The best mystery games to play at home

There's no single best mystery game. It depends on who's playing, how many of you there are and how long you've got. Here's what each kind of game is good for, so you can pick the right one for your night. We make phone mysteries ourselves, and we've said plainly where ours fit.

For two people on a weeknight

A phone mystery is a story-led case you play on your phone: a voice to follow, clues on the screen and puzzles to crack, start to finish in one night.

• Best for: a couple or two friends with an evening and no plans.
• You'll need: a phone, and the sound on (or captions).
• Watch for: some need an app or an account before you can start, so check before the night.

This is where our games sit. They play in your phone's web browser with no app, and Stay on the Line (15+) is free from start to finish. See everything on our Play at home shelf.

For a party of six or more

A murder mystery party kit gives every guest a character, a costume idea and a booklet of secrets, and the evening plays out over dinner.

• Best for: birthdays and dinner parties where dressing up is half the fun.
• You'll need: a host to run it, invitations sent early, some printing and costumes.
• Watch for: the cast size. Most kits are written for a set number of characters, so check it matches your guest list.

The free option: Murder in the Dark needs nothing but a dark room, and our free role dealer deals the parts on one phone.

For a puzzle lover on their own

Escape and mystery puzzle games for a phone or tablet, played alone at your own pace.

• Best for: a quiet night, a long trip, or anyone who likes to chew on a puzzle.
• You'll need: a phone or tablet, and often an app download.
• Watch for: some apps charge for hints or show ads between puzzles.

In Stay on the Line a hint costs you time, never money, and there are no ads. Today's puzzle is a free one every day.

For a long investigation over weeks

A box of evidence to work through: letters, photos, reports and maps. Some come as one box, others as a monthly subscription.

• Best for: a household or a regular group who want to spread one case over several nights.
• You'll need: a table you can leave covered in evidence, and patience.
• Watch for: subscriptions renew, so check the cancellation terms before you sign up. Many boxed games can only be played once.

For a gift

A boxed escape or mystery game is easy to wrap and turns into a night in for the person who opens it.

• Best for: birthdays, Christmas and anyone who loves a puzzle.
• You'll need: to know roughly how many will play, and the age on the box.
• Watch for: once a one-play box is solved, the puzzles are spent, so it's a gift for a night rather than for the shelf.

Free ways to start tonight

• Stay on the Line (15+): a free thriller you play at home on your phone.
• Today's puzzle: a new puzzle every day, free, with a streak to keep.
• Murder in the Dark: the classic party game, with our free role dealer.

Updated 19 October 2026.