OBJECTIVE OF NEVER HAVE I EVER: Be the last player playing.
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 4+ players
MATERIALS: Your hands, alcohol, good friends, and some horrible life decisions.
TYPE OF GAME: Drinking Social Game
AUDIENCE: 21+
INTRODUCTION TO NEVER HAVE I EVER
Never Have I Ever is a fun and intrusive drinking game which also goes by the name Ten Fingers. The game is verbal and, for that reason, reminiscent of childhood games, with a wet adult twist, booze.
As with any drinking game Never Have I ever should be played responsibly.
While board games have dominated the party game sector for the last couple of years, Never Have I ever is a classic game that is perfect for any type of get-together and has no setup and very few rules to explain. This makes it much more versatile than your standard board games and a great addition to the rotation of play for groups that meet up frequently.
Players grab a beverage and sit in a circle with a group of friends or strangers and get to know each other a little better. This game typically incites fun stories, and players often target other players into admitting to something crazy or embarrassing that they have done.
The game is best with people who make horrible life decisions, just so you have some wild things to call your friends out on. Never Have I Ever has easier Game rules, so no matter how drunk you get, you can keep the game play going. It’s one of the easiest drinking games.
GAME PLAY
Players hold up their hands. Starting with the youngest player (or any other random determiner, like who has the coolest shoes), the first person will declare “Never Have I Ever…,” admitting to something they have not done.
Players who have done this thing put down a single finger and take a drink. If no one puts their finger down, the player who called the prompt must drink (this is an optional rule but, a fun one!).
After the person starting passes their turn, play passes to the left, the next person then declares something they have not done.
Players who have put down all their fingers must take several drinks at once, the amount of which is pre-determined before starting Never Have I ever. They are then eliminated from the game.
Stuck on what questions to ask? Here’s an article with a ton of fun examples, or check out some of our examples below!
TOPIC EXAMPLES
Never have I ever…tried to use a fake ID to get into a bar
Never have I ever…lied to two friends about each other
Never have I ever…had a one night stand
Never have I ever…invited myself to someone else’s vacation
Never have I ever…played strip poker
Never have I ever…been in a physical fight
Never have I ever…canceled on a friend for no reason
Never have I ever…worked at a strip club
Never have I ever…fallen asleep at the wheel
Never have I ever…gone on a blind date
Never have I ever…been blackout drunk
Never have I ever…cheated on a partner
Never have I ever… drank someone else’s alcohol at a bar
Never have I ever…had group sex
Never have I ever…stolen something
Never have I ever…hurt myself trying to be funny
Never have I ever…ghosted multiple friends
Never have I ever…pooped my pants in public
Never have I ever…flirted with a customer for tips
Never have I ever…stood up someone on a date
NON DRINKING VERSION
For those of us who do not drink, you may still play Never Have I Ever. The game rules for the non drinking Never Have I Ever are very similar to the game rules for the drinking version.
To start all the players will sit in a circle together. The first player who can be determined any random way (a great suggestion is who has the coolest shoes), start by stating something they have never done.
As with the standard game rules, players who have done this will put a finger down and drink. After the person starting passes their turn, the game continues with the next player doing the same. The last person who has a digit up wins. It’s an easy game with simple rules, but a ton of fun with good friends.
Safe for Work Topics
For those of you who want to play Never Have I Ever, but want some safe for work options for topics.
Never Have I Ever…been to a foreign country
Never Have I Ever…cut my own hair
Never Have I Ever…had a surprise party thrown for me
Never Have I Ever…pretended someone was funny so they’d like me
Never Have I Ever…cheated in board games
Never Have I Ever…fallen in love at first sight
Never Have I Ever…been in a play
Never Have I Ever…pretended to like something because most people did
Never Have I Ever…left a party without telling anyone
Never Have I Ever…broken a bone
Never Have I Ever…had to break into my own home
Never Have I Ever…stopped working in a group project
Never Have I Ever…played fighting games
Never Have I Ever…lied to get out of work
Never Have I Ever…withheld an answer out of spite
Never Have I Ever…dated a coworker
Never Have I Ever…pretended to be dumb to seem funny
Never Have I Ever…fallen asleep on a plane
Never Have I Ever…asked IT for tips for my at-home computer
Never Have I Ever…tripped someone on purpose
Never Have I Ever…fully completed a video game
Never Have I Ever…watched a let’s play on youtube
Never Have I Ever…finished a game of Life
Never Have I Ever…held a spider/snake
Never Have I Ever…had a life or death experience
Never Have I Ever…donated blood
Never Have I Ever…seen a play on broadway
Never Have I Ever…had to run for my life
Never Have I Ever…been married
Never Have I Ever…been to a concert
VARIANT GAME RULES
A common variant of this game is played in King’s Cup, in which players put up 3 or 5 fingers and the first person with all their fingers down drinks.
One variation on the game states that if a player is drinking alone, they must recount the story of why they are drinking. This typically occurs when they are targeted. This leads to many fun and embarrassing stories. Some even play that if you are willing to tell the story you don’t need to drink.
A fun twist to Never Have I ever that limits your drinking is to have players drink only when they collect ten points. For every digit a player puts down they gain a point, and once all 10 are down they consume their beer or take a shot. then they get to put all 10 digits backup. This keeps the fun going longer!
Another fun version of this game is I Have. This is basically the same game but played in reverse. Instead of saying, “Never Have I Ever…,” players say “I Have…,” followed by something they have done. If a player has not done that thing, they drink and put down a digit. This continues until all players have put all their fingers down.
Example Topics: I Have…
drunk dialed an ex
followed a fad diet
had a paranormal experience
went skinny dipping
went scuba diving
participated in a talent show
been the first person on a plane
thrown up at a party
been shot
gotten lost
Kissed my best friend
played video games for over 8 hours
thought something was so funny I peed on myself
lost my phone while holding it
dated a friends ex without them knowing
tried and failed at picking someone up at a bar
left a game after a player starts bosting
searched online for tips on how to pick up chicks
jumped out of a plane
broken my nose
watched the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy in one sitting
play cards with a celebrity
been banned for life from a bar
gotten a tattoo
played a sport in college
forgotten my lines in a play
been fired from my job
slept with a friend’s parent
played in a band
broken someone else’s bone
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What topics can I use?
Anything you Like! In Never Have I Ever, no topic is off-limits. Just make sure the rest of the players are comfortable.
It’s always good practice before the start of game play to check if any topics may trigger some players. It’s meant to be a fun game of booze and stories, so always watch out for your friends.
What happens when I put my last finger down?
As sad as it is, In Never Have I Ever, there can be only one person who wins. If you ever put down your last finger, you are out of the game. The one player that remains is the winner.
Also in the drinking version of the game, the player must then take several drinks or finish their drink depending on what the group decided before the game began.
What if someone is lying?
Never Have I Ever is a fun, friendly drinking game. If you know someone is fibbing, it’s best to just let it go and ignore them.
If you are truly worried about it affecting the fun, it might just be best to not play this game with them in the future.
Do you have to play this as a drinking game/What if I don’t want to play this as a drinking game?
While the drinking game version is described above, you do not have to play this as a drinking game.
If you wish to play Never Have I Ever as a regular game just check out the non drinking version described in the above-labeled section.
