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The greatest horror of spooky season can be working out which of the best board games for Halloween you should play. You've got plenty to choose from, after all.
Because I'm terribly indecisive, I'm not just settling for one when the Witching Hour rolls around; I've picked three new board games for Halloween that will set the mood quite nicely. Some are add-on packs for existing favorites, while others take franchises in an all-new direction.
Want a fresh fright for this year? These Halloween board games should do the trick. And if you're not completely sold on them, there's a good chance that they'll drop in price for next month's Black Friday board game deals – perfect for next year, in other words.
Disney Villainous: Filled with Fright
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Players: 2 - 4
Lasts: 20 mins per player
Complexity: Moderate
Ages: 10+
It's not an exaggeration to say that fans have been waiting years to get this one. A Nightmare Before Christmas add-on for Disney Villainous has always seemed like a no-brainer, so I'm surprised that the expansion took this long to rear its head. Still, the hold-up was worth it. The pack breathes new life into one of the best 2-player bard games and brings enough creepy atmosphere to be perfect for Halloween.
Called 'Filled with Fright,' it translates Tim Burton's twisted world for tabletop with original art (it's not just using screen-grabs, thank goodness), iconic characters, memorable locations, and a playable Oogie Boogie. In short, it's exactly what you'd want from a Nightmare pack. As someone with a lot of time for Halloween Town, I've got no complaints; it's the spooky season in cardboard and plastic.
All that's to be expected, though. It's par for the course now that Disney Villainous expansions will feature gorgeous paintings and an impressive attention to detail. So what's new? Well, this pack does something none of its predecessors have – it shakes things up quite literally with Oogie's dice.
While we've seen similar objectives before now (Oogie has to play specific cards to draw out and defeat Jack Skellington), players rolling dice for specific effects is a breath of fresh air. It sounds simple, but being able to roll again after a failure or to mimic certain moves adds a layer of depth to keep things spicy.
Horrified: Greek Monsters
Players: 1 - 5
Lasts: 60mins
Complexity: Moderate
Ages: 10+
Greek Monsters is a reminder of why I fell in love with the Horrified series in the first place. Sure, gorgons and minotaurs don't scream 'Halloween.' But its gameplay still quickens the heart rate as things go rapidly, inextricably sideways.
Much like the original Horrified (starring classic villains like Dracula) and its cryptid-infested follow-up, this threequel pits you against two of six monsters that are terrorizing the area. They'll almost always move and attack after every turn, and because their power is dictated by randomly drawn cards, you can never be sure whether your life expectancy is about to rapidly shorten. Because make no mistake, these creatures are fierce – you may mock the basilisk for looking like a mutant chicken to start with, but your tone will change soon enough when the beast keeps coming after and wounding you like a particularly vindictive shark.
As always, you'll have to balance completing your objective – defeating these creatures by completing certain tasks, such as opening a door to hell – with saving innocents who are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Civilians have an annoying habit of getting in harm's way when it's least convenient, and because each time they're eaten raises the 'Terror' rating (which will eventually mean game over if it reaches a certain point), you've got to think on your feet if you want to win.
That tension makes Horrified: Greek Monsters a good, if left-field, choice in terms of board games for Halloween. It's very solid so far as the best cooperative board games go, too.
Evil Reigns in the Wynter's Pale
Players: 3 - 6
Lasts: 60mins
Complexity: Moderate
Ages: 12+
It's no secret that Betrayal at House on the Hill is one of the best adult board games, and it always gets an outing in honor of Halloween. But this time, there's an opportunity to flip the script with a new – but equally creepy – expansion.
Despite being Christmas-themed, Evil Reigns in the Wynter's Pale is every bit as eerie as the original game. Kicking off with a pair of thieves who rob Santa as he and an elf do their Yuletide rounds, they are cursed into becoming twisted versions of those Holiday characters. One contorts into a genuinely disturbing mix of St. Nick and a Christmas tree, while another transforms into a twisted jester with massive claws. These are your new heroes, and they bring a fresh set of spooky scenarios with them.
I won't spoil what those five Haunts are, but with names like 'He Sees You When You're Sleeping,' you know it's not going to be about goodwill to all men. And because these add to the original game's suite of 50 missions, they breathe new life into it with a pinch of unsettling festive cheer. A good way to see off Halloween and welcome Christmas, basically…
For more (and less spooky) recommendations, don't miss our guide to the best card games.
