How to Play Would You Rather

Would you rather is a two-option question game. Someone asks "Would you rather A or B?" and everyone has to pick one. There's nothing to set up and no score to keep, which is why it shows up on road trips, at sleepovers, in classrooms and at the start of work meetings.

The basic rules

One person reads a question and both options.
Everyone picks one. "Neither" and "both" don't count.
Each player says why, in a sentence or two. This is where the laughs and the arguments come from.
The next person asks the next question. Keep going until someone calls time.

That's the whole game. Most groups get through 10 to 20 questions in 15 minutes.

Ways to play

Walk to a side (classrooms and big groups)

Name one side of the room for each option. Read the question, everyone walks to their side, and you call on one person from each side to explain. It gets kids moving and makes a quiet class talk. Our questions for kids and middle schoolers are written for this.

Guess first (couples and close friends)

Before your partner answers, guess what they'll pick. One point for each right guess. You learn more from the wrong guesses than the right ones. Try the couples questions or questions for friends.

One question to open a meeting (work)

Post one question in the team chat or read it at the start of a standup. Everyone answers in one line. Two minutes, no more. The work-appropriate questions stay away from anything awkward.

Make it harder

Add a rule: after you pick, you have to defend the side you didn't pick. Or play with hard questions and deep ones where both sides cost you something.

Play solo, against everyone

Every question on this site is a live poll. Tap a side and you see how everyone else voted. The would you rather game serves them one at a time in random order.

Tips for good questions

Both options should be about equally good, or equally bad. If everyone picks the same side, the question is too easy.
Keep it short enough to say out loud in one breath.
Match the room: silly for kids, grown-up dilemmas for adults, nothing awkward for coworkers.
Ask "why?" every time. The reason is the game.

Games like would you rather

This or that: two quick options, answered in a word ("beach or mountains?"). Faster, easier for little kids. This or that questions.
Never have I ever: someone names a thing they've never done; anyone who has done it puts a finger down.
Two truths and a lie: say three things about yourself, and the group guesses which one is made up.
Hot seat: one person answers rapid-fire questions from everyone for a minute.
20 questions: one person thinks of a thing, everyone else gets 20 yes-or-no questions to guess it.

Questions people ask

What is would you rather?

A question game where every question offers two options and you have to pick one. There are no right answers; the point is the choice and the reason behind it.

Can you say "neither" or "both"?

Not in the classic rules. Picking is the whole game. If a group keeps dodging, add a rule that anyone who says "neither" has to answer the next one first.

How many people do you need?

Two is enough. It also works for a classroom of 30 or a video call, as long as one person reads the questions.

What are games like would you rather?

This or that (two quick options, no explaining), Never have I ever, Two truths and a lie, Hot seat, and 20 questions are the closest. This or that is the easiest swap for younger kids.