Drinking and board games truly are a match made in heaven. You can drink while having some friendly adult-competition all without risk of serious injury or doing something (too) stupid.
Every once in a while, you need to let loose and have some fun. What better way to do that than to call your friends over, buy a couple of six-packs, and let the fun begin.
Drinking board games are excellent alternatives to traditional games like Beer Pong or drunk Jenga as they additionally pack in the wit, guile, and entertainment.
What makes for a fun drinking board game? Well, for one, it should be something that you can play with lots of friends (no one likes drinking alone, after all). It also has to be easy enough to understand even when you’re a bit tipsy. And perhaps most importantly… it should make you fall out of your chair laughing.
As we made this list, we tried to check all those boxes, but we also recognize that everyone has different preferences. For that reason, you’ll find a wide variety of games on this list. Some are dexterity games that require lots of hand-eye coordination. Others are social games that will get you interacting with your friends in interesting ways. In general, they’re light, silly, and incredibly addicting.
We’re confident you’ll find something on this list that will be perfect for your next game night.
Remember, these games are only for adults (21 and above) and always drink responsibly!
Our Top Picks for the Best Drinking Board Games
1. DRINK-A-PALOOZA
- Price: Under $35
- Game Type: Party, Card
- Duration: 30 minutes
- Ages: 21 and up
- Players: 2 - 12
Why we love it: If you’re looking for the ultimate drinking board game, then nothing comes close to DRINK-A-PALOOZA. No wonder, it’s commonly known as “Best Party Game Ever”. The premise of the game is simple and the activities are super fun and interesting. The game captures the best aspects of games like Beer Pong, Kings Cup, Flip Cup, Quarters, and more and makes it a true ‘Winner’ when it comes to adult drinking games.
PS: The way the game is designed, it might appeal more to the younger audience (college students). Moreover, if you really stick to the game rules, you would be high in a couple of rounds - Trust me! Personally, I have never been able to complete the whole game in a sound mind.
Gameplay: The first step is to determine the house rule, which can really vary. Primarily you need to decide whether players would play for bottoms-up or drink sips or for seconds.
The game starts by spinning the intuitive bottle spinner to determine who goes first. The players are then allotted their individual 6-pack, which they need to fill to win the game. The players need to roll the dice and move spaces clockwise while completing fun mini-games like King cups, Flip cup, and others.
Verdict: If you really want to get the party going (and get drunk!), there is no better drinking board game for adults then the DRINK-A-PALOOZA.
2. Buzzed - This is The Drinking Game That Gets You and Your Friends Tipsy!
- Price: Under $20
- Game Type: Party, Card
- Duration: ~40 minutes
- Ages: 21 and up
- Players: 3 to 20
Why we love it: Buzzed is an easy-to-go drinking game with simple rules. The game will suit players who’re looking for a no-frills drinking board game, which does not require them to do funky activities.
The game is hilarious, and you’re sure to have a laugh riot and, of course, get drunk. And the best part is that the game can accommodate up to 20 players, sufficient to get the whole party grooving.
Gameplay: The rules of the games are straightforward. Each player draws a card from the top of the deck. Depending on what the card is, either the player or the whole group drinks. And mind you, there are 180 cards to go through in total!
Verdict: Buzzed lives by its name and sure does get all the players tipsy. Choose this drinking board game if you’re looking for brainless entertainment or a game for a larger group.
3. Telestrations After Dark
- Price: $40
- Game Type: Party, Humor, Drawing
- Duration: 30 minutes
- Players: 4 - 8
Why we love it: Telestrations and Telestrations After Dark leave me in fits of laughter like no other game. The concept is so simple that when I first learned how to play, I couldn’t believe I had never thought of it before. Essentially, it’s a combination of Pictionary and Telephone. Of course, no serious art skills are required. In fact, oftentimes, the worse the artwork, the funnier the results.
The game does not require you to drink after drawing each card specifically, but drink and booze go really well with the game. You’re sure to see some interesting (and raunchy!) artwork once the players are high.
Gameplay: We all remember playing Telephone (or Whisper Down the Lane) as kids, right? One person thinks of a phrase and whispers it to their neighbor, who whispers it to their neighbor, and so on. By the time you get to the end, the sentence is usually completely different than the original! Telestrations is the exact same concept except instead of whispering, you’re drawing a picture. The first player draws a picture of something listed on the game card.
The next player writes down a guess as to what they think it is, and then the third player draws a picture of the second player’s guess, and so on. Each player is drawing in a dry erase book and writes their initials by their guess or drawing. This is important because at the end of the game, you’ll want to flip back through and figure out exactly how you got so off track! There is an optional point system you can use if you wish, or just play for fun!
Verdict: Whether you’re sober, drunk, or anywhere in between, you’ll love this game!
4. Cash n’ Guns
- Price: $31
- Game Type: Party, Bluffing, Card game
- Duration: 30 minutes
- Players: 4 - 6
Why we love it: This is a game of wild and unpredictable player interaction that will not disappoint. The first thing I noticed when I opened the game box were the 6 foam guns just chilling there. “Off to a good start,” I thought. Then I learned it was a mafia game in which a group of mobsters is trying to decide how to divvy up the loot after a big heist. At this point, I began speaking in my best New York gangster accent and did not stop until the end of the game. My friends were a little annoyed and I can’t blame them, but eh… fuggedaboudit!
You can incorporate house rules and turn it into a drinking game. For example when someone is caught or when someone chickens out, he/she must drink.
Gameplay: Each turn, one player acts as the “Don” and narrates the steps of gameplay. Before the shootout takes place, an available pile of cash is placed in the middle of the table. Next, each player “loads” their guns by selecting one three cards: “Bang!”, “Bang! Bang! Bang!” or “Click! Click!” After loading your guns, each player aims their foam gun at another player on the count of three. Once the guns are pointed, you have one last chance to “chicken out” and remove yourself from the shootout, thus sacrificing your cut of the available loot. You can only “chicken out” once per game. The triple bangs are applied first and take out whoever they were aimed at, and then any remaining single bang cards are applied next. The click cards do nothing. They are just used to bluff. The loot is then divided among the surviving players.
The catch is you only have a limited number of bullets for the entire game, so you can’t just go in guns blazing every round. You need to use restraint and trickery to get as much cash as possible and make it out of there without getting whacked.
Verdict: Cash n Guns is for anyone who loves deception and player interaction… or just really wants to try out their Goodfellas impersonation!
Here's an in-depth review with playing instructions:
5. Red Dragon Inn
- Price: $28
- Game Type: Party, Card game, Thematic
- Duration: 45 minutes
- Players: 2 - 5
Why we love it: In this highly thematic board game, you play as four companions celebrating their recent successful adventure with an evening at the Red Dragon Inn. During the game, your characters will spend the night drinking and gambling... so it makes sense that you should too.
But even if you don’t, this game is a lot of fun! It is highly thematic, and each character has a unique personality and style of play. You’ll get the sense that you actually are sitting in a tavern gambling and drinking some ale. The game is mainly card-driven, but you can play cards even when it’s not your turn. This really moves the game along quickly and keeps everyone involved. It’s the most fun when you play in character… and yes, that includes drinking.
Gameplay: The winner of The Red Dragon Inn is the last player to not end up blacked out drunk or completely broke. Players take turns playing cards in their deck. Each card can affect the fortitude or alcohol content of any of the players around the table. If you do play a card that affects another player, that player has a chance to respond with a card of her own, if applicable. Your fortitude level can be lowered by various events throughout the night such as getting into a fight or losing a bet. Your alcohol level rises with each drink you take. When your alcohol level and fortitude level meet… you’re done for the night. Each player also has a certain amount of gold coins that they can gain or lose through gambling. If you run out of gold, you’re also out!
Drinking and gambling in a tavern full of fantasy creatures… what could go wrong?
Verdict: Red Dragon Inn is perfect for those who love a medieval, fantasy aesthetic and are in the mood for a light-hearted and fun card game.
6. Skull
- Price: $18
- Game Type: Party, Bluffing, Card game
- Duration: 15 - 45 minutes
- Players: 3 - 6
Why we love it: Skull is all about bluffing. It is remarkably simple so anyone can play, even if you’ve already had a few drinks. Many people like to use this game to wind down after the drinks have already flowed, and brains are a little worn out from playing games all night.
People who have player Liar’s Dice will recognize similar mechanics in Skull, except instead of dice, you have four ornately decorated tiles with either a skull or a rose on them. The real joy of this game comes from watching your friends fall right into a trap you’ve set for them. You may make you some enemies for the night, but it’s so worth it.
Gameplay: Each player has four tiles. Three with roses and one with a skull. You take turns laying a tile face down. At any point, a player can choose to either keep on laying down tiles or call out a number. Whatever number you call out is the number of played tiles you must flip over on the table without revealing a skull. The catch is you must flip over all of the tiles you have played first before you flip any of your opponents’ tiles. After you call out a number, the player next in line has a chance to outbid you by calling out a higher number. You keep going around the table for as long as people are willing to bid a higher number than you. If you do flip over a skull, you have to lose one of four tiles at random for the next round. If you successfully flip over all roses, then you win the round. Win two rounds, and the game is yours.
Verdict: If fooling and out-bluffing your friends sound like a good time, then Skull is the right drinking board game for you.
7. PolterFass
- Price: $22
- Game Type: Dice, Party
- Duration: 20 minutes
- Players: 3 - 6
Why we love it: PolterFass plays like a classic dice game, except there are no dice! Instead, you push your luck with small beer barrels, as players try to drink as much beer as they can without getting cut off completely by the innkeeper. Now, the rules don’t mention drinking along with the game explicitly, but why wouldn’t you? It’s very much in the spirit of the game, and it’s easy to incorporate into the rules with just a little creativity.
This game involves a lot of cooperation and group bidding, which makes it all the more frustrating and yet hilarious when one player makes a drunken mistake.
Gameplay: Everyone starts with six cards, each with numbers on them. One person is chosen to be the innkeeper. The innkeeper rolls the barrels inside of a cup. Whichever barrels land upright are in play. Two of the barrels have symbols instead of numbers, which allow the innkeeper to double or cancel out a number. After the innkeeper’s first roll, each player plays cards face-down to represent the number of barrels they hope to drink. The innkeeper then has a chance to reroll any of the barrels that did not land upright. She can keep doing this indefinitely, but if on any given roll none of the barrels land upright, she automatically ends up with 0 barrels served.
If the sum of barrels that all guests are hoping to drink is greater than the number of barrels served (rolled by the innkeeper), then the greediest player (whoever asked for the most barrels), gets negative points. If the innkeeper has rolled greater than the number of barrels asked for by the group, she gets to keep the difference as points for that round.
Verdict: Polterfass is great for a group that is looking for something quick and easy-to-learn. You can bring it with you to a pub, or play it during pregame at your house.
6. Cards Against Humanity
- Price: $25
- Game Type: Card game, Humor, Adult
- Duration: 30 minutes
- Ages: 17 and up
- Players: 4 - 20
Why we love it: I must warn you, you will read some unspeakable things when you play this game. As I always tell my friends before we play... what happens at game night stays at game night.
The description right on the box says, “a party game for horrible people,” so that should give you some idea of what to expect. You’ll be confronted with questions such as “what’s fun until it gets weird?” or “what always concludes a successful job interview?” To find out what the answers to these questions are, you’ll have to play the game for yourself.
So gather up your worst friends, say your prayers, grab a drink, and give Cards Against Humanity a try.
Gameplay: It’s essentially an adult-themed version of Apples to Apples. Each player takes turns drawing one black card which has some sort of question or fill-in-the-blank prompt on it. All the other players must choose a white card from their deck that they feel best fits the black card’s prompt… or you could just pick the funniest one. Once everyone plays a card, the dealer reads all the answers and picks the winner for that round.
Verdict: This is our top pick for adult-humor board games and is best paired with drinks!
Here's an in-depth review of the game:
9. Click Clack Lumberjack
- Price: $23
- Game Type: Party, Family, Action/dexterity
- Duration: 10 minutes
- Players: 5 and up
Why we love it: Click Clack Lumberjack is an incredibly simple game that involves hitting a plastic tree with small, toy axes… why not throw some alcohol into the mix! What could go wrong?
It’s a game that involves dexterity and precision. So once the drinks start flowing, and your hand-eye coordination goes out the window… hilarity ensues!
Gameplay: There is a plastic tree made up of nine segments stacked on top of each other. The outside of the tree is covered in plastic panels representing tree bark. Each player takes turns taking two hits at the tree with a small ax. The goal is to hit the tree hard enough to knock off the bark, but not so hard that you knock down one of the segments. Each piece of bark you knock off the tree is worth one point, but if you cause one of the segments to fall down from the tree, you not only get penalized five points, but for our purposes, you also have to take a drink!
Verdict: This is one of the best dexterity games to play when you’re drunk!
10. Loopin Louie
- Price: $100
- Game Type: Children, Dexterity
- Duration: 10 minutes
- Players: 2 - 4
Why we love it: What if I told you there was a game where you have to protect your chickens from a stunt pilot named Louie who loved to swoop down in his plane and steal your livestock? You’d probably say, “that sounds like something I’d play when I’m drunk.” Well, we couldn’t agree more.
Loopin’ Louie is a game that probably only children and intoxicated adults would enjoy. But as silly as it is, there’s something incredibly addicting about this game. To be honest, I’d for sure play it sober… if for no other reason than to finally show that a**hole Louie who’s boss!
Gameplay: Loopin’ Louie is attached to a battery-powered arm that spins in circles. His trajectory is headed straight for you and your opponents’ chickens. Fortunately, each player has a lever which controls a paddle. If you time it just right, you can use your paddle to knock Louie safely out of the way before he knocks one of your chickens off the barn. The last player to have chickens safely in their barn wins.
Verdict: If your interest in board games is fairly low, and you just want something fun to play while you drink… look no further than Loopin Louie.
11. Monikers
- Price: $20
- Game Type: Card game, Humor, Adult
- Duration: 30 - 60 minutes
- Players: 4 - 16
Why we love it: Monikers is widely considered a top 10 party game of all time. If you’ve ever played Celebrities or Fishbowl, this is essentially the same thing. Only in Monikers, they’ve already come up with over 350 hilarious words or phrases that you have to get your teammates to say. You might run into anything from “gluten” to “All the Single Ladies” to “Drunk Jeff Goldblum.” So prepare to get creative and make a complete fool out of yourself.
Gameplay: The rules are pretty simple. All you need to do is get your teammates to say as many of the words on the game cards as possible in the allotted time. In the first round, you simply describe the word without saying it. In the second round, you can only give only one word as a clue. It sounds impossible, but you use the same cards from the first round, so everyone has some idea of the available answers already. In the third round, you play charades, again using the same cards.
Verdict: This is our top drinking board game for large groups, as it can accommodate up to 20 people.
12. Spyfall
- Price: $24
- Game Type: Bluffing, Humor, Deduction
- Duration: 15 minutes
- Ages: 13 and up
- Players: 3 - 8
Why we love it: Spyfall is an incredibly fun game that is easy to learn and set up, so you can start playing (and of course drinking!) right away. The game is driven by social interaction and asking each other questions. Every question asked and answered is carefully scrutinized by the group to determine who is the spy. But sometimes, everything everyone says just sounds so ludicrous, you don’t even know where to begin. To be successful, you’ll have to deceive your friends while carefully gaining information from them… think you can be convincing enough after you’ve had a few?
When you’re drunk and bluffing, these interrogations are sure to attract the best laughs.
Gameplay: Each player is given a card with the same location written on it, except for one card that just says “SPY.” No one knows who has a Location card and who has the Spy card. To win, the spy must figure out which location everyone is at, while the rest of the players simply need to determine who among them is the spy. You do this by taking turns asking questions to one another. The questions could be something such as “what are you wearing?” or “When was your last payday?” They should be vague enough so that the spy doesn’t figure out what location you’re asking about, but still specific enough to try to catch the spy in a lie.
At any point, a player can accuse another player of being the spy. If there is a group consensus, then the accused player reveals his identity. If he is, in fact, the spy, then he has one last chance to guess what the location is. If he guesses right, then the spy wins; if not, then the other players win.
Verdict: This is our top pick for social, bluffing games. Imagine drinking and bluffing - if that sounds exciting, this is the game for you!
Let's Wrap Things Up:
I hope you liked our top 12 picks of the best drinking board games. If we missed any or if you would like to make a suggestion, please leave your comment below.
And it goes without saying - DRINK responsibly!