The best games set in the H.P. Lovecraft universe "Cthulhu 2024
Looking for a really good game set in H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu universe? Then we have just the thing: The best Cthulhu Mythos games.
Who was H. P. Lovecraft?
Howard Phillips Lovecraft (August 20, 1890 - March 15, 1937) was an American writer of gothic novels and horror stories, known for his creation of what later became the "Cthulhu Mythos" - he himself always called it the "Arkham Cycle". This myth, or rather the whole universe, can be found nowadays in movies, literature, music, computer games and even board games.
Even Batman refers to the works of Lovecraft
Batman and some other works from DC Comics universe have been inspired by the "Arkham Cycle". For example, the prison "Arkham Asylum" is located on the outskirts of Gotham City and is the place where those of Batman's enemies are imprisoned who are considered legally and mentally insane.
Lovecraft was never able to make a living from his works
Throughout his adult life, Lovecraft was never able to support himself on his income as an author and publisher. He was virtually unknown during his lifetime and was published almost exclusively in pulp magazines before dying in poverty at the age of 46, but is now considered one of the most important authors of supernatural horror literature of the 20th century.
Cthulhu Mythos...what is it?
The Cthulhu Mythos is a fictional universe that originated in the short stories and tales of American horror author H. P. Lovecraft. The term was first coined in 1927 by August Derleth, a contemporary correspondent and protégé of Lovecraft. The Cthulhu Mythos revolves around the settings (Arkham), characters (Henry Armitage), objects (Necronimicon), beings/entities (Cthulhu), and stories used by Lovecraft and his literary successors.
The name Cthulhu derives from the central creature in Lovecraft's seminal short story "The Call of Cthulhu," first published in 1928.
Games based on works by other authors
A lot of games are based on works of book authors. Just see our list of games based on authors below.
List of the best board games from the H.P. Lovecraft universe that you can buy 2024
Cthulhu: Death May Die
Cthulhu: Death May Die is an intense, cooperative board game set in the 1920s, drawing inspiration from H.P. Lovecraft's universe. Players take on the roles of daring investigators, embarking on a perilous mission to confront and eliminate Elder Gods.
Nominated for 6 awards and won 1.
More details for Cthulhu: Death May Die- 1 - 5 Players
- 90 - 120 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Easy to learn
Lovecraft Letter
More details for Lovecraft LetterLovecraft Letter transports you into the eerie world of H.P. Lovecraft in the 1920s. This card game, a unique take on the Love Letter system, blends mystery with an "insanity" mechanic that adds depth and intrigue to the gameplay.
- 2 - 6 Players
- 5 - 15 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Immediately playable
Video reviews for Lovecraft Letter
Don't Mess with Cthulhu Deluxe
- 4 - 8 Players
- 1 - 30 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Immediately playable
Video reviews for Don't Mess with Cthulhu Deluxe
Mansions of Madness: Second Edition
Mansions of Madness: Second Edition is a cooperative, app-enhanced board game that combines elements of horror and mystery. It's set in the same universe as Eldritch Horror and Elder Sign, offering an immersive narrative experience.
Nominated for 9 awards.
More details for Mansions of Madness: Second Edition- 1 - 5 Players
- 120 - 180 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Reign of Cthulhu
Pandemic: Reign of Cthulhu is a thrilling adaptation of the classic Pandemic game, infused with a chilling Lovecraftian theme. Players take on the roles of investigators, tasked with a daunting mission to prevent the awakening of ancient evils, known as Old Ones, from their cosmic prison.
Nominated for 2 awards.
More details for Reign of Cthulhu- 2 - 4 Players
- 40 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Easy to learn
Tides of Madness
Tides of Madness builds on the foundation of its predecessor, Tides of Time, offering a two-player drafting experience that's both quick and engaging. In this sequel, players draft cards over three rounds to assemble a kingdom, with each card belonging to one of five suits and featuring its own scoring objective. What sets Tides of Madness apart is its intriguing madness mechanic. Some of the game's most potent cards also risk your sanity, introducing a critical balancing act between power and peril.
Nominated for 3 awards.
More details for Tides of Madness- 2 Players
- 20 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Immediately playable
Video reviews for Tides of Madness
Arkham Horror: The Card Game
Arkham Horror: The Card Game is a Lovecraftian horror card game that blends role-playing and card game elements. Set in the eerie town of Arkham, players face mysterious, monstrous, and maddening challenges.
Nominated for 13 awards and won 4.
More details for Arkham Horror: The Card Game- 1 - 2 Players
- 60 - 120 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Hard to learn
Video reviews for Arkham Horror: The Card Game
Mythos Tales
- 1 - 10 Players
- 60 - 120 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Easy to learn
Video reviews for Mythos Tales
Sticky Cthulhu
- 2 - 6 Players
- 15 Minutes
- 6+ years old
- Immediately playable
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- 2 - 8 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Immediately playable
Cthulhu in the House
- 3 - 6 Players
- 10 - 20 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Immediately playable
Cthulhu Wars
Cthulhu Wars is a grand strategy board game inspired by the Cthulhu mythos of H.P. Lovecraft. This game is notable for its physical scale, featuring an array of detailed figurines representing cultists, monsters, aliens, and the Great Old Ones themselves, varying in size from about 20 mm to a towering 180 mm. Players assume the roles of different factions, each unique in its set of monsters, spell books, and special abilities.
Nominated for 4 awards and won 1.
More details for Cthulhu Wars- 2 - 4 Players
- 90 - 120 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Video reviews for Cthulhu Wars
Elder Sign
Elder Sign is a cooperative dice game set in the universe of H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos, specifically the year 1926. Players assume the roles of investigators in a museum filled with occult artifacts and eldritch symbols. Their mission is to prevent the arrival of an Ancient One, a powerful entity from another dimension poised to wreak havoc on Earth.
Nominated for 1 award.
More details for Elder Sign- 1 - 8 Players
- 90 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Easy to learn
Eldritch Horror
Eldritch Horror is a cooperative board game that plunges players into a world of mystery, terror, and adventure. It's based on the themes of global exploration and cosmic horror, with players working together to thwart the plans of an Ancient One.
Nominated for 5 awards.
More details for Eldritch Horror- 1 - 8 Players
- 120 - 240 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Video reviews for Eldritch Horror
Arkham Horror: The Card Game (Revised Edition)
- 1 - 4 Players
- 45 - 180 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Hard to learn
Stay Away!
- 4 - 12 Players
- 15 - 60 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Immediately playable
Lost in R'lyeh
- 2 - 6 Players
- 45 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Immediately playable
Gates of Delirium
Nominated for 1 award and won 1.
More details for Gates of Delirium- 2 - 4 Players
- 30 - 45 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Easy to learn
Video reviews for Gates of Delirium
UNDO: Forbidden Knowledge
- 2 - 6 Players
- 45 - 90 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Immediately playable
The Cards of Cthulhu
- 1 - 4 Players
- 30 - 90 Minutes
- Easy to learn
Cthulhu Fluxx
More details for Cthulhu FluxxCthulhu Fluxx immerses players in the eerie and uncertain world of H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos, where sanity is fleeting and the risk of doom is ever-present. This iteration of the popular Fluxx card game series brings the thematic elements of cosmic horror and the supernatural into the ever-changing rules and gameplay that Fluxx fans adore. Players will navigate through the chaos, attempting to fulfill strange and shifting victory conditions while warding off madness and the disruptive influence of Creepers like Cthulhu itself.
- 2 - 6 Players
- 5 - 30 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
AuZtralia
AuZtralia is an adventure and exploration board game set in an alternate 1930s, inspired by Martin Wallace's A Study in Emerald. In this unique setting, players are intrepid adventurers colonizing Australia after the northern hemisphere has been devastated by war and the Old Ones. Gameplay involves building ports, constructing railways, mining, and farming, all while preparing for the awakening of the Old Ones and their human armies. Time is a crucial resource, and as the game progresses, the Old Ones awaken and become active, posing a significant threat. Players must strategically prepare for their arrival, possibly cooperating with others to fend off these nightmarish beings using military units and recruited personalities.
Nominated for 1 award.
More details for AuZtralia- 1 - 4 Players
- 30 - 120 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Cthulhu Realms
More details for Cthulhu RealmsIn Cthulhu Realms, players dive into a world of eldritch horror where the goal is to drive your opponents mad or be the last bastion of sanity when the cards run out. Each player begins with a modest deck of initiates, goons, and followers. The gameplay unfolds with a central row of cards available for acquisition, adjusting based on the number of players to ensure there are always new options for each pair of players.
- 2 - 4 Players
- 25 - 45 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Easy to learn
Arkham Horror (Third Edition)
Arkham Horror (Third Edition) is a cooperative board game set in the atmospheric backdrop of 1926 Arkham, at the height of the Roaring Twenties. This edition offers a rich narrative experience based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft, where players become investigators battling against the encroaching darkness of the Ancient Ones, otherworldly beings threatening to overrun our world.
Nominated for 2 awards.
More details for Arkham Horror (Third Edition)- 1 - 6 Players
- 120 - 180 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Video reviews for Arkham Horror (Third Edition)
Ancient Terrible Things
- 2 - 4 Players
- 60 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Easy to learn
Unfathomable
Unfathomable is a suspenseful and thematic board game that immerses players in a mysterious and treacherous journey aboard the steamship SS Atlantica in 1913. This game blends elements of horror, strategy, and deduction, as players navigate both external threats and the hidden treachery among them.
Nominated for 6 awards and won 2.
More details for Unfathomable- 3 - 6 Players
- 120 - 240 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Medium difficulty
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- 2 - 4 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Video reviews for Pocket Madness
Smash Up: The Obligatory Cthulhu Set
More details for Smash Up: The Obligatory Cthulhu SetSmash Up: The Obligatory Cthulhu Set dives into the deep, dark corners of the Cthulhu mythos, bringing a tentacle-filled twist to the Smash Up universe. This expansion pack is a love letter to H.P. Lovecraft's work, integrating iconic elements of the Cthulhu lore into the chaotic and strategic card game where different factions vie for dominance.
- 2 Players
- 30 - 45 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Easy to learn
Cthulhu Gloom
Nominated for 1 award.
More details for Cthulhu Gloom- 2 - 5 Players
- 60 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Easy to learn
Munchkin Cthulhu
More details for Munchkin CthulhuMunchkin Cthulhu is a humorous and quirky standalone game in the Munchkin series, this time diving into the eerie and absurd world of Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos. Players navigate a realm filled with classic monsters and oddities from the mythos, vying for treasure and the chance to level up.
- 3 - 6 Players
- 90 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
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