The Arkham Horror universe boasts a rich collection of board games, each offering unique adventures within the Lovecraftian mythos. To help you navigate this expansive catalogue, we've divided our coverage into two guides. This guide focuses on the board game families, while our Arkham Horror: The Card Game Buying Guide covers the deck-building card games within the same universe.

Arkham Horror is a long-standing franchise known for its horror-themed board games. Players collaborate on missions that require extensive communication to succeed. The games feature multiple pathways influenced by the roles, expansions, and campaigns you choose. These games are also excellent for solo play, perfect for those times when you want to immerse yourself in an hour-plus gaming session without a group.

Featured in this article:

Arkham Horror (3rd Edition)

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Arkham Horror: Under Dark Waves Expansion

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Arkham Horror: Secrets of The Order Expansion

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Arkham Horror: The Dead of Night Expansion

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Elder Sign

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Elder Sign: The Gates of Arkham Expansion

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Elder Sign: Omens of the Pharaoh Expansion

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Elder Sign: Unseen Forces Expansion

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Elder Sign: Grave Consequences

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Elder Sign: Omens of Ice

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Elder Sign: Omens of the Deep

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Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)

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Mansions of Madness: Path of The Serpent Expansion

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Mansions of Madness: Beyond the Threshold Expansion

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Unfathomable

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Unfathomable: From the Abyss Expansion

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Eldritch Horror

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Eldritch Horror: Mountains of Madness Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Under the Pyramids Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Masks of Nyarlathotep Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: The Dreamlands Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Forsaken Lore Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Strange Remnants Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Signs of Carcosa Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Cities in Ruin Expansion

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Arkham Horror: The Roleplaying Game - Hungering Abyss Starter Set

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Arkham Horror: The Roleplaying - Game Core Rulebook

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If you want to dive straight into the details of the games and their expansions, feel free to scroll through the catalog above. For a deeper understanding of how these items fit together within the broader Arkham Horror universe, continue reading below.

Arkham Horror: The Board Game

Arkham Horror (3rd Edition)

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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 players team up to combat various horrors. You can explore Arkham as one of six investigators, solving mysteries and battling terrifying creatures. With multiple campaigns and a significant luck factor involving dice rolls to overcome challenges, the game offers high replayability. However, it's challenging and requires time for setup and learning. It can be played solo or with friends, offering a thrilling experience regardless of the number of players.

Arkham Horror: The Board Game Expansions

There are three expansions for Arkham Horror: The Board Game, each adding depth to the base game.

Arkham Horror: Under the Dark Waves Expansion

Arkham Horror: Under Dark Waves Expansion

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MSRP: $59.99 USD
Players: 1-6
Playtime: 2-3 hours
Ages: 14+

Under the Dark Waves is the largest expansion, focusing on underwater horrors. It introduces eight new investigators and four new scenarios, expanding your adventure beyond the city into the sea.

Arkham Horror: Secrets of the Order Expansion

Arkham Horror: Secrets of The Order Expansion

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MSRP: $44.99 USD
Players: 1-6
Playtime: 2-3 hours
Ages: 14+

This medium-sized expansion adds three new scenarios and three investigators, exploring the French Hill neighborhood and its spectral inhabitants.

Arkham Horror: The Dead of Night Expansion

Arkham Horror: The Dead of Night Expansion

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MSRP: $32.99 USD
Players: 1-4
Playtime: 2-3 hours
Ages: 14+

Dead of Night is a smaller expansion with two scenarios and four investigators, perfect for adding variety to your base game at a lower cost.

Other Arkham Horror Board Games

Several other board games within the Arkham Horror universe offer standalone adventures. These games do not require the base Arkham Horror game and allow you to experience different stories with familiar characters.

Elder Sign

Elder Sign

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MSRP: $39.99 USD
Players: 1-8
Playtime: 1-2 hours
Ages: 14+

Elder Sign is a dice-rolling game that's part of the Arkham Files series. It's highly accessible and can be played with up to eight players. The game centers around rolling dice to complete tasks and face encounters, racing against time to solve the mystery.

Elder Sign Expansions

Elder Sign: The Gates of Arkham Expansion

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Elder Sign: Omens of the Pharaoh Expansion

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Elder Sign: Unseen Forces Expansion

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Elder Sign: Omens of the Deep

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Elder Sign: Grave Consequences

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Elder Sign: Omens of Ice

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Elder Sign has six expansions, including standalone decks like Grave Consequences. The latest expansion was released in 2018, and future releases remain uncertain.

Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)

Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)

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MSRP: $109.95 USD
Players: 1-5
Playtime: 2-3 hours
Ages: 14+

Mansions of Madness is an app-driven dungeon crawler set in the same universe as Eldritch Horror and Elder Sign. The app guides players through the narrative, managing setup and gameplay. It's enjoyable for its combination of physical and digital elements, and the app allows you to pause and resume games.

Mansions of Madness Expansions

There are two expansions for Mansions of Madness, both cooperative and app-guided.

Mansions of Madness: Path of The Serpent Expansion

Mansions of Madness: Path of The Serpent Expansion

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MSRP: $69.99 USD
Players: 1-5
Playtime: 2-3 hours
Ages: 14+

This expansion takes you into the jungle to confront Lovecraftian horrors. It requires the base game and continues the app-driven experience.

Mansions of Madness: Beyond the Threshold Expansion

Mansions of Madness: Beyond the Threshold Expansion

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MSRP: $39.19 USD
Players: 1-5
Playtime: 2-3 hours
Ages: 14+

This more affordable expansion adds two investigators, two scenarios, and an insanity gameplay element, enhancing your game without breaking the bank.

Unfathomable

Unfathomable

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MSRP: $64.99 USD
Players: 3-6
Playtime: 2-4 hours
Ages: 14+

Unfathomable involves escaping a sea of monsters on a boat, with a social deduction element reminiscent of Battlestar Galactica. Players must identify the traitor among them while navigating survival challenges. It's a unique addition to the Arkham catalogue, best suited for larger groups.

Unfathomable: From the Abyss Expansion

Unfathomable: From the Abyss Expansion

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This expansion adds new prelude cards, monstrous horrors, skills, items, and boon cards, enhancing the base game's variability and challenge.

Eldritch Horror

Eldritch Horror

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MSRP: $59.95 USD
Players: 1-4
Playtime: 1-3 hours
Ages: 14+

Eldritch Horror offers a global adventure where players cooperate to complete objectives. It's considered more accessible than Arkham Horror, with quicker setup and simpler rules. It emphasizes strategy and puzzle-solving, released initially in 2013.

Eldritch Horror Expansions

Eldritch Horror: Mountains of Madness Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Under the Pyramids Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Masks of Nyarlathotep Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: The Dreamlands Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Forsaken Lore Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Strange Remnants Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Signs of Carcosa Expansion

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Eldritch Horror: Cities in Ruin Expansion

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Eldritch Horror has eight expansions, each adding new elements and enhancing the base game's replayability.

Other Ways to Play

Beyond traditional board games, you can explore the Arkham universe through online versions of some board games or dive into the franchise's tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG).

The Arkham Horror: The Roleplaying Game

Arkham Horror's first TTRPG was released last year, starting with a starter set and followed by a core rulebook. The starter set is recommended for beginners, offering an accessible entry into TTRPGs.

Arkham Horror: The Roleplaying Game - Hungering Abyss Starter Set

Arkham Horror: The Roleplaying Game - Hungering Abyss Starter Set

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MSRP: $34.99 USD
Players: 2-4
Playtime: 1-3 hours
Ages: 14+

This starter set includes a sample campaign and is ideal for those new to TTRPGs, not requiring an experienced Game Master.

Arkham Horror: The Roleplaying - Game Core Rulebook

Arkham Horror: The Roleplaying - Game Core Rulebook

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MSRP: $49.99 USD
Players: 2-6
Playtime: 1-3 hours
Ages: 14+

After enjoying the starter set, you can expand your TTRPG adventures with the Core Rulebook.

Video Game Versions

A digital version, Arkham Horror: Mother’s Embrace, was released on Steam in 2021. It's a solo game similar to the Mansions of Madness board game expansion, available on Steam and Switch for $19.99. Reviews are mixed, with some criticism over the story's execution.

Elder Sign also has a digital version, Elder Sign: Omens, available on Steam and mobile platforms. Released in 2011, it's well-received and affordable at $5.99.

The Bottom Line

If you enjoy Lovecraftian-themed games, the Arkham Horror universe is a treasure trove waiting to be explored. Many of these games can be played solo or with friends, offering diverse experiences within the Lovecraftian mythos. However, they can be challenging with significant elements of chance, which increases replayability but may also lead to frustration. Setup and learning time can be substantial, though card games are generally quicker to set up than board games, even without expansions.