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How to Play ‘Truth or Dare?’ (Rules): 13 Things You Need to Consider

Last Updated on January 25, 2024 by Gamesver Team and JC Franco

Before you begin your next Truth or Dare? game rendezvous, certain considerations need to be made, as although the game of truths or dares can be quite exhilarating, it can also be sorely embarrassing. Read on to find out the 13 things to consider before you host a Truth or Dare? game.

When organizing a Truth or Dare? night you should consider setting boundaries before starting out. It also helps to take into consideration the number of participants. Finally, we also advise that you take cognizance of how whatever variant of your Truth or Dare? game could influence your game night.

1. Online Apps Vs. Brainstorming

These days, you don’t have to be particularly creative to play Truth or Dare? anymore. A good Truth or Dare? app could easily supply the question while you plan out the particulars of the game evening. 

Whether you want to keep it PG13 or explore other possibilities, the choice is up to you to brainstorm your questions or pick them out from a “Truth or Dare?” list online.

Apart from Truth or Dare? apps, there are quite a ton of Truth or Dare? questions available on the internet. Some websites pack as much as 300-500 Truth or Dare? questions.

2. Deciding the Right Variant to Play

While Truth or Dare? might indeed be a party game classic; there are quite a number of variants to the original. Some variations might add little twists for participants to play; two truths and a dare and, more recently, truth, dare, kiss and a swear. When planning for a Truth or Dare? game, it pays to select a variant that is not only popular but widely known.

3. Determine the Number of Participants

Although there is no restriction on the number of participants in a Truth or Dare? game, in practice, we find numbers larger than 10 particularly difficult to manage and significantly less fun. If your participants number above 10, it is probably a good idea to elect another party game altogether—think, “never have I ever” or “yes, no or white, black.”

4. Come Up with Consequences for Quitting the Game

It is not uncommon for players to up and quit the game after a few revealing truths or risque dares. From love confessions to the more creative mustard spread, there are a handful of ways to punish quitting in a Truth or Dare? game, and, as the, you’re going to have to decide which is sure to give you the perfect game night.

5. Include Consequences for Skipping a Dare or Truth

When faced with a dreadfully embarrassing question or a near-impossible dare, participants may choose to sit out a turn or two. 

For this reason, before playing the Truth or Dare?, it’s probably a good idea to decide just what a player has to do if they do choose to skip a turn; say good ol’ fashioned tequila shots, or — if you are feeling a little more adventurous—you can have the participants remove an article of clothing or two every time they elect to miss a turn.

6. Put the Safety of Participants into Consideration

While the Truth or Dare? game might be a super fun way to bond with friends at a sleepover; it certainly isn’t without its own dangers. This party game has caused bodily harm to teenagers and adults alike, where one internet user shared her experience, and another alluded to an equally morbid experience. 

So, if you are going to be playing “Truth or Dare?,” you’d probably want to keep your dares exciting yet sufficiently safe and legal.

7. Set Boundaries

In the thick of a game night, people often get carried away, turning insensitive, and while they might not mean offense, people still suffer discomfort or emotional hurt.

Although this cannot be stopped altogether, it can certainly be managed. Setting ground rules before playing is undoubtedly a good start, and adopting punitive measures is even better.

As a rule of thumb, you’d want to keep your question thrilling yet respectful, and your dares exciting but relatively harmless.

8. Put a Restriction on the Age range

With Truth or Dare?, there’s no hard-and-fast rule barring certain age groups from participation. This game is open to most age ranges and is mostly unregulated.

Adults might have a reckless streak or two, but teenagers are typically a little more reckless than adults, and in the face of this party game, perhaps even more.

Before electing to go with a Truth or Dare? game, decide if your lot of participants can be sure to stay responsible

9. Decide on a Location

Truth or Dare? isn’t for slumber parties and sleepovers alone; you can also play Truth or Dare? in a chatroom with friends, colleagues, or partners. 

With the advent of the internet, many everyday people have grown accustomed to virtual Truth or Dare?.

However, playing Truth or Dare? virtually has its limitations. Dares are less riveting, and the truths are sometimes lackluster.

The next time you pick out questions for your Truth or Dare? game, decide if you would like to play it online or in your living room foyer. Then, it is probably a good idea to select questions perfect for each scenario.

10. Read your Crowd

Truth or Dare? isn’t always ideal for every social situation. A lot of teens might be enthused at the chance to play Truth or Dare?, but a decent number of adolescents chafe at the idea of sharing any part of their lives with a room full of teenagers.

In the same token, a decent percentage of twenty-year-olds aren’t very enthusiastic about lewd dares proposed at a game night.

Before choosing to go with Truth or Dare?, decide if this party game is ideal for your crowd. If you find that it’s not, you could select another party game perfect for all the parties concerned

11. Know When to Quit altogether

After a few good runs of truths or dares, the evening often lulls into a dull rhythm, and the buzz might even die out altogether. Usually, this is the best time to quit the game and maybe move on to beer pong or any other party game of your choice.

If you aren’t sure you would like to call it quits for the night just yet, you could take water breaks or maybe even pause for a slice of pizza, just the thing to renew everybody’s interest in the game.

12. Keep it Quiet

After an evening of Truth or Dare?, things can grow quite awkward for a number of participants. While you have no way of ensuring everybody stays tight-lipped, a pro tip is to suggest everybody to turn off their phones and recording devices right before the evening starts 

13. Have Fun

Whether you are slinging embarrassing questions or playing “two truths and a lie,” the primary idea behind every party game is entertainment, and it is no different with Truth or Dare?.

During a game of Truth or Dare?, participants can grow angsty and, in the face of excessive prying, quite uncomfortable. 

Despite its many cons, Truth or Dare? can be a rather entertaining way to get acquainted with strangers or make new memories with longtime friends.

When playing Truth or Dare?, try to keep your “truths” exciting, and your “dares” original.

In Closing

Whether you are a teen looking for a perfect game to bond with friends or kill time with your roommate on a Saturday night, the Truth or Dare? is a sure way to go. These tips detail the many ways to keep Truth or Dare? with your friend’s fun, exciting, and safe.

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This article was co-authored by our team of in-house and freelance writers, and reviewed by our editors, who enjoy sharing their knowledge about their favorite games with others!

JC Franco
Editor | + posts

JC Franco serves as a New York-based editor for Gamesver. His interest for board games centers around chess, a pursuit he began in elementary school at the age of 9. Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Business from Mercyhurst University, JC brings a blend of business acumen and creative insight to his role. Beyond his editorial endeavors, he is a certified USPTA professional, imparting his knowledge in tennis to enthusiasts across the New York City Metropolitan area.