7 Raucous Drinking Games From Around The Globe

Drinking games debatably combine the two greatest things in the world – drinking and games. Together, they make drinking seem more silly and games all the cooler. But each one is born out of a country’s boozing culture.

People don’t drink the same around the world, so their method of gamifying the activity wouldn’t be the same approach. Let’s look at seven wild ways people around the world get straight up lit.

1. Kastenlauf // Austria, Germany, Switzerland

Finally, a game for drunks who want to work off the calories while they drink. This “race” pairs up, at least, two boozehounds to a team, who then carry a crate or cooler of beer to the finish line.

The caveat here is that you have to finish all the beer before crossing. Is it just a brisk stroll through a park? Hell no, the routes are usually between 5 km and 12 km.

This drinking game probably started centuries ago when two dudes got kicked out of the house and had to walk to their friend’s farm in the next village to keep partying.

2. Bear Paw // Russia

If the little I understand about this country is even remotely true, then this is the most Russian game ever. It’s drinking until everyone passes out, or dies.

Here’s how the carnival of madness works: fill a large stein with beer, take a sip and pass it on. In between those last two steps, however, top it off with vodka. Eventually, the entire stein will be vodka, so you start topping it off with beer once that happens. Then you just keep going. Last person awake or alive “wins.”

3. Ping Pong Pang // Japan

This drinking game has everyone yelling and pointing fingers at each other (which sounds like most holidays, honestly). One player starts things off by saying, “Ping.” The person on their left has to follow quickly with, “Pong.” Then the person on their left calls out, “Pang.”

That person then points to another boozer at the table to start the three-word process all over again. If anyone’s too slow or forgets to point at that pivotal moment, everyone chants while the person drinks.

4. Hammerschlagen // Germany

Sure, on the lower end of the list of things you want to hand your friend is a hammer and nails, but this should, in theory, work out on the side of fun (not murder).

Going back to an Oktoberfest in the early 19th Century, this game has everyone sticking a nail in a tree stump (or some random piece of wood). When it’s your turn, you have to hit your nail or drink.

That goes around until someone totally sinks their nail into the wood. The first person to do so wins a free shot, and the last person gets the next round. It sounds specially designed for camping bachelor parties.

5. Napkin, Beer, Cigarette // South Korea

This game is so literal and cool. You could probably guess the rules on its name alone if it weren’t for the lack of a “coin” mention. You lay a coin on a napkin and place that napkin atop a full pint of beer. Then everyone at the table take turns burning a hole in said napkin with a lit cigarette.

When the coin inevitably falls through, that person has to drink the beer (but not the coin!). It’d also be the most rad way to cause an accidental house fire.

6. Beer Pong // United States

Ah yes, the best way to have an unnecessary fight at a house party. This game involves tossing ping pong balls across a sticky table. You set up a horizontal pyramid of cups (all filled halfway with beer) at each end, with teams of two aiming for the opponent’s side.

Beyond that, this game spirals into a bunch of slightly different ways to play including bounce and blow rules, all of which makes everyone annoyed, upset, and eventually pissed drunk.

7. Goon of Fortune // Australia

Named after Wheel of Fortune, the game entails you rounding up your friends and a goon bag (the bag in boxed wine). Clothes-pin the bag to a rotary clothesline often called a “hills hoist,” and then spin the thing with everyone around it.

Whoever’s standing closest to the goon bag when it comes to a stop must drink the proper amount of “goon,” which is agreed upon beforehand.

I now realize this is what’s been missing from barbeques my whole life.