Clue is a premium detective board game, and it dominates this genre so significantly that you may be shocked that there are other board games like Clue.
After all, the classic board game is so popular and well-known that it has its own movie based on Clue.
The game’s origins date back to WW2 in England, created by Anthony Pratt as a way to pass the time in the air-raid shelters during the Blitz.
Its popularity could be because the Clue game rules are simple to follow – through the process of deduction, figure out the murderer, the murder weapon, and the room it happened in.
Like other well-known games, Clue has versions with many different versions and art styles – like Clue Harry Potter and Clue Junior.
However, there is more to mystery detective games than just Clue, and we’ve scoured the market to recommend the best games like Clue you must play.
13 Mystery Board Games like Clue
MYSTERIUM
Players: 2 – 7 players.
Playing Time: 40 – 45 minutes.
Age: Ages 10+.
Game Type: Board game.
Publisher(s): Libellud.
Game Overview:
Like Clue but cooperative as opposed to competing against each other, Mysterium challenges players to work out the details of a crime using vision cards. One player acts as the psychic; throughout the game, players refer to the psychic to help piece together the mystery. Figure out the person, place, and weapon where the murder occurred to win.
RELATED: How to play Mysterium.
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OUTFOXED
Players: 2 – 4 players.
Playing Time: 15 minutes.
Age: Ages 5+.
Game Type: Dice games.
Publisher(s): Gamewright.
Game Overview:
The game Outfoxed is like Clue for younger kids. Players roll a die and move around a gameboard to gather clues to solve the mystery of the missing pot pie.
The game also comes with a special evidence scanner, used to help find the clues and rule out suspects. The first player to piece together the mystery wins the game.
221B BAKER STREET
Players: 2 – 5 players.
Playing Time: Approx. 90 minutes.
Age: Ages 10+.
Game Type: Board games.
Publisher(s): Gibsons.
Game Overview:
221B Baker Street lets players take the role of Sherlock Holmes to scour the London streets for clues to find the murderer. Played in classic Clue style, this game allows players to lock rooms for other players to sabotage their investigation as players gather individual clues. The detective who is able to work out the correct murder suspect wins the game.
VILLAINOUS
Players: 2 – 6 players.
Playing Time: 40 – 120 minutes.
Age: Ages 10+.
Game Type: Board game.
Publisher(s): Ravensburger.
Game Overview:
Villainous is similar to Clue in the way that the game is played. Players pick which Villain they want to play as they complete various challenges around the game board to defeat the classic Disney Heroes. Each player will have an overall objective to complete. The winning player is whoever manages to complete that objective first.
RELATED: Villainous rules.
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ONE NIGHT ULTIMATE WEREWOLF
Players: 3 – 10 players.
Playing Time: 10 minutes per game.
Age: 14+ years.
Game Type: Party game.
Publisher(s): Bezier games.
Game Overview:
It uses a similar guessing system to Clue; the twist in One Night Ultimate Werewolf is that the suspect is another player as opposed to a game character. Players randomly draw cards that tell them whether they’re a werewolf or villager (or other special characters).
Split into teams that only Werewolves are aware of, they must kill Villagers whilst avoiding detection. If the Villagers can discover all the Werewolves, they win, but if the Werewolves remain undetected, then they win instead!
BETRAYAL AT HOUSE ON THE HILL
Players: 3 – 6 players.
Playing Time: Approx. 60 minutes.
Age: Ages 12+.
Game Type: Board game.
Publisher(s): Avalon Hill.
Game Overview:
In Betrayal At House on the Hill, players begin creating their haunted house by deciding the layout of the house. Once the game begins, players must either work with or against everyone else to be the one who escapes the house.
There are also different challenges to complete throughout the game that can help with the escape.
RELATED: Betrayal at House on the Hill rules.
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5-MINUTE MYSTERY
Players: 1 – 6 players.
Playing Time: 5 minutes.
Age: Ages 8+.
Game Type: Card game.
Publisher(s): Spin Master.
Game Overview:
5-Minute Mystery is a quick detective game that requires players to catch the culprit in 5 minutes or less by matching the discovered symbols with the clues. A codex is included with the game, which acts as the key tool for players to decipher each symbol. Once a player is satisfied that they’ve pieced together the mystery and their guess is correct, they win.
SUSPICION
Players: 2 – 6 players.
Playing Time: 45 minutes.
Age: Ages 10+.
Game Type: Boardgame.
Publisher(s): Wonder Forge.
Game Overview:
The goal of Suspicion is to take jewels from a high-end party under the noses of other players whilst attempting to catch other players in the act. A slightly more challenging experience than Clue, trying to complete both goals of catching players out and avoiding detection yourself is key to eventual victory for one of the players.
CODENAMES
Players: 4 – 8 players.
Playing Time: 15 minutes.
Age: Ages 15+.
Game Type: Party game.
Publisher(s): Czech Game Editions.
Game Overview:
Codenames is the game where teams have to crack the code, with 1 team being the spies and the other team the assassins. It’s similar to Clue as it’s all about trying to use hints deduced from other players’ guesses to work out what the answer is. The code is made up of hidden words that the spy team must decipher to win the game.
RELATED: Codenames rules.
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UNRESOLVED CASE FILES
Players: 2 – 8 players.
Playing Time: 120+ minutes.
Age: 14+ years.
Game Type: Party game.
Publisher(s): Self-Published.
Game Overview:
A detective game considered to be more intense than Clue, Unresolved Case Files takes aspects from real-life crime cases to create a game that really puts players in as detectives.
Work through the different evidence, analyze the various suspects and work together to decide who is the person who is guilty of the crime.
SPY ALLEY
Players: 2 – 6 players.
Playing Time: 30 – 45 minutes.
Age: Ages 8+.
Game Type: Board game.
Publisher(s): Self-published.
Game Overview:
In Spy Alley, players act as a Spy for a specific nation but must keep this a secret from all other players. Players must attempt to obtain all the necessary spy equipment for their playing character before another player can collect all of theirs and before their identity gets discovered.
Incorrect guesses remove the player who guessed wrong from the game, however!
RELATED: Spy Alley rules.
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THE CHAMELEON
Players: 3 – 8 players.
Playing Time: 15 minutes.
Age: Ages 14+.
Game Type: Dice game.
Publisher(s): Big Potato.
Game Overview:
The Chameleon is a game in which players must attempt to catch the player posing as The Chameleon before they escape. A secret word is banded around that everyone except The Chameleon knows, and this word is how players deduce the hidden player. Use any means to get the guilty player to reveal they are the chameleon without revealing the word to them.
KILL DOCTOR LUCKY
Players: 2 – 8 players.
Playing Time: 20 – 40 minutes.
Age: 14+ years.
Game Type: Board game.
Publisher(s): Cheapass Games.
Game Overview:
Like Clue but in reverse, Kill Doctor Lucky puts players in a mansion with the task of killing Doctor Lucky before the other players. However, Doctor Lucky, as his name suggests, is very good at escaping, so doing the deed is harder than it may seem. Doctor Lucky is also very good at surviving attempts, as he seemingly teleports around the mansion at will.
