Looking for a fun party idea? Learn how to play the Scattergories Drinking Game with creative rules, funny categories, and hosting tips. Plus, discover how to turn childhood games like Catch Phrase and Bananagrams into drinking games!
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What is the Scattergories Drinking Game?
Scattergories is a timeless word game where players generate words for specific categories starting with a chosen letter. Adding a drinking element turns up the stakes—and the laughter!
The drinking rules add penalties for wrong answers, bonuses for creative ones, and even sips for outrageous alliterations. This twist makes Scattergories a hilarious party essential for adults.
If you’re looking for hilarious Scattergories lists for adults, try this Scattergories online generator. It offers plenty of wild and spicy Scattergories ideas, and you can even customize the lists and prompts. Play Scattergories for adults online anytime, anywhere!
How to Play Scattergories Drinking Game: Step-by-Step Rules
Basic Scattergories Gameplay Refresher
The original Scattergories challenges players to come up with unique words for categories, all starting with a randomly chosen letter. Points are awarded for unique answers, while duplicates or blank spaces score zero.
Adding the Drinking Rules
- Duplicate Answers: If two or more players write the same word, they each take a sip.
- Skipped Categories: Forget to fill in a category? That’s a shot!
- Alliterations: Get extra creative with an answer like “Big Blueberry Bagels”? Assign two sips to everyone else.
- Lowest Score of the Round: Bottom scorer takes a shot or finishes their drink.
Special Variations
- Dirty Scattergories: Add risqué categories like “Things You Regret After a Party” or “Adult Movies.” Perfect for bachelorette parties!
- Themed Scattergories: Tailor your game for holidays or birthdays with categories like “Halloween Costumes” or “Gifts for Grandma.”
Community House Rules
Reddit and other forums are goldmines for fun Scattergories variations. Here are a few crowd favorites:
- Speed Round: Drink for every 10 seconds left on the clock if you finish early.
- Creative Challenge: If a player submits an answer deemed too outrageous, the group votes. Majority rules—if rejected, they drink!
- Last Letter Twist: Use the last letter of a word as the starting letter for the next round.
Fun Scattergories Categories for Drinking Games
Creative and Funny Themes
- Famous People Who Shouldn’t Sing
- Things You’d Never Say to Your Boss
- Awkward First-Date Topics
- Weird Items Found in a Purse
- Things You’d Hide from Your Parents
- Embarrassing Things to Get Caught Doing
- Reasons You’d Call in Sick
- Bad Gift Ideas
- Food You Shouldn’t Eat on a First Date
- Excuses to Leave a Party Early
- Items You’d Never Borrow from a Friend
Risqué Categories for Adults
- Things You’d Whisper at a Wedding
- Embarrassing Tattoos
- Awful Dad Jokes
- Worst Places to Be Caught Naked
- Excuses for Sneaking Out of a Date
- Inappropriate Things to Say at Work
- Pickup Lines That Never Work
- Awkward Moments in Bed
- Names for a Risqué Nightclub
- Things You Shouldn’t Shout During Sex
Pop Culture-Themed Categories
- Movie Titles That Would Make Awkward First Dates
- Celebrities You’d Want at Your Party
- Songs That Should Never Be Played at Weddings
- Characters from 90s TV Shows
- Superhero Names Gone Wrong
- Weird TikTok Trends
- Famous Quotes from Sitcoms
Holiday-Themed Categories
- Christmas Gifts You’d Regift
- Halloween Costumes That Should Stay in the Closet
- Drinks for a Summer BBQ
- Thanksgiving Foods That Are Overrated
- Romantic Gestures for Valentine’s Day
- Party Favors for New Year’s Eve
- April Fools’ Day Pranks
Travel-Themed Categories
- Worst Souvenirs to Bring Home
- Things You’d Pack for a Beach Vacation
- Bachelor/Bachelorette Party Destinations
- Excuses for Missing a Flight
- Weird Foods You’d Try Abroad
- Travel Mishaps to Avoid
- Unusual Places to Go on a Honeymoon
Food and Drink-Themed Categories
- Drinks You’d Never Order at a Bar
- Worst Foods to Eat While Driving
- Snacks That Shouldn’t Exist
- Weird Pizza Toppings
- Things You’d Put in a Cocktail
- Restaurant Names Gone Wrong
- Desserts for a Party
Turning Other Childhood Games into Drinking Games
Remember the good old days when the biggest stakes in a game of Catch Phrase or Bananagrams were just bragging rights? Well, it’s time to crank up the fun, add some grown-up flair, and turn those childhood classics into wild drinking games that’ll have your friends laughing, stumbling, and reminiscing all night long.
Catch Phrase Drinking Game Rules
Catch Phrase is a fast-paced word-guessing game where players take turns giving clues to get their team to guess a secret word or phrase before the timer buzzes. The tension of the ticking timer makes it perfect for drinking penalties.
Drinking Rules:
- Buzzed Out: If the buzzer lands on you, take a big sip.
- Clue Confusion: If your teammate fails to guess the word from your clues, take a shot.
- Team Win Bonus: The winning team for each round assigns a drink to the losing team.
- Wild Card: If you accidentally say the word or part of the word, you have to finish your drink!
Bananagrams Drinking Game Rules
Bananagrams is a word-building game where players create their own crossword grids using letter tiles. It’s a race against other players to use up all their tiles first.
Drinking Rules:
- Misspelled Words: Each misspelled word costs you a sip. If you misspell more than two words in one round, take a shot.
- Rejected Grid: If the group rejects your finished crossword, take two sips and fix it.
- Winner’s Revenge: The winner of the round gets to assign three drinks to other players—spread them out or all to one unlucky loser!
- Tile Toss: If you drop a tile during play, that’s an automatic shot.
Family Feud Drinking Game Rules
Family Feud pits teams against each other to guess survey answers to common questions. Adding drinking rules turns this already competitive game into a party favorite.
Drinking Rules:
- Wrong Guess: Every time you give an answer not on the board, take a sip.
- Survey Says: If your guess lands at the bottom of the board (lowest-ranked correct answer), take two sips.
- Round Loser: The losing team for each round must take a shot together—team bonding at its finest!
- Final Feud Twist: In the final round, the losing team has to finish their drinks before the winner does their victory dance.
Scavenger Hunt Drinking Game Rules
A scavenger hunt is a classic party activity, where players race to find or complete a list of items or tasks. Add some drinks into the mix, and it’s perfect for a fun-filled pub crawl or house party.
Drinking Rules:
- Missed Item: For every item your team fails to find, take a sip.
- Wrong Item: Bring back the wrong item? That’s a shot for everyone on your team.
- First to Finish: The first team to complete their list gets to assign drinks to the other teams.
- Challenge Tasks: Add bonus tasks like taking a silly group photo or singing a song. If your team refuses to complete it, take a penalty shot!
Tips for Hosting a Nostalgic Party Night
Setting the Mood
- Decorate your space with fun, themed props like giant alphabet letters.
- Create a killer playlist to keep the vibe lively.
- Set up a drinks station with a mix of alcoholic and non-alcoholic options.
Managing the Drinking Aspect
- Keep it responsible! Offer snacks and water to balance out the drinks.
- Use smaller drink portions for penalties—this keeps the focus on fun, not overindulgence.
Ensuring Everyone Has Fun
- Adapt the rules for your group size and preferences.
- Introduce a “no hard feelings” rule—this keeps the game lighthearted.
Who says playtime is just for kids? With a splash of creativity and a whole lot of drinks, these games go from wholesome fun to party chaos. So grab your favorite cocktail and summon your competitive spirit, whether it’s for Scattergories, Catch Phrase, Family Feud, Bananagrams, or even Scavenger Hunts.
Fair warning: You might never look at these games the same way again. Let the booze-fueled nostalgia begin!