You’re walking in the woods. There’s no one around and your phone is dead. Out of the corner of your eye, you spot them – Scary Board Games. 

Welcome to October, the spookiest month of the year. For this festive month, we have some fun game suggestions to set the mood at your table. While not as terrifying as a potential cannibal, these games are sure to give you and your friends a thrill – either through scary themes or fierce competition. 

1. Broom Service (2-5 players, 30-75 min)

For a lighter tone, but still on-brand for October, Broom Service is a highly competitive game of potion delivery! You play as a potion delivery company, and your goal is to score as many points as possible by delivering potions to the fine folks of the land. When playing cards to take actions you can either play them “Brave” or “Cowardly”. Brave actions are more efficient and yield better results, but if someone has the same card as you and plays it Brave, they steal the action and you get nothing. How boldly can you play?

2. Mysterium (2-7 players, 42 min)

The quintessential Halloween game is Mysterium – a game that takes place on Halloween according to its own lore. A murder most foul has occurred, and with little evidence, the case has gone cold for over twenty years. Until now. Invited by a good friend, you arrive at the mansion to a very tired and amnesiac ghost. Invited for your skills with the paranormal, you and your friends communicate with the ghost trying to figure out who killed him, where he died, and what he was killed with. If you succeed before the clock passes the seventh hour, you can hold a group seance and help solve the mystery! If you fail the ghost fades and you must try again next year. Can you piece the pictures together?

3. Betrayal at House on the Hill (3-6 players, 60 min) 

Betrayal is a great game for fans of horror movies as it plays with many common tropes found in film. In the game you are explorers trapped within a House that will not let you out. If you can’t go back, go forward, right? You explore the House to discover creepy rooms, weird and unusual occult items (and beings!), and a history of terror. Eventually, something called the “Haunt” begins, and the mystery ramps up as one of your party, enthralled with the promise of eternity (or something darker) turns traitor and works with the House to make sure that you never escape and become one with it forever. Will the party become survivors or victims of the House?

4. Letters from Whitechapel (2-6 players, 60 min)

Jack the Ripper is a shadowed mystery, one featured in books, film, and of course board games. Letters from Whitechapel tackles the unfortunate story, pitching one versus many in this cooperative-competitive game. One player takes on the mantle of Jack, and plots and executes his murders over the course of four nights. Everyone else is part of Scotland Yard, working to capture him. As the nights grow short and Jack slows down, can you rewrite history and catch him?

5. Nyctophobia (3-5 players, 30-45 min)

Aptly named for the fear of night or darkness, Nyctophobia has you running away in the dark from a serial axe murderer who has been stalking your every move. The catch? You, the Hunted, can’t see. The Hunter? Oh yeah, they can, they’re running the show. The Hunted must feel their way around the game board to a hidden car to radio for help. The Hunter’s goal is to stop the Hunted by slowly draining them of their life. Will you be able to spook your friends into a confused frenzy, or can they keep their heads and make it out?

I hope this helps you and your game crew pick out some new games and have some spooky fun during October! Some honorable mentions that folks should still check out: Dead of Winter, Cryptid, Terror Below, Chronicles of Crime, Arkham Horror, Eldritch Horror, Werewolf, Deception: Murder in Hong Kong, Werewords, and Unlock! House on the Hill. Have fun and Happy Halloween!