The True American Drinking Game: A Beginner’s Guide

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Learn to play the iconic New Girl drinking game in real life
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True American is a fast-paced drinking and obstacle course game that was developed in an episode of the hit television show New Girl . This lively game combines some of your favorite childhood games—like pretending the floor is lava—with drinking liquor, but should only be played (with alcohol) by those of legal drinking age. The game was designed to be intentionally confusing, but once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty simple. In this article, we’ll teach you everything you need to know to play True American, including how to set the game up, how you win and lose, and optional rules you can add to make the game more interesting.

True American Rules

  1. Set up a table with a bottle of liquor and several beers.
  2. Place chairs and cushions around the table.
  3. Take turns moving around the spaces without touching the floor.
  4. Grab beers from the castle as you go.
  5. When all beers are gone, the first person to drink the liquor wins.
  6. Add in silly New Girl rules like asking players to complete a quote from U.S. history.
Section 1 of 5:

Overview of the True American Game

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  1. To play True American, players take turns climbing across furniture to avoid touching the floor, like the game “Floor is Lava.” At the center of the game is a “castle” made up of various beers and a large bottle of alcohol. The players grab and drink the beers from the castle as they move to different pieces of furniture. Once all the beers have been removed, the first player to grab the bottle of alcohol and take a drink is the winner. [1]
    • On the TV show New Girl , True American was created to be an intentionally vague and complicated drinking game, so it may be a bit confusing at first.
  2. The castle is a table or piece of furniture set up in the center of the playing area. It is made up of a bottle of liquor (or the “king of the castle”) and 20 beers (or “pawns”). The beers are arranged in 4 lines of 5 beers, extending from each side of the bottle of liquor in an “X” shape. The castle is the focal point of True American, and players take and drink beers from it as they play the game. [2]
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  3. The layout of the game consists of 4 zones the players must move through. The zones are centered around the castle and separated by the lines of beer. Each zone contains 5 pieces of furniture or household objects on which the players stand. Players must step or leap to each of these objects without touching the floor. Players can only take a beer from the castle when standing on the object in the center of the zone. [3]
  4. To win True American, players must first remove all pawns (beers) from the castle. Then, the first person to land on a center space, finish all remaining beers in their hand, and take a drink from the king (bottle of liquor) wins the game. [4]
    • Anyone who “falls in lava” (or steps on the floor) loses True American. You’ll also be disqualified if you have less than 1 or more than 3 beers in hand. Getting caught with an empty container can disqualify you, as well. Luckily, you can rejoin the game by drinking and finishing another beer that isn’t a pawn. [5]
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Section 2 of 5:

Setting Up the Game

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  1. While it isn’t required to divide players into teams, having teams of at least 2 people each will create a more competitive atmosphere and encourage players to get more involved. To create teams, have each player hold up a number between 1 and 5 on their foreheads. The players who hold up the same number will be on a team together. Repeat the process until the teams are balanced and have the same number of players. [6]
    • For example, let’s say you have 6 players total. Two players held up a 1, so they’re on the same team. If the other 4 members all picked different numbers, they’ll keep picking different numbers until they’re paired off in teams of two.
    • If more than 2 players pick the same number, they can all be on the same team or keep choosing numbers until they’re paired off. The remaining player can then join another team or play by themselves—the rules are up to you.
  2. Choose a flat piece of furniture, like a table, to be the castle and place it in the center of the playable area. Place a bottle of liquor in the middle of the table. The liquor bottle will serve as the “king of the castle,” and the first player to drink from this bottle will win the game. [7]
    • If you don’t have a table, lay some mats on a section of the floor and designate this area as the castle.
    • Make sure you have a large space to play the game, like a living room or recreation room. You need enough space around the table to create the required obstacle course zones.
    • Choose a hard liquor like whiskey or a liquor that is a favorite amongst you and your friends. For a non-alcoholic option, try juice, milk, soda, or another beverage.
  3. Both beer bottles and cans are fine. Line the beers up so they form 4 straight lines that extend from each side of the bottle. These 4 lines represent the barriers between the 4 playing zones, and the set of 20 beers serve as “pawns” that belong to the “Soldiers of the Secret Order.” [8]
    • Creating the perfect ratio between beers and players makes for an interesting game. Having 5 pawns per branch easily supports a game of 4 people, and feel free to add more pawns to each branch if you have a larger number of players.
  4. Create 4 V-shaped zones in your playing area, each confined within the space designated by two lines of beer at the castle. In each zone, set up 5 pieces of furniture or household items for players to stand on, like pillows, blankets, chairs, and tables. Arrange the objects in a V, placing the center object closest to the castle and the first and last objects farthest away. [9]
    • The center space in each zone is the only place where players can retrieve a pawn, which is why it needs to be closest to the castle.
    • Make sure the objects are large enough for 1 or 2 people to stand on, and leave some distance between each one to make moving to the next space more challenging. Remember, the floor is lava in True American, so the players must be able to step or jump to the next object without touching the floor.
    • When you’re done setting up each zone, the setup should roughly resemble a flower that has 4 petals.
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Section 3 of 5:

Playing True American

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  1. Traditional shotgunning involves poking a hole in the bottom of a beer can and popping the top to quickly drink it from the hole. If you don’t want to make a mess, an alternate option would be to chug the beers normally. The order in which you and your friends finish your beers determines the order in which you will play the game. [10]
    • Another option is to use a game of chance to determine who will have the first turn, like playing Rock, Paper, Scissors or by flipping a coin. Whoever wins gets to go first.
    • The person who wins the tip-off, regardless of which method you use, is the first “president,” or player in control.
  2. The person who won the tip-off gets to do this and take the first turn. In response, all of the other players will yell “FDR.” Then, everyone will take a pawn (beer) from the castle and rush to stand on any of the 5 objects within the 4 zones. Once every player is on an object, the floor becomes lava, and players cannot touch it or they’ll be out of the game. [11]
  3. When it’s your turn, you become the player in control, which is the only guaranteed way you’ll move forward. Each time it’s your turn or you earn the chance to move forward, move to the next space within your zone without touching the floor. Once you land on or pass the center space of that zone, proceed to the next zone and continue the clockwise rotation. Each time you move, take a drink from your pawn. [12]
    • Remember, the floor is lava in True American, so if you touch it, you’re out of the game. Step or jump from object to object as you move throughout the game.
    • The only time you can touch the floor is if you’re on a bathroom break, in which you can “fly” over the lava by flapping your arms like a bird on the way to and from the bathroom.
  4. This is the only way you can earn pawns to stay in the game. Since there are 4 center spaces in total, the more you move around the board, the greater your chances are to land on one. [13]
    • If you land on a center space and there are no pawns left in that zone, you do not get an extra pawn.
  5. After you move forward a space during your turn, you’ll be in charge of giving the other players a chance to move, as well. As the player in control, allow the players to compete for movement using 1 of 3 methods. Once you do this, your turn will be over, and the process will start over for the next player. Here are the three ways players can move forward when it isn’t their turn: [14]
    • Counting method: Count upwards by yelling out, “One, two, three.” Each player will then hold up a number between 1 and 5 on their foreheads. The player holding up a number that no one else has wins, and moves forward 1 space. If there are multiple players who held up a number that no one else picked, each of the winners gets to move forward 1 space. [15]
    • Quote method: Say a quote and ask players to complete it. This can be a famous quote from history, pop culture, or literature. Choose one that you think will equally stump each of your friends, or make your friends act quickly to finish an easy quote. All players who correctly recite the quote in tandem with you before you complete the quote get to move forward 2 spaces.
    • Commonality method: Think of either 2 people, places, or things that have a key feature or element in common (for example, George Washington and a nutcracker soldier both have wooden teeth). The first player to correctly identify what those 2 things have in common will get to move forward 3 spaces.
    • For each space a player earns, they will have to take an equivalent amount of drinks from their pawn as well. This will be the part of each turn in which players will need to really pace their drinking in order to maintain the needed 1 to 3 pawns.
  6. Having no pawns or more than 3 in your hand can cause you to lose the game. Getting caught with an empty pawn will also disqualify you. Carefully strategize the size of drinks you take depending on where you land throughout the game. [16]
    • For example, if you haven’t had any luck landing on a center space, take small sips of your beer until you pick up a second one.
    • If you frequently land on center spaces, take bigger gulps to make sure you do not collect more than 3 pawns at a time.
  7. If you get eliminated in True American, it doesn’t have to be a permanent loss. Drink your new beer as fast or as slow as you like, but you cannot participate in gameplay until you finish it. When you’re done with it, an opponent will choose where your new starting position is. [17]
  8. Once all of the pawns have been removed from the castle, the king is left in a vulnerable state. At that point, the first player who finishes any beers in hand and lands on a center space to take a swig from the king (bottle of liquor) will win the game. [18]
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Section 4 of 5:

Additional New Girl Rules

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  1. Because True American is based on a vague drinking game in New Girl , there aren’t many “official” rules. However, within the show, the game evolved and new rules were mentioned throughout different episodes. Here are some of the show’s rules that you can add to your game to make it more chaotic: [19]
    • Everything is a lie when you play True American.
    • When a player finishes their beer, they yell, “All trash belongs…” and the other players respond with “In the junkyard!” At that point, all empty cans or bottles are thrown in a designated trash can or receptacle. This keeps the playable area from becoming littered.
    • A player can yell “JFK” at any point, and everyone else must respond by yelling “FDR” and finishing a beer. This can quickly eliminate players and make a slow game move faster.
    • Playing with “Clinton Rules” effectively turns the game into a stripping game. Players must remove an article of clothing if they fail certain tasks.
    • Any time someone yells “Donald Trump,” the other players must shout “Build the wall” and drink.
    • Remember, these rules are optional and aren’t necessary for playing the “real life” version of True American. Feel free to make up your own rules as well!
Section 5 of 5:

True American FAQs

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  1. True American was originally a fictional drinking game from the sitcom New Girl , but fans of the show pieced together the rules from various episodes to create a real life version of the game. The rules may be slightly different from those described in the show, but overall the gameplay is very similar. [20]
  2. To play True American, you need at least 4 players. This way, you can split into teams if you want, and there will be enough players to have someone in each zone. It is possible to play True American with more than 4 people as long as you have the space—and the alcohol—to accommodate everyone. [21]
  3. Yes, while True American is designed to be a drinking game, it’s possible to play it without alcohol. Simply swap out the beers and liquor for beverages of your choice, like soda or juice.
  4. To take a short break from True American, make use of the “Wings of the Eagle” rule, which allows you to “fly” over the lava at the cost of moving back one space. Shout “Wings of the Eagle,” and flap your arms like a bird on the way to and from the bathroom. The game will continue while you’re gone. [22]
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    Do we have to have beer though?
    Shayna Innocenti
    Community Answer
    You do not have to use beer for the pawns, or even use alcohol to play the game. Instead of beer, choose a simple drink that you and your friends enjoy. Just make it a beverage that can be consumed safely over the course of the game. For non-alcoholic ideas, you can use juice or milk.
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  • Question
    When a person re-enters the game, is the beer that they drink to get back in the game one of the pawns?
    Shayna Innocenti
    Community Answer
    No, this is not typically one of the pawns, but if you and your friends want to play that way to speed the game up, then that is perfectly fine!
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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  • Question
    If there is one last beer, and they take it. Can they chug it and take a drink from the king? What if they don't know an answer to a quote or similarity, what if there are more than one answer?
    Shayna Innocenti
    Community Answer
    If there is one beer left and someone lands on a center space and takes it, then that person can choose to drink the entire beer on that turn. If that was the only pawn that player had left in their hands, they would have to wait until the next time they land on a center space to drink from the king. If a player does not know the answer to a quote, then that player cannot move forward on that turn. If there is more than one answer, then the player control at that time would decide whether or not to allow the alternate answer.
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      Tips

      • Don’t worry if it takes a while to get the hang of True American. It was designed to be confusing! If you can’t figure it out, adjust the rules to what works best for you and your friends.
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      Warnings

      • Use caution when setting up the area for your game. Make sure to balance how many obstacles there are and how much alcohol will be used in the game. Alcohol and obstacles can make for a dangerous combination.
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      • Consuming large amounts of alcohol is dangerous. Make sure to know your limits, and never get behind the wheel of a vehicle after drinking.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://spoonuniversity.com/lifestyle/3-totally-insane-drinking-games-no-idea-existed
      2. ↑ https://the-game-farm.com/board-games/the-new-girl-drinking-game-true-american/
      3. ↑ https://spoonuniversity.com/lifestyle/3-totally-insane-drinking-games-no-idea-existed
      4. ↑ https://screenrant.com/new-girl-true-american-drinking-game-rules-how-play/
      5. ↑ https://spoonuniversity.com/lifestyle/3-totally-insane-drinking-games-no-idea-existed
      6. ↑ https://ew.com/article/2014/07/29/popwatch-confessional-true-american-new-girl/
      7. ↑ https://screenrant.com/new-girl-true-american-drinking-game-rules-how-play/
      8. ↑ https://the-game-farm.com/board-games/the-new-girl-drinking-game-true-american/
      9. ↑ https://drinkinggamesbible.com/true-american-drinking-game/
      1. ↑ https://ew.com/article/2014/07/29/popwatch-confessional-true-american-new-girl/
      2. ↑ https://drinkinggamesbible.com/true-american-drinking-game/
      3. ↑ https://the-game-farm.com/board-games/the-new-girl-drinking-game-true-american/
      4. ↑ https://drinkinggamesbible.com/true-american-drinking-game/
      5. ↑ https://drinkinggamesbible.com/true-american-drinking-game/
      6. ↑ http://www.trueamericanrules.com/working-rules/
      7. ↑ https://drinkinggamesbible.com/true-american-drinking-game/
      8. ↑ https://the-game-farm.com/board-games/the-new-girl-drinking-game-true-american/
      9. ↑ https://spoonuniversity.com/lifestyle/3-totally-insane-drinking-games-no-idea-existed
      10. ↑ https://the-game-farm.com/board-games/the-new-girl-drinking-game-true-american/
      11. ↑ https://ew.com/article/2014/07/29/popwatch-confessional-true-american-new-girl/
      12. ↑ https://ew.com/article/2014/07/29/popwatch-confessional-true-american-new-girl/
      13. ↑ https://drinkinggamesbible.com/true-american-drinking-game/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To play True American, the drinking and obstacle course game from the tv show New Girl, you’ll need 4 or more players, furniture to stand on, a bottle of liquor, and a lot of cans of beer. Start by placing a small stand or table in the center of a wide-open room. This will be the castle. Put a bottle of liquor in the center of the castle and arrange 4 lines containing at least 5 beers each branching off of the liquor bottle. The bottle is the king of the castle, the beers are the pawns, and the spaces between the lines of pawns are the 4 zones. Imagine the 4 zones extend all the way out into the room, and fill each zone with 5 pieces of furniture that players can stand on. If you don’t have furniture, you can use pillows, blankets, or even sheets of paper. The important thing is that players have something to stand on since the floor in this game is lava. Arrange the furniture in each zone in a circle, and make sure the spaces are close enough for players to jump from one space to the next. Make sure one space is within reaching distance of the castle. If you want to play the game in teams to make it more competitive, have every player hold up a number between 1 and 5 on their forehead at the same time. Whoever has the same number is on the same team. Keep doing this until the teams are even. To start the game, every player shotguns a beer at the same time. Whoever finishes first goes first, whoever finishes second goes second, and so on. The first player yells “One, two, three, JFK,” then everyone else yells “FDR.” All of the players grab a pawn from the castle and run to a random space in one of the 4 zones. Players can move one space on their turn, and they move clockwise around the circle in the zone they’re in. Once a player reaches the space closest to the castle, they get another pawn and move on to the next zone to the left. Players must always have at least 1 pawn in their hand and no more than 3 pawns. If a player finishes their last pawn, they’re out of the game. A player is also out of the game if they accidentally touch the lava. A player can open and finish a non-pawn beer to re-enter the game at any time. On a player’s turn, they can give the other players a chance to move in one of three ways. First, they can call out “One, two, three,” at which point the rest of the players put a number between 1 and 5 on their forehead. Whoever is holding up a number that no one else has moves forward 1 space. Second, the player can say a quote and ask the other players to finish it. Whoever finishes the quote first moves forward 2 spaces. Third, the player can say two people, places, or things and let the other players guess what the two nouns have in common. Whoever guesses first moves forward 3 spaces. Players continue to take turns until all of the pawns have been removed from the castle. At that point, the first player to finish the pawns in their hands, land on a space next to the castle, and take a swig from the king wins the game! For tips on making up rules, strategizing, and winning the game, scroll down!

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        Apr 16, 2017

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