Imagine this: You’re at Thursday’s weekly game night with the girls. Tequila bottles and card games are scattered across the dining room table with a fun playlist in the background. As you scramble through what new drinking game to play for the next round of shots, you officially decide on “Ride The Bus,” a game that’s known to guarantee you fun and get you very, very tipsy (assuming liquor is involved!)
For those who’ve never had the chance to get their hands on it, Ride the Bus is extremely popular in the drinking game world, and can be played either with or without alcohol and a deck of cards. So, without further ado, if you’re in need of a new game to play for the ultimate game night, you’ve come to the right place.
Ahead are the rules and everything to know.
Setting It Up
Start by arranging the set of cards facedown in a pyramid shape. With five cards in the base row, four in the next row, three in the following row, two above that, and a single card on the top. The shape will form “the bus.”
The Rules
The cards in the pyramid have different associations. In order to play, players take turns drawing cards and following the corresponding rule. The game usually progresses from the bottom row to the top.
The Base Row Meaning
The cards in the base row represent taking a shot or sipping on a drink. For example, the base row cards of five would mean that you would take five sips or a shot of a drink.
The Second Row Meaning
In the second row, the cards represent a set rule for players to follow. For example, a 4 of spades could mean that everyone needs to do jumping jacks, and the last person to do so, has to take a shot or a sip of a drink.
The Third Row
The third row represents players making their own rule. For example, when drawing a 4 of diamonds, this may mean that players have to stare at each other and the one to break the rule has to take a shot or a sip.
The Fourth Row
The fourth row is usually a mini-game or a challenge. For example, drawing a 4 of diamonds could mean a dance battle and the person who loses must take a shot or a sip of a drink.
The Top Card
The top card of the pyramid indicates “the bus driver,” which is the most important part of the game. Drawing the card means that the final round is here and the loser will “ride the bus.”
Riding The Bus
The player who draws the bus driver card has to guess the color (red or black) of each card they draw from a separate deck. For every wrong guess, the player must take a drink until they successfully guess all of the card’s colors.
If you’re in need of a stimulating game for girls’ night, Ride The Bus is a fun option for drinkers and non-drinkers. The game can be played in any which way and isn’t subject to following specific rules, as long as the main aspect of “Riding the Bus is implemented.
Cheers to a fun night in with friends and drinking buddies!