Look, if you’ve ever been stuck in a house during a rainy vacation or a long Thanksgiving weekend, someone has probably pulled a bright red box off the shelf. It’s a classic. But honestly, most people get the rules for how to play apples to apples game slightly wrong because they’ve been playing "house rules" for so long they’ve forgotten what the actual Mattel instruction sheet says.
It’s a game of comparisons. It’s also a game of knowing exactly how your Aunt Linda thinks. If she thinks "The Garbage Man" is "Delicious," you play that card. You don't play what's logically right; you play what's right for the person judging. That’s the secret sauce.
Setting Up the Table Before the Chaos Starts
First things first. You need players. You can technically play with three, but it’s kind of a bummer. Four is the minimum for a good time, and it scales up to eight or ten if you have the table space and the patience.
You’ve got two decks. The Red Apple Cards are the "Things." People, places, things, or even feelings. "My Bathroom," "Tom Cruise," "Fuzzy Slippers." Then you have the Green Apple Cards. These are the "Descriptions." They’re adjectives like "Scary," "Shiny," or "Ridiculous."
Every player gets seven Red Apple cards to start. Don't show them to anyone. If you see "The Loch Ness Monster" in your hand, keep that close to the chest. It’s a high-value card for almost any Green Apple description.
Pick one person to be the first judge. Usually, it's the person whose birthday is closest, or just the person who reached for the box first. It doesn’t really matter because the role of the judge rotates every single round. Everyone gets a turn to be the boss.
The Rhythm of How to Play Apples to Apples Game
The judge grabs a Green Apple card from the top of the stack and reads it out loud. Let’s say the word is "Crunchy."
Now, everyone else—the "players"—looks at their hand of seven red cards. You’re looking for the thing in your hand that is most "Crunchy." Or, if you want to be funny, the thing that is the least crunchy but would make the judge laugh. Maybe you have "Potato Chips." That’s a literal fit. Maybe you have "A Used Car Dealer." That’s a metaphorical fit if you're playing with a snarky crowd.
The Blind Submission
You slide your chosen red card face down on the table. The judge shouldn't know who played what. This is vital. If the judge knows you played the "Goldfish" card, they might pick it just because they like you, or reject it because you won the last three rounds. Keep it anonymous.
Once everyone has put a card in, the judge mixes them up. They read them out loud, usually with a bit of flair.
"Okay, we have... Gravel, My Teeth, A Fresh Apple, and... The New York City Subway?"
The judge picks the winner. There’s no appeal process. There’s no debating. The judge's word is law. If they think the subway is "Crunchy," then whoever played that card wins the Green Apple card. That card acts as your "point."
Winning the Game (And How Long This Actually Takes)
You keep playing until someone hits a specific number of Green Apple cards. The official rules suggest a target based on the number of players.
- 4 Players: You need 8 cards to win.
- 5 Players: You need 7 cards.
- 6 Players: You need 6 cards.
- 7 Players: You need 5 cards.
- 8+ Players: Usually 4 cards is enough to call it a night.
But honestly? Most people just play until the snacks run out or someone gets too competitive and needs a breather.
The "Quick Play" Variation and Other Tweaks
Sometimes the standard how to play apples to apples game instructions feel a bit slow. If you want to speed things up, try the "last card in doesn't count" rule. In this version, the last person to put their red card on the table doesn't even get considered for the round. Their card goes back in the box, and they lose out. It adds a frantic, physical element to the game that makes people dive for the table.
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There’s also the "Apple Turnover" style. This is for the brave. You reverse the roles. The judge plays a Red Apple card (a thing), and everyone else has to play a Green Apple card (an adjective) from their hand that describes that thing. It’s way harder because adjectives are more specific, but it leads to some genuinely weird combinations.
Dealing with "Dead" Hands
We’ve all been there. You have a hand full of cards like "A Toaster," "A Leaf," and "My Left Ear," and the Green Apple card is "International." None of your cards fit.
In some circles, there’s a house rule where you can trade in your whole hand for seven new cards once per game. The official rules don't technically allow this—you’re supposed to just play a "throwaway" card and hope for better luck next round—but if you're playing for fun, just let people swap. It keeps the game moving.
Why Knowing Your Judge is the Only Real Strategy
If you're playing with your 8-year-old nephew, he’s going to pick the card that mentions "Boogers" or "Stinky Socks" every single time, regardless of what the Green Apple card says. If the word is "Elegant" and you play "Boogers," you might actually win.
If you’re playing with your college professor, they might be looking for a clever historical pun. If the Green Apple card is "Dangerous" and you play "The Printing Press," you’re playing to your audience.
That is the core of how to play apples to apples game at a high level. It isn't a word game. It's a social engineering game. You are profiling the people across the table.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don't be the person who tries to argue why their card was better after the judge has already made a decision. It slows down the vibe. The game is subjective by design.
Also, don't forget to draw a new Red Apple card after every round. There is nothing worse than getting to your turn and realizing you only have three cards left because you forgot to refill. You should always have seven cards in your hand at the start of a round.
The "Table Talk" Rule
Some groups allow you to lobby for your card. After the judge reads the cards but before they pick a winner, players can try to convince the judge why "George Washington" is actually "Sultry." This can be hilarious or incredibly annoying depending on who you're playing with. If your group likes to argue, go for it. If you want a quick game, keep the "no talking" rule in place until the winner is picked.
Practical Next Steps for Your Next Game Night
If you're ready to break out the box, follow these steps to ensure the game actually stays fun:
- Clear the deck: Remove any "stale" cards. If you're playing the 1999 version of the game, there might be pop culture references that nobody under the age of 30 understands. Just pull them out and toss them.
- Assign a "Card Czar": Have one person responsible for making sure everyone draws back up to seven cards. It keeps the game's momentum from stalling.
- Mix the groups: If you have a choice, sit between people you don't know as well. It makes the judging more unpredictable and prevents "insider trading" between couples or best friends.
- Set a time limit: Instead of playing to a card count, play for 45 minutes. It prevents the game from overstaying its welcome, which is the number one complaint about party games.
Grab the box, shuffle the greens, and remember: it’s only a game until someone insults your taste in "Crunchy" things.