Do you need the best options for your next murder mystery party or get-together? Well, you have come to the right place. In this post, we will go over what murder mystery games are, what qualities to look for in murder mystery games, and our top 10 best murder mystery games.
What Are Murder Mystery Games?
Murder mysteries are an excellent addition to any party, celebration, team bonding event, or holiday gathering. If you have never played one before, you may be asking, “What are murder mystery games?”
In short, a murder mystery game involves a murder, or a different crime, that participants need to work together to solve. The game kits typically revolve around a central theme that inspires how participants dress, decorate, and “play” their characters.
Games typically last between 1 ½ and 3 hours depending on how the game progresses. Most kits accommodate group sizes of 4 to 20 participants.
Qualities to Look for In Murder Mystery Games
Need help finding the best murder mystery kit for you? Here are some qualities that you should look for when selecting a game:
Multiple Endings
Murder mystery games with multiple different endings are more fun because you know that you play a role in deciding how the mystery plays out. In addition, this feature also allows you to play the same murder mystery over again without getting the same result every time.
Number of Participants
When you are looking at different murder mysteries, you should pay attention to how many participants can play each game. This step is even more important if you have a specific number of people as you need to make sure no one is left out.
Time Length
It is also important to pay attention to the length of time it takes to play the murder mystery game. If you only have two hours to play but the game is three hours long, your guests will be left unsatisfied because you won’t be able to reach the end of the game.
Age Range
This step is really only necessary when playing with young children. Make sure to check for any age restrictions before purchasing to ensure that the kit is appropriate for your participants.
Difficulty
Additionally, paying attention to the difficulty level of the game is beneficial for choosing the one that best fits your group’s ability levels. If your group is relatively new to murder mystery games, you might want to go for an easy level murder mystery.
Ease of Use
Finally, you should also pay attention to the game’s ease of use. Some games require a lot of setup and preparation, which is fine as long as you have time to do that work. If you are running short on time, choosing a murder mystery with minimal setup and an easy-to-follow script will give you the best overall experience.
Top Murder Mystery Games
Without further ado, let’s go over the top 10 murder mystery games for your next party or get-together.
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1920s Murder Mystery
Themed after The Great Gatsby, this 1920s murder mystery game is sure to bring the 1920s back to life in your living room. The plot takes place in 1923 at Jay Glittersby’s mansion where a guest is found murdered. You and your team work together to determine the motive behind the murder and discover who is the murderer.
Dress up like a flapper, gangster, musician, or silent film star and enjoy traveling back in time to find out the story behind this shocking crime.
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Masquerade Ball/Carnival Murder Mystery
This Masquerade Ball Murder Mystery Kit transports you to Venice for the experience of a lifetime at a Venetian Masquerade Ball. With everyone’s identity masked, no one knows what to think when an unknown figure in red is found dead on the floor. It is up to you and your team to figure out who they are and who killed them.
Enjoy making spectacular masks with your guests and dressing in classic masquerade style. This kit is perfect for a murder mystery dinner, a New Year’s murder mystery party, or a birthday murder mystery at home.
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1980s Murder Mystery
Grab out your leg warmers, neon colors, and spandex to travel back to 1985 for this explosive 1980s Murder Mystery Kit! Tap into your inner movie star as you investigate the movie set of a blockbuster movie where an intentional explosion has just killed the head of the studio, Mr. Stree.
With many possible outcomes, this 1980’s mystery is a great option for your next murder mystery party that is sure to keep everyone engaged.
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A Christmas Crime Murder Mystery
Looking to do a murder mystery at home this Christmas? A Christmas Crime Murder Mystery Game Kit is a great way to entertain the entire family this holiday season. The plot takes you to Santa’s Workshop where the hottest new toy is being unveiled to the Christmas Board of Directors and to the Elves.
Dress in your best Christmas attire and enjoy solving the case of the stolen toy building plans.
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Halloween Murder Mystery – Vampire Ball
Get into the spooky spirit for Halloween this year with The Vampire Ball Murder Mystery Kit. Join Count Dragula for their Blood Ball at the Fang and Rose Club where a body has been found drained of blood. Work together to find out who committed the crime and why.
This murder mystery kit is so much fun and perfect for a Halloween Party suiting up to 20 players. Dress up in your best vampire costume and decorate your home with some creepy Halloween décor to set the perfect scene.
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Wizarding Murder Mystery
If you are a fan of the Harry Potter movie series, you will absolutely love the Wizarding Murder Mystery Kit. The story takes place in the Toadwort School of Magic and Mayhem where the Philosopher's Scone, an object that gives the witch or wizard controlling it unlimited baked goods, has gone missing. Your job is to figure out who stole this very important artifact.
Enter the wizarding world with this magical and fun-filled adventure. Dress up as your favorite Harry Potter character and make your own wands to take the experience to the next level.
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Pirate Murder Mystery
Who doesn’t love a good pirate adventure? In Dead Men Drink No Rum, you hop aboard the Bouncing Barnacle pirate ship and sail to Santa Tortuga to meet a tavern keeper, Pop DeKegg, who is holding a treasure map for your crew. However, things get messy when it is discovered that Dekegg was drowned in a vat of rum, and your crew needs to find out who is to blame.
This kit is great for any murder mystery dinner or party including birthday parties, Halloween parties, team bonding events, and family game nights.
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James Bond Spy Murder Mystery
If you are a fan of spy movies, then this is the murder mystery kit for you. This James Bond inspired spy murder mystery kit takes place at a high-end casino in Monte Carlo.
While everyone appears to be glamorous, the casino-goers include spies, villains, wealthy individuals, and individuals wearing fake diamonds. During a round at the roulette table, the croupier falls to the floor with a poison dark in his neck.
Dress in your best black-tie attire and enjoy some gambling while determining who committed the crime.
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Bridgerton & Jane Austen Themed Murder Mystery
If you’ve recently been obsessed with the Netflix show Bridgerton lately, you are not alone, and you can keep the excitement going with A Scandal in Bodgerton Murder Mystery Kit.
The plot takes place in Bodgerton where L. Whistlewind has been releasing scandal sheets filled with the town’s gossip. These scandals are causing quite a buzz in the town and leading to less than acceptable behavior, but no one knows who L. Whistlewind is. It is up to you to find out.
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Bake Off Themed Murder Mystery
Do you need a murder mystery game for an upcoming birthday celebration? The Great Bake Down Murder Mystery Kit is the perfect birthday murder mystery party.
In this mystery, the retirement of a world-renowned baker has sparked a televised competition for his multi-million-pound business. With such high stakes, tensions are high, and competitors work hard to win it all or at least prevent others from winning.
