The Ring of Fire is an old favorite when it comes to drinking games. It’s similar to King’s Cup and Waterfall in many respects but still has its unique characteristics. If you are looking for a great drinking game to play with friends, it’s easy to recommend Ring of Fire.
Get some friends together, and of course, some booze, and you’re ready to play. Before we take a more in-depth look at how you play the Ring of Fire drinking game, let’s look at how the game works in more detail.
What is The Ring of Fire?
Ring of Fire, like many drinking games, was likely a spinoff of King’s Cup. The game shares many similarities but also has its own unique elements. Many games similar to Ring of Fire have been seen in numerous countries.
While there are a few differences on a country-by-country basis, most of these games come under the Ring of Fire name. If King’s Cup or Waterfall are some of your favorite drinking games, then you owe it to yourself to give Ring of Fire a try!
The game can be played by as few as two people but is best played with a larger group, in our opinion. There is also a fun element of risk involved when it comes to playing the Ring of Fire drinking game.
We’ll talk more about how this works in the gameplay section below. But before all that, let’s talk about what you need to play the Ring of Fire drinking game, shall we?
What You’ll Need To Play?
To play Ring of Fire, you’ll need a few different things. Namely a deck of playing cards, a few cans of beer, and finally some plastic cups/ glasses. We’ll explain how each of these pieces works below.
Playing Cards
Without playing cards, you can’t really play the Ring of Fire drinking game. Any kind of playing card can be used, but we recommend sticking with the traditional design. These Bicycle Standard Playing Cards would make an excellent choice.
Beer Cans
Every round of the Ring of Fire drinking game will need a fresh can of beer. When the tab pops, the round is over. So, we suggest getting a six-pack or even a dozen cans for when you play. You’ll also need beer to fill up each player’s cup as well. Although if you want, you can use different alcohol for the cups.
Plastic Cups
Like in Beer Pong or Snappa, plastic cups are also an essential element when playing the Ring of Fire drinking game. Any kind of plastic cup can be used, but we recommend these plastic 7-ounce cups. Plastic cups are safer and more suitable for drinking games and a great choice if you’re playing outdoors.
The Ring of Fire Drinking Game Rules and Gameplay
The Aim of The Game
So, what’s the aim of playing the Ring of Fire drinking game? Well, like most drinking games, the aim is simply to have fun! While technically, there will be a loser each round, that isn’t overly important. There are no points to keep track of either.
If you are looking for a fun, relaxed drinking game, then the Ring of Fire would be a perfect choice. So, get your friends together, layout your cups and cards, and get ready for a fun drink-fueled game!
The Set-Up
To set up a game of Ring of Fire, first place a beer can down in the center of a table. Then spread out the playing cards around the can. You can use all the cards or split the deck and use half. Just ensure the deck is well shuffled first and the cards are placed face down.
Once that is done, you should give every player a plastic cup and fill it at least halfway up with beer. You’re then ready to begin, so let’s go over the rules and explain how the game works in more detail.
The Game Rules
Playing the Ring of Fire drinking game is quite simple. Player’s take turns picking up cards and will have to carry out a specific action depending on what value the card holds. Now, these actions can vary, and there are many different rule sets you can follow.
To outline how the different cards are used, check out the table below. The Joker cards are a special case as many rule sets don’t use them. However, they can add a fun extra element to the game so feel free to use them if you want to.
| Card Drawn | Action |
| Ace | All players should start drinking on the count of three. When the player to your left stops drinking, you can stop as well. |
| 2 | Give out two drinks to any player/s of your choosing. The player/s will need to drink the drinks before the game continues. |
| 3 | You must drink from your cup and then refill it. |
| 4 | All players must immediately raise their hands. The last player to raise their hand must drink from their cup. |
| 5 | All men playing must take a drink. |
| 6 | All women playing must take a drink. |
| 7 | All players must race to put their hands on the ground. The last player to do so must drink from their cup. |
| 8 | The player can choose a “mate” from the rest of the players. From then on, whenever you have to drink, they do as well. |
| 9 | You must say a word then every player takes turns saying a word that rhymes. The first player to fail to come up with a word or repeat one must drink. |
| 10 | You must say a category, and then every player takes turns saying something that fits into said category. The first player to fail to do this or repeat something must drink. |
| Jack | Everyone takes a drink, and the game then continues. |
| Queen | You can play truth or dare with another player. If they don’t want the truth or dare, they must drink. |
| King | The first player to get a King can come with a unique rule that must be followed by other players. |
| Joker | If you decide to use the Joker, you can use it as a wild card similar to games like Uno. So, the Joker can stand for any other card on this list. |
The important thing to remember is that once a card has been played, it isn’t outright discarded. Any played cards must be placed under the beer cans tab. Once the tab bursts, the game is over, and the player who put the last card down must finish the can. You can then start a new round.
Ring of Fire – A Classic Drinking Game!
Ring of Fire is a classic drinking game that you can easily enjoy at the pub or with friends at home. The rules are easy to follow, and seeing the beer tab burst is a lot of fun. While there are undoubtedly more complex and intricate games, if you want a game you can easily enjoy with friends at a bachelor party or any social gathering, you can’t go wrong with Ring of Fire.
