There are a ton of different tabletop games on the market these days. From old classics like Dungeons & Dragons to newer games that just hit store shelves, the tabletop gaming market is really popular, and these games are a ton of fun to get a group of friends together to play together. These games come in a variety of different genres, from politically-based games that force players to barter and bargain with each other to sci-fi and adventure games, there’s something for everyone’s interests.
In the gaming world, horror is a super popular genre. Although horror video games are incredibly popular, people who like to get scared don’t just want to do so in a video game world. Because of this, horror-based tabletop games have also become a super popular genre, and there are so many scary tabletop games, each of which has its own unique spin. To see 10 of the most terrifying tabletop games, keep reading!
12 Betrayal At House On The Hill
Betrayal at House on the Hill is a horror-themed tabletop game. Each playthrough of this game is completely different from the last because the terrifying, haunted mansion that the players are exploring is built as the players explore. On top of that, the haunting in the house is different depending on the layout of the house, the characters in play, and the cards that are drawn throughout the game.
The game is great for anywhere from three to six players. One of these players betrays the others, and it’s up to the rest of the players in the house to put a stop to their evil plot before it’s too late.
11 Arkham Horror
Arkham Horror is a tabletop game inspired by the works of H.P Lovecraft. The game is set in the 1920s and players control one of 16 different investigators who are tasked with stopping the Ancient Ones from coming back to the world.
Throughout the course of the game, the players can make their characters more powerful with different abilities, tools, and powers that will help them to stop the evil monsters that are trying to cause mayhem for humans around Arkham.
10 Nyctophobia
Nychtophobia is a really unique tabletop game. Here, up to four players come together to try to escape an evil monster lurking in the dark woods. Sounds pretty scary, right? This scenario only gets more terrifying from there, though. All but one of the players wear dark glasses that stop them from being able to see anything on the board.
The player that is able to see is known as the Hunter and is tasked with tracking down and taking out each of the other players, known as the Hunted. Can the Hunter take down all the Hunted before the police come? Test your survival and/or tracking skills to find out!
9 Cold Case: A Story To Die For
Cold Case is one of several series of mystery games perfect for parties, family nights, or solo play! Using the newspaper clippings, testimony, and evidence found in the game’s box, players must find the clues that authorities missed and solve a cold case.
A Story To Die For challenges players to solve a journalist’s demise decades after the fact. The game contains realistic, quality components that immerse players in the story. Best of all, when you think you’ve solved the case you can submit your answer online to find out if you’re right - there’s no chance of accidentally stumbling on the solution prematurely during play!
8 echoes: The Microchip
Fans of the Escape series of games will enjoy echoes, a series of audio mysteries from venerable publisher Ravensberger. Using the game’s companion app, players must listen to a series of clues, stories, and strange sounds to solve the mystery contained in each box. The app uses an innovative AR mechanic whereby players arrange cards and objects in order and then scan them with their device’s camera to see if they found the correct combination.
The Microchip is the most recent mystery in the echoes series. By examining the twenty-four objects contained in the game box and listening to the associated sound clips, players must unravel the mystery behind the collapse of human society. If you like The Microchip, you can try the previous mysteries, The Dancer and The Cocktail.
7 The Bloody Inn
The Bloody Inn is a card game set in early 19th century France. Here, a greedy family has come together and formed a devious plan to make a quick fortune: open an inn and rob the tourists that come through the area.
In the game, each player plays one member from the family that is running the inn. Each round, players have to make decisions about how to get ahead without being caught by the local police. This game takes a lot of scheming and has a really creepy, unique plot that is perfect for people that are feeling devious.
6 Mansions Of Madness
Mansions of Madness is set in the same universe as Arkham Horror and other popular games. This game is unique because it uses an app to drive the story forward, and it’s a really immersive game that will draw in the players, whether they’re typically the type to like scary games or not.
The app guides players through the terrifying, haunted mansions of Arkham. Within these mansions’ walls, the player-controlled investigators have to face their greatest fears, solve puzzles, and fight a ton of terrifying monsters.
5 Horrified: American Monsters
If you’ve already played Arkham Horror and Mansions Of Madness, a great next step is Horrified. Working as a team, you and your friends must defeat a group of monsters terrorizing your town before it’s too late. You can change which monsters you’re facing each game, providing unique challenges and mechanics every time.
The original Horrified, released in 2019, pits players against classic movie monsters like Dracula and the Bride Of Frankenstein. American Monsters is a standalone game that adds a new board and a new roster of monsters to face. This time, you’ll be dealing with creatures from American folklore like Bigfoot, the Mothman, or the Chupacabra!
4 Superfight: The Horror Deck
Superfight has become a staple of geeky gatherings in recent years, letting players settle the age-old question of who would win in a fight. By adding absurd conditions (could Sonic beat Sailor Moon if they both had chainsaws?) players argue the merits of each combatant until the round’s judge declares a winner.
The Horror Deck can be combined with any other Superfight set, or played on its own. Which horror icons from books, film, TV, and video games would reign supreme in a blood-soaked battle? There’s only one way to find out - by endlessly arguing with your friends!
3 Mysterium
Mysterium is a unique board game that is perfect for groups of friends to come together to play. Here, one player takes on the role of a spirit while the other players are mediums that are trying to communicate with the spirit and learn more about how they lost their lives.
There are a variety of different cards that are used throughout the game as visions that come to the medium and help these mediums to aid the spirit in remembering and communicating the circumstances in which they were murdered so that the mediums can solve the mystery.
2 Zombicide: Black Plague
Zombies are a super popular part of horror TV shows, movies, and even games. Considering there are so many video games that feature zombies, it’s no surprise that this game managed to collect over $4 million in pledges on Kickstarter.
Zombicide: Black Plague is a game that sets itself apart from other zombie-based games in its setting. While many zombie games are set in the present day or a near future and have zombies created by some kind of virus, this terrifying game is set during the middle ages and zombies have risen from the grave because of a group of powerful necromancers.
1 One Night Ultimate Werewolf
One Night Ultimate Werewolf is a fast-paced game that can be played in 10-20 minutes, meaning that friends getting together for a game night can play through multiple games over and over. The game is perfect for anywhere from 3 to 10 players.
Each player in this game is given a role. Each character has special abilities, depending on their role, and one person is assigned the role of the Werewolf. It’s up to the rest of the players to figure out who the Werewolf is and get them out of their town before it’s too late!
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