Cage Drinking Game – Ping Pong with Cups and Drinking Rules

Try to catch the other cup. Get caught — and drink!

Setup

Place cups in the middle of the table and fill them with drink (about ⅕ of the cup).
The number of cups is decided by the group — 2–4 cups per player is recommended. For example, 5 players need 10–20 cups.
Place two empty cups on opposite sides of the table, each with a ping pong ball.

How to play

Players on each side of the table try to bounce the ball into their own plastic cup.
If a player succeeds on the first attempt, they can send their cup to anyone they want, except the person who already has the other cup (unless that person is to your left).
If the player hits on a later attempt, the cup is passed to the left.
The goal is to catch the other cup, resulting in a "cage".
If a player gets caged, the caught cup is placed inside the player's cup. The player must take one of the cups from the circle, drink its contents, and try to bounce the ball into the cup again.
The cup tower, now with two cups, is passed to the left.

How to play Cage

Cage is a ping pong-based drinking game where two teams try to catch each other's cup by bouncing the ball into their own plastic cup. Similar to Beer Pong, but instead of aiming at the opponent's cups, the focus is on speed and "caging" the opponent. A hit on the first attempt gives you freedom to send the cup anywhere; hit later and it always goes left.

Rules

Place cups in the middle of the table (2–4 per player recommended) and fill them about ⅕ with drink.
Two empty cups and ping pong balls are placed on opposite sides of the table.
Hit the ball into your cup on the first attempt → send the cup to anyone (except the person with the other cup).
Hit on a later attempt → the cup is passed to the left.
If you manage to catch the other cup, a "Cage" occurs – the caged player takes a cup from the table, drinks its contents, and starts over.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Cage and Beer Pong?

In Beer Pong you aim at the opponent's cups. In Cage you focus on your own cup and try to catch the other player's cup – it's about speed and precision, not emptying the opponent's side.

What happens when you cage someone?

The caged player must take a cup from the table, drink its contents, and then try to hit the ball into the cup again to resume play.

How many cups should you use?

2–4 cups per player is recommended. For 5 players that means 10–20 cups total on the table.

Can you send the cup back to the same person?

Yes, but only if that person doesn't already have a cup. If they have a cup, you must send it to someone else – unless the person to your left already has it.

What if the ball bounces off the table?

The ball is only valid if it bounces off the table and into the cup. If the ball bounces off the table it counts as a miss and you try again.