Joking Hazard
Learn how to play Joking Hazard, the dark and hilarious card game. Discover its rules, house twists, and fun variations to try.
✍️ September 10, 2025
- 🎴 How to Play Joking Hazard
- 🃏 Joking Hazard Rules
- 🎯 Joking Hazard Variations
- 👾 FAQs about Joking Hazard
If you’ve ever wanted to build a comic strip that’s equal parts genius and absolute nonsense, Joking Hazard has your back. This card game, straight from the twisted creators of Cyanide & Happiness, lets you and your friends compete to finish ridiculous three-panel comics—sometimes dark, often chaotic, and always hilarious.
Think of it as Cards Against Humanity’s cousin who doodled in the margins of their school notebooks and turned that into a party game. Whether you’re testing your sense of humor with friends or pushing the limits of what counts as “funny,” the Joking Hazard game is all about delivering that punchline nobody saw coming.
👉 If you like your card games chaotic, you’ll love Ride the Bus — fast-paced, unforgiving, and guaranteed to get everyone drinking.
How to Play Joking Hazard
The Joking Hazard card game is quick to pick up but has enough chaos to keep your group laughing all night. Here’s how a typical round works:
1. Gather your crew
You’ll need at least 3 players, but the game really shines with 5–6. Deal everyone seven cards to start.
2. Pick the judge
Choose one player to act as the judge for the round. This role rotates after each turn.
3. Start the comic
The judge flips the top card from the deck into the center. That’s your first comic panel.
4. Add the setup
If the first card has a black border, the judge chooses a second panel from their hand to continue the story. If it’s a red border, skip this step—those cards act as ready-made punchlines.
5. Submit your punchline
The remaining players each throw in a card face-down as the final panel. This is where the madness begins.
6. Big reveal
The judge shuffles the submissions, flips them over, and reads the finished comics out loud for everyone.
7. Pick the winner
The funniest or most absurd ending wins the round. That player scores a point by keeping their winning card visible.
8. Keep the chaos going
Play continues until someone reaches three points—or longer if you’re all still crying from laughter.
Joking Hazard Rules
The official rules are simple, but half the fun of the Joking Hazard game comes from bending them with house-made tweaks. These extra rules keep things unpredictable and make the Joking Hazard card game uniquely yours.
1. Hand Refresh Rule
Players can ditch their entire hand and redraw twice per game if their cards are feeling stale.
2. Tag-Team Comics
Two players team up to build a comic together before the judge decides the winner. It doubles the chaos.
3. Wildcard Rule
Each player gets one “wildcard” per game that lets them redraw their hand instantly.
4. Ongoing Storyline
Instead of starting fresh each round, keep building one continuous comic. The results? Unhinged.
5. Time Pressure
Put a 10-second timer on submissions. If you don’t play a card in time, you sit that round out.
6. Judge’s Theme
The judge can set a theme like “awkward breakups” or “bad advice.” Cards that fit the theme get bonus points.
7. Group Vote Bonus
If the judge struggles to choose, let the group vote for the funniest ending. Majority rules.
Joking Hazard Variations
If the base game isn’t enough, these variations keep the Joking Hazard card game feeling fresh and party-ready.
1. Drinking Game Mode
Turn Joking Hazard into a boozy event: sip whenever a red-border card is played, and chug if your submission totally flops. Bonus points if the comic makes actual sense—everyone drinks to celebrate the miracle.
2. Dare Panel Challenge
Instead of drinking, losing players take on dares picked by the judge—like acting out their comic or telling an embarrassing story.
3. Double Trouble
Each player submits two punchlines per round, creating alternate endings. The judge picks one winner, while losers down their drinks.
4. Ongoing Saga
Stretch the game into a continuous storyline where each round builds on the last. Expect plot holes bigger than Marvel’s timeline.
5. Themed Rounds
Pick a theme before each round—romance fails, office disasters, awkward family dinners—and force every card to fit the vibe.
6. Speed Comic Challenge
Add a timer and force players to submit cards in under 10 seconds. Pure panic = pure comedy.
7. Reverse Judge
Instead of the judge picking the winner, the group votes secretly. Majority rules, and the judge drinks if their favorite loses.
FAQs about Joking Hazard
1. How many people can play Joking Hazard?
The game works with 3 or more players, but 5–6 is the sweet spot.
2. Is Joking Hazard family-friendly?
Nope. The Joking Hazard game is designed for adults thanks to its dark and risqué humor.
3. How long does a game last?
Usually 30–60 minutes, but it depends on how much laughing (or drinking) interrupts gameplay.
4. What are red-border cards for?
They act as instant punchlines, skipping the setup phase and fast-tracking the chaos.
📖 Suggested read: Not Enough Mana: How to Play the Wizard Drinking Game
5. Can you play Joking Hazard online?
Yes, you can use virtual platforms like PlayingCards.io to play with friends remotely.
6. Are there expansions?
Yes! Several Deck Enhancements add fresh panels, plus the infamous Stroking Hazard expansion for spicier content.
7. How do you win?
First to 3 points usually wins, but you can extend the game for as long as the group wants.
8. Can you make custom cards?
The base game includes blank cards so you can write your own jokes, inside references, or absurd scenarios.
9. Can non-drinkers play the drinking version?
Of course! Swap drinks for dares, extra card submissions, or silly penalties.
10. What’s the best way to store all the cards?
The original box works fine, but if you’re collecting expansions, the Enlarged Box is your best bet.
