Rage Cage

About the Game

Rage Cage is a fast paced group game where two ping pong balls move around the table as players race to bounce them into cups. Make your shot and pass your cup to the next player clockwise before the other ball catches up to you.

When a player catches up to someone who is still trying to make their shot, they stack their empty cup inside that player's cup. The player who gets stacked must take another cup from the center and continue playing. As the center empties, the pressure builds until someone gets the final cup.

What You Need

• Approximately 20-40 plastic cups, depending on group size.
• Two ping-pong balls.
• A sturdy table with enough room for everyone to stand around it.
• Drinks for the cups, with water or nonalcoholic drinks as alternatives.

Setup

1. Arrange the Cups

Cluster the filled cups tightly together in the center of the table. Leave enough room for players to work with their own cups around the outside of the cluster, then fill each cup about 1/4 full with your chosen drinks.

2. Prepare the Center Cup

Designate one cup in the center as the final cup, called the death cup. The player who gets stuck with it when the other cups are gone loses the game. The death cup must be made by one or two players who will be participating in that game. Most ingredients are on the table when it comes to making the death cup. I would recommend keeping the alcohol content to no more than 3 drinks worth, the volume to no more than 3/4 the cup size, and to not make it too gross if you decide to take that foul route.

3. Choose the Starting Players

Everyone stands around the table. Give an empty cup and a ping-pong ball to two players positioned across from each other.

Rules

1. Start the Game

On the countdown, both starting players take a cup from the center, drink its contents, and attempt to bounce their ping pong ball into their empty cup.

2. Bounce the Ball

The ball must bounce off the table before landing inside your cup. If you miss, retrieve the ball and keep trying until you make it.

3. Pass the Cup

Once your ball lands in your cup, pass both the cup and ball to the player on your left. They immediately begin trying to make their shot.

4. First-Try Advantage

If you make your shot on your very first bounce, you may pass your cup and ball to any eligible player who is not currently attempting a shot. Otherwise, pass to the player on your left.

5. Getting Stacked

If you make your shot while the player ahead of you is still trying to make theirs, stack your empty cup inside theirs. The player who gets stacked takes a new cup from the center, consumes its contents if playing with drinks, and continues bouncing. They pass the stacked cups along as play continues.

6. Accidentally Make a Center Cup

If your ball lands in one of the cups in the center cluster, that cup is yours. Remove it from the cluster and add it to your stack. If your ball lands in the death cup, the game ends immediately and you lose.

7. The Final Cup

Play continues until the center cluster is empty except for the designated final cup. The player who gets stacked when no regular cups remain takes the final cup and loses the game.

Quick Rule Summary

• Two players start with a ball and an empty cup.
• Bounce the ball off the table and into your cup.
• Make it and pass the cup and ball to the left.
• A first-bounce make lets you pass to an eligible player of your choice.
• If you catch up to the player ahead of you, stack your cup inside theirs.
• The stacked player takes another center cup and continues.
• The player left with the final cup loses.

Watch Rage Cage

Watch a demonstration of the game to see how the bouncing, passing, and stacking work. Some of the rules and setup in this video differ from what I have discussed on this page, but it serves as a good example of how the game is played.