"So, it's 50% drinking game, 50% life-size Candy Land."

*Originally published on October 26, 2016
Updated on March 8, 2022:

If you’re a fan of New Girl, this one's for you! On the show, the rag-tag group of roommates partakes in an amazingly challenging drinking game called "True American." And c'mon, we've all wanted to try our hand at the game! But, we'll be honest, the rules and regulations have been murky, at best. 

Until now, that is.

Thanks to the aptly-named website TrueAmericanRules.com and @boredboardgames on TikTok, the official way to play True American has been revealed—and we’ve got the breakdown for you! (You're welcome.)

How to Play "True American" From New Girl:

@boredboardgames The True American Dream #trueamerican #newgirl #jessday #nickmiller #trueamericanrules #boardgame #gamenight #games #drinkinggame #HairFoodChallenge ♬ BORN FOR THIS - Foxxi

Objective:

• Players take turns trying to win moves in order to navigate the tables, chairs, and cushions—the floor is lava, by the way!
• At the center is a "castle" —a bottle of alcohol ("king") and beers ("pawns")—and as players make their way around, they remove beers and drink them.
• Once all of the beers have been removed from the center, the first player to reach the bottle of alcohol, finish their beer, and take a sip from the bottle wins the game.

The Zones:

• There are four zones, each with five spaces where a player can stand.
• The center space in each zone is the only space where the Pawns can be taken.

Courtesy of TrueAmericanRules.com

Gameplay:

To start the game, all players must shotgun a beer. The first player to finish must then yell, "1, 2, 3, 4, JFK!" and the rest yell, "FDR!" Then, all players must run and grab a pawn and get to the nearest "safe spot" to get off the floor of lava. All players must always have a pawn in their hand—no more than three at a time.

Players move around the game area in a clockwise direction. When it's your turn, you move one space. The other players must "win" their moves by one of three ways:

• The Count: All players yell "One, two, three" and then hold a number of fingers, between one and five, against their foreheads. Anyone holding a number that no one else has chosen wins. Winners move one spot.
• Complete a Quote: The player may slowly speak a quote from history or pop culture. Any other player that is able to jump in and complete the quote in tandem wins. Winners move two spots.
• Something in Common: The player may yell out two people, places, or things. Any other player that can reply with what these two things have in common wins. Winners move three spots.

If, at any time, you are caught without a beer, you lose. You also lose if you step in the lava. In order to get back into the game, you have to shotgun a beer and enter the gameplay area on the object farthest away from the castle.

There you have it, folks! Please remember to drink responsibly and know your limitations. You don’t have to go as hard as the TV show depicts!