Games are an important but often overlooked aspect of a bachelor party. Bachelor party games allow the groom and his guests to bond and get to know each other better. It also helps sustain the enthusiasm and energy within the party.
There are many options when it comes to bachelor party games: drinking games, such as Beer Pong and Shot Roulette; card games, such as King’s Cup and These Cards Will Get You Drunk; adventure games, such as Scavenger Hunt and Oscar Bravo; any combination of the three; and miscellaneous games, such as Get Down, Mr. President! and Toy Soldiers.
Below is a list of 25 fun bachelor party games and their mechanics. Helpful tips for planning your bachelor party games are also provided.
Games for a Fun Bachelor Party
1. Arrogance
Set an empty glass in the middle of the group. A player will pour as much of their drink as they want — the amount of their arrogance — before flipping a coin. If they correctly guess how the coin landed, the round moves on to another person. This procedure is repeated until a player wrongly predicts the coin’s landing. The punishment for losing is drinking the content of the glass in the middle. This is especially off-putting if each person had different drinks to mix.
For more detailed instructions, visit https://www.stagparty.ie/stag-ideas/arrogance-drinking-game-1889
2. Badge of Honor
Similar to how Boy and Girl Scouts are awarded merit badges for participating in different activities, a game of Badge of Honor lasts throughout the party and consists of different tasks players must complete to earn a badge. The badges themselves can be the prize for other games. Here are some ideas you can work with:
- Fitness badge → given to the player who performs the most push-ups (or another type of exercise) within a certain amount of time.
- Foodie badge → given to the player who eats the most throughout the party.
- Charmer badge → given to the player who receives the most phone numbers from strangers.
- General knowledge badge → given to the player who wins a game of trivia.
- Beer badge → given to the player who wins any of your beer-related games.
3. Beer Pong
Beer Pong is an iconic bachelor party drinking game. Before starting the game, the guests will be divided into two teams. Cups filled with beer are arranged in the shape of a pyramid and placed on both ends of a long table. Feel free to replace the beer with any beverage of your choice.
Each team will attempt to throw a ping pong ball into the opposing team’s cups. If team A launches a successful shot, a player from team B will chug the content of the cup the ball landed in. The team with no cups left on the table loses the game.
4. Beer Relay
Again, split the guests into two teams. Each player receives a cup of beer; to ascertain the fairness of the game, you must ensure that each cup has the same amount of beverage.
Have the two teams stand in parallel lines. Those at the frontmost of the line will drink first; the succeeding player will only start drinking once the player before them is done. The first team to finish is deemed the winner.
5. Concentration
A game of Concentration emphasizes a player’s concentration, memory, and speed, which are all compromised when intoxicated. There are many variations to this game due to its widespread use. In one variation, every player will be given a number that is unique to them. The easiest way to do this is to have a count off.
A rhythm consisting of four beats will be created. A common way to achieve this is by slapping your hands on your lap twice and then clapping twice. The game will begin with everyone saying “Concentration, are you ready? Concentration, let’s begin.” On the first two beats, the player will say their number; on the last two beats, the player will call another number. For example:
Player 1: 1, 1, 4, 4
Player 4: 4, 4, 9, 9
Player 9: 9, 9, 6, 6
As the game progresses, the beat will grow faster until one person messes up. A new round will begin until only one person remains, who is then crowned as the winner.
You also have the option to replace the number with a sign or symbol, such as peace signs, finger guns, and hearts. This variation adds the challenge of having to remember everyone’s signs; moreover, as the beat gets faster, keeping up will become more difficult.
6. Don’t Get Got
Don’t Get Got is a bachelor party game for the groom that consists of creative secret missions each player will try to accomplish while evading suspicion. Each player is given six secret missions; the first player to complete three missions wins. These missions involve other players, so one must act as naturally as possible, so they do not fail on their secret mission.
An example of a secret mission included in this game: “Mention a song. Later, have that song play in the background. If a player comments on the coincidence, they got got.”
7. Drunk Jenga
Jenga is a game that most people have already played in their childhood. There are multiple ways the game can be incorporated into bachelor parties. Although you can use regular-sized Jenga, a giant-sized version that goes up to over five feet is available.
To make the game more thrilling, you can write questions or dares on the Jenga blocks, which the player will answer after successfully pulling out a block. You can also get creative with the punishment for destroying the tower, or you can simply make the culprit chug a cup of beer.
8. Flip Cup
Flip Cup is a variation of Beer Relay but with an additional challenge. Players will drink beer from a plastic cup. Once they empty their cup, they will set it down on the table with a portion of the bottom hanging off the edge. With their hands, they will flip the cup and try to make it land on its rim. Once this is accomplished, only then can the next player in the team drink from their cup and flip the cup. The first team to finish wins.
9. Get Down, Mr. President!
The game starts when one member of the group puts their finger to their ear, similar to how Secret Service agents touch their earpiece when receiving a message. Other members will start to notice and copy the stance. The last person to assume the position — or the person who does not notice everyone else holding the pose — is tackled to the ground as everyone yells, “Get down, Mr. President!”
There is no real winner in this game, but it is an effective and exciting way of building rapport. Depending on the location and circumstance, a round of Get Down, Mr. President! may become one of the most memorable moments of the party.
10. How Well Does the Groom Know the Bride?
How Well Does the Groom Know the Bride is a variation of the “He Said She Said” game commonly played in bridal showers and bachelorette parties. Questions about the bride are given to the groom to test how well he knows his partner. These questions can be about her characteristics, her personality, or their relationship. Below is a list of sample questions perfect for this game:
- Who is her celebrity crush?
- What is her favorite movie?
- What was her first job?
- What is her biggest pet peeve?
- Where does she want the honeymoon to be?
- What sport did she play during high school?
- What was the name of her first pet?
- Where did you go on your first date?
- When did she first realize she was in love with you?
- What is her favorite book?
- What was her favorite subject in high school?
- What was her childhood nickname?
To make the game more sentimental, film the bride as she gives her answers. This footage will then be played during the bachelor party. Setting a reward and penalty for right and wrong answers, respectively, will make it more entertaining.
11. Jeopardy
Jeopardy is a popular American quiz show that tests players’ general knowledge in various disciplines and categories. Besides bridal Jeopardy, this can also be adapted into a bachelor party game by focusing the questions on the groom. These questions can include childhood facts, details about his relationship with his partner, personal characteristics, and so on. This game will check how well the guests know the groom.
12. King’s Cup
Because of its status as a classic drinking game, King’s Cup has garnered multiple alternative names: Kings, Ring of Fire, Circle of Death, and Waterfall all refer to the same game.
To set up a game of King’s Cup, place a large container in the middle and surround it evenly with a deck of cards. Each card corresponds with a different action; below are the traditional actions associated with each card:
- Ace → “Waterfall”; you will drink first, followed by the rest of the players
- Two → “You”; you will pick another player who will drink
- Three → “Me”; you will drink
- Four → “Floor”; everyone will touch the floor. The last person to do so will drink
- Five → “Guys”; all men in the game will drink
- Six → “Chicks”; all women in the game will drink
- Seven → “Heaven”; the last person to raise their hand will drink
- Eight → “Mate”; you will choose another player to be your drinking buddy. If one of you drinks, the other will drink as well.
- Nine → “Rhyme”; you will say a random word. The person to your right needs to quickly come up with a word that rhymes with what you said. This continues until someone fails to think of a rhyming word; they will be the one to drink.
- Ten → “Categories”; you will say a category, such as liquors, horror films, etc. The person to your right will say something that fits in the category. The first person to fail will drink.
- Jack → “Rule”; you will make up an arbitrary rule, such as only drinking with your left hand, only referring to people by their surnames, etc. Whoever slips up first will drink.
- Queen → “Question”; you will ask a question to any player in the game. They have to respond with another related question (e.g., “Where is the honeymoon going to be?” “Is it in another continent?”). The person unable to respond with a related question will drink.
- King → “King’s Cup”; for the first three draws of a king, the player will pour some of their drink into the container in the middle. The player who draws the fourth king loses the game and drinks whatever is in the container.
The words enclosed in quotation marks are mnemonics for each card. Keep in mind these are only the traditional rules; due to the game’s popularity, there are countless variations of rules. You are free to make your own rules as well. Whichever guidelines you follow, make sure that everyone is aware of it; you can print or send a digital copy of the rules for everyone’s reference.
For more detailed instructions, visit https://spoonuniversity.com/how-to/kings-cup-rules-you-need-to-know-before-you-play
13. Knickers
Not to be confused with the North American usage of “knickers” meaning loose-fitting trousers, the game Knickers derives from the British meaning of the term: underwear worn by women.
To play the game, each player will put a coin in their palm and form a fist. Once the best man says “knickers,” players will reveal their coin.
Each occurrence of the head and the tail will be tallied; whichever face has the higher count wins the round. For instance, in a game of 10 players, if seven have heads and three have tails, the seven players with heads are safe. The remaining three repeat the process. In the event that the last round consists of two players, a coin toss will decide who will receive the punishment.
The loser, as punishment, will wear a pair of knickers over their pants and keep them on. The facilitators of the game have the option to make this penalty last through the night or until the next game is played.
14. Last Man Standing
This game takes on many names, but in general, Last Man Standing is any competitive game where two people will tussle and the winner gets the title of “Champion.” Oftentimes, a physical symbol of this title is procured, such as a championship belt or a trophy, to raise the stakes. The winner has to defend their title from other contenders through the night. Whoever has the title at the end of the party ultimately wins the game.
The more creative, absurd, and ridiculous the competition, the more entertaining the game will be. Here are some ideas for your own game of Last Man Standing:
- Who can drink more shots in 30 seconds?
- Who can run to and back from a specific location the fastest?
- Who can get more likes or comments on a social media post in five minutes?
- Who can juggle more balls at the same time?
- Who can get more phone numbers from strangers in 10 minutes?
15. Lyrical Gangster
In a game of Lyrical Gangster, players are tasked to insert at least three song lyrics into a conversation with a stranger. In doing so, the stranger must not notice that the player is using song lyrics. If they are discovered, they will be given a punishment.
16. Man With No Name
In Man With No Name, each player is given a unique nickname. The premise of the game is that you can only refer to another player using their nickname; if you call them by their real name, you lose. The most challenging part is to remember everyone’s “stag nickname.”
Coming up with nicknames can be done individually or according to the bachelor party’s theme. There are also online stag nickname generators such as Stag Web’s that will help you produce amusing and one-of-a-kind nicknames.
17. No Phones Allowed
Other than using it to take pictures, film videos, and facilitate certain games, guests should not use their smartphones during the party. In doing so, everyone can stay in the moment and truly enjoy the night.
You can make a bachelor party game out of enforcing the rule that no one can use their phones. Anyone caught breaking the rule will receive a punishment, which is determined by the groom and the best man. Frequently, the penalty is in the form of sending an embarrassing message to anyone on the phone’s contact list.
18. Oscar Bravo
This game has the same mechanics as Lyrical Gangster; if everyone in the bachelor party is a movie buff, they can use their stock of quotes from films in a game of Oscar Bravo. Each player’s objective is to insert at least three movie quotes into a conversation with a stranger. The movie can either be decided beforehand or left to the player’s will. If the stranger figures out that the player is, in fact, using movie quotes, they get a penalty.
19. Scavenger Hunt
To organize a scavenger hunt for your bachelor party, compile a list of items and tasks that all the players will try to acquire and accomplish. These can be as easy as posing in front of a building or getting the groom’s favorite candy, or as difficult as taking selfies with multiple people or asking for their numbers. Each act will have a corresponding number of points, and the player or team with the most points at the end of the game wins.
20. Shot Roulette
For this game, you will need two different kinds of beverages that look identical; the best example and most used pair is water and vodka. Fill one shot glass up with vodka and the rest with water. Number each shot glass using a card or a label. A throw of dice will decide which shot glass you will drink from. The thrill of the game comes from not knowing whether what you will get is alcoholic or not.
Although you can follow the instructions above and still have a good time, there are shot glass roulettes specifically designed for this game. For more information about that, visit https://psycatgames.com/magazine/party-games/shot-roulette/.
21. Statues
In a game of Statues, the facilitator of the game will randomly and suddenly stop while holding a specific position. This position can be as subtle as a hand on the chin or crossed arms, or as grand as bodybuilding poses or the splits. The last player to copy the facilitator’s position loses the round and receives a penalty. This penalty can be buying a round of drinks for everyone, completing a dare, and so on.
22. These Cards Will Get You Drunk
As the name of this bachelor party game for grooms suggests, These Cards Will Get You Drunk is a deck of cards containing instructions for various challenges and activities. This alleviates the responsibility of having to come up with creative and absurd dares. Not only is this an effective ice-breaker, but it is also a truly entertaining and engaging way to get everyone drunk.
One example of instruction in the cards is “Everyone votes on who is the most indecisive. That person picks someone to drink.” For more options, the brand has produced a second pack of cards with the same intent.
23. Toy Soldiers
Toy Soldiers has the same mechanics as Statues. However, as the name of the game denotes, every guest in the bachelor party is given a toy soldier with varying stances. At random intervals, the best man — or whoever is the game facilitator — will shout “Assume the position!” Once heard, everyone will copy their respective toy soldier’s posture and freeze; the last to emulate their toy soldier receives a penalty.
24. Trunk of Drunk
The Trunk of Drunk is a pack of items and instructions needed for 12 of the greatest drinking games. Some of the aforementioned games, such as Flip Cup, King’s Cup, and Beer Pong are included. This pack also introduces other classic adult party games such as I Have Never, Most Likely, and Screw the Dealer. Because this pack already contains the instructions and equipment for each game, preparations will take less time and argument.
25. Wax Attack
Wax Attack is more of a punishment or penalty than it is a game. A waxing strip is used somewhere on a player’s body every time they lose a game, miss a challenge, or do not take a dare.
However, you can adapt this into a game by setting a time for everyone to try catching unsuspecting players and using the wax strip on them. Whoever delivers the most wax attacks wins the game.
Tips for Planning Bachelor Party Games
Always Consult the Groom
It is worth reiterating that bachelor parties are thrown in honor of the groom, to celebrate with him before he enters a new chapter in his life. It follows that the activities in the itinerary of his bachelor party are tailored to fit his preferences and personality.
If a groom does not drink alcoholic beverages, you may either replace the beer with a non-alcoholic alternative such as soda or do away with bachelor party drinking games altogether.
Some Games Work Better in Specific Group Sizes
The games at a bachelor party have to be planned around how many guests are invited. This is because some games work better with more players; contrastingly, some games are better played with fewer people. For instance, the Don’t Get Got game may not work as well with only three players as it would with eight.
The Groom Is Always Right
Some games may require some mediation or arbitration. Again, because this is the groom’s night, whatever he decides within games must follow. For instance, if he thinks that an item presented during a game of scavenger hunt does not fit the category, then that decision is final.
Be Respectful to Non-Players and Strangers
Some of the bachelor party fun games listed above involve non-players and strangers. You must not force anyone into participating if they refuse to; be respectful of their boundaries and wishes.
Prepare for Contingencies
Inevitably, not everything will go according to plan. Early on, it is important to address contingencies by planning ahead. Have extra alcohol on hand in case the cups in a game need more refills than anticipated; buy plastic cups and other pertinent equipment in bulk; print additional copies of instructions; have a backup game or two in case the situation calls for it.
In the same vein, tailor the games to play at the bachelor party according to the circumstances surrounding the party. For instance, if accommodation is not provided and the guests will have to leave the premises at some point in the night, do not play drinking games.
Final Thoughts
There are tens, if not hundreds, of options for bachelor party game ideas. From those options, you can personalize the mechanics to better fit the groom and the circumstances surrounding the party.
When planning a bachelor party, do not overlook games; these will be essential in maintaining the momentum of the party and keeping the guests engaged. Ultimately, this will also help make the night more special and memorable for everyone involved.
