Murder mystery bashes are surging in popularity, so if you're like us, you're itching to host one for your friends soon. Candlelight dinners and sophisticated parties have charm, but nothing can boost the thrilling spookiness of parties where fake blood, eerie décor, and sinister vibes rule.
As for murder mystery games and murder mystery party ideas, why do you need to fret when we're here for you? We know party planning --- and it takes a lot of work! So, we're pitching in some stellar ideas to get your started. With our top 10 murder mystery games and murder mystery party ideas, you'll host the grandest haunted ball in town.
1. Pick the Spookiest Venue in Town
Hopefully, you're going to go all out for your spooky party. Hence, for your lavish murder mystery party, you have to pick the spookiest-looking venue in town. If a vintage mansion or a historic building has always caught your fancy, this is the time to live your dream.
Or you could hunt for a clue-themed club or an outdoor spot, if weather permits, to add vines, branches, and giant trees to the prop. Wherever it is, lock down a place with some history, because almost always, it means a built-in ambience and often-times fun props for game use.
Not only should your venue be fitting for your friend group, so should the game. Luckily, there are lots to choose from online, such as the portfolio by Merri Mysteries. For instance, do you want a classic mix of rich, murderous characters like "Fame, Money and Murder" or a ladies night extravaganza like "One of the Girls" for your murder mystery party kit.
Speaking of game kits...
2. Use a Template
Before you organize your murder mystery party and start planning murder mystery games, we suggest you watch the cult-classic movie, Clue. It also exists as a board game and is the best template for organizing your party. You can even request your guests to pick a character from the movie and dress up in costumes. Then spruce your venue with "murder weapons," no matter how silly. Knives, revolvers, monkey pipers, ropes, rusty candlesticks, etc., and other funny objects you can round up, would add to the show.
In our opinion, though, one of the funnest and easiest ways to get started when organizing your murder mystery party, is to grab a game kit that fits your group and theme. We recommend Broadway Murder Mysteries with more than 20 themes to choose from, like "80s Mall Murder Madness" and "Roaring 20s: Death By Bathtub Gin." All of their games include up to 20 characters you can choose from and the host can play too.
3. Cold Case- Unsolved Case Files
For the mystery games, you could gather the guests in a group to solve a puzzle, which is what the unsolved cold case files are all about. It's a different game from typical murder mysteries where the guests are all different characters.
To solve this murder puzzle, guests have to work as a team and combine brainpower to unveil the killer.
4. If you Have the Budget, Hire Actors for a Game
Perhaps your guests are the kind who like to sit back and watch a thriller tale unfold rather than play a part in it. Or perhaps you want a realistic mood at your murder mystery party. Whatever the case, nothing will beat hiring actors to play out a real-like murder mystery as the evening progresses.
While the guests are mingling, one of the actors could let out a shriek from the garden. You could all rush to find another actor lying dead as a corpse. Teaming up with the other actors and the clues your event planner has hidden about the venue, you could work together to solve the murder mystery.
5. The Eeriest Décor Possible
Since it's to be a murder mystery party, we don't want floral décor and fancy bright lights and buntings. We want red, black, darkness, eeriness, and downright chilling scenes. Hence, choose a décor theme that screams murder and crime and feels sinister enough to send chills running down your guests' spines. Let there be darkness, fake blood, faux broken window panes, and every other thing that mimics a crime scene.
6. Mafia Party Game
As we mentioned, murder mystery parties are all the rage these days, which is why you'll find many murder mystery game kits everywhere. This Mafia party game is a great option, with two-phase choices. You could pick the night when the mafia secretly murders an innocent or the day in which innocents vote on eliminating a Mafiosi suspect.
The game ends when there are either more members than innocents remaining or the elimination of all mafia suspects.
7. Crime-Based Cocktails
Surprised, are you? Well, ever since the popularity of themed parties, including murder mystery parties, all sorts of innovations are coming into play. From blood-shaded cupcakes to sinister cocktails, there are numerous creative concoctions to serve at your party.
Serving cocktails like true crime podcasts, the mob, and other cocktails based on fictional detectives during the murder mystery games will spice things up if you could hire a bartender to bring his mobile bar and thrilling murder cocktail recipes to your party, even better.
8. Nancy Drew’s Mystery at Magnolia Gardens
Immersive murder mystery games are the best options when hosting a murder mystery party for your friends. These readymade games come in the form of kits with testimonials, clues, investigation instructions, shreds of evidence, and whatnot.
Get your hands on the Nancy Drew mystery at Magnolia Gardens at your next thrilling party. As the night turns darker, you could dim the lights, draw the red curtains and bring out this game.
9. Create a Plot
Readymade murder mystery games and kits are fun, but nothing beats creating a plot of your own. That way, you can maintain the element of surprise and trust that no one has played it before. If you could create your murder plot, cast characters, and arrange for faux murder weapons, your party would be spectacular.
If you think it's too much work, you could download a template online instead of buying a game. The template will serve as a road map, guiding you and the guests throughout the spooky party, following clues and stuff.
Keep things interesting as you cruise through the evening, solving the crime with a round of drinks, snacks, and sinister music.
10. Reenacting Sherlock Holmes
Nothing beats the level of thrill that is typical of Sherlock Holmes's cases. You could purchase a mystery board game of Sherlock Holmes for the party, in which guests will have to interview suspects, search newspapers, browse through Baker Street and meet Inspector Lestrade.
Final Thoughts for Murder Mystery Games and Ideas in 2024
Life doesn't have to be all work and no play. When outdoor excursions or mini vacations are not possible, you could always stay in town and host a murder mystery party with rounds of murder mystery games to have fun.
So, what are you waiting for? Invite your friends and family to join and have a thrilling weekend, hunting for clues, interviewing suspects, and solving exciting murder mysteries at a historic venue in Texas. How about the Olde House in Wylie, TX? Book now
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