Disclaimer: Alcohol should only be consumed in a safe manner, by willing participants. Know your limits and do not be afraid to quit if you need to. The consumption of alcohol by anyone under the age of 21 is illegal and the possession of hard alcohol by anyone is forbidden on Notre Dame’s campus. Do not drink and drive. Drink responsibly. I once heard someone say, “Notre Dame isn’t really a party school but it certainly is a drinking school”, and I think most Domers who choose to go out on the weekends would agree with that. That being said, I know many students grow bored of just sitting around and getting drunk so I thought I’d help spice up our drinking habits. Here is a definitive list of the best drinking games with instructions on playing listed below each description.
10. Fifth and a Friend
Fifth and a friend is my personal number one because I can’t drink beer and this game not only encourages the consumption of hard alcohol, but requires it. Unfortunately it falls to number ten on this list because it’s not so much a game as an excuse to get incredibly drunk. It is a test of will, endurance, and liver. It follows as such, you and a friend share a fifth of hard liquor (hence the name), while other pairs of your friends do the same. Each couple will be zip tied together by the wrist for the night and must consume the contents of their fifth before they will be set free from each other. Try to pair lightweights with heavyweights for the safest game possible. The couple that finishes first gets to gloat over the rest of their friends until the game is played again. Official Rules.
9. Thunderf*cked
This game is all about chugging. The song Thunderstruck is played in the background and each player takes turns chugging his or her drink until the next time the word Thunderstruck is said in the song and the next player begins. The title of the game comes from the two incredibly long guitar solos that some players with get stuck drinking on. Official Rules.
8.Ride the bus
This game is a little complicated, but essentially you are dealt several cards from a deck and your goal is to have the fewest cards left at the end of the game. Other cards are set up in a pattern that is considered “the bus.” Throughout the game players choose other players to drink in accordance with the cards that make up the bus. It’s hard at first but fun once you get the hang of it. Official Rules.
7. True American
Lovers of the show New Girl have certainly heard of this one before, but few have attempted to actually play it. The only reason this isn’t higher on the list is because it requires a fair amount of space, which most students don’t have at their disposal. It’s been described as part drinking game, part human candy land, and part the most fun you’ll ever have. It even includes U.S. presidents and movie trivia, so this game has something for everyone. It’s a little complicated at first, but flows pretty smoothly once you get the hang of it. Official Rules.
6. F*ck the dealer
This game is really fun for those who enjoy strategy games and reminds me a little bit of blackjack. The dealer, who changes throughout the game, pulls the top card from a deck and the player whose turn it is attempts to guess the value of the card. The player has two chances to guess and will be told if the true value is higher or lower after their first guess. If the player guesses wrong they have to drink for a number or seconds equivalent to the value of the card, but if they guess right the dealer must drink. Official Rules.
5.Baseball
Ok so this game is really hard to me, but my friends love it and would have been very upset with me if I did not include it. Here’s what I know, it’s kind of like beer pong with bases. Each base is filled with various amounts of alcohol and players are divided into teams. A player for each team is up to bat and tries to get their ball in the other teams cup. It seems like a fun game if you get how to play, but I don’t so… Official Rules.
4. Paranoia
Paranoia is not for the faint of heart, but is incredibly fun if you can handle it. The first person to start whispers a question in the ear of the person next to them. The person who was asked the question answers it out loud; the answer must be the name of another player. The player whose name was the answer can either chose to take a shot and find out the question or never know. Pro tip: The juicier the question, the more fun the game is. Official Rules.
3.Stack cup
This game makes more sense if you see it played, but essentially you bounce a ping pong ball on the table and try to get it to land in a cup before the person next to you. If they get it in first you have to chug what’s in your cup and the person, who got the ping pong in the cup stacks it on top of your cup making it more difficult for the next set of people to get the ball into the cup. The stack gets progressively taller until all the cups are gone and a winner is named. Official Rules.
2.King’s Cup/Irish poker
King’s Cup is one of my all time favorites and is really fun to play with a good group of friends. All you need is a few beers and a deck of cards to have an exciting night. Here’s the basic setup, each person has their own drink and there is an unopened beer in the middle of all the players. The first player pulls a card from the deck and each card value has a different meaning, making this game comprised of a bunch of little games. After the group completes that action that accompanies the card, the player who pulled the card will place it under the tab on the beer in the center. Each player takes his or her turn and puts their card under the tab. The first player to pop open the can, while placing their card under loses and must chug the can of beer. Official Rules. 1. Beer Pong
Beer pong is an absolute classic. It’s easy to play, quick to set up, and super fun! That’s why it is number 1 on this list. There are also an infinite number of extra rules that can be added to give the game more flare. Essentially teams of 2 stand on each side of a table with cups of beer on each side arranged in an pyramid. Players must try and throw a Ping-Pong ball in the other teams cup. If it goes in the team who the cup belongs to must chug the beer inside the cup. The first team to get rid of all of their competitor’s cups wins. So grab you friends and get to shooting to find out whose aim reigns supreme. Official Rules.
All of these games are worth trying if you’re up for it so have fun and play safe!
Follow HCND on Twitter, like us on Facebook, Pin with us and show our Instagram some love!