Eleven seasons. Hundreds of zombies. More bad decisions than Rick Grimes has speeches. Welcome to the Walking Dead drinking game—where the only thing dying faster than walkers is your liver.
Zombieland fans: feel free to add your own survival rules. Bingeing from the start or jumping in fresh? Either way, you’re in for booze, bites, and betrayal. Grab your Lucille Smash and let the chaos begin.
Table of Contents
Walking Dead Drinking Game Rules
Core Walking Dead Drinking Game Rules (Works for Any Season)
These are the golden rules, the foundation of your apocalypse drinking strategy. Use them as your base game across any episode or season:
- Take a sip every time a walker is killed.
- Take one drink when someone ominously says, “We need to stick together.”
- Two sips whenever a character gets bit (bonus sip if they try to hide it like it’s just a scratch).
- Down your drink when someone makes an emotional speech about hope, family, or survival.
- Finish your drink if someone dramatically sacrifices themselves.
Hardcore Fan Edition – For the Fearless Few
If you think you’re brave enough to play at Negan-level difficulty, these are the rules for you:
- Take a shot when a major character dies (and let’s be honest, you know it’s coming).
- Sip every time Negan flashes that creepy grin and starts monologuing.
- Down it if there’s a dramatic stare-off that lasts longer than ten seconds.
- Two sips when someone loses their mind or goes full unhinged (looking at you, Carol and Morgan).
Relationship Drama Rules – Shippers’ Delight
Because what’s an apocalypse without a little awkward romance and unresolved sexual tension?
- Drink when Daryl and Carol share a moment so loaded it could power Alexandria.
- Two sips when someone flirts in the middle of a life-threatening situation.
- Toast every time someone risks it all for love (bonus drink if it ends terribly, which, let’s be honest, it usually does).
Character Roulette – Pick Your Player, Drink to Their Fate
Want to take the chaos to a personal level? Add the Character Roulette twist to your game. Here’s how it works:
How to Choose Your Character and Survive (or Not)
At the start of the night, every player picks a character. From Rick’s relentless optimism to Daryl’s brooding silence, your character choice will shape your destiny.
- If your character cries, you drink.
- If your character kills a walker, you drink twice.
- If your character dies, well… time to go on a booze run for the rest of the group.
Rule Twist: If Your Character Dies… You’re on Booze Duty!
Yep, if your chosen survivor bites the dust, you’re now the designated supplier of snacks and refills. Because in the apocalypse (and at your party), there are no free rides.
Walking Dead Drinking Game by Season
The Walking Dead isn’t just one long zombie chase—it’s a wild journey through grief, power struggles, and questionable haircut choices. Here’s how to tailor your drinking game by season so the rules hit just as hard as the drama.
Season 1 – The Beginning of the End
- Sip every time Rick calls for Lori or Carl.
- Drink whenever someone refers to the walkers as “geeks.”
- Two sips when Morgan delivers an emotional gut-punch.
Season 2 – Farm Feels and Endless Searching for Sophia
- Two drinks every time Sophia is mentioned or searched for.
- Drink when Hershel delivers medical wisdom with that fatherly head shake.
- Sip when Rick and Shane have a testosterone-fueled standoff.
Season 3 – Prison Breaks and Governor Grins
- Drink when the Governor does literally anything creepy.
- Two sips when the prison fences get breached.
- Down it when Andrea makes yet another terrible decision.
Season 4 – The Flu, the Fall, and the Feels
- Sip for every cough, sneeze, or flu symptom (hydrate between sips, folks).
- Drink when someone says “we have to find a safe place.”
- Two drinks when a walker gets through the fence despite “tight security.”
Season 5 – Terminus and Cannibal Chaos
- Take a shot when someone mentions “we’re the walking dead.”
- Sip when Rick goes full Rick-tatorship.
- Two drinks for every seriously questionable survival plan.
Season 6 – Wolves, Walls, and Way Too Many Walkers
- Sip for each Alexandria plan that falls apart faster than Carl’s cowboy hat.
- Drink when Morgan gives a speech about peace or refuses to kill.
- Two sips when the Wolves attack or when walkers flood the streets.
Season 7 – Meet Negan (and Lucille’s Wrath)
- Down your drink when Negan starts playing “eeny, meeny, miny, moe.”
- Sip every time Lucille is ominously waved around.
- Take a drink when someone calls Negan “sir” or “boss” through gritted teeth.
Season 8 – All-Out War (and All-Out Drinks)
- Drink when Rick and Negan argue instead of fighting like grownups.
- Two sips when a plan goes sideways (so… pretty often).
- Sip when there’s a dramatic ambush scene with slow-motion action.
Season 9 – A New Beginning… Again
- Drink when someone talks about rebuilding or “a fresh start.”
- Two sips when Judith acts like the most competent adult in the room.
- Sip every time Maggie makes you wonder why she isn’t running the whole show.
Season 10 – Whisperers and Whispers of Booze
- Take a drink when Alpha or Beta appear onscreen looking menacing.
- Two sips when someone removes a Whisperer mask dramatically.
- Down it when Alpha and Carol’s rivalry hits soap-opera levels of intense.
Season 11 – The Final Chapter (But Will It Really End?)
- Drink every time someone questions the Commonwealth’s leadership.
- Sip when characters have dramatic slow-motion stare-downs.
- Toast every “we’re stronger together” speech like it’s your last.
Zombie-Themed Drink Recipes
If you’re going to booze your way through the apocalypse, you might as well do it in style. Skip the boring beer and lean into the undead theme with these zombie-inspired cocktails. Bonus points if you serve them in mason jars or anything that looks vaguely scavenged.
The Lucille Smash (Whiskey + Cherry Grenade)
This drink is as dangerous and smooth as Negan himself.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz bourbon or rye whiskey
- 1 oz cherry liqueur
- ½ oz fresh lemon juice
- Club soda to top
- Maraschino cherries for garnish
Instructions: Shake the whiskey, cherry liqueur, and lemon juice with ice. Strain into a glass over fresh ice, top with soda, and garnish with cherries. Bonus sip if your garnish resembles a walker’s eyeball.
Walker Blood Sangria (Red Wine + Mixed Berries + Rum)
A blood-red drink that even Alpha might approve of. Sweet, strong, and just dangerous enough.
Ingredients:
- 1 bottle of red wine (the darker the better)
- ½ cup dark rum
- ½ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup triple sec
- 1 cup mixed berries (fresh or frozen)
- Orange and lemon slices
Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher and let it sit for at least an hour (overnight if you want it extra flavorful). Serve over ice with a ladle like a true apocalypse bartender.
The Crossbow Cooler (Vodka + Lime + Blackberries)
A refreshing option that packs a punch—just like Daryl.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz vodka
- 1 oz lime juice
- ½ oz simple syrup
- Handful of fresh blackberries
- Club soda to top
Instructions: Muddle the blackberries and simple syrup in a glass. Add vodka and lime juice, fill with ice, and top with club soda. Stir gently and garnish with a lime wheel.
Designated Driver’s Safe Zone (Non-Alcoholic Option)
Because even in the apocalypse, someone’s gotta keep their head straight.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cranberry juice
- ½ cup pomegranate juice
- Splash of ginger beer
- Lime wedge for garnish
Instructions: Combine juices in a glass over ice, top with ginger beer, and garnish. Still looks sinister but keeps you on your feet.
Walking Dead Party Tips & Safety Guidelines
Look, we get it. The excitement of killing walkers (well, watching others do it) and screaming at the TV when someone makes another dumb choice can make you want to throw back shots like you’re immune. But this is a marathon, not a sprint—or, in Walking Dead terms, more of a never-ending zombie shuffle.
Here’s how to keep your game fun and not fatal:
- Hydrate between episodes. Trust us, water is your real survival tool here.
- Snack like a survivor. Mix in chips, jerky, or apocalypse-themed snacks like “walker guts” (gummy worms) or “blood bags” (fruit punch pouches).
- Know your limits. If your chosen character dies three episodes in and you’re ready to call it, no shame in tagging out. The real horror is the hangover.
- Have a designated ‘Game Master.’ They can help keep track of the rules and make sure the group sticks to the fun (and doesn’t go full Rick crazy).
- Make ride plans. If your drinking game gets intense, set up rideshares or let folks crash on your couch—because nothing ruins a good party like a bad decision.
The Best (and Worst) Ideas from the Walking Dead Fandom
You’re not the only one who thought, “Hey, this show would be even better with a drink in hand.” The Walking Dead fandom, particularly over on Reddit’s r/thewalkingdead, has contributed some truly creative (and sometimes chaotic) rules. Here are a few of the best community-sourced gems:
- “Drink every time Rick dramatically shouts ‘Caaaaarl!’ and it lasts more than one syllable.”
- “Shot when a zombie kill is unnecessarily extra. Bonus if it involves a slow-motion headshot.”
- “Two sips when a minor character dies right after they reveal their backstory.”
- “Finish your drink if a main character has a dream sequence or hallucination.”
- “Drink when someone says ‘this is who we are now.’”
The Last Call Before the Apocalypse
If you’re going to ride out the end of the world, might as well do it buzzed, laughing, and yelling at your TV screen about Carl staying in the house. The Walking Dead drinking game isn’t just about getting tipsy—it’s about adding a little levity to the grim world of zombies, backstabbing, and questionable leadership choices.
So gather your survivors, pour yourself something strong (or safely non-alcoholic), and toast to eleven seasons of chaos, heartache, and enough zombie kills to last a lifetime. Just remember: drink responsibly, pace yourself, and whatever you do—aim for the head.