Medusa - Drinking Game Rules & How to Play

Medusa is a drinking game in the No Equipment category for 4-15 players that takes about 15-30 min with a easy difficulty level.

Look up and lock eyes to drink

Equipment Needed

Setup

Gather everyone into a loose circle, seated or standing, with their drinks in hand. Everyone should start by looking down at the center of the circle, like a group of zombies avoiding eye contact. Make sure everyone knows what constitutes 'locking eyes' before the game starts to avoid arguments later.

How to Play Medusa

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

Tips & Strategies

If you're looking to survive longer, pick a new target to look at each round to keep people guessing. Don't lock eyes too quickly; let your gaze linger on someone else before committing. If you're assigning drinks after a successful lock, try giving them to someone who hasn't had much action yet to keep everyone engaged. Watch for players sneaking looks at multiple people,they're either strategizing or setting themselves up to drink.

Variations

After locking eyes and drinking, both players become a team and must lock eyes with others to pass on the chain until everyone is in one giant group.: Players who lock eyes both drink, but they also have to choose a third person to join them in a penalty drink,be strategic about who you pick.: No talking allowed at all, not even to laugh or yell when you lock eyes. Breaking the silence results in an immediate drink penalty.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if three players lock eyes at the same time?
If there's a three-way lock, all three players drink. To avoid confusion, agree ahead of time on what counts as simultaneous eye contact.
Can you bluff by looking up but not directly at anyone?
Yes, bluffing is allowed, but if someone calls you out for locking eyes and it turns out you were, you'll still need to drink.
What if nobody locks eyes during a round?
If nobody locks eyes, everyone takes a small sip as a penalty for being too cautious. Then reset and try again.
How is the winner determined?
The game typically doesn't have a single 'winner,' but if your group wants one, you can add a rule where the last person to avoid drinking three rounds in a row wins.

Players: 4-15 | Duration: 15-30 min | Difficulty: easy

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