The 11 Best Mystery Board Games of 2023

Best Overall

Ravensburger Scotland Yard

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In Ravensburger's Scotland Yard, you and your teammates will start competing against each other to see who gets to be the dastardly Mr. X—and be chased all over London, err the board game, trying to escape the detectives. The detectives will need to work together to block his escape routes, but just when you think you have it all figured out, Mr. X disappears for a round.

Travel by tube, bus, and foot to try to block Mr. X's path on the intricate game board featuring different routes and paths across the busy city. Players must use deductive reasoning and problem-solving skills to think like a detective (or a criminal) and reach their goals. Since many of the players work together, this board game works best with a large group, but note that younger players may need a bit of extra help to get started.

Price at time of publish: $41

_{Number of Players: 3-6 | Duration: 30 minutes | Recommended Age: 8 years and up}

Best for Families

Hunt A Killer Nancy Drew - Mystery at Magnolia Gardens

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The iconic murder mystery board game, Hunt A Killer, has teamed up with Nancy Drew to solve a brand new mystery and needs your help. A potential positioning has occurred at Magnolia Gardens and you must sort through case evidence, testimonials, and more to develop a timeline and crack the case. Because there's no maximum player limit, we love this option for family game nights. It's equally fun for teens and adults and can result in some great bonding time. After you've solved the case, be sure to check out other Hunt A Killer variations for yet another challenge.

Price at time of publish: $32

_{Number of Players: 1+ | Duration: 60-90 minutes | Recommended Age: 14 years and up}

Best Murder Mystery

Unsolved Case Files Cold Case Murder Mystery Game

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Be forewarned: Once you start this murder mystery game you’ll have sleepless nights in your future as you try to solve the unsolved case of who killed high school student Jamie Banks nearly 30 years ago. To uncover the truth, you’ll need to solve three different mysteries surrounding her death first using the case files of the original detective which include photographs, newspaper clippings, and more. Once you think you know the answers, you check your theory against the online answer key. You can play the game alone, with a team, as a stay-at-home date night, or even as part of a murder mystery party.

The linear format makes it easy to know that you're on the right track, which is more streamlined than other case file mystery games. This offers players a clearer path when beginning and might be a better introduction to this type of game for beginners. Some found certain clues to be misleading or that they even contained spoilers, which just adds to this pick's fun challenge.

Price at time of publish: $27

_{Number of Players: 1 or more | Duration: 2-3 hours | Recommended Age: 14 years and up}

Best for Adults

Grey Fox Games Deception: Murder in Hong Kong

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In this fast-paced game, one player is the murderer who gets to choose their weapon and the clues they leave behind, another is a forensic scientist, and the rest of the players are investigators. The object of the game is to identify the killer and the murder weapon, while the murderer (naturally) seeks to evade detection—and the end of the game. We love that a round can be completed in as quickly as 20 minutes and that it’s a little different every time which makes it the perfect party game. Players embody a different role with every round, contributing to this pick's high replay value. Plus, it combines the benefits of competitive and cooperative games with your group and mission constantly altering.

Price at time of publish: $31

_{Number of Players: 4-12 | Duration: 20-30 minutes | Recommended Age: 14 years and up}

Best Detective

Asmodee Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: Jack the Ripper & West End Adventures

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Take a step back in a time machine to the cobblestone, gaslight lamp-lit streets of London to help the police at Scotland Yard solve a series of crimes. The game comes with 10 mysteries to solve that get progressively harder. You can play the game solo or with a group, but note that some say that playing the game with more than two people can make the game unnecessarily complicated. While the game is challenging, the map and newspaper should be scoured as they contain helpful clues. Our only complaint: Once you’ve solved all ten mysteries, there aren’t any new ways to play the game.

Price at time of publish: $47

_{Number of Players: 1-8 | Duration: 90 minutes | Recommended Age: 12 years and up}

Best for a Group

Asmodee Mysterium

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In Asmodee's Mysterium, you and up to six players will need to work together to solve the ghastly murder that took place at Warwick Manor, a haunted mansion full of ghosts. You’ll collaborate as you all compete against the clock to figure out the murderer, the murder weapon, and the location of the tragic killing as the psychics try to correctly interpret the ethereal visions the ghost sends as communication during a seance. We recommend that players who are new to the game start out as a ghost until they get the hang of things. Be prepared for a long setup process with this pick, but it's worth it for the fun that awaits during gameplay.

Price at time of publish: $55

_{Number of Players: 2-7 | Duration: 45 minutes | Recommended Age: 14 years and up}

Best Collaborative

Pressman There's Been a Murder- A Collaborative Card Game of Death and Deduction

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There has been a murder and your team needs to work together to solve it in this collaborative card game. Players use the action and effect cards to follow the prompts and find clues to try and pinpoint the murderer. All players are working together and get an overall score based on how many cards are left in the deck after the case is solved. Play, again and again, to try and beat your score at your next party or game night. Unlike other games surrounding solving a murder, There's Been A Murder has a high replay value, with a different player holding the murdered card with different strategies every time. However, it may take a few rounds to develop a useful strategy in this game.

Price at time of publish: $20

_{Number of Players: 3-8 | Duration: Not listed | Recommended Age: 14 years and up}

Best Two-Player

Professor Puzzle Escape from the Grand Hotel Game

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Bring an escape room right to your living room with Professor Puzzles' Escape from the Grand Hotel Game. Two or more players will travel through the hotel attempting to solve puzzles and clues to escape from the eerie lodgings. The game contains nine envelopes each containing a different puzzle to crack. Use deductive reasoning and problem-solving skills to solve them all. Some seasoned adults may find the mysteries too easy to solve, making this a perfect pick for younger tweens and teens to test their skills. While there are only nine mysteries to solve, there are six other escape-themed card games from Professor Puzzle to keep the fun going. While this game can accommodate a large group, we love this option as a two-player challenge, perfect for date nights or best friends.

Price at time of publish: $25

_{Number of Players: 2 or more | Duration: Not listed | Recommended Age: 12 years and up}

Best Spooky

Avalon Hill Betrayal At House On The Hill

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In this spooky mystery game, you must first work with two to five other players to build the house of horrors, then you try to escape it...alive. With rooms like a creaky hallway, a bloody room, and ten others in the house on the hill, plus 50 possible spooky scenarios ranging from the house that’s falling apart to creepy omens, the game is different every time you play it. One of the players will ultimately become a traitor, and the haunt—and real fun—begins. The game changes with every round and group of players and there are expansion packs available for further diversity in gameplay. The instructions are extremely simple to learn and teach, but note that some of the themes and imagery may be a bit too scary for young kids.

Price at time of publish: $55

_{Number of Players: 3-6 | Duration: 60 minutes | Recommended Age: 12 years and up}

Best for Kids

Gamewright Outfoxed! Game

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Who stole Mrs. Plumpert’s prized pot pie? Kids will have to work their way around the board to gather clues as to who the guilty culprit is working together every step of the way. This cooperative family board game helps children learn deductive reasoning skills and is a fun intro to the world of mystery games. Plus, the duration is just the right amount of time to hold the attention of the junior set. It's important to note that this game is mostly luck-based, which means there's less pressure on the kids to make the right decisions, but it may be frustrating when the fate of the game is out of their control.

Price at time of publish: $18

_{Number of Players: 2-4 | Duration: 20-30 minutes | Recommended Age: 5 years and up}