Sloshball Drinking Game: How to Play the Booziest Backyard Kickball Ever

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to catch a fly ball while holding a plastic cup of cheap beer, this is your moment. Born from kickball and baseball traditions, the Sloshball drinking game replaces competitiveness with camaraderie, rules with loose guidelines, and bases with beverage stations.

What Is the Sloshball Drinking Game?

The Sloshball drinking game is an outdoor sport where the rules of kickball or softball are modified with one critical addition: mandatory beer. You can’t play without a drink in hand—literally. Whether you’re fielding, kicking, or rounding second, your beer stays with you like a loyal sidekick.

Games are played with teams of six to ten players, usually on a grass field with a keg at second base and plastic cups aplenty. It’s a favorite at BBQs, tailgates, and weekend reunions, perfect for adults who want to run, drink, and relive their glory days—all while possibly spilling beer down their shirt.

How to Play Slosh Ball Drinking Game

Basic Equipment and Setup

To play the Sloshball drinking game, you’ll need:

• A soccer ball (for kickball) or softball (for a more classic approach)
• Four bases: First, Second (with a keg), Third, and Home
• At least one keg of beer (more if you’re ambitious or irresponsible)
• Plastic cups for each player
• Two teams with around 6–10 players each
• An open field or large backyard

Set up your field like a regular kickball diamond, with a keg planted at second base. Optional: party playlist, costumes, and hydration station for the overachievers.

Core Gameplay Rules

1. Each player must have a drink in hand at all times.
2. You field and run while holding your cup—no setting it down or switching hands mid-throw.
3. A keg sits at second base. When a player reaches it, they must finish their beer and refill before heading to third.
4. Only one player is allowed on second base at a time. If another teammate arrives before the previous one leaves, somebody’s getting tagged out.
5. You score by reaching home, but there’s a catch: you can’t cross home without at least half a cup of beer left (or at least pretending you do).
6. Three outs switch the inning. You’re out if:
   • You get tagged,
   • You spill your drink,
   • Or you forget to refill at second.

Scoring? Technically you keep track of runs, but let’s be honest, the real winners are the most inebriated team still standing upright.

Slosh Ball Game Variations to Level Up the Fun

Boat Races

After every few innings, line up for a team chug relay. First player drinks, puts their cup on their head, and the next starts. First team done gets an extra run—or just eternal glory.

Dizzy Sticks

Late-game chaos tool: spin five times on a bat, run 20 yards, chug a beer, spin again. Repeat until every player looks like a malfunctioning carnival ride.

Hardcore Mode

• Beer at every base.
• Beer “ref checks”—if your cup’s low mid-inning, you’re benched.
• Slosh MVP: voted at the end for best athletic performance while clearly hammered.

These upgrades aren’t for the faint of heart—or liver.

Sloshball Party Themes and Costume Ideas

If you’re going to play the Sloshball drinking game, you may as well look legendary doing it. Dressing up adds fuel to the fun, brings teams together, and guarantees that someone’s profile pic is getting updated the next day. Plus, it’s harder to argue over rules when your shortstop is wearing a full banana suit.

Sloshball Party Themes

• Beer Olympics: Each team represents a country. National colors, flags, and fake medals encouraged. Bonus points if your anthem is a beer ad jingle.
• 80s Gym Rats: Sweatbands, crop tops, high socks, and enough neon to blind the sun. Add dumbbells for style—just don’t actually lift them mid-play.
• The Booze Brothers: Dress like washed-up musicians on a comeback tour. Sunglasses required, even if it’s cloudy.
• Super Sloshed Heroes: Capes, masks, and zero superpowers. Think: Captain Chug, Keg Woman, or The Incredible Spiller.
• Business Casual Fridays: Play in button-ups, ties, or blazers. Looks like a board meeting, feels like a frat party.

DIY Costume Tips

• Cheap matching shirts: Plain tees + fabric paint = instant team jersey
• Reusable beer helmets: Practical AND hilarious
• Printed team names: “Pitch Slapped,” “Kegged & Confused,” “Brew Tang Clan”

The more ridiculous, the better. Just make sure you can run, slide, and avoid heatstroke in your getup.

Best Beers for the Sloshball Drinking Game

Choosing the right beer for the Sloshball drinking game is as critical as knowing the rules. You’re not sipping craft stouts here—you’re slamming brews while sprinting to third base. You want something cold, light, and not liable to end your day after two innings.

Top Light Beers for Sloshball Glory

• Miller Lite: Classic. Tastes like victory with a hint of regret.
• Coors Light: Easy to drink and even easier to forget how many you’ve had.
• Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR): Iconic for hipsters and budget-conscious champions alike.
• Bud Light: America’s favorite “hydration beer” for outdoor chaos.
• Michelob Ultra: If you like pretending you’re making health-conscious choices during a drinking game.

Wildcard Picks for the Brave

• Narragansett: East Coast nostalgia with a “fishing boat buzz” energy.
• Rolling Rock: Smooth, odd, and you can tell people it’s your “lucky beer.”
• Shandy or Radlers: For a little citrus kick that makes second base feel like summer.

Beers You Should Absolutely Avoid

• IPAs over 6%: You’ll be blackout by the second inning and trying to argue with the keg.
• Stouts and porters: Too thick, too heavy, and weirdly warm halfway through.
• Any beer in a glass bottle: Obvious safety hazard. This is Sloshball, not a wine tasting.

Stick with light lagers and your body might forgive you. Eventually.

Sloshball Spotify Playlist: Bangers for Backyard Glory

The soundtrack to your Sloshball drinking game can make the difference between a lazy lawn hang and a full-blown backyard festival. You want energy, nostalgia, and songs that make people dance while spilling beer on each other.

Playlist Vibes: Loud, Proud, and Slightly Trashy

Here’s a sample mix to set the scene:

1. “Shots” – LMFAO & Lil Jon
2. “Tubthumping” – Chumbawamba
3. “No Hands” – Waka Flocka Flame
4. “Mr. Brightside” – The Killers (for dramatic third-inning singalongs)
5. “Don’t Stop Believin’” – Journey (as required by law)
6. “Beer Never Broke My Heart” – Luke Combs
7. “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” – Whitney Houston (for unexpected vibes)
8. “Party Rock Anthem” – LMFAO
9. “All Star” – Smash Mouth (perfect for a misplayed catch)
10. “Closing Time” – Semisonic (when the keg runs dry)

Thematic Add-Ons

• Second Base Anthems: “Pour Some Sugar on Me” or “Beer” by Reel Big Fish
• Victory Lap Jams: “Eye of the Tiger” or “We Are the Champions”
• Kegstand Soundtrack: Anything with a sick drop and bass-heavy chaos

Pro tip: Make a shared Spotify playlist ahead of time and let everyone add songs. Just be ready for someone to sneak in Nickelback. It happens.

Safety Tips for the Sloshball Drinking Game

Even the Sloshball drinking game needs ground rules:

• Designate a sober referee.
• Hydrate regularly (actual water, not “watered-down beer”).
• Play on soft ground—no one wants a scraped-up elbow with their buzz.
• Avoid public spaces unless you’re legally cleared for booze.
• Always have a plan for getting home that doesn’t involve driving. Ever.

The Sloshball drinking game isn’t about stats, sober judgment, or athletic glory—it’s about drinking beer, running in circles, and laughing until your abs hurt (or until you pull a hamstring you didn’t know you had).

Sloshball Drinking Game FAQs