choose if the card will be smoke (black) or fire (red). If the guesser is wrong, he drinks; if correct, the dealer drinks. May the odds be ever in your favor.
4. 21 (Cheers to the Governor)
What you’ll need: A drink and an attention span.
What you’ll do: Players in a circle attempt to count to 21 despite distracting rules…and alcohol-induced stupidity. After making it to the lucky 21, players cheers (to the guvna) and Mr. 21 adds a new rule to the mix.
What you’ll need to know:
- 7 and 14 are switched: Players must say 14 on 7 and 7 on 14
- Example rules to add include: meow instead of saying “six”, skip the number eight every time, snap your fingers on twelve
5. Beer Mile
What you’ll need: Four beers per player and a standard track
What you’ll do: This is not for the weak of heart. Players run the dreaded gym class mile with an added twist. At the beginning of every lap, players must chug a beer (I suggest going lite). Make sure you have puke buckets available; it could get messy…
6. Kings
What you’ll need: A deck of cards and a can of beer
What you’ll do: There’s a reason the other name of the game is “Circle of Death.” The deck is arranged around a can of beer and players take turns drawing from the ring (make sure you don’t break it) and completing a task or game depending on the card. After the appropriate player drinks, the original player places the used card under the beer tab. Whoever cracks open the beer must chug and have regret in the morning.
What you’ll need to know: For the love of all that is good, learn the rules.
- Ace: Waterfall- Players must all drink at he same time, not stopping until the person before them in the order stops, starting with the drawer (good luck if you’re last)
- King: Player creates a new rule to be followed by all players (it can be anything). Violations require drinks.
- Queen: Player becomes the question master. Anyone who responds to the master’s inquiries with anything but a question must drink.
- Jack: Player selects a category and players go in order and must say something that fits into the theme. “Vodka” would be a great answer to “Drinks That Make You Puke”
- 10: Players play “Never Have I Ever.” I suggest three fingers rather than the traditional five.
- 9: Rhyme- In order, players must all rhyme a word chosen by the drawer
- 8: Date- Player selects a friend to be their “date.” For the rest of the game, dates must also drink when their partner is forced to indulge
- 7: Heaven- Last player to raise their hand drinks.
- 6: Chicks- Female players must drink
- 5: Guys- Male players must drink
- 4: Floor- Last player to touch the floor drinks
- 3: Me- The drawer drinks
- 2: You- Drawer makes another player drink
7. Dirty Pint
What you’ll need: A cup and a coin
What you’ll do: All players pour some of their drink into a communal glass. One brave soul flips a coin and calls it. Hope it’s heads, because if you’re wrong, you’ll be enjoying a delightful medley of cheep beer, wine, vodka…and backwash.
8. Fuzzy Duck
What you’ll need: Friends who can figure out how to sit in a circle.
What you’ll do: Duck, duck, goose grew up. Players take turns alternating between saying “Fuzzy Duck” and “Ducky Fuzz.” If someone feels like being a jerk, he can say “Does he?” which reverses the direction of game play. Any player who says the wrong phrase must take a drink and faces elimination. The hilarity continues until the weak links have all been eliminated and only one player remains.
9. Sixes
What you’ll need: Six different sized cups (ranging from a tankard to a shot glass), beer to fill them, and a die.
What you’ll do: Believe in the power of the die. The cups are assigned a number (1-6), filled with a frosty brew and lined on the table. Players take turns rolling the die. Chug whatever cup corresponds to your roll. Hope you get the shot glass.
10. Drunk Jenga
What you’ll need: A basic Jenga set and a few Sharpies
What you’ll do: Don’t play with engineering majors. Players take turns removing tiles from the Jenga tower and completing one of the two tasks written on the block. Failure to complete the block’s task costs a drink. If a player happens to be the poor fool that knocks over the tower, he must finish his drink.
What you’ll need to know: This game takes a little preparation. Before the party, whip out the permanent markers and write out your tiles. The best way to go about it is to think of it like Truth or Dare. Write a more question-based “truth” tile on one side and a task on the “dare” side. Ever wondered what Disney character your roommate would hook-up with, or wanted to make him kiss the DUFF? Now you have your chance.
*College Magazine does not promote underage drinking. Please drink responsibly.
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