The best horror board games are a great way to get your fright fix without having to leave the safety of your own home. Whether you're looking for something that's family-friendly or suitably grim, we've got you covered with our list of the top picks.
The beauty of board games is that they allow you to live out all your favorite horror tropes while keeping you in one piece (for now). You can test your survival skills in The Forest Of Elsas, battle zombies with fellow survivors in Last Friday, and even enter the twisted world of Monopoly at night as it transforms into MONOpoly: Nightmare Edition. If puzzles are more up your street, check out our guide to the best logic puzzle games for some brain-teasing fun.
These recommendations aren't just limited to adult players either - many have age-appropriate content so kids can join in the fright fest too! From spooky versions of classic board game staples like Clue and Guess Who? to cooperative experiences where everyone wins or loses together, there's a little something for everybody on our list.
How We Choose
We looked at a variety of factors when choosing the best games, including theme, mechanics, replayability, and overall quality. We only included games that met our high standards of excellence. Theme is obviously important in any board game—you don't want to be playing something boring and generic all the time. Mechanics are vital; so we only included games with interesting or innovative mechanics that would keep things fun and fresh throughout multiple playthroughs. Finally, we focused on replayability and quality when deciding which games to recommend to you today.
Betrayal at House on The Hill is part co-op, part traitor game, and all in all a very good experience. It's got great miniatures and cards that offer new experiences with each play.
The traitor mechanic can be used to manipulate players in meaningful ways as they try to survive the haunted house. The only real problem we found was how quickly it gets too difficult for newer players. There are 50 scenarios in this box, though most of them feature less than four players (and none more than three). That means this game is almost always going to push your luck if you're new at it - even if you've played before and know what to expect.
If you're looking for a game that's more immersive and intense than most co-op games, then Mansions of Madness Second Edition is the one for you. This deluxe edition comes with the base game and Beyond The Threshold expansion, giving you tons of extra content to use with your friends beyond those initial sessions.
In Mansions of Madness Second Edition, players take on the roles of investigators exploring a haunted mansion in search of answers to stop monsters from terrorizing the town. You'll explore terrifying rooms full of traps, puzzles, monsters, and other horrors while trying to make it out alive before time runs out.
This is a very challenging game that will push your skills as both an investigator and a player. But it's also incredibly rewarding when you succeed against all odds! If you enjoy this experience every time, then it's worth buying multiple copies so everyone can have their own copy to play through at home during spare time or for solo play when friends aren't around to join in the fun.
When it comes to horror games, there's only one king and that is Arkham Horror: The Card Game. This game is a true classic and for good reason. It has everything you need to make a great fantasy card game but with monsters, demons, and otherworldly beings from the supernatural realm - all set in the eerie town of Arkham Massachusetts.
The game plays out over three phases which are Investigation, Exploration, and Combat where you will be trying to stop an ancient evil from destroying humanity. You'll be playing as an investigator decked out with unique skills, items, and spells that help them solve these cases while also fighting off various enemies including cultists or even monstrous abominations such as Wendigoes or Shoggoths. If you think this sounds too scary for your gaming group, then fear not as each case features multiple options giving new players a chance to join in at any time during play without ruining anyone's fun or immersion into the world of Arkham Horror: The Card Game.
It's important to note that this version of the game does not include the full base set meaning it can't play with previous products in your collection so if you're looking for something more expansive than this it might be worth looking elsewhere but when all is said and done this is still one of our favorite horror board games ever made - just check out our full review on why!
The Thing: Infection at Outpost 31 is another co-op game that revolves around the concept of uncovering who among your party is an alien. The thing about this game is that you're not just trying to figure out which character in your group has the alien's DNA, but also how they got infected. You'll have to work together as a team to bust through all of the rooms on the base and defeat any aliens you encounter along the way.
The Thing: Infection at Outpost 31 has a fairly simple setup with each player choosing one of 12 iconic horror movie characters like Macready or Blair and then taking turns acting as either human or imitation (i.e., alien). Each turn consists of two phases - first comes investigation where players can use their cards to move around and clear rooms, followed by confrontation where players play defense cards against attacks from other players and aliens when they reveal themselves during investigation. All characters start with five health points, so if you get attacked it could be devastating and cause you to lose a life point right there. But don't worry because if you draw more than three cards while investigating, you can discard them all! This means that even if someone gets attacked, they still might have some clues left behind for later use during investigation.
If we had one complaint about The Thing: Infection at Outpost 31 it would be that there isn't much strategy involved because once everyone knows who's infected, most of their actions are pretty straightforward – investigate/defend/attack/etc… There aren't many options available outside of playing defense cards against other players' attacks or using items found throughout each room since those can only be used once per round before expiring and adding extra health points back into your possession when drawn again next round. It would have been nice if there were a few more strategic choices available since this feels like such a small amount compared to what's possible in games like Pandemic Legacy Season 1 or Space Hulk Deathwing – especially since these two are both far cheaper than The Thing: Infection at Outpost 31!
If you love Lovecraft but don't want to spend a lot of time setting up and playing the board game, this is the best option. You still get some of that Lovecraftian horror with all your choices but in a shorter format. This also has an easy-to-follow ruleset so you can jump right into it without much fuss.
You'll need four players for this game, and each will take on one of the twelve investigators. Each investigator has different skills like fighting or researching which help guide them through their adventure. They're supported by a range of different cards from items to weapons, along with character tokens and monster tokens that represent encounters during play. Each investigator even has their own unique abilities too like traveling faster for some or having greater strength for others.
This is a cooperative game where everyone works together to defeat monsters and solve mysteries while keeping an eye out for the big bad Ancient One who threatens the world at large if they fail to stop him before it's too late! This is an epic experience that doesn't skimp on quality at any point either - be sure not to miss out!
Best Horror Board Games FAQs
It can be hard to figure out which board games are the best for horror fans. There are a ton of options out there and it can be tough to know where to begin.
We've included the most Frequently Asked Questions about board games below, plus our top recommended picks. With this information, you'll be able to confidently choose the perfect gift for your family or friends who love horror!
What Is The Scariest Board Game?
There are some games that give you a thrill when you play them, and others that send chills down your spine. Here are the top six scariest board games:
Betrayal at House on the Hill
Cthulhu Dice
Dixit
Fiasco
King of Tokyo
Munchkin Quest
What Is The Biggest Horror Game Of All Time?
It may come as a surprise, but many people would answer this question by suggesting Arkham Horror, a collaborative game released in 2005. Given its immense popularity and strong sales, there are few candidates to pose a challenge to Arkham Horror's reign as the largest board game ever created.
What Is The Number 1 Best Board Game?
This is a hard question to answer because it depends on what kind of board game you're looking for. Do you want something that can be played in less than an hour? Maybe you want a more strategic game that can be played over several days? Or maybe you just want something fun and lighthearted to play with the whole family.
What Is The World's Longest Board Game?
The world's longest board game depends on how you define a board game. Technically, any game played on a real and defined playing surface can be considered a board game. But in the most common sense of the word, a board game is one with fixed playing components and rules that are contained within a single box or set. For our purposes, we'll define the world's longest board game as one that can be played from beginning to end without needing to renew any component outside of what comes inside the box – including dice and pieces.
The official record for the world's longest board game belongs to Settlers of Catan. Officially recognized by Guinness World Records as having been achieved by Robert DeByle at Duke University on May 3rd, 2016, this version runs for 91 hours when played by three people with optimum strategy over six rounds.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are many different varieties of horror board games available on the market. Whether you prefer cooperative or competitive games, classic or modern styles, there is something out there for everyone. With so many options to choose from, it can be difficult to decide which one is right for you. Consider your budget and preferences when making your decision; this way you can find the perfect game that will keep you entertained for hours! So go ahead and explore all of the amazing horror board games to play out there – You won't be disappointed!
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