Do you find yourself obsessed with ferreting out the truth, probably stemming from years of playing Clue as a kid? Lucky for you, modern board game publishers have since taken that nugget of deduction from the classic Hasbro game and implemented it into more advanced games.
Board games with social deduction mechanisms can range from a light-hearted party type that causes laughter all around the table, to a little bit more serious, whodunit format. Find out which of your friends is the saboteur/traitor/killer/ or whatever other secret roles with this list of Best Social Deduction Board Games.
Updated August 28, 2024, by Vaspaan Dastoor: Who can you trust if not your friends? Of course, that goes straight out the window if you're playing a social deduction game. In that case, it's absolutely fine to lie, cheat, and even murder them! We've updated this list with a few more games that will question your friendship.
Coup
Best Small Game See at AmazonWerewords
Best Alternative To Werewolf See at AmazonSecret Hitler
Best Easy Game See at AmazonCheese Thief
Best For Kids See at AmazonOne Night Ultimate Werewolf
Best Quick Game $33 at Walmart- See More
Salem 1692
Best Theme See at AmazonThe Thing 1982: The Board Game
Most Complicated Board Game See at AmazonDeception: Murder in Hong Kong
Best Murder Mystery Game $32 at WalmartLove Letter
Editor's Choice $14 at WalmartThe Resistance
$35 at WalmartDC Spyfall
See at Amazon
Coup
Easy-to-transport Deception
Type of Game Card, strategy Age Recommendation 13+ Game Duration 15 mins What's Included Game cards, instructions Number of Players 2-6 playersCoup is a card game about secret roles, bluffing, and deception. Players work to build their influence and call out each other's bluffs. The last player with influence is the winner.
Pros & Cons- Easy to understand
- Can be played in 20 minutes
- Consists of trying to "read" other players
- Boring if no one bluffs
With Coup, each player is given two secret role cards and a list detailing the possible roles and the actions that can be taken by each one. On a player's turn, they can either perform the action listed on their character cards or ANY of the role actions listed. The goal is to deduce when someone is lying about their role and call their bluff.
If a player believes they are bluffing, they challenge the player. If the challenged player took an action that wasn't one of their roles, they must forfeit one of their roles by flipping a secret cards face-up. Once a person has both roles face-up, they are out of the game. This game is a blast trying to figure out who is what role and calling each other's bluffs.
Best Alternative To WerewolfWerewords
I didn't say the magic word.
Designer(s) Ted Alspach Player Count 4-10 Age Recommendation 8+ Publishing Co Bezier Games Weight 9.6 ouncesA game of twenty questions where the fate of the town is on the line, Werewords is a fast-paced social deduction game that has all the same vibes of Werewolf, but in a slightly more compact form.
Pros & Cons- A family-friendly game that's easy to learn and master.
- Has plenty of unique roles for everyone to play.
Imagine you're in a small medieval town plagued by werewolves. You have a way to escape, but it requires the use of a magical word. It'd be great if you could just say it, but unfortunately, it's a bit more complicated than that. You will need to work with your friends and townsfolk to try and get the magic word from the mayor, but the mayor can't say much so you're going to have to ask twenty questions until you find the answer.
RelatedBest Trick-Taking Games In 2024
Trick-taking card games require quick and strategic thinking. Here are some of the best ones.
PostsAs you're asking the mayor your questions, players in the role of the werewolf will try and throw you off. Once you guess the word there's no guarantee you'll win, since the werewolves are also working to hunt down the seer player, and can snatch a win from under the full moon.
Best Easy GameSecret Hitler
Simple rules, simple execution
Secret Hitler is a hidden-role game in which players try to determine which people at the table are Fascists and which players are Liberals. Fascists win if the team is able to elect Hitler as president and Liberals win if they are able to pass five Liberal policies or assassinate Hitler.
Pros & Cons- Easy to learn and teach
- Causes funny arguments at the table
- Can be played with up to 10 players
- Good party game
- Needs a minimum of five players
If you like the idea of pointing at your friends and yelling "FASCIST!", this is the game for you. Secret Hitler is all about trying to prove to your friends that you aren't a Fascist, or worse, Hitler himself. After being given a secret role of either a Fascist, Liberal, or Hitler, players are randomly dealt two cards from a deck that is mixed with both "Fascist" and "Liberal" policies.
Each round consists of the current player nominating a President and a Chancellor. All players vote to see if those people should be elected. Players then try to deduce who is a Fascist and who is Hitler because if three Fascist policies are passed and Hitler is "elected" the Fascists win the game. It's a game that is definitely perfect for parties.
Best For KidsCheese Thief
The cheese is yours, if you're sneaky enough.
Designer(s) Kasedieb Player Count 4-8 Age Recommendation 8+ Publishing Co Jolly Thinkers Weight 1.05 poundsA super kid-friendly and entry-level board game, Cheese Thief takes all the aspects of social deduction games and boils it down to some of its simplest forms. Kids will love the cute cheese toy and having to flip over the cups when it's time to catch the thief.
Pros & Cons- Very easy to learn the rules to this board game.
- The more players, the better the game is!
A great entry point into social deduction games, Cheese Thief is a cute little game about trying to find the culprit in a great cheese heist. Players are dealt a secret role at the start of the game, either a sleepy mouse or a thief. Then everyone rolls a die, that's the hour that you wake up during a sleeping phase.
When the cheese thief wakes up, they take the cheese, and it's up to the rest of the players to uncover the criminal. If a regular mouse wakes up with the thief, they join forces, both becoming thieves and splitting the cheese with each other. You have six rounds to try and find out who the thieves are, or else they get away with their stolen goods!
Best Quick GameOne Night Ultimate Werewolf
Ten Minutes And Tons Of Fun
Age Recommendation 8+ Game Duration 10 minutes Number of Players 3-10In One Night Ultimate Werewolf, players are trying to determine which among them are werewolves that threaten to kill villagers.
Pros & Cons- Can be played in ten minutes
- Good for parties
- App-assisted
- Not great at three or four players
One Night Ultimate Werewolf is a perfect game to play in between games because it is fast, easy, and simple. It also has an app! This game is all about convincing others that you are not a werewolf. Make sure you pull out this game with people who like arguing their case and will try to mislead players for the sake of winning. The game isn't fun unless there are spirited debates on who is the werewolf.
Best ThemeSalem 1692
Prepare For A Witchy Good Time
Player Count 4-12 Age Recommendation 14+ Length per Game 35 minutes Publishing Co Facade Games Weight 13.8 ouncesSalem 1692 is a game in which players try to pinpoint which people are witches and put them on trial.
Pros & Cons- Can play up to 12 players
- Has interesting card play
- Includes in-depth character descriptions
- Design is on point with the theme
- Not a good theme for children
Like One Night Ultimate Werewolf, Salem 1692 is all about deducing who could threaten the village. Unlike One Night Ultimate Werewolf though, this game has card play and build-up. Players play cards on each other and, as accusations begin to pile up, the other players must play "trial" cards to vote on whether a player is a witch or not.
As cards are being drawn from a deck, a night card signals a phase when players close their eyes and the witches choose someone to kill. After that, the person who is the constable chooses someone to potentially save. This game immerses you into the theme with its detail.
Most Complicated Board GameThe Thing 1982: The Board Game
You can't trust anyone
Player Count 1-8 Age Recommendation 8+ Franchise Name The Thing Publishing Co Pendragon Game Studio Weight 4.38 poundsBased on the cult classic horror film, The Thing 1982: The Board Game is a fantastic board game designed with the film in mind. The humans have to escape the frigid and isolated facility, while the aliens have to sabotage their escape efforts.
Pros & Cons- The game doesn't end when the alien is discovered.
- A very balanced board game despite the desperate feelings.
You can't trust anyone in the Thing: The Board Game, and that's what makes this game so much fun. The rules for this game are a bit more involved than others on this list since you're exploring the Antarctic facility from the film and have to work with your (hopefully) human allies to find a way to escape.
As you explore the various rooms, the shapeshifting aliens will attempt to foil the human plans and convert them into aliens as well. Much like the film, there are ways to tell who is an alien and who is still human, but you never know who you can trust. The humans can only win once everyone escapes, but the aliens win if any humans are left behind, if an alien escapes, or if all humans are turned. It's an intense game that captures the dread of the film.
RelatedThe Best Dominion Expansions
Make Dominion even better with these expansions.
Posts Best Murder Mystery GameDeception: Murder in Hong Kong
A Game To Die For
Player Count 4 - 12 Age Recommendation 14+ Length per Game 20 minutesIn Deception: Murder in Hong Kong, players act as investigators trying to uncover a murderer. The problem is one of the investigators is the murderer.
Pros & Cons- Can play up to 12 people
- Straightforward roles
- Can be played in 30 minutes or less
- Not as good with less than six players
With one player knowing the answer of who committed a heinous murder, it's up to the Forensic Scientist to give clues to other players in order to determine who the murderer is. As the Forensic Scientist tries to lead the other players to solve the murder, the murderer attempts to lead the group astray by interpreting the clues incorrectly.
The game is made more interesting with six or more players because it brings the witness and accomplice into play. If the murderer finds he has been caught by the other players, he or she can name the witness, and if he or she is correct, the witness is killed and the murderer escapes and wins the game.
Editor's ChoiceLove Letter
Small, Quick, and Engaging
Player Count 2-6 players Age Recommendation 10+ Length per Game 20 minLove Letter is a quick 16 card deduction game about trying to get a love letter to the princess. Players try to eliminate each other, and the last person standing wins the game.
Pros & Cons- Cute theme
- Simple Rules
- Portable
- Not great for two players
Love Letter is perfect because it's quick, easy to understand, and can fit in someone's pocket! Players start with only one card and then proceed to draw a card and play a card on their turn. Different cards allow players to perform actions in order to deduce which player has what card. There are different ways to be eliminated from the game, whether it be comparing cards with another player or guessing what card a player has.
The Resistance
Secret revolution
Taking on a fascist, authoritarian regime is never easy. You have to do it from the shadows, while also keeping an eye out for spies and informants. The Resistance charged you with bringing down the regime, one mission at a time, but the spies will try and get in your way to foil your plans.
Pros & Cons- Great premise.
- The spy's role is very interesting.
- Features multiple expansions.
If the regime gets word of your movement, it will do everything to quell it. So, you must fulfill your mission in secrecy. However, you also need to weed out the loyalist spies who will do everything they can to stop you.
DC Spyfall
Joker of the deck
Type of Game Social Deduction Age Recommendation 13+ Game Duration 30 Mins Brand Cryptozoic What's Included 196 Game Cards, 24 Storage Bags, and a Rulebook.Justice League meetings must be pretty exciting. However, DC Spyfall makes things a bit hilarious, as The Joker is secretly disguised as one of the heroes. You need to figure out which of the heroes is the impostor before he finds out where the meeting is being held - and probably plants an ambush.
Pros & Cons- Based on DC characters.
- Features iconic locations from the DC universe.
You never know when the Joker decides to mess things up. This time, he's disguised as one of the DC superheroes and is trying to figure out where the Justice League is meeting up. The League must figure out who the impostor is before he figures out where they are.
FAQ
What makes a social deduction game good?
Any social deduction game that gets players at the table talking, whether intensely or in a silly manner, is a sign of a good social deduction game. Players should feel engaged from the moment the game begins.
Can you still have fun if you refuse to lie or bluff in a social deduction game?
It is possible, and some people do play social deduction games and even win without ever lying or misleading people, but it's hard to do.
NextThe Best Area Control Games In 2024
These area control games will put your tactical thinking to the test.
Posts
