How do we decide who wins?

The judge (or group vote) should pick the winner based on creativity, humor, or effort. If there's a tie, have a quick pose-off or impromptu performance to break it.

What happens if someone refuses to wear a costume?

That person automatically drinks and their team loses half the points in the voting round. This keeps everyone engaged and motivated to participate.

What counts as a 'final penalty' for the losing team?

The losing team has to finish their drinks or perform a silly task, like singing a song in their costumes or taking a photo posing with the winning team.

Can we use pre-made costumes?

Pre-made costumes are allowed if everyone agrees ahead of time, but they might not score as highly as homemade ones. The judge can decide whether they get bonus or penalty points.

Costume Contest - Drinking Game Rules & How to Play

Costume Contest is a drinking game in the Team Games category for 6-30 players that takes about 15-30 min with a easy difficulty level.

Best costume wins, others drink

Equipment Needed

Team supplies
Drinks

Setup

Divide players into teams of 3-5 people. Each team gets 10 minutes to create costumes using any supplies provided, like markers, tape, foil, old clothes, or random props (be creative). Designate a neutral judge, or have all players vote on the costumes at the end.

How to Play Costume Contest

Set up the game according to basic rules
Players take turns or play simultaneously
Penalties result in drinking
Success means assigning drinks
Continue until winner emerges
Loser faces final penalty
Winner earns bragging rights
Adjust rules as needed for your group

Tips & Strategies

Go for absurd or hilarious themes. A fully wrapped foil robot or a duct-tape superhero will usually trump a basic sheet ghost. If you're the judge, make sure to keep the voting fair, but don't hesitate to encourage ridiculous rivalries between teams. Assign drinks strategically,give more to the team that was clearly winging it or didn't try hard.

Variations

Teams must stick to a specific category, like 'sci-fi' or 'zombies', announced before costume creation starts.: Bring a random shopping bag of supplies for each team. They must use only those items to make their costumes.: Cut down the prep time to 5 minutes, forcing teams to be extra fast and creative with what they have.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do we decide who wins?: The judge (or group vote) should pick the winner based on creativity, humor, or effort. If there's a tie, have a quick pose-off or impromptu performance to break it.
What happens if someone refuses to wear a costume?: That person automatically drinks and their team loses half the points in the voting round. This keeps everyone engaged and motivated to participate.
What counts as a 'final penalty' for the losing team?: The losing team has to finish their drinks or perform a silly task, like singing a song in their costumes or taking a photo posing with the winning team.
Can we use pre-made costumes?: Pre-made costumes are allowed if everyone agrees ahead of time, but they might not score as highly as homemade ones. The judge can decide whether they get bonus or penalty points.

Players: 6-30 | Duration: 15-30 min | Difficulty: easy

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