How to play Zoom drinking games in isolation

Looking for some easy and fun online drinking games to play while in isolation?

Well, you’ve come to the right place! We’ve come up with some Zoom drinking games.

As businesses across Australia and abroad look to run most activities online, there’s been a sudden influx of people downloading and using video chat and screen share app’s such as Zoom. While these work great for business meetings and discussion, they also open a new way to play drinking games with friends, while still following social distancing and isolation guidelines.

Check out these FREE online websites that can be transformed to create the perfect isolation drinking games. We’ve also included a few verbal games they only require a group chat app or website to play.

Note: While we mention Zoom in the article, these online drinking games can be played on any video chat app or website. Zoom is free and easy to use but does have some limitations such as a 40-minute maximum video chat period. However, simply end the chat and get it back up to continue your drinking session.

How to set up your isolation Zoom drinking game night

If you haven’t already, jump over to zoom.us and download their website application. We recommend the one hosting the isolation zoom drinking games use a desktop to make screenshare easy – other players can join via desktop or mobile. To find the app on either an Android or Apple phone, just search ‘Zoom’ in the respective app store and download the app (this app is free to download and use).

To set up screenshare, follow this guide.

1. Take your chances at Wheel Decide

This game is a drinking game based completely on chance while being super easy to set up.

Simply jump over to the website (link below) and add in a few drinking penalties to the ‘choices’ section. We’ve laid out a few of the basic options but be sure to add a few more that you see fit.

A few good drinking penalties to start with are:

• All Drink 1
• All Drink 3
• All Drink 5
• Guys Drink 3
• Ladies Drink 3

Then create the following choices for each player in the game:

• [Name] Drinks 1
• [Name] Drinks 2
• [Name] Drinks 3
• [Name] Nominates 3

To mix these choices up on the wheel, you can write the list in a word or notepad document, and copy/paste the list to a free online randomiser such as random.org. Then you can copy the randomised list and paste it to Wheel Decide.

This game works great as a background screen that you spin every now and then, while your friends and you discuss the craziness that is Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Pro Tip: If you’re the one hosting, add some ambiance with a background shot of a local brewery – we chose Boston Brewing for our last online drinking destination.

Try Out Wheel Decide »

2. Play some classics with an online deck of cards

Love a good card drinking game but finding it too difficult to do over video chat?

Well, look no further than Deck of Cards!

This simple website provides you with a full set of cards that can be shuffled at the click of a button. Provide your friends with a spot at each edge of the screen before dealing out one of your favourite card-based drinking games.

Note: As all players can see the cards, this website will only work for games that don’t require players to look at their cards. Why not try: Kings Cup, 4 Plus, or 5 Card.

Try Out Deck of Cards »

3. Learn about your friends with Never Have I Ever

This is a simple question game.

Go around the video chat one at a time and use the phrase “Never have I ever…” before adding something you have never done. Then, all players that have done it, must have 1 sip of their beer as a penalty.

For example, ask a question such as “Never have I ever been to America” if you have never been. Any players that have been to America would then need to take a sip.

This is a great Zoom drinking game to play with new friend groups and colleagues as it’s a great way to break the ice and generate conversations.

4. Mobile app isolation drinking games

Catch up over video call and play some fun mobile apps – supercharged with drinking penalties. To help you get started, the Beer Is OK team have trialled a few free mobile apps and how drink penalties can be included to make them the perfect Zoom drinking games.

UNO!™ by Mattel163 Limited

Available on Google Play & Apple App Store.

Uno is definitely a crowd favourite; we’d be surprised if you’ve never played before. This game is perfect for up to 4 players, with the option of playing solo, or in two teams of two.

Adding drinking penalties to this classic is easy, with players requiring a drink every time they draw a card or are skipped by another player. To get started, download the game and play through the tutorial games until you unlock ‘Fun Room’. Within Fun Room, you can create your own room in ‘Room Mode’ that your friends can then join. This also allows you to play around with the rules.

Drinking rules for UNO!™:

• 1x Sip for each card you draw;
• 1x Sip when you are skipped by the previous player;
• If you can pick up and place the same card, you do not sip.

Golf Battle by Miniclip.com

Available on Google Play & Apple App Store.

Golf Battle is perfect for groups of up to 6 players and incorporating some drink penalties is quite straight forward making it an easy to learn Zoom drinking game. The game involves playing golf on different maps by simply swiping down on your phone in an attempt to land your ball in the hole.

In ‘Classic Mode’, you play a total of three maps and aim to get the lowest total shots – with all players drinking the difference of their score to the player that comes first. In ‘Rush Mode’, you play four maps and aim for the fastest time (number of shots does not matter) – with players drinking one sip per second after the player that comes first.

‘Rush mode’ can make the required drink penalty add up fast, so you may want to reduce it to one sip per 5 seconds.

Drinking rules for Golf Battle:

• Classic Mode: 1x sip for each shot over first place;
• Rush Mode: 1x sip for each second past first place.