The best Detective board games 🕵️‍♂️ 2024

We have selected the best detective board games for you 🕵️‍♂️. The offer ranges from simple variants that can be solved in a few minutes to extra difficult ones that can take several hours. There is something for everyone is Sherlock Holmes among you.

Jump to the list: The best detective games

What are detective or deduction board games?

Detective board games, or "deduction games," are games in which players must draw conclusions based on available premises. These games are quite diverse and include several different types of logical reasoning. Cat-and-mouse games such as Scotland Yard are a type of deduction game in which players use a series of observations and truthful feedback to narrow down the possibilities and catch a constantly moving opponent in the correct position. Elimination games such as Clue expect players to reach the correct conclusion after narrowing down possibilities from a large list. Signal-based games such as Werewolf allow for a series of observations and player-driven feedback (which may not be truthful) to draw the correct conclusion from 2-3 main choices. Finally, this category includes induction games such as Zendo, where players must deduce a general rule from nearly infinite possibilities.

Social Deduction Games

Social deduction games are a related subcategory that is proving increasingly popular and includes games with hidden roles and bluffs such as The Resistance and [Werewolves Full Moon Night](%2Werewolves-Full Moon Night).

Want a board game from a different genre?

If you are looking for a board game from a different genre, we have more board game lists for you:

Fantasy | Horror | Sci-Fi | War-games | Murder/Mystery/Deduction | Escape-Room

list of best detective board games 🕵️

In this list you will find the best detective games to buy 2024:

This list was last updated on November 6, 2024. We compared 1218 board games for this list and selected the top 30. There's also a print version for this list.
  1. Dixit: Quest

    All details for the board game Dixit: Quest and similar games

    Dive into the world of artistic storytelling with Dixit: Quest, an expansion that elevates the captivating gameplay of Dixit to new heights. In this imaginative game, players use beautifully illustrated cards to spin enchanting tales and embark on a journey of creative discovery.

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Dixit: Quest
    • 3 - 6 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  2. MicroMacro: Crime City – Full House

    All details for the board game MicroMacro: Crime City – Full House and similar games

    MicroMacro: Crime City – Full House is a captivating detective game that expands upon the original MicroMacro: Crime City. Players become sleuths, examining a giant city map (75 x 110 cm) filled with intricate details to solve various crimes. This edition includes 16 new cases, each offering a unique story and set of challenges that require players to scrutinize the map to uncover hidden information and trace suspects' movements.

    Nominated for 4 awards.

    More details for MicroMacro: Crime City – Full House
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 15 - 45 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  3. Dixit 3: Journey

    All details for the board game Dixit 3: Journey and similar games

    Dixit 3: Journey expands the enchanting world of Dixit with 84 new cards, each adorned with evocative and surreal artwork that stirs the imagination and fuels storytelling. As an expansion to the beloved Dixit game, it enhances the experience by offering a fresh array of visually stunning cards that players can use to inspire their tales, adding depth and variety to the game's creative narrative play.

    More details for Dixit 3: Journey
    • 3 - 6 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  4. MicroMacro: Crime City – All In

    All details for the board game MicroMacro: Crime City – All In and similar games

    MicroMacro: Crime City – All In is the latest installment in the MicroMacro: Crime City series, offering players a new district of the black-and-white, crime-ridden metropolis known as Crime City to explore. This edition comes with a fresh, large city map that connects seamlessly with the maps from previous games, presenting 16 new and more complex crime cases for players to solve.

    More details for MicroMacro: Crime City – All In
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 15 - 45 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  5. Deception: Murder in Hong Kong

    All details for the board game Deception: Murder in Hong Kong and similar games

    Deception: Murder in Hong Kong offers a riveting game of deduction and deception designed for 4-12 players, providing an immersive experience in approximately 20 minutes.

    More details for Deception: Murder in Hong Kong
    • 4 - 12 Players
    • 20 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  6. Detective Club

    All details for the board game Detective Club and similar games

    Detective Club is a social deduction and party game that involves both cooperation and deception. Players are drawn into rounds of intrigue, where one player secretly passes clues to their accomplice to reveal a secret word, while others, acting as detectives, try to unveil the conspiracy. Creativity and persuasion play crucial roles as players discuss and defend their choices to avoid suspicion.

    Nominated for 6 awards and won 3.

    More details for Detective Club
    • 4 - 8 Players
    • 45 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable

    Video reviews for Detective Club

    • YouTube Review for the game "Detective Club" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  7. MicroMacro: Crime City – Showdown

    All details for the board game MicroMacro: Crime City – Showdown and similar games
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 15 - 45 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  8. Mysterium: Hidden Signs

    All details for the board game Mysterium: Hidden Signs and similar games

    Mysterium: Hidden Signs beckons the spiritualists back to the enigmatic Warwick mansion, revealing previously unseen aspects of its haunting mystery. This expansion to the beloved cooperative board game Mysterium introduces new suspects, locations, and objects, deepening the narrative and expanding the gameplay with fresh challenges.

    More details for Mysterium: Hidden Signs
    • 2 - 7 Players
    • 42 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  9. Mysterium: Secrets & Lies

    All details for the board game Mysterium: Secrets & Lies and similar games
    • 2 - 7 Players
    • 42 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Mysterium: Secrets & Lies

    • YouTube Review for the game "Mysterium: Secrets & Lies" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  10. Deception: Undercover Allies

    All details for the board game Deception: Undercover Allies and similar games
    • 4 - 14 Players
    • 14+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  11. When I Dream

    All details for the board game When I Dream and similar games

    When I Dream is a whimsical and imaginative board game that delves into the world of dreams, blending elements of storytelling, deduction, and teamwork in a playful setting.

    Nominated for 6 awards and won 2.

    More details for When I Dream
    • 4 - 10 Players
    • 20 - 40 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable

    Video reviews for When I Dream

    • YouTube Review for the game "When I Dream" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  12. Chronicles of Crime

    All details for the board game Chronicles of Crime and similar games

    Embark on a thrilling cooperative adventure with Chronicles of Crime, a unique blend of crime investigation, board game excitement, and a touch of Virtual Reality. Picture yourself at the heart of criminal investigations, where the seamless integration of an app with physical components creates an immersive experience.

    Nominated for 17 awards and won 5.

    More details for Chronicles of Crime
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 60 - 90 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Chronicles of Crime

    • YouTube Review for the game "Chronicles of Crime" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  13. Chronicles of Crime: 1900

    All details for the board game Chronicles of Crime: 1900 and similar games
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 60 - 90 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  14. Witness

    All details for the board game Witness and similar games

    Witness is a unique cooperative board game designed for exactly four players, based on the intriguing universe of the Belgian comic series Blake and Mortimer by Edgar P. Jacobs. The game revolves around solving mysteries through a clever yet challenging communication system where players can only share information in a very restricted manner.

    More details for Witness
    • 4 Players
    • 15 Minutes
    • 13+ years old
    • Immediately playable

    Video reviews for Witness

    • YouTube Review for the game "Witness" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  15. Chronicles of Crime: 1400

    All details for the board game Chronicles of Crime: 1400 and similar games

    Chronicles of Crime: 1400 invites players into the heart of medieval Paris, where they embody Abelard Lavel, a knight with a prophetic gift for solving crimes. As a standalone game in the Chronicles of Crime series, it combines familiar investigative gameplay with new elements to create a unique, narrative-driven experience. Players utilize Vision Cards to gain insights into crimes, relying on both futuristic and historical scenes to guide their investigation.

    Nominated for 2 awards.

    More details for Chronicles of Crime: 1400
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 60 - 90 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  16. Mysterium

    All details for the board game Mysterium and similar games

    Mysterium is a cooperative mystery-solving game set in the 1920s, where players take on the roles of mediums trying to solve a murder at a Scottish mansion, guided by a ghost who communicates through visions.

    Nominated for 14 awards and won 6.

    More details for Mysterium
    • 2 - 7 Players
    • 42 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  17. Mysterium Park

    All details for the board game Mysterium Park and similar games

    Mysterium Park beckons with its mysterious aura, set against the backdrop of a 1950s US fairground with a dark twist. The disappearance of the park’s director has left behind a haunting presence, prompting a group of psychics to uncover the truth before the carnival disappears. This cooperative game engages players with visions provided by the ghost, requiring interpretation to eliminate suspects and locations, leading to the revelation of the director’s fate.

    Nominated for 4 awards and won 2.

    More details for Mysterium Park
    • 2 - 6 Players
    • 30 - 45 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  18. Chronicles of Crime: Noir

    All details for the board game Chronicles of Crime: Noir and similar games

    Nominated for 1 award and won 1.

    More details for Chronicles of Crime: Noir
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 60 - 90 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Chronicles of Crime: Noir

    • YouTube Review for the game "Chronicles of Crime: Noir" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  19. Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: Jack the Ripper & West End Adventures

    All details for the board game Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: Jack the Ripper & West End Adventures and similar games

    Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: Jack the Ripper & West End Adventures is a captivating standalone expansion to the renowned detective game Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective. This expansion brings updated graphics and adds ten new cases set in Victorian-era London for players to solve. It includes essential detective tools such as a "London Directory," a map of London, and newspaper archives to aid in the investigation.

    More details for Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: Jack the Ripper & West End Adventures
    • 1 - 8 Players
    • 60 - 120 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: Jack the Ripper & West End Adventures

    • YouTube Review for the game "Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: Jack the Ripper & West End Adventures" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  20. Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Baker Street Irregulars

    All details for the board game Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Baker Street Irregulars and similar games
    • 1 - 8 Players
    • 90 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Baker Street Irregulars

    • YouTube Review for the game "Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Baker Street Irregulars" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  21. Hidden Games Tatort: Königsmord

    All details for the board game Hidden Games Tatort: Königsmord and similar games
    • 1 - 6 Players
    • 90 - 180 Minutes
    • 16+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  22. Sherlock: La copia

    All details for the board game Sherlock: La copia and similar games
    • 1 - 8 Players
    • 60 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  23. Whitehall Mystery

    All details for the board game Whitehall Mystery and similar games

    Whitehall Mystery is a thrilling board game that transports players to London in October 1888, a time marked by a gruesome discovery near the future site of Scotland Yard. This game unfolds against the backdrop of a macabre treasure hunt by an unknown murderer, scattering the remains of a victim across Whitehall.

    More details for Whitehall Mystery
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 45 - 60 Minutes
    • 13+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  24. The Sherlock Files: Vol III – Puzzling Plots

    All details for the board game The Sherlock Files: Vol III – Puzzling Plots and similar games
    • 1 - 8 Players
    • 60 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  25. Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Thames Murders & Other Cases

    All details for the board game Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Thames Murders & Other Cases and similar games

    Embark on a captivating journey through Victorian London alongside the legendary detective Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Thames Murders & Other Cases. This immersive and challenging game allows you to step into the shoes of a detective, matching wits with Holmes himself.

    Nominated for 4 awards and won 3.

    ⭐️ Spiel des Jahres 1985

    More details for Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Thames Murders & Other Cases
    • 1 - 8 Players
    • 60 - 120 Minutes
    • 13+ years old
    • Medium difficulty

    Video reviews for Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Thames Murders & Other Cases

    • YouTube Review for the game "Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Thames Murders & Other Cases" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  26. Crime Zoom: A Deadly Writer

    All details for the board game Crime Zoom: A Deadly Writer and similar games
    • 1 - 6 Players
    • 60 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  27. Chronicles of Crime: Welcome to Redview

    All details for the board game Chronicles of Crime: Welcome to Redview and similar games
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 30 - 90 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Chronicles of Crime: Welcome to Redview

    • YouTube Review for the game "Chronicles of Crime: Welcome to Redview" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  28. Ultimate Werewolf: Classic Movie Monsters

    All details for the board game Ultimate Werewolf: Classic Movie Monsters and similar games
    • 5 - 68 Players
    • 30 - 90 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  29. Unlock!: Game Adventures

    All details for the board game Unlock!: Game Adventures and similar games

    Unlock! Game Adventures brings the thrill of escape rooms to the tabletop, combining the enigmatic puzzles and cooperative gameplay of the Unlock! series with the universes of three iconic board games. This expansion introduces a trio of scenarios, each immersing players in the worlds of Mysterium, Ticket to Ride, and Pandemic, offering unique challenges that blend the mechanics and themes of these beloved games with the puzzle-solving and teamwork of escape rooms.

    More details for Unlock!: Game Adventures
    • 1 - 6 Players
    • 30 - 60 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  30. Suspects: Claire Harper Takes the Stage

    All details for the board game Suspects: Claire Harper Takes the Stage and similar games
    • 1 - 6 Players
    • 60 - 90 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn

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