Arkham Horror: The Board Game Buying Guide

The Arkham Horror universe boasts a vast collection of games, so much so that we've divided them into two guides. This buying guide focuses on the various board games; for the deck-building card games, please see our Arkham Horror: The Card Game Buying Guide.

Arkham Horror is a long-running franchise of cooperative horror board games. Players collaborate, communicating strategies to overcome terrifying challenges. Gameplay branches across numerous paths, influenced by chosen roles, expansions, and campaigns. These games also excel as engaging solo experiences.

Featured in this article

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Want to skip the descriptions and go straight to the games and expansions? Browse the catalog above. For detailed information on how the games relate to each other and the broader Arkham Horror universe, continue reading.

Arkham Horror: The Board Game

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MSRP: $65.95 USD Players: 1-6 Playtime: 2-3 hours Ages: 14+

Arkham Horror is a cooperative board game where teams of investigators battle terrifying creatures. Choose from six investigators, solve mysteries, and defeat horrific beasts across multiple campaigns. The significant luck element and potential for chaotic events ensure high replayability. Be warned: this game is challenging, with a lengthy setup and playtime. Solo play is also possible.

Arkham Horror: The Board Game Expansions

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Three expansions enhance Arkham Horror's depth:

Arkham Horror: Under the Dark Waves Expansion
MSRP: $59.99 USD Players: 1-6 Playtime: 2-3 hours Ages: 14+
This large expansion introduces underwater horrors, eight new investigators, and four new scenarios.

Arkham Horror: Secrets of the Order Expansion
MSRP: $44.99 USD Players: 1-6 Playtime: 2-3 hours Ages: 14+
This medium-sized expansion adds three new scenarios, three investigators, and a new neighborhood to explore.

Arkham Horror: The Dead of Night Expansion
MSRP: $32.99 USD Players: 1-4 Playtime: 2-3 hours Ages: 14+
This smaller expansion includes two new scenarios and four new investigators.

Other Arkham Horror Board Games

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These standalone games offer separate Arkham adventures, featuring familiar characters but unconnected to the main Arkham Horror game:

Elder Sign

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MSRP: $39.99 USD Players: 1-8 Playtime: 1-2 hours Ages: 14+
A dice-rolling game, playable by one to eight players. It's the most accessible game in the Arkham Files franchise, with six expansions.

Elder Sign Expansions

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Elder Sign has six expansions: Unseen Forces, Gates of Arkham, Omens of Ice, Grave Consequences, Omens of the Deep, and Omens of the Pharaoh. Grave Consequences is standalone.

Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)

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MSRP: $109.95 USD Players: 1-5 Playtime: 2-3 hours Ages: 14+
An app-driven dungeon crawler, playable solo or with up to five players. The app manages setup, narrative, and gameplay.

Mansions of Madness Expansions

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Mansions of Madness: Path of The Serpent Expansion
MSRP: $69.99 USD Players: 1-5 Playtime: 2-3 hours Ages: 14+

Mansions of Madness: Beyond the Threshold Expansion
MSRP: $39.19 USD Players: 1-5 Playtime: 2-3 hours Ages: 14+

Unfathomable

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MSRP: $64.99 USD Players: 3-6 Playtime: 2-4 hours Ages: 14+
A social deduction game where players escape a monster-infested ship. One player is secretly a traitor.

Unfathomable: From the Abyss Expansion

Eldritch Horror

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MSRP: $59.95 USD Players: 1-4 Playtime: 1-3 hours Ages: 14+
Players travel the globe to thwart ancient evils. Features quicker setup and simpler rules than Arkham Horror.

Eldritch Horror Expansions

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Eight expansions are available for Eldritch Horror.

Other Ways to Play

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Explore the Arkham universe through online versions of some games and the franchise's tabletop roleplaying game:

The Arkham Horror: The Roleplaying Game

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Arkham Horror: The Roleplaying Game - Hungering Abyss Starter Set
MSRP: $34.99 USD Players: 2-4 Playtime: 1-3 hours Ages: 14+

Arkham Horror: The Roleplaying - Game Core Rulebook
MSRP: $49.99 USD Players: 2-6 Playtime: 1-3 hours Ages: 14+

Video Game Versions

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Arkham Horror: Mother’s Embrace (Steam, Switch - $19.99)

Elder Sign: Omens (Steam, Mobile - $5.99)

The Bottom Line

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Arkham Horror offers diverse Lovecraftian experiences, playable solo or with friends. While challenging and incorporating elements of chance, these games provide high replayability and unique gameplay across various titles.