The Best Board Game Alternatives to Cluedo

Written by George Chrysostomou

Cluedo or Clue as it is known internationally, is a bona fide classic, albeit one that’s perhaps a little overplayed. It’s a fantastic introduction for many into the world of mystery board gaming and deduction titles. However, across the industry, there are so many thrilling alternatives to rely upon, for an equally entertaining or perhaps better experience than what Cluedo has to offer. Moving between locations of interest, interviewing witnesses, and coming up with the conclusion to murders most foul, there’s nothing better than a killer detective game. 

This list offers up a variety of fantastic alternatives to Cluedo for those who are looking for something more than solving Professor Plum’s lead pipe murder in the Dining Room.

Ever wondered why it's called Clue in one territory, and Cluedo in another? Our article explains why. 

 

Mysterium 

 

 

We start with a relatively recent classic in Mysterium, which is deeply immersive and atmospheric and thus perfect for a spooky board game night. The title, set in the 1920s, takes on supernatural twists and turns as players navigate their way through a mystery that has long been out of sight. With players taking on the role of a medium and communicating with a ghost, whose connection to the mortal realms is limited, players receive vision cards that will help them identify the suspect, location and weapon in the murder. However, there’s a cooperative element to this title too, for players must come to a general consensus to name the killer and bring them to justice. 

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Awkward Guests: The Walton Case

 

 

As is often the case with these titles, Awkward Guests: The Walton Case offers up a very streamlined premise. Mr. Walton, of Walton Manor, has been murdered in his own home and players are tasked with finding the culprit. The title asks a few alternate questions compared to the usual suspects, including whether the murderer had an accomplice and what was the motivation behind the crime. Players speak with police, interview eyewitnesses and suspects alike, search for clues and go through forensic examinations to get the answers they seek. This is all achieved by swapping cards between players, with the movement of a hand determined by the value of each card. The mechanics are basic but the case is complex. 
 

221B Baker Street 

 

 

Ever wanted to be Sherlock Holmes and step in an Arthur Conan Doyle-style mystery? Well now you can with 221B Baker Street, a title that has demonstrated supreme longevity. Work your way through the stack of cases on Sherlock’s table. Move across the board and enter different locations in London. Piece together the clues that you have accessed from these areas, coming to a solution that is as much about the information delivered in the answer booklet as it is about your own deductions. 221B Baker Street is all about filling in the blanks and coming to a logical solution that satisfies the scenario. This is one for those who like to think a little deeper about their detective games. 

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Mansions Of Madness

 

We’re diving into the second edition of Mansions of Madness for this next entry and it’s a cooperative experience that will quickly prove itself to be must-play. With an app-driven interface which embraces modern gaming technology, players can interact with four different missions where they investigate the titular setting. Linked to Eldritch Horror this title sets itself apart with enthralling puzzles and challenging monsters to face. This is a mystery-solver akin to Cluedo, but with other strategy and survival elements built in to bring a much-needed twist. 

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Obscurio

We now head towards the fantastical with Obscurio, where players are trapped within a dangerous and endlessly confusing magical library. With the sorcerer hunting them down, players must be quick to act, following the grimoire to the supposed exit. However, with a traitor in the group, and cards that should never be drawn, players are fighting an uphill battle to make it out safely. Communication is key in Obscurio, but with any action potentially alerting the enemy to the plan, it’s difficult to know who to trust as players avoid traps. Obscurio is a title of variety and depth, and long-time mystery fans will find a lot to love about this Cluedo alternative. 

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Betrayal at House on the Hill

 

 

Betrayal at House on the Hill offers a completely different approach compared to other titles listed here. While it does contain a traitor among the party, creating internal conflict and putting doubt into every move made, the board itself is slightly different. Players actually build their own haunted house with the tiles they place down, meaning that the game will be different every time. Encountering spirits and ghosts, players will be engulfed in the mystery of who is set to betray them and side with their enemies in the final confrontation. The beautiful game comes with miniatures, stunning tile artwork and item, omen and event cards that impact the run of play, with the narrative changing each time. As an alternative to Cluedo it picks upon some of the same themes but ends up in a contrasting place. 

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Deception: Murder in Hong Kong

 

 

Deception essentially splits the group of players into teams, between the detectives and the guilty. With the team investigating a murder, it’s soon revealed that the culprits themselves are among the party. Players are given distinct roles, and must work together to find out the truth, or to withhold reality from ever seeing the light of day. Players have to put together the different clues using their unique abilities, all while avoiding the lies they are being fed by the opposing forces. This carefully crafted and underrated game adds extra layers to what many might know of Cluedo, but still maintains some of the familiar elements that players have previously seen in the genre. 

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One Night Ultimate Werewolf

 

 

Far from a traditional murder mystery, One Night: Ultimate Werewolf is all about deduction, but not in the way you might think. There’s a traitor among your ranks, a werewolf in disguise, and you must identify them before it’s too late. With an app that actually adds to a playthrough session with a useful timer and atmospheric music, this fast-paced game is a great party title for large groups. Players take on different roles, some of which have a special ability of their own which will give them an insight into everyone else’s role. The group must vote on who they think the werewolf might be, but to get it wrong is to condemn someone unjustly. With villagers, seers, and troublemakers alike all in the crosshairs, One Night: Ultimate Werewolf is a tense title full of replayability. 

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Outfoxed! 

 

 

We’ve seen mysterious murders and ghoulish ghosts throughout this list, but we end on a title fit for the whole family; especially younger players. Outfoxed! is a fantastic starter title that introduces some of the concepts seen in Cluedo to an audience just getting to grips with board game mechanics. With a pie going missing, players work their way through the suspects, and motives as they race to get to the dastardly fox before it gets away. It’s a very simple idea that doesn’t actually require much deduction, but kids will get a real kick out of eventually catching the thief in a cooperative effort. 

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