Drink Master Says

Review By: Valerie Schirmer

Sometimes I really love my job. I mean REALLY love my job, because my job description includes my regular duties combined with fun and drinking. Take this review, for instance. I got to play a super fun game and get my drink on—and it was for work!! But anyway...

When I was asked if I wanted to review another game, I was pretty excited. Perhaps you remember my last game review and how much fun my friends and I had trying it out. Well, I knew this would probably be pretty darned fun, too. So I didn't hesitate to say yes!

Before I delve into the details of what happened when we played the game, let me tell you a little about it. Let's start with the name - DrinkMaster Says.

The creators of the game wanted to create something that was fun to play but easy enough to bring with you to a party. That meant no big ol' board games with bunches of parts that can be lost either during transport or while in a drunken stupor.  The solution? An easy-to-carry card game that can fit in your pocket, purse, or cooler.

They made playing the game easy, thanks to rules that are written right on the cards so that there is nothing to have to memorize. There are even fun illustrations on each card to help and amuse the players. You may think that a card game is boring and simple to master. But, DrinkMaster Says is designed so that players probably won't play the exact same game twice (or if they do they may just be too drunk to notice LOL!). Now, let me tell you about my experience with the game.

I knew I was getting a card game, but for some reason I expected something bigger than what arrived on my doorstep. In the envelope I found a card game housed in a handy plastic container and sealed into a fun, illustrated hanger. It reminded me of the types of games you'd find hanging in the toy section at your local Target - like Phase 10 or Uno. The sturdy plastic container held the cards, the rules, and an extra card telling you a little bit about what you will find if you visit their website, drinkmastersays.com.

I sat down and began reading the rules to familiarize myself with the game, which can be played with anywhere from 2 to 9 players. I will tell you, though, that it is definitely more fun with more people. I tried playing with just my husband and although it was fun, we knew it would be better with more people, which I'll get to later.

There are two types of cards offered in the game:

Green cards are the Rule Cards. Players must follow the rules listed on the card or be forced to drink. Each rule card remains in effect until the next player places a Rule Card on top of it, which is every other round.

Blue cards are the Challenge Cards. These cards will have you testing your skills (and possibly your inhibitions). If you can do what's listed on the card, you don't have to drink. But, if you are unable to complete the challenge, you get to down a beverage or two.

There are also red boxes, or Action Boxes, on the bottom of each Rules Card. In this box will be a task that the player of the card must complete.

And if you're wondering what the numbers are in the upper left hand corner, it's the number of drinks a player must consume if he or she loses a challenge or breaks a rule.

Before you begin a game you have to appoint a DrinkMaster. He or she is the person d who deals the cards at the start of each game, settles any disputes that may arise, fills in the blanks on any cards with a blank, and can make one of the game's losers bring him or her a new drink whenever the mood strikes.

Each player gets four cards and the first player gets to choose if they want to play a Rule Card or a Challenge Card. The played card is placed face up so everyone can see what it says. Two cards piles will be made, one for each time, and the type of card played each round must alternate. The first player to play all of his or her cards is the winner and thus the next game's DrinkMaster. There is no set end to the game since you can immediately start a next round, so the game ends whenever you want it to, which will probably either be when everyone is too drunk to be able to comprehend the commands or when the drinks run out.

As I've already said, I tried playing the game with just two people and realized it needed more to make it more exciting. So, I invited over some friends to swim, grill, and play DrinkMaster Says. It was fun! I learned that I can easily balance an object on my head for 10 seconds, can spout out a tongue twister like nobody's business, have no problem talking like a drunken sailor, and can do a hell of an impersonation. I also learned some things I'm not really good at, like winning a burping contest, thumb wrestling, or not talking like a drunken sailor when I no longer have to! What made it even more fun was seeing my friends having a good time making fools of themselves because a card told them to.

We played quite a few rounds. I lost most of them but managed to become DrinkMaster for one. And I have to tell you I milked that round for all it was worth!! Word of warning--the game will ask you to do some pretty ridiculous things. If you're easily embarrassed, then this game is not for you. If not, then make sure you play with people you don't mind making an ass of yourself in front of!

All in all, it was a really fun game that I'd have no problem pulling out for future parties and get-togethers. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants a fun alternative to beer pong, cups, or any stale card game that always seems to make the rounds at gatherings.