Every good night has a drinking game somewhere in the mix. Some need a deck, some need a table full of cups, and the best ones need nothing but a drink and a few mates. This is our pick of the best drinking games going, with a quick reason we rate each one, full rules a click away, and a table to help you find the right one fast.
Best drinking games at a glance
| Game | Players | Why we picked it |
|---|---|---|
| Kings Cup | 3+ | The all-in-one card game that defines a big night in. |
| Beer Pong | 4+ | The most iconic party game there is, pure skill and trash talk. |
| Ride the Bus | 3+ | A luck-driven card game with a finale nobody wants to reach. |
| Flip Cup | 6+ | Team relay chaos that gets a whole room shouting. |
| Never Have I Ever | 2+ | Zero kit, all stories, works with any crowd. |
| Rage Cage | 4+ | Fast, loud slap-cup mayhem with no downtime. |
| Beer Olympics | 8+ | Not one game but a full tournament for a proper event. |
| Quarters | 2+ | The oldest skill game in the book, one coin and a glass. |
| Circle of Death | 3+ | A fresh rule set for when you have worn Kings Cup out. |
| Waterfall | 3+ | The group chug that opens most card decks. |
| Edward 40 Hands | 2+ | Tape 40s to your hands, a novelty challenge that is pure carnage. |
| Power Hour | 2+ | One shot of beer a minute for an hour, set to a playlist. |
Browse by type
The quickest way to find your game is to pick a category. Each of these hubs has the full rundown:
- Drinking card games – everything you can run with a deck.
- Drinking games for 2 – built for couples and one-on-one nights.
- Drinking games without anything – no cards, no cups, no kit.
- Movie and TV drinking games – turn a rewatch into a session.
- Christmas drinking games – festive twists for the holidays.
- Drinking game questions – prompts to fuel any question game.
Pro tips
- Read the room. Match the game to the crowd, card games for a chilled group, Pong and Flip Cup when it is loud.
- Keep pours light. The best nights are long ones, and small measures keep everyone in the game.
- Always have a no-kit backup. When the cards go missing, a round of Never Have I Ever saves the night.
Pros and cons
- Instant icebreaker for any group
- Something for every crowd and budget
- Most need little or no kit
- Turns a quiet night into a proper one
- Easy to overdo it, so pace matters
- Some games need a bigger group to work
- Kit games mean cups and cards to clean up
Frequently asked questions
What is the best drinking game?
For a big group it is hard to beat Kings Cup or Beer Pong. For two people, Never Have I Ever is the best all-rounder. The best drinking game is really the one that fits your crowd and what you have to hand.
What is a good drinking game with no equipment?
Never Have I Ever, Buzz and Categories all need nothing but drinks. See our no-equipment drinking games hub for the full list.
