Best Party Games With Cups

Prepare to take your party to the next level with these top-tier party games—all you need are cups! From classic drinking games to innovative party challenges, we've curated a selection sure to keep the fun flowing all night long. Whether you're hosting a casual gathering or an epic bash, these games are perfect for adding excitement to any party atmosphere. Explore our list and discover the ultimate entertainment for your next event. Get ready to laugh, compete, and make unforgettable memories with these crowd-pleasing cup-centric party games!


1. Beer Pong

Beer Pong is a classic party game that never goes out of style. It's simple to set up and provides hours of entertainment for everyone involved. The goal is to throw a ping pong ball into your opponent's cups, and if you succeed, they have to drink the contents of that cup. The team to clear all their opponent's cups first wins!

 

Gameplay:

  • Teams: Two teams of two players each.
  • Turns: Teams take turns throwing the ball at the opponent’s cups. Each player on a team gets one throw per turn.
  • Shooting: Players can either throw directly or bounce the ball into the cups. A direct shot that lands in a cup means that cup is removed and the beer in it is drunk by the opposing team. If the ball is bounced in, two cups are removed, but the opposing team can swat the ball away if it is bounced.
  • Re-Racks: Each team is allowed to request a re-rack (rearranging the remaining cups into a different formation) once per game. This is often done when six, four, three, or two cups are left.
  • Ball Interference: Defenders cannot interfere with the ball unless it has bounced. Swatting a ball that hasn’t bounced or interfering with the trajectory is against the rules.
  • Elbows Rule: When shooting, players must keep their elbows behind the edge of the table.

 

Special Rules:

  • Death Cup: If a player sinks a ball into a cup that a member of the opposing team is drinking from, the game is instantly over, and the shooting team wins.
  • Heating Up/On Fire: If a player makes two consecutive cups, they are "heating up." If they make a third consecutive cup, they are "on fire" and get to keep shooting until they miss.
  • Redemption: After the last cup is made, the losing team gets a chance to tie by making all remaining cups with their turn. If they succeed, the game goes into overtime with three cups per side.
  • Rollbacks: If the ball rolls back to the shooting team after a missed shot and it stays on the table, the team can take a behind-the-back shot.

 

End of Game:

  • Victory: The game ends when one team eliminates all the opponent’s cups.
  • Drinking: Typically, the losing team drinks the remaining cups on the winning team's side.

2. Flip Cup

Flip Cup is a fast-paced team drinking game that is guaranteed to get everyone involved. Players stand on opposite sides of a table and race to chug their drink and then flip the cup upside down using only their fingers. The first team to successfully flip all their cups wins!

 

Gameplay:

  • Starting the Game: The game begins with a starting signal, such as "1, 2, 3, flip!" or a countdown. The first player from each team drinks the beer in their cup.
  • Flipping the Cup: After drinking, the player places the empty cup upside down on the edge of the table with a bit of the rim hanging off. The player then attempts to flip the cup by flicking the rim with their fingers so that it lands upright on its mouth. Players can only use one hand to flip the cup.
  • Next Player's Turn: Once the first player successfully flips their cup, the next player in line begins drinking and flipping. This continues down the line until all players on one team have successfully flipped their cups.
  • Winning: The first team to have all their players successfully drink and flip their cups wins the game.

 

Rules:

  • Drinking: Each player must finish all the beer in their cup before attempting to flip it.
  • Flipping: Players must flip their own cups. They cannot assist teammates or interfere with the opposing team’s cups.
  • One-Handed Flipping: Players must flip the cup using only one hand. The other hand must remain behind their back or at their side.
  • Cup Positioning: The cup must start upside down on the edge of the table. Players cannot move on to flipping until the cup is properly positioned.
  • Order: Players must go in order; the next player cannot start drinking until the previous player has successfully flipped their cup.

3. Flip Cup Fenzy Pong

Flip Cup Frenzy Pong combines the elements of traditional Flip Cup with a competitive twist. 

Rules:

  • Starting the Game: The game begins with the first player on each team flipping their cup.
  • Flipping Cups: Each player attempts to flip their cup from an upside-down position to a right-side-up position using only their fingers. Players must keep trying until they successfully flip their cup.
  • Advancing the Drink Cup: Once a player successfully flips their cup, they can move the central Drink Cup one spot closer to the opposing team.
  • Winning the Round: The objective is to move the Drink Cup all the way to the position directly in front of the opposing team. If the Drink Cup reaches the final position, the player in front of it must drink its contents.
  • Resetting the Drink Cup: After the player drinks the contents of the Drink Cup, it is refilled and placed back in the center for the next round.

You can either create a board like the one in the picture yourself or purchase it directly from Amazon.


4. Slap Cup

Slap Cup, also known as Slapshot or Boom Cup, is a fast-paced drinking game typically played with a large group of people.

Rules: 

  • Setup: Arrange plastic cups in a circle on a table, with each cup partially filled with beer or another alcoholic beverage. Fill one additional cup (the "slap cup") with a smaller amount of alcohol and place it in the center of the circle.
  • Gameplay: Players stand around the table in a circle. One player starts by bouncing a ping pong ball onto the table, aiming to land it in one of the outer cups. If successful, they pass the ball clockwise to the next player.
  • Slap Cup: At any point during the game, if a player successfully bounces the ball into their own cup or if the ball bounces out of a cup and onto the table, the player must quickly grab the ball and attempt to hit the cup next to them (typically to the left) before the player to their right makes a successful shot. If they succeed in hitting the cup, the player who made the successful shot must drink from the cup in the center of the table, refill it, and return it to the center. Play then resumes with the player who made the slap shot.
  • Penalties: If a player fails to hit the cup or hits it after the player to their right has already made a successful shot, they must drink from their own cup and refill it before play resumes.
  • Winning: The game continues until all outer cups have been made, leaving only the center "slap cup." The last player to successfully land a shot into an outer cup must drink the contents of the slap cup, signaling the end of the game.

5. Cross Pong

This game, known for its fast-paced action and competitive spirit, reverses the typical dynamic of drinking games by rewarding the winners rather than penalizing the losers.

Rules:

  • Setup: The game is typically played with four players divided into two teams. Each player stands at a corner of the table, with their teammate positioned diagonally across from them. Six (or ten) cups are placed in the corner where the catcher is positioned.
  • Roles: Before starting, teams decide who will be the shooter and who will be the catcher. The shooter's goal is to land the ping pong ball into their team's cups as quickly as possible, while the catcher's role is to retrieve the ball and return it to the shooter.
  • Gameplay: The game begins with a countdown, and both shooters start shooting at their team's cups simultaneously. The catchers must swiftly retrieve any balls that land outside the cups and toss them back to their shooter.
  • Drinking: If the shooter successfully lands a ball in one of their team's cups, the catcher must quickly drink the contents of that cup before the shooter can resume shooting. The catcher must drink the entire cup before the shooter can shoot again.
  • Crossfire Cups: In addition to shooting at the cups, players can also attempt to shoot into the Crossfire cups located in the center of the table. If a player successfully lands a shot in one of the Crossfire cups, they can choose to perform one of the following actions:
    • Single Cross: Choose one of your cups to remove from play.
    • Resurrection: Bring back one of your opponents' previously eliminated cups, placing it back into play.
  • Switching Roles: At a designated point in the game, typically midway through, teams switch roles, with the shooters becoming catchers and vice versa.
  • Winning: The objective of the game is for both members of a team to finish drinking all of their team's cups before the opposing team does. The team that finishes their drinks first is declared the winner.

6. Civilian Cup

In Civilian Cup, players sit in a circle and pass cups of water around while music plays. It's similar to musical chairs but with cups. When the music stops, whoever is left holding a cup must drink its contents. This game is often played as a fun and light-hearted way to socialize and enjoy drinks with friends.


7. Stack Cup

Pussy Pong is a fun and fast-paced drinking game that requires hand-eye coordination, precision, and the ability to handle penalties under pressure. It's a great way to liven up a party or social gathering with friends.

 

  1. Setup: Players sit around a table with a cup filled partially with beer or another alcoholic beverage in front of each of them. Additionally, there is a larger cup (the "Community Cup") placed in the center of the table.

  2. Objective: The objective of the game is to bounce a ping pong ball into your own cup and then stack it on top of the previous cup in the stack, all while following certain rules and avoiding penalties.

  3. Gameplay:

    • Players take turns attempting to bounce the ping pong ball into their own cup.
    • If a player successfully bounces the ball into their cup on the first try, they pass the cup to the player on their left.
    • If a player fails to bounce the ball into their cup on the first try, they must drink from their cup until the ball is successfully bounced in.
    • Once a player successfully bounces the ball into their cup, they stack their cup on top of the previous cup in the center (the "Community Cup").
    • The game continues with players taking turns bouncing the ball into their cups and stacking them.
  4. Penalties:

    • Knocking over the stack: If a player knocks over the stack of cups while bouncing the ball, they must drink from their cup and start a new stack.
    • Double stack: If a player successfully bounces the ball into their cup and stacks it before the player to their left has finished drinking and stacking, the player to their left must drink an additional penalty drink.
  5. Community Cup:

    • The Community Cup remains in the center of the table throughout the game, serving as the base for the stack of cups.
    • As the game progresses, the stack of cups grows taller, making it more challenging for players to successfully bounce the ball into their cups.
  6. Winning: The game continues until all players have successfully bounced their cups into the stack and the stack is complete. The last player to successfully stack their cup wins the game.


8. Beer Tap

In Beer Tap, players sit in a circle, each holding a cup filled with a shot of alcohol in their right hand. The game starts when someone taps their cup on the table and shouts "one." Another random player in the circle then taps their cup on the table and shouts "two," and so on. This continues until two players accidentally tap their cups and shout a number simultaneously. When this happens, both players must quickly take their shot, refill their cup, and the game continues with the next round. The twist in Beer Tap is that the player who has shouted the most numbers can designate someone else to drink their shot as well. It's a fast-paced and competitive game that often results in lots of laughter and camaraderie.


9. Cup Twister 

Create a Cup Twister board featuring blue, green, yellow, and red circles, ensuring they're large enough to accommodate a cup. For added excitement, include various challenges like "take this shot in handstand" and place shots on select circles using different alcohols for a twist. Next, cover the challenges and shots with upside-down cups, ensuring the circle colors remain visible. Spin the board to shuffle the cups' placements, obscuring the challenges and shots' locations. Players take turns spinning the Twister wheel, revealing a color they must select a cup from—adding an element of surprise as they uncover what lies beneath each cup.


10. Chandelier

Chandelier is a drinking game where players take turns bouncing a ping pong ball into cups arranged in a circle around a central cup. If the ball lands in your cup, you drink and refill it; if it lands in the central cup, everyone drinks, and the last to finish drinks the central cup.

 

Setup:

  • Players and Cups: Gather a group of players and set up a large table. Each player gets a cup, and there's one central "chandelier" cup in the middle of the table.
  • Filling the Cups: Each player fills their cup with their preferred beverage. The central cup (chandelier cup) is usually filled with a mix of everyone's drinks or just one type of beverage.
  • Ping Pong Balls: You will need at least one ping pong ball for the game.

 

Gameplay:

  • Arrange the Cups: Place all the players' cups in a circle around the central cup on the table.
  • Taking Turns: Players take turns attempting to bounce the ping pong ball into one of the cups (either their own, another player's, or the central cup).
  • Landing in a Player’s Cup: If the ball lands in a player’s cup, that player must drink the contents of their cup and then refill it.
  • Landing in the Central Cup: If the ball lands in the central cup, all players must drink the contents of their own cups as quickly as possible. Once you've finished your drink, you must quickly spin around and raise your arms as fast as possible. The last player to raise their arms must also drink the contents of the central cup.

11. Beerpong Tic Tac Toe

This game is designed for two players, but you can also play in teams of four. Prepare cups filled with shots or beer for each team. On the count of three, players must bounce a ping pong ball on the table, aiming to land it in their cup. If they succeed, they drink the contents of the cup and get to mark a spot on the tic-tac-toe board. The more successful bounces, the more chances to mark the board and achieve a row of three. To win the game, you need to be the first player or team to get three marks in a row on the tic-tac-toe board.


12. Mushroom Cup

In Mushroom Cup" players sit around a table with a cup containing a beer or a shot of alcohol. The game begins with the first player placing a playing card on top of the cup. Each subsequent player must then add another card to the stack, ensuring that their card touches only two corners of the card below it. The goal is to create a precarious tower of cards balanced on top of the cup.

As the tower grows taller, the tension increases. Players must carefully place their cards to avoid causing the tower to collapse. If a player's card causes the tower to fall, they must drink the shot from the cup as a penalty.

Mushroom Cup requires a steady hand, precision, and a bit of luck. It's a thrilling and suspenseful game that adds excitement to any gathering or party.


Wrap up your party games journey with a toast to fun-filled memories and laughter shared over the best cup-centric games! Whether you're hosting a laid-back hangout or an epic bash, these games guarantee a good time with friends. Cheers to unforgettable moments and many more cup-tastic adventures ahead!

Ready to elevate your party with these epic cup games?

Check out our printable games for even more fun at your next event!