Heads Up might’ve started as a family-friendly guessing game made famous by Ellen DeGeneres, but it didn’t take long for the internet to twist it into a go-to party classic—booze included. What makes it perfect for a drinking game is its low setup time, chaotic energy, and the fact that it gets exponentially funnier the more rounds (and drinks) you play. It’s built for shouting, laughing, and accidentally revealing just how much you know about bad pop songs or reality TV stars.
Whether you’re using the mobile app or an actual stack of cards, the gameplay lends itself beautifully to drinking punishments. All you need is a phone, some friends, and something strong to sip—or chug.
Table of Contents
How to Play Heads Up as a Drinking Game
Turning Heads Up into a drinking game is easier than convincing your friend they’re slurring after one beer. The idea is to use the original mechanics of the game but layer in drinking triggers for added fun. Here’s a breakdown of how to set it up and how to play like a pro.
Game Setup: What You Need
- A smartphone with the Heads Up app (or custom cards)
- At least 3 players (more = messier = better)
- Alcohol of choice (beer, wine, cocktails, or a terrifying mix)
- A timer (optional if not using the app)
Designate one player as the “guesser” while others provide clues. The guesser has 60 seconds to correctly identify as many words as possible. Once that timer dings, the drinking begins.
Basic Gameplay + Drinking Triggers
Here’s how to turn your living room into a tipsy arena of chaos:
- Wrong guess – Guesser takes a sip
- Skip/pass – Guesser takes two sips
- No correct guesses by end of round – Everyone drinks
- Correct guess with a terrible clue? Clue-giver drinks
- Clue so confusing it causes a fight? Both drink and hug it out
You can mix and match punishments depending on the group’s vibe. Keep it light or go full-degenerate—your call.
House Rules from Reddit You’ll Want to Steal
Reddit never disappoints. Here are a few fan-favorite tweaks:
- “If you use an accent or impression during a clue, everyone else drinks.”
- “If the phone/card drops, instant penalty shot.”
- “Guesser wins the round? They assign drinks like a dictator.”
- “Can’t explain the word without physical gestures? Double drink.”
- If the guesser gets three correct in a row, the group does a “cheers and chug”
- If nobody guesses the card before the timer runs out, everyone drinks
- The person giving clues while breaking the no-acting rule has to impersonate the character on their next card
Two-Player & Small Group Heads Up Drinking Rules
So you want to play the Heads Up drinking game, but it’s just you and your partner, your bestie, or the two roommates who are still speaking to each other. Good news: you don’t need a crowd to make bad decisions. You just need a phone, a drink, and a low tolerance for embarrassment.
Here’s a practical and hilariously unhinged ruleset for playing with 2–3 people. Perfect for pre-games, date nights that got weird, or tiny apartments where everyone’s already in pajamas.
1. Classic Swap & Sip
- Take turns guessing.
- Correct guess = clue-giver drinks
- Wrong guess = guesser drinks
- Skip = both drink because you’re clearly not trying hard enough
2. The 5-Card Dare
- Guess 5 right in one round or take a shot.
- Nailed it? The clue-giver chugs.
- Failed miserably? Shame sip and tell an embarrassing story.
3. Touch Penalty
- If the guesser touches the phone or their forehead unnecessarily, they drink.
- You’ll be amazed how hard “not touching your face” is after two beers.
4. “Oops, I Said It” Rule
- If the clue-giver says part of the word? Drink.
- Do it twice? Also perform an interpretive dance of the answer.
5. Guesser’s Gamble
- Before the round starts, the guesser must predict how many cards they’ll get right.
- If they guess too high, they drink the difference.
- If they guess exactly right, everyone else drinks out of pure respect.
- If they go way overboard (miss by 3+), give a dramatic apology speech.
Best Categories for the Heads Up Drinking Game
Not all decks are created equal when you’re drinking. Here are the categories that bring the most laughs—and spills.
1. Adult Supervision (NSFW)
This is the go-to category when the drinks are flowing and the filters are gone. It’s packed with innuendo, slang, and references that your mom should never hear you say.
Sample Words:
- Walk of shame
- Booty call
- Strip poker
- Handcuffs
- Twerking
- The birds and the bees
- Netflix and chill
- Whipped cream
- Body shot
- Morning after
Why it’s perfect: Half the fun is watching your friends try to keep a straight face explaining these while buzzed.
2. Act It Out
No words allowed—only wild gestures, interpretive dance, and flailing limbs. Exactly what you want after tequila shots.
Sample Words:
- Jumping jacks
- Brushing teeth
- Pole dancing
- Changing a diaper
- Running in slow motion
- Playing air guitar
- Flossing (the dance, not dental)
- Getting electrocuted
- CPR
- Belly flop
Why it’s perfect: Alcohol plus acting equals physical comedy gold. Someone will throw out their back miming “pole dancing.”
3. Icons, Legends, and Stars
Pop culture references galore—from celebrities to fictional characters, this one’s great for groups that know their memes and movies.
Sample Words:
- Beyoncé
- Donald Duck
- Harry Potter
- Cardi B
- Oprah
- Shrek
- Michael Jackson
- Kim Kardashian
- Snoop Dogg
- The Rock
Why it’s perfect: Drunk impressions of celebrities? Yes please. Bonus drinks for butchering accents.
4. Accents & Impressions
Possibly the most chaotic category. You have to speak like the person or accent on the card—even worse if you have no idea what they sound like.
Sample Words:
- British accent
- Arnold Schwarzenegger
- Valley girl
- Pirate
- Southern drawl
- New Yorker
- Dracula
- Yoda
- French accent
- Robot
Why it’s perfect: It’s a guaranteed mess, and the worse you are at accents, the more everyone wins (and drinks).
5. Hey Mr. DJ (Music & Lyrics)
This one’s for the tone-deaf among us. You have to hum, sing, or describe songs, and that only gets better with vodka in your veins.
Sample Words:
- “Single Ladies”
- “Bohemian Rhapsody”
- Justin Bieber
- Taylor Swift
- “Sweet Caroline”
- Elvis
- “Baby Got Back”
- “Let It Go”
- Mariah Carey
- “Old Town Road”
Why it’s perfect: Drunk karaoke energy, but with more pressure and less shame.
6. Blockbuster Movies
Great for movie buffs who’ve had a few. You’ll be surprised how fast “The Notebook” turns into “that sad rain kiss film.”
Sample Words:
- Titanic
- The Hangover
- Jurassic Park
- Star Wars
- Mean Girls
- The Godfather
- Frozen
- Pulp Fiction
- The Matrix
- Magic Mike
Why it’s perfect: Popcorn not included, but poor descriptions definitely are.
Bonus: Make Your Own Category
Feeling spicy? Create a custom deck tailored to your group’s inside jokes, workplace trauma, or mutual obsessions.
Ideas:
- Office Party Disasters
- College Throwbacks
- Things You Shouldn’t Say to Your Ex
- Bar Shenanigans
- Bachelorette Party Must-Haves
- Awkward Tinder Bios
- Florida Man Headlines
- Urban Dictionary Roulette
- Why Am I Like This?
- Who’s Most Likely To…
Avoid categories that require deep thought (like “Science”) unless your party is full of drunk Jeopardy contestants.
Heads Up Game Night Pro Tips: How to Make It Epic
It’s not just about the game—it’s about the vibe. Elevate your Heads Up night from fun to legendary with these party hacks.
Mixing in Other Drinking Games
Combine rounds of Heads Up with:
- Drunk Jenga: Stack up a Jenga tower filled with written challenges. Pull a piece between rounds and do whatever ridiculous thing it says. Example: “Call your ex and sing ‘My Heart Will Go On.’” You’ve been warned.
- Ride the Bus: This one’s perfect for when someone loses badly at Heads Up and needs to suffer (in a fun way). The loser “rides the bus”—a quick card game where they guess red or black, higher or lower, etc. Get it wrong? Drink. Get it right? Still probably drink. It’s fast, brutal, and excellent for triggering dramatic sighs and empty solo cups.
You’ll need a scoreboard—or just accept that no one’s winning.
Themed Nights & Music Cues
Want next-level chaos? Theme the whole night.
- Use only the “Movies” deck while playing soundtracks in the background
- “2000s Night” with matching outfits and categories
- Assign a DJ: each wrong guess triggers a new hype song
Themed chaos is the best kind of chaos.
Forfeits and Dares for the Bold
Punishments spice things up fast. Examples:
- The guesser loses = has to chug and impersonate the last card they guessed
- Team loses = do a group TikTok dance
- Everyone drinks when someone says “Umm…”
Because alcohol and dares go together like tequila and regret.
Heads Up App Alternatives for Drunken Shenanigans
Not vibing with Heads Up or want a rotation?
- Psych! – A hilarious bluffing game by Ellen’s team where lying to your friends is the whole point
- Picolo – No setup, just instant drinking challenges, truth-or-dare chaos, and deeply personal questions
- Charades – Classic and chaotic, with gestures that get increasingly dramatic as drinks go down
- Gartic Phone – A drawing + guessing game that turns every round into a spiraling fever dream of doodles
- Freak or Drink – Play online. Either answer the spicy question honestly… or take a drink. Spoiler: most people drink.
- Sweet Bedroom Game for Couples – Like Pictionary meets broken telephone, but add alcohol and dares to maximize the dating night.
Heads Up: The Ultimate Party Power-Up
Heads Up was never meant to stay innocent—and with drinks involved, it becomes the ultimate recipe for chaos. It’s easy to set up, hilarious to play, and endlessly customizable for any group size or vibe.
Mix in wild rules, spicy categories, and a few extra drinking games, and you’ve got a party classic that’ll have everyone laughing, shouting, and maybe questioning their choices. Play hard, drink smart, and don’t blame us for the group chat fallout tomorrow. Cheers!