Photo by Ali Kazal on Unsplash
These days, a lot of people are spending more time at home for obvious reasons. You may not be stuck home alone, though – you might be stranded at home with your significant other.
If you find yourself missing date nights out at local bars or restaurants, rest assured you can still replicate this feeling at home. With the best drinking card games for couples that we found, recapturing that fun date night atmosphere is entirely possible.
As a warning: the following games are generally suited for adults of legal drinking age. Some aren’t strictly drinking games but could be modified easily for use as a drinking game. Don’t forget to drink responsibly.
Best Drinking Card Games for Couples
These Cards Will Get You Drunk
The name of the game should tell you pretty much everything you need to know about it: These Cards Will Get You Drunk. In other words, prepare for a night of drunken flounders with your partner if you go with this one.
It’s easy to get the hang of. You and your partner take turns drawing cards and reading what they say. Each card will provide you instructions on what to do and who needs to take a drink next.
There are even cards you can use to screw your SO over, such as a “misery loves company card” that forces them to drink with you the next time you need to take a drink.
Pros:
- The rules are incredibly easy, so you’ll learn to play in seconds.
- Not only is this game suitable for couples, but you can play it with up to a total of eight people.
- There are 100 cards with different crazy instructions and scenarios in the game.
Cons:
- Some of the cards seem like they’re suited to playing with more than two people, such as cards where you need to vote for a particular person. If you’re just playing with your partner, you may want to go through the deck and remove these cards first.
- There are a surprising number of “free pass” cards that allow you to skip taking a drink – which kind of defeats the purpose of the game.
The Ultimate Game for Couples
What if you want something that dials up the romance in your relationship? Consider a game like this one, then. It isn’t called the Ultimate Game for Couples for no reason, after all.
The focus of the game is on how well couples know each other. There are also dare fun dare cards in the deck that will keep you on your toes.
It’s not specifically designed as a drinking game, but I think it would be easy to modify it as one. For instance, for the Guess cards where you need to answer a question about your partner, you could take a drink if you’re wrong.
Pros:
- You can play with your partner in a one-on-one game or compete against other couples.
- With the question cards, you might learn things about your partner that you didn’t know before.
- Can be effortlessly modified to become a drinking game.
- Games can take up to an hour, giving you plenty of time to play and drink.
Cons:
- The dares are a little on the tame side, but this might be better if you’re self-conscious.
- A few players noted that the competitive gameplay can frustrate some people.
Do or Drink for Couples
As you might have guessed from the name alone, Do or Drink for Couples is basically just an extreme truth or dare game. You’ll be required to do whatever the card says or take a drink. It’s as simple as that.
As you complete the truth or dare prompts, you’ll earn points. Black cards, which are truth prompts, will only net you a single point while the red dare cards will earn you two. Choose wisely which prompts you refuse to do, in other words.
I think this game is likely more fun with more people. However, with some modifications and by removing some cards from the deck, I think you could play it with just two people. To take the entertainment up a notch, play with other couples and have each couple be on their own team.
Pros:
- Crazy truth and dare prompts are sure to have you laughing.
- Some of the prompts are definitely inappropriate, but this might add to the fun for you.
- The cards are extra-tough, so they won’t bend or rip easily.
Cons:
- It’s clear the game was intended for more than two players, so you may need to remove specific cards from the deck before playing.
- May not be as fun for shy or introverted people.
Read Next: Top 5 Best Horror Themed Card Games for Adults
Drink-a-Palooza
I’m taking some creative liberties by including Drink-a-Palooza on the list. After all, it’s more of a board game than it is a card game…but it includes cards as some of the pieces, so I decided to put it on this list, anyway.
I also loved the way this game references several classic drinking games in it, so I couldn’t resist adding it to the list. In Drink-a-Palooza, players will try their hands at several legendary games, including beer pong and flip cup.
It’s important for me to mention that the creators of the game claim it was not intended for use with alcohol consumption. This is primarily because it would require you to drink a lot before the end of the game. If you do try it with alcohol, consider alternating with non-alcoholic drinks.
Pros:
- Combines the gameplay from several classic drinking games, including beer pong.
- Aside from being fun for couples, it’s great for parties.
- Can support up to 12 players.
- Includes everything you need for a night of at-home partying.
Cons:
- It’s not intended for use with alcohol, so be careful if you do choose to play with alcoholic drinks.
- The board is made from cardboard, which can get damaged by liquid spilling on it. Obviously not the best design for a drinking game.
Talk Flirt Dare
You’ve probably noticed a trend with these couples’ card games: they tend to be truth or dare-based games. What sets Talk Flirt dare apart from all these truth or dare clones is that the prompts are specifically geared towards lighting that spark between you and your partner.
So if you’re looking for a way to shake up your date night routine, this one could be perfect for you. You can choose from three types of cards: talk, flirt, or dare.
The talk deck is filled with interesting prompts to fuel new conversations. Choose flirt if you’re looking to start a flirty interaction with fun prompts. Finally, the dare deck is self-explanatory – it gives you a spicy dare to fulfill with your partner.
Like some of the other games on this list, Talk Flirt Dare wasn’t specifically created as a drinking game. But I do think it would be a fun game to play as you drink together, and you could always modify the rules to include taking a drink periodically.
Pros:
- The gameplay is designed to promote chemistry between couples.
- It’s so easy to play, you can learn it in mere seconds.
- There are three different levels – talk, flirt, and dare – that allow you to play it in whatever way you’re in the mood for.
Cons:
- It’s not designed as a drinking game.
- Some players have said that the talking prompts can be a little intense or uncomfortable.
Sotally Tober
All right, I’m ending with an actual drinking card game once again for my last entry: Sotally Tober. Best of all, this isn’t just another truth or dare game, so playing it will feel different from any other on this list.
In Sotally Tober, you have five different cards with different abilities or requirements: activity, skill, curse, secret, and decree cards. Activity cards require you to complete a specific activity, skills cards grant you specific abilities, curse cards give you a penalty of some kind, secret cards give you a concealed trick you can perform, and decree cards give everyone at the table a requirement.
The cards will tell you when you’re required to take a drink. Your mission is to try and take as few drinks as possible over the course of the game.
You can play it with just two people, but I think Sotally Tober would be even better with more. It would be a blast at a party or adult game night.
Pros:
- Unique gameplay makes it different from many other couple or drinking card games.
- With 125 different cards, playing it won’t feel stale quickly.
- If your goal is to drink a lot, this game will help you achieve that.
Cons:
- With all the different types of cards, the learning curve for this game is slightly steeper than some of the other games we’ve included on the list.
How to Pick the Best Card Game for You and Your SO
Price
The cost of a card game can get mind bogglingly expensive – just ask any Magic: the Gatheringplayer who’s spent over $100 on a single card. Collectible card games aside, though, even basic party card games can be pricey.
I’d recommend starting your search by setting the boundaries of your budget. The good news is that there are hundreds – if not thousands – of card games available today, so no matter what your budget is, there’s a card game that can fit right in.
Even if there isn’t, you can still modify basic games with a regular deck of cards to become fun drinking games. I’ve got a list of 10 card games you can play with a regular deck of cards if you need some suggestions.
Duration
How much time out of your date night are you willing to allot to a card game? Maybe you wanted to do more than just sit at your table and nurture a growing buzz over a game. On the other hand, maybe that sounds like exactly the way you wanted to spend your whole evening.
This is why it’s so vital to look at how long a game goes on for. There are games that can be completed in as little as fifteen minutes and other games that can go on for hours. Be sure you read the description or check the box in the pictures to see how long the manufacturer estimates each game will take.
Learning Curve
If you look at any of our other posts about card and board games, you’ll see us constantly discussing learning curve. In case you haven’t read our other posts, though, I’ll describe it again because it’s that important.
Learning curve refers to how difficult it is to learn a game as a newbie. Have you ever played a game that was so complicated, you had to spend hours leafing through the rulebook? That would be a game with a high learning curve. Games with lower learning curves are ones that can be picked up easily regardless of experience.
Think about which one you prefer. If you’re going to be drinking, though, it might be a good idea to play something with a lower learning curve in case alcohol makes you forgetful.
Theme
I know the general overall “theme” in this post is drinking card games, but even that is a broad category. There are card games intended for drinking that that are more romantic in tone, and those that are designed instead to be zanier.
Want something more lighthearted? Although romantic themes can certainly be light, fluffy, and fun, you might want to steer more directly into fun territory with games like Drink-a-palooza.
But if you’re looking for something that will help you connect with your other half on a deeper level, you can also look for one of the more romance-themed options on this list like Ultimate Game for Couples.
Wrap Up
The next time you’re missing nights out with your special someone, don’t forget that card games can allow you to enjoy a similar experience right at home. If I had to recommend only one to you, I think I’d say try out Sotally Tober.
I know it’s not focused on romance like some of the other card games on this list, but I feel like it has the most applications. Not only can you play it two-player, but it would be suitable for parties, too. Plus, the variety of card types gives it a refreshing feel in comparison with many other drinking card games. If you’re having a party and aren’t sure how to entertain your guests, take a look at our list of the best card games for more than 4 players, too.