Setup
Players
- 5-10+
Materials
- A group of friends!
- There’s a board game variation if you don’t want to come up with your own ideas!
Additional Setup Notes
- Some variations of Never Have I Ever will incorporate alcohol for a fun and easy drinking game. In this version of Never Have I Ever, players will need beverages and alcohol.
Objective
The objective of Never Have I Ever is to learn more about your friends while also sharing details of your own life with the group. Great as an ice breaker for new groups or as a go-to game amongst large friend groups, Never Have I Ever is a game about learning what people have and have not done in life.
Gameplay
Begin by gathering players in a circle so that everyone can see each other. Each player will hold up their hands to show 10 fingers in front of them. Each finger represents something the player has done.
Choose a player to go first by selecting either the youngest or oldest person in the group. The first player will begin by announcing to the group something they haven’t done by first saying “Never have I ever…” It could be as simple as “Never have I ever traveled to Mexico” or something more specific to the group like “Never have I ever lived in Chicago, IL.” Feel free to be as outlandish or mundane as you’d like, but always be honest!
Ideally, players will name something they haven’t done that they believe other people in the group have done. After a player declares what they haven’t done, two things will happen. Players who have done the action named will put down a finger as a penalty. Players who also haven’t done the action described will keep their fingers up.
After the first player has gone, people will take turns going counter-clockwise declaring something they’ve never done. For each action accomplished by players, fingers will likely go down. In many games, players will demand for players to make a noise when they put a finger down so that the group knows what has and hasn’t been done by the group. Get ready for fun surprises and shocking revelations!
Endgame
Part of the fun of playing Never Have I Ever is losing Never Have I Ever, an indication of a life well-lived. The game of Never Have I Ever ends with the last fingers standing: the player who still has fingers up after everyone else has put down all of their fingers wins the game. Never Have I Ever can be quickly reset and played again if players are interested or new players want to hop in!
Never Have I Ever Examples
The sky’s the limit when playing Never Have I Ever. If you haven’t done it, feel free to say it when it’s your turn to admit something you’ve never done. Some common admissions players could say include (but are by no means limited to):
- Never have I ever gone camping.
- Never have I ever skied.
- Never have I ever traveled to a different country.
- Never have I ever broken a bone.
- Never have I ever been to a haunted house.
- Never have I ever sleepwalked.
- Never have I ever been on an airplane.
- Never have I ever ridden a horse.
- Never have I ever done karate.
- Never have I ever read an entire book in one day.
- Never have I ever ridden a roller coaster.
- Never have I ever played video games all day.
- Etc.
Never Have I Ever Tips & Strategy
The only strategy involved in the game of Never Have I Ever is brainstorming different ways to get other players in the circle to put their fingers down. If you think no one in the room has done it, it’s not a good Never Have I Ever answer. The longer the game lasts, the more creative you’ll need to be
Never Have I Ever Variations
Never Have I Ever is a fairly simple game, but many people will shake things up by adding different penalties for when players have done something named in the game. Additionally, people can establish what level of ridiculousness people can resort to when brainstorming things they’ve done. Feel free to get creative with how you play Never Have I Ever.
Never Have I Ever Drinking Game
Never Have I Ever is a game that can be played within groups of all ages, but in games played by adults, Never Have I Ever can get as outrageous as people are comfortable with. It’s very popular to turn Never Have I Ever into a drinking game. The only rule change in this version is that when players put down a finger, they must pick up their drink and take a sip as a penalty.
FAQs
How many people should play Never Have I Ever?
The best games of Never Have I Ever have at least five players present. People can certainly play with fewer players, but players will run out of ideas faster and the game will tend to be less fun.
What happens if no one puts their fingers down after someone has gone?
If someone’s Never Have I Ever admission prompts nobody to put their fingers down, the original player must brainstorm something else they haven’t done. In the drinking game version of Never Have I Ever, it’s popular to see players take a drink if they can’t get any players to put a finger down.
Disclaimer
The Game Farm does not encourage or promote alcohol consumption of any kind. We do not take responsibility for any injuries, damages, or other consequences that may arise from the consumption of alcohol while playing our games.
It is the responsibility of each individual player to drink responsibly and know their limits. We recommend that players drink plenty of water and take breaks throughout the night to avoid becoming intoxicated.
If you are underage, please do not drink alcohol. Drinking alcohol underage is illegal and can have serious health consequences.
We hope you have fun playing our drinking games responsibly!
