Looking for a great party idea for your next gathering of friends and family? Try a mystery dinner party game! These mystery parties are great fun for any type of party. Here are some tips to make your mystery party a success.
1. Guests. First you need to figure out your guest list. When you plan out who to invite and how many guests you’ll be having, you’ll be able to find the game that best suits your group. Most mystery party games are made for a group of 8 to 10 people, but many can be adapted for much larger gatherings.
2. Style. Next, you need to determine the style of game you want. Some murder mystery games are aimed at an adult audience and may include more racy content. Other games are more conservative, aimed at teens or children, or whole family parties. You’ll want to make sure you know what your group will like, so that you can choose a game that suits your tastes.
3. Boxed Games. Once you know the style of game, you’ll need to choose your game type. Many mystery games come in box form, and include invitations, character descriptions, food suggestions, costume ideas, etc. One of the most popular game series is the “How to Host a Murder” games. These games, as well as similar games, can be found in most game stores, as well as online, on sites such as Amazon, and Board Game Central. These games usually cost around $30-$35.
4. Digital Downloads. Another great option is digitally downloaded mystery games. These games include all the same parts as the boxed games and are easily accessible from your home. Host-party.com has a great variety of games available for download, at prices similar to the boxed games. If you are looking for a much more cost-friendly option, try digital mysteries from sites such as Ebay, where you can often find digital mystery games for under $10. My favorite is Elizabeth Valentine’s “The Case of the Missing Jewels”, which can now be found on Ebay.
5. Dialogue? Another thing you will have to consider is whether or not you want your game to contain complete character dialogues. Some games include actual dialogue for each character to read in turn. Other games simply provide character information and clues and leave it up to your creativity to talk with other guests and fish for information. Both can be fun, it just depends what you are in the mood for. Just make sure you know which type you are getting, so that you don’t end up disappointed.
6. Character Assignments. Once you have your game, you will want to assign out the characters to your guests. Most games will have character descriptions to give out to each guest before your party. These will give them all of the necessary information about their character as well as costume ideas. These should usually go out with the invitations, if possible.
7. Invitations. Most games will provide you with invitations to send out, or a template to customize for your guests. The invitations will allow you to add all of the information you need, and will be done in the style of your chosen game.
8. Menus. Most games will provide you with menu suggestions for your parties. The menu will usually include food ideas for three rounds of game play: drinks and appetizers, dinner, and dessert. You can customize the menu to whatever suits your gathering. If you don’t want to serve a full dinner, you can always just serve snacks. But the game is usually based around three different parts of the evening, so keep that in mind when planning.
9. Host. Each mystery game should have a character who handles all of the confidential information. This character information is usually handed out to guests at the beginning of each round. You will want to make sure this person understands their duties and knows when they will be required to give the guests new information.
10. Have Fun! Enjoy your mystery game! These mystery parties are some of the best I have ever been to. Just make sure your guests feel free to relax and play their parts. When everyone gets into character and embraces the theatricality of the evening, you will be sure to have an amazing, memorable time.
