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).

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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 April 18, 2024. We compared 1266 board games for this list and selected the top 30. There's also a print version for this list.
  1. MicroMacro: Crime City

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

    MicroMacro: Crime City is a unique detective game that immerses players into a detailed and expansive cityscape to solve intriguing crimes. The game centers around a large, detailed map of a city where various crimes have occurred. Players become detectives tasked with unraveling these mysteries using the clues scattered across the city.

    Nominated for 20 awards and won 11.

    ⭐️ Spiel des Jahres 2021

    More details for MicroMacro: Crime City
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 15 - 45 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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
  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. 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
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. Deception: Undercover Allies

    All details for the board game Deception: Undercover Allies and similar games
    • 4 - 14 Players
    • 14+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  12. 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
  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. 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
  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. Witness

    All details for the board game Witness and similar games
    • 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
  17. 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
  18. 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
  19. 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
  20. 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
  21. 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
  22. 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
  23. Awkward Guests: The Walton Case

    All details for the board game Awkward Guests: The Walton Case and similar games

    Awkward Guests: The Walton Case, also known as Incómodos Invitados, is a uniquely engaging deduction board game boasting infinite replayability. The game revolves around solving the murder of Mr. Walton, with varied scenarios ensuring no two games are the same.

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Awkward Guests: The Walton Case
    • 1 - 8 Players
    • 45 - 75 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  24. 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
  25. The Werewolves of Miller's Hollow

    All details for the board game The Werewolves of Miller's Hollow and similar games

    The Werewolves of Miller's Hollow is a captivating social deduction game that takes place in the mysterious village of Miller's Hollow, known for its werewolf curse. Players are secretly assigned roles and must use strategy, bluffing, and teamwork to uncover the werewolves or deceive others.

    Nominated for 1 award.

    🔥 Deal: 14% cheaper than the best Geizhals deal, likely for a short time only!

    More details for The Werewolves of Miller's Hollow
    • 8 - 18 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  26. Ultimate Werewolf: Ultimate Edition

    All details for the board game Ultimate Werewolf: Ultimate Edition and similar games

    Ultimate Werewolf: Ultimate Edition brings the classic werewolf mystery to your table, transforming your group into a 16th-century village besieged by werewolves. It's a game of social deduction and deception for 5 to 68 players, where villagers work to uncover the werewolves hiding among them, and werewolves plot to remain undiscovered while they pick off villagers one by one. With over 30 unique roles and 18 different scenarios, this game offers a dynamic and engaging experience for players of all ages and experience levels.

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Ultimate Werewolf: Ultimate Edition
    • 5 - 68 Players
    • 30 - 90 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable

    Video reviews for Ultimate Werewolf: Ultimate Edition

    • YouTube Review for the game "Ultimate Werewolf: Ultimate Edition" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  27. 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
  28. 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
  29. Hidden Games Tatort: Reif für die Insel

    All details for the board game Hidden Games Tatort: Reif für die Insel and similar games
    • 1 - 6 Players
    • 90 - 180 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  30. 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

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