True American is the legendary drinking game from the TV show New Girl. On the show, the rules are intentionally chaotic and never fully explained — which is part of the charm. Fans have pieced together a playable version based on the episodes, and it is one of the most entertaining party games you can set up. Here is how to actually play it.
What Is True American?
True American is a mix of a drinking game, a board game, and the floor is lava. Players move around the room by standing on furniture, drinking beers, and shouting out American trivia. There is a bottle of liquor in the center (the “King”) that everyone is trying to reach, surrounded by beer cans (the “Pawns”) that must be eliminated first.
What You Need
- 1 bottle of liquor (the King — placed on a table in the center of the room)
- A lot of beer cans — at least 4 per player (the Pawns — arranged around the King)
- A room with movable furniture (couches, chairs, cushions, ottomans)
- 4+ players (best with 6-8)
- Knowledge of random American facts (or willingness to shout anything confidently)
Setup
- Build the castle. Place the liquor bottle on a table in the center of the room. Surround it with beer cans arranged in 4 lines radiating outward (like a plus sign or compass). Each line should have about 5 cans.
- Create the board. Arrange furniture around the room in a rough circle. Couches, chairs, cushions on the floor, and anything you can stand on become “spaces” that players move between. The floor between furniture pieces is lava.
- Divide into teams (optional but recommended for larger groups).
- Everyone grabs a beer to start.
How to Play
Starting the Game
Everyone stands on the furniture. One player starts by shouting “One, two, three, JFK!” Everyone else responds “FDR!” and the game begins. All players immediately try to grab a beer from the center — you can grab one from a line only if you can reach it from your furniture without touching the floor.
Moving Around
On each turn, the active player can move to an adjacent piece of furniture by doing one of these:
- The Count: Yell “One, two, three” and everyone holds up 1-5 fingers. If you match someone, you both move one space forward.
- Complete a Quote: Start a famous quote, song lyric, or movie line. If another player finishes it correctly, you both move.
- American Trivia: State a fact about America. If the group accepts it (majority vote), you move.
Drinking Rules
- Every time you move to a new piece of furniture, grab a beer from the nearest line and drink it.
- If you touch the floor (the lava), you chug your current beer and go back to where you started.
- If you cannot reach a beer from your current position, you must drink from whatever you have.
- Beers must be finished before you can discard them. Empty cans go on the floor.
Winning
Once all the beer pawns have been collected from a line, the path to the King (the liquor bottle) is open. The first player to reach the center table, finish their beer, and take a swig from the King wins the game.
The Floor is Lava
This is the most important rule. The floor is lava at all times. If any part of your body touches the floor:
- You must chug your current beer immediately
- You return to the starting position
- Everyone else gets to laugh at you
Clinton Rules (Advanced Variant)
In the New Girl episode “Cooler,” the characters play a version called “Clinton Rules” which adds romantic elements. In this variant:
- The game pauses periodically for “the Clinton” — two players are selected by the group and must go into a closet (or another room) for a timed period.
- The rest of the group continues playing during this time.
- This variant is best for groups where everyone knows each other well and is comfortable with it.
Tips for Playing True American
- Use cheap beer. You will go through a LOT of cans. This is not the time for craft IPAs.
- Protect your furniture. People will be jumping on couches. Use sturdy pieces and remove anything breakable from the room.
- Floor protection. Lay down towels or a tarp. There will be spills.
- Accept the chaos. True American is not a perfectly balanced game. Rules will be debated, people will make up facts, and someone will definitely touch the lava. That is the whole point.
- Have a designated rule master. One sober-ish person should moderate disputes and keep the game moving.
- Warm up first. The game makes more sense after everyone has had a drink or two. Start with a round of something simpler to get the energy up.
- Music helps. Play a patriotic or party playlist in the background. It sets the mood and covers the sound of furniture creaking.
True American on the Show
True American appears in several New Girl episodes, most notably:
- “Normal” (Season 1, Episode 20): The first appearance. The rules are barely explained, and it looks like pure chaos.
- “Cooler” (Season 2, Episode 15): The most famous True American episode, featuring “Clinton Rules” and the iconic Jess/Nick moment.
- “Mars Landing” (Season 3, Episode 20): Another appearance that adds more lore to the game.
Part of what makes True American great is that even the show’s creators admit the rules are intentionally vague. Your version of the game will inevitably develop its own house rules — and that is exactly how it should be.