Rage Cage Rules (Stack Cup): How to Play, Step by Step

Rage Cage (aka Stack Cup) is the fastest party game we know. Two players race to bounce a ping pong ball into an empty cup. Make it before the player chasing you and you pass your cup on. Get caught and your cup gets stacked, and you drink one from the middle. It’s loud, it’s fast, and somebody always ends up slamming the table.

Looking for the beer pong rule about the center cup of the rack? That’s the bitch cup rule.

What you need

  • A round or square table everyone can stand around
  • 15 to 25 plastic cups
  • 2 ping pong balls (two different colors helps)
  • Beer, seltzer or any drink, poured about a third full; water works for every rule
  • 5 or more players; 6 to 12 is ideal

How to set up

  1. Fill most of the cups about a third full and cluster them tightly in the center of the table.
  2. Fill one cup all the way and put it in the very middle. Depending on the house, this is the bitch cup, the death cup or the king cup.
  3. Stand in a circle around the table. Give an empty cup and a ball to two players standing directly across from each other.

How to play Rage Cage

  1. Bounce it in. On “go”, both players with balls bounce them off the table, trying to land in their own empty cup. You can try as many times as you need.
  2. Pass it on. As soon as you make it, pass your cup and ball to the player on your left (or right, if you agree before starting). They start bouncing right away.
  3. First-try bonus. Make it on your very first bounce and you can pass your cup to anyone at the table who isn’t already holding one.
  4. Stack. If you make your shot while the player before you is still shooting into the cup right next to yours, stack your cup into theirs. They’ve been caught.
  5. Getting stacked. If you’re stacked, take the stack out of play, grab a cup from the center, drink it, and start bouncing into that empty cup. The game keeps going without a pause.
  6. Ending the game. When the outer cups run out and someone gets stacked again, they drink the full center cup, and the round is over.

Common Rage Cage house rules

  • Accidental center cup: bounce your ball into one of the center cups and you drink it, stack it onto your own cup, and keep shooting.
  • Last cup stands: some houses refill the center cup and play another round instead of ending.
  • No skip on the first try: a stricter version where a first-bounce make still has to go to the next player.
  • Stack Cup / Slap Cup: in Slap Cup you slap the other player’s cup away instead of stacking it. Same table, more mess.

Tips

  • Bounce soft and short. A flat little bounce right in front of the cup goes in way more often than a big hero arc.
  • Keep the middle cups packed tight so stray balls bounce into cups, not onto the floor.
  • Pour small. This game moves fast. A third of a cup is plenty, and keep water on the table.

FAQ

Is Rage Cage the same as Stack Cup?

Yes. Rage Cage, Stack Cup and Stack Cups are the same game. Slap Cup and Boom Cup are close cousins with slightly different catch-up rules.

What is the bitch cup in Rage Cage?

The full cup in the very middle of the table. Whoever gets stacked after the outer cups are gone drinks it, and the game ends.

How many people do you need?

At least 5 for it to work, and it’s best with 6 to 12. Fewer than that and the cups come around too fast.

Can you play without alcohol?

Yes. Fill the cups with water or soda. The bouncing and stacking work exactly the same.

More party games: Circle of Death (Kings Cup), Power Hour, Slap Cup, Chandeliers, Quarters, flip cup, Boat Race, Beer Die, Beer Ball, Dizzy Bat. See them all on our party games page, or play the classic with the full rules of beer pong.