Can You Crack the Case? 25 Crime-Solving Board Games
/Put on your trench coat and pull out your magnifying glass, because your dreams of becoming a detective just came true.
If you’re like my husband and me, you like a little mystery in your life. We have both taken up reading mysteries and thrillers at night before bed (bad idea, I know) and we love detective shows like Psych, Murder She Wrote, and Monk. We also love escape rooms, and discovered by necessity, during the coronavirus epidemic, that we can simulate the escape room experience at home with escape room board games. (Check out our list of favorites!)
Lately we’ve also discovered crime-solving games, which have a similar feel to escape room games, but center around investigating murders, arsons, and other nefarious doings. While playing, you get to feel like a real detective—whether you’re hunting down Jack the Ripper in Victorian London or flexing your reasoning in a modern day crime laboratory.
Below we’ve made a list of over twenty-five board games that will satisfy amateur sleuths everywhere. Fans of suspense fiction, true crime, and forensic science shows will love the opportunity to show off their own deduction skills. Some are modern crime scene investigations, some are cold case files, and some are old-fashioned murder mysteries. All of them you can play at home, which makes them perfect for a date night or game night with family and friends.
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Cold Case
Go back in time to solve cases British police detectives failed to solve with Cold Case. Not only do these cold cases make for a perfect rainy afternoon, but you feel like a real detective as you evaluate crime scene photos, witness statements, coroner’s reports, and more. Once you’ve got the culprit, enter your answers online and see how the rest of the story plays out. In A Story to Die For, solve the murder of an investigative reporter found dead in the woods while collecting evidence of a political scandal. In A Pinch of Murder, solve the murder of an elderly man who dies baking a cake for the church fair. And in End of the Line, solve two mysteries decades apart connected by a jewelry heist gone wrong. Find more games in this series here.
Matthew and I own three of these games. They are more affordable than some of the other single-use crime-solving games out there and so much fun to play. Watch the promo video below for more info, or keep scrolling for more great games!
Detective
Dive into modern crime scene investigation with Detective and its expansion L.A. Crimes, where you use every tool in your arsenal, including the internet, to become a modern day detective. The first game includes 5 cases, while the expansion pack includes 3. Those interested in starting off, might want to begin with Detective: Season One, which includes 3 cases and is a standalone game from the others. The game mechanics are also a tad easier, so perfect for those just beginning.
Unsolved Case Files
Put your dream of becoming a cold case detective to the test with Unsolved Case Files. Analyze the evidence compiled at the time of the crime and see if you can piece together clues to answer unanswered questions and apprehend the culprit all these years later. You and your partner are tasked with solving a heinous murder, like that of war heroine Veronica Falcone, university dean Max Cahill, or unknown Jane Doe. Like a real cold case detective, you only can use the original investigator’s file, which includes newspaper articles, crime scene photographs, evidence reports, suspect interrogations, and much more. Work together to solve three interconnected mysteries and uncover clues to the real culprit.
Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective
Travel back to 19th century London to help famed consulting detective Sherlock Holmes solve puzzling and complex cases. You will use an old-school map of London as your guide, as well as copies of The London Times, to scour the city and interview suspects. Uncover dark secrets in The Thames Murder and Other Cases, hunt down a serial killer in Jack the Ripper & West End Adventures, catch nefarious criminals in Carlton House & Queen’s Park, or team up with The Baker Street Irregulars to match your wits against Sherlock Holmes himself. These games are popular (Matthew and I own two of them!) and sell out quickly, so scoop them up while available or who knows how long you’ll have to wait.
Hunt a Killer
Decode ciphers, puzzle out clues, and piece together evidence with murder mystery games by Hunt a Killer. In Death at the Dive Bar, a tavern owner in a small town takes a literal dive off a cliff. While the death was officially ruled an accident, it’s up to you to find out the truth. In Mystery at Magnolia Gardens, famed detective Nancy Drew comes down with a mysterious illness, just like the victim in her current poisoning case at the botanical gardens. You must help her solve the case to save her life. In Body on the Boardwalk, an employee at a seaside amusement park mysteriously dies inside a popular ride and you’re hired to uncover the real cause of death. Hunt a Killer originated as a subscription service, but now—lucky for us—they sell individual investigations.
Murder Mystery Party: Case Files
Murder Mystery Party: Case Files has several family friendly options that are perfect for a date or family night at home. Sort through evidence (including witness statements, newspaper articles and crime scene materials) to track down the killer in each case. In Underwood Cellars, the body of a winemaker is discovered after a damaging earthquake. In Fire in Alderstein, a known journalist is charged with an arson death. And in Death in Antarctica, a man has been sentenced to execution. Can you find out each killer’s motive, means, and opportunity?
Masters of Crime
Masters of Crime, from the makers of some of our favorite escape room games, is an immersive, cooperative series of games perfect for adult fans of true crime who want to do some of their own detective work. Players use maps, websites, and email to find the truth and answer puzzles. In Vendetta, a member of the mafia must find out who was the rat that wronged the godfather. In Shadows, a criminal must assemble a team to pull off a major art heist. In Rapture, an island drug lord must uncover a disappearance before it brings down their whole operation. In Incognito, an FBI agent must go undercover in a maximum security prison to solve a murder. Find more games in this series here.
The Mysterious Package Company
Fans of The Mysterious Package Company will love these standalone mysteries that are all quite unique. In Body of Evidence, experience the thrill of being both a detective and a coroner as you investigate the crime scene, collect evidence, interrogate suspects, and dissect the body of the victim. In Doomensions, use your investigative skills and tools to uncover the secrets and mysteries of a pop-up manor and its haunted inhabitants. In, Lights, Camera, Murder!, dive into an interactive story told through a penny blood novel, witness statements, autopsy reports, crime scene photos, and more to solve an intriguing murder mystery. Find more games in this series here.
(This Post was Last Updated: October 18, 2024)
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We’ve made a list of over twenty-five board games that will satisfy amateur sleuths everywhere.