The best Detective board games 🕵️♂️ 2021
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 2021:
MicroMacro: Crime City
1 - 4 Players
15 - 45 Minutes
12+ years old
Complexity: very easy
Dixit: Quest
Nominated for 1 award.
More details for Dixit: Quest- 3 - 6 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Complexity: very easy
👍 Good price!17€ at
.deDixit 3: Journey
- 3 - 6 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Complexity: very easy
👍 Good price!16€ at.deWhen I Dream
Nominated for 6 awards and won 2.
More details for When I Dream- 4 - 10 Players
- 20 - 40 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Complexity: very easy
Video reviews for When I Dream
Chronicles of Crime
Nominated for 12 awards and won 3.
More details for Chronicles of Crime- 1 - 4 Players
- 60 - 90 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Complexity: easy
Video reviews for Chronicles of Crime
Mysterium: Secrets & Lies
- 2 - 7 Players
- 42 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Complexity: easy
🔥 Great price!15€ at.deVideo reviews for Mysterium: Secrets & Lies
Deception: Undercover Allies
- 4 - 14 Players
- 14+ years old
- Complexity: easy
Witness
- 4 Players
- 15 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Complexity: very easy
🔥 Great price!30€ at.deVideo reviews for Witness
Mysterium
Nominated for 14 awards and won 6.
More details for Mysterium- 2 - 7 Players
- 42 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Complexity: easy
Mysterium Park
Nominated for 1 award.
More details for Mysterium Park- 2 - 6 Players
- 30 - 45 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Complexity: very easy
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: Jack the Ripper & West End Adventures
- 1 - 8 Players
- 60 - 120 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Complexity: easy
Video reviews for Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: Jack the Ripper & West End Adventures
The Werewolves of Miller's Hollow
Nominated for 1 award.
More details for The Werewolves of Miller's Hollow- 8 - 18 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Complexity: very easy
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Thames Murders & Other Cases
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
- Complexity: medium
Video reviews for Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Thames Murders & Other Cases
Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game
Nominated for 14 awards and won 4.
Nominated for Kennerspiel des Jahres 2019
More details for Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game- 1 - 5 Players
- 120 - 180 Minutes
- 16+ years old
- Complexity: medium
👍 Good price!30€ at.deVideo reviews for Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game
Sherlock: ¿Quién es Vincent Leblanc?
- 1 - 8 Players
- 60 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Complexity: very easy
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Baker Street Irregulars
- 1 - 8 Players
- 90 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Complexity: easy
Video reviews for Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Baker Street Irregulars
Unusual Suspects
Nominated for 1 award.
More details for Unusual Suspects- 3 - 18 Players
- 10 - 30 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Complexity: very easy
Cantaloop: Book 1 – Breaking into Prison
- 1 - 4 Players
- 300 - 720 Minutes
- 16+ years old
- Complexity: easy
👍 Good price!28€ at.deMr. Jack Pocket
Nominated for 3 awards.
More details for Mr. Jack Pocket- 2 Players
- 15 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Complexity: easy
Chronicles of Crime: Welcome to Redview
- 1 - 4 Players
- 30 - 90 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Complexity: easy
🔥 Great price!22€ at.deVideo reviews for Chronicles of Crime: Welcome to Redview
Treasure Island
Nominated for 3 awards.
More details for Treasure Island- 2 - 5 Players
- 45 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Complexity: easy
Video reviews for Treasure Island
Watson & Holmes
- 2 - 7 Players
- 45 - 75 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Complexity: easy
Video reviews for Watson & Holmes
The Key: Sabotage at Lucky Llama Land
- 1 - 4 Players
- 20 - 45 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Complexity: easy
Mythos Tales
- 1 - 10 Players
- 60 - 120 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Complexity: easy
👍 Good price!30€ at.deVideo reviews for Mythos Tales
Mr. Jack
Nominated for 7 awards and won 1.
More details for Mr. Jack- 2 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 9+ years old
- Complexity: easy
Sherlock: Last Call
- 1 - 8 Players
- 40 - 60 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Complexity: very easy
🔥 Great price!6€ at.deUNDO: 600 Seconds
- 2 - 6 Players
- 45 - 90 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Complexity: very easy
Black Stories: Shit Happens Edition
- 2 - 15 Players
- 20 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Complexity: very easy
Didn't find the game you were looking for?
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