True American, the hilariously chaotic drinking game that caught our attention in the TV series “New Girl,” often leaves people intrigued and eager to learn how to play. Luckily for you, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide on how to enjoy playing this wild game with your friends. Let’s dive right in!

1. Set up the play area

To set up the play area for True American, move your furniture to create a “lava” floor, with some islands as safe zones. Use chairs, tables, cushions or any other objects you can find – just make sure they’re sturdy enough to support players jumping from one island to another.

2. Prepare the Castle

At the center of your play area, create a “Castle” using an empty table or counter space. Stack beer cans (most commonly referred to as ‘soldiers’) in a pyramid shape and place a bottle of hard liquor (the “King”) at the top.

3. Divide into teams

Split all players into two equal teams. If there’s an odd number of participants, one team will simply have an extra player.

4. Determine turn order

Choose a team to go first by having both teams send one representative to engage in a quick rock-paper-scissors match.

5. The game begins!

The game starts with whoever won rock-paper-scissors shouting “One, two, three, four – JFK!” and everyone else responding “FDR!” All players rush toward the Castle and grab a ‘soldier’ (beer can), then retreat back to their starting positions.

6. Gameplay instructions

True American consists of players taking turns performing three main actions:

i. Move – Players navigate their way around the room by moving across safe zones or jumping from one island to another. Players must always hold onto their beer cans.

ii. Drink – Every time a player lands on a space that has not been previously occupied during the current round, they take a sip.

iii. Claim soldiers and dethrone the King – After finishing their beer, players can claim the ‘soldier’ by discarding the empty can in a designated trash spot. The objective is to be the first team to empty all of their soldiers and dethrone (take a swig of) the King (hard liquor bottle).

7. Trivia

While moving around the room, players can ask each other historical trivia questions to initiate mini-games. If a player answers correctly, they can steal an opponent’s soldier. Mini-games may also occasionally pop up – feel free to get creative with them!

8. End of the game

The first team to have all its members discard their ‘soldiers’ and take a swig from the King wins the game.

True American is an energetic and exciting game that keeps you on your toes while combining strategy, agility, and historical trivia knowledge. Gather your friends and enjoy this hilarious drinking game – just remember to always drink responsibly!