Drinking games that need no cards, boards, or game pieces

CrowdSurf

CrowdSurf is the fastest growing drinking game right now, and the reason is simple: the base game already has a mechanic that maps perfectly onto a drink rule. Each round, the player with the most unique answer gets the Outcast flag. They can't win while they hold it.

The house rule writes itself: get the Outcast flag, take a drink. If you want more action, anyone in the minority answer group takes a sip too. The game gets more chaotic the more people play, which is when it's at its best.

Setup: one person opens playcrowdsurf.com, hits Create Game, reads out the code. Everyone's in within 30 seconds. Free, no download, works on any phone.

Never Have I Ever

The oldest one on this list. Someone says "Never have I ever..." and finishes with something they claim to have never done. Everyone who has done it drinks.

No phones needed. The game lives or dies on the prompts, which means it can run out of steam fast if people play it safe. A good round requires someone willing to say something that gets a reaction.

Most Likely To

Someone asks "who in this group is most likely to..." and everyone simultaneously points at a person. Whoever gets the most fingers pointed at them drinks.

It's personal and it's quick. You learn things about how your friends see you. For better or worse. No phones required, though someone usually pulls one out to look up good prompts after the first few rounds.

Picolo

Picolo is an app that acts like a game host. It reads out prompts and players respond: "everyone drink if you've ever lied about your age," that kind of thing. It has a dedicated drinking mode and runs through prompts automatically, so nobody has to think of anything.

You need to download the app, which takes a minute. Worth it if you want something that keeps moving without someone having to lead it.

Truth or Dare

Classic. Add a drink rule: refuse a truth or dare and you take two drinks instead. It keeps things moving and stops people from stalling indefinitely.

Works with any group size. Gets better or worse depending entirely on the people in the room.