With Halloween approaching, there are numerous ways for people to celebrate the spooky season. Some people enjoy watching scary movies and TV series. Some people enjoy horror video games. But here in Gaming Library, we will pull out some of the best horror-themed board games to play with our friends.
If horror films or video games aren’t your thing, Gaming Library offers scary board games that’ll definitely get you in the Halloween spirit. No Spirit of the Glass here; put the board and the planchette away. You don’t need to summon spirits or demons to have great fun unwittingly!
Let’s get into these spooky board games one by one.
One Night Ultimate Werewolf Daybreak
What could be more terrifying than having your friends and family abandon you?
One Night Ultimate Werewolf Daybreak adapts the classic social deduction gameplay of Werewolf, where innocents must identify the werewolves to win. Unlike the original, this version condenses the excitement into just one round, making for a fast-paced, single-evening game. This keeps the game fresh and is an ideal spooky board game for Halloween parties where you want to keep the party going.
Zombicide
Zombies have appeared in everything from movies to some of the best horror survival games, and Zombicide allows players to experience firsthand the craziness and bloodshed of zombies.
In the game, players assume the roles of various survivors and work to improve their skills and abilities to fight the zombies surrounding them. It’s the ideal game for zombie fans everywhere, as they can fight the zombie apocalypse themselves and see how difficult it is to survive the undead on all sides. After all, the game implies that there are far more zombies than bullets.
Ticket to Ride: Ghost Train
All aboard the Ghost Train for some eerie yet delightful fun!
For a more family-friendly option this Halloween, Ticket to Ride: Ghost Train is a spooktacular version of the classic game that’s perfect for kids. Players build rail routes through a haunted world filled with ghosts, pumpkins, and creepy stations. The game keeps the rules simple so it’s easier for younger players to join in the fun while offering enough strategy for adults to enjoy. It’s a lighthearted way to celebrate Halloween, letting everyone enjoy the spooky action without any real scares.
Mysterium Kids: Captain Echo’s Treasure
Abstract storytelling takes a spooky turn in Mysterium Kids: Captain Echo’s Treasure. One of the best horror tabletop games that’s also kid-friendly, it reimagines the system made popular by the original Mysterium game, where ghosts (yes, real ones!) help you solve mysteries—especially their murders.
In Mysterium Kids (and classic Mysterium), one player takes on the role of a ghost who can only communicate through a deck of stunningly illustrated cards. The ghost uses these cards to guide the other players, acting as paranormal investigators, to uncover hidden treasure before the night ends. By introducing a more structured ruleset and a deeper theme, the Mysterium system builds on Dixit’s original concept, creating a game that’s not only more immersive but also more challenging.
Final Girl
This solo-box game, inspired by classic horror film tropes, puts players in the role of a female protagonist fighting to survive by defeating a relentless slasher. Final Girl shares similarities with Hostage Negotiator, but introduces new game elements like a board to track character movement and locations. Players can choose from various protagonists and face off against different killers.
What makes Final Girl stand out is its modular design: combine the Core Box with one or more Feature Film boxes to mix and match Terror cards tied to specific killers and locations, creating countless scenario combinations and a fresh gameplay experience each time!
Pandemic: Reign of Cthulhu
For fans of cooperative games with straightforward mechanics, Pandemic: Reign of Cthulhu is the best horror-themed board game. Based on the popular Pandemic system, this version replaces disease outbreaks with Lovecraftian horrors. Players work together to seal gates and stop ancient evil from taking over the world. The spooky theme adds just the right amount of Halloween creepiness, and the simple gameplay makes it accessible to novice and expert players.
It’s a race against time and madness—can your group keep the cosmic horrors at bay before it’s too late?
Unfathomable
With deception and danger lurking at every turn, can you and your fellow passengers survive, or will the traitors among you doom the ship to the depths?
In Unfathomable, players board the SS Atlantica, headed for Boston, Massachusetts, only to face a terrifying threat from the Deep Ones, led by the Eldritch sea monsters Mother Hydra and Father Dagon, who seek to sink the ship. Human players must fend off these horrors while managing the ship’s four vital resources, all in a bid to survive the journey to Boston. Consequently, they must uncover who among them is a traitor. At the end of each player’s turn, Mythos cards introduce a new crisis that the group must solve together.
Arkham Horror: The Card Game
Are you ready to confront the unspeakable horrors hiding in Arkham?
Arkham Horror: The Card Game blends the worlds of roleplaying and card games, immersing players in Lovecraftian mystery, monsters, and madness. In this scary board game, two players (or three, if you have two Core sets) step into the eerie town of Arkham, New England. Whether haunted by the Necronomicon’s dark secrets or forced to hide evidence of otherworldly threats, players must navigate their investigations carefully.
With custom decks in hand, you’ll need courage to face the unknown. Each adventure is part of a larger campaign, where your choices and actions carry lasting consequences beyond the immediate scenario.
Blood on the Clocktower
If you’re looking for a great game to play with a big group this Halloween, Blood on the Clocktower is a must-try.
This social deduction game is perfect for groups of five to twenty players, and the more, the merrier—or in this case, the spookier! Each player takes on a role, with one secretly being the killer. Players must work together, using bluffing and deduction to figure out who’s responsible before the clock runs out. With plenty of twists and turns, it’s a suspense-filled way to bring a large group together for some Halloween fun.
Mansions of Madness
Survival alone won’t be enough to conquer the horrors lurking in this spooky board game.
In Mansions of Madness, up to five players team up with an immersive app to explore the creepy streets of Innsmouth and the haunted mansions of Arkham. Eight brave investigators guide players as they confront four eerie and mysterious scenarios. Along the way, they’ll gather weapons, tools, and clues, solve puzzles, and battle monsters to uncover the truth.
Alice is Missing
Discover the truth behind the girl’s disappearance in Alice is Missing.
In this creepy "silent" board game, players use their phones to text one another as they dig into the mystery of Alice Briarwood, a high school junior who vanished from the quiet town of Silent Falls in Northern California. The game begins with around 45 minutes of character creation, where you build your backstory, connections to Alice, and ties to the other players. Then, over the next 90 minutes, you’ll send in-game texts, slowly uncovering the chilling truth behind Alice’s disappearance.
Bloodborne: The Board Game
For those who crave action and want to fight monsters this Halloween, Bloodborne: The Board Game offers a swift, combat-heavy experience. Based on the popular video game, players take on the roles of hunters battling through nightmarish creatures in a dark and twisted world. With intense combat, strategic choices, and challenging boss battles, Bloodborne provides an adrenaline-pumping experience that’s perfect for anyone looking for more than just jump scares. Gather your group, sharpen your weapons, and prepare for a bloody good time fighting monsters this Halloween!
Dungeons and Dragons
Your Halloween adventure in the amazing realm of Dungeons and Dragons begins with the D&D Starter Set and D&D Essential Kit!
In the cooperative storytelling roleplaying game D&D, players are transported to various fantastical worlds where they must battle monsters, locate treasure, and complete quests. Everything you need to create a character and start your first adventure is available in these Starter and Essential sets, such as adventure books, rulebooks, and character sheets. Will you embrace your inner dragonborn paladin and smite the evil that stalks the tombs, or rise up against the living world of the Forgotten Realms as a cleric in service of
Celebrate Halloween with the Spookiest Board Games from Gaming Library!
As Halloween approaches, there’s no better way to celebrate than by gathering friends and family for some scary and exciting board games. These games are perfect for delivering thrills and chills while letting players dive into eerie narratives and spine-tingling challenges. You can communicate with ghosts in Mysterium Kids, battle the undead in Zombicide, or uncover secrets in Alice is Missing. Each game brings a unique flavor of Halloween magic.
So, don your costumes, prepare for trick-or-treaters, and host a game night filled with fun and fear.
