🕵️How to Play a Murder Mystery Party Game in an Apartment (or other small spaces) 🏙️
Planning a thrilling murder mystery party game at home doesn’t require a sprawling mansion or a giant dining room. With a little creativity, your cozy apartment or small space can transform into the perfect crime scene for an unforgettable night of mystery, suspense, and dramatic reveals 🔪✨.
Guilty Games will help you throw an unforgettable whodunit, even in the tiniest of spaces.
🎭 Step 1: Choose the Right Murder Mystery Party Game Kit
When space is limited, the right murder mystery party game kit is key. We have over 35 unique themes to choose from, and every single one can be played in a small space! Focus on:
- smaller group sizes-- aim for 5-8 players, and in our kits, everyone gets to play (including the host!)
- easy to follow digital materials-- guests can either print out their character packets or use it on their phones!
- no dramatic acting out-- while we love when guests get into the dramatics, there are no necessary acting scenes in our games. Because our games are unscripted, guests play as detectives-- there is no script to follow, and your space can work for any game, no stages required!
Our games can also be played virtually-- so no need to even all be in the same place!
🛋️ Step 2: Set the Scene with What You’ve Got
You don’t need to redecorate your whole apartment — just a few well-placed props can set the mood:
- Turn your living room into a 1920s speakeasy (for our gangster gunman game) or a haunted manor (for our horror at the haunted house game) with some DIY touches.
- Use lighting (think: red bulbs or flickering candles 🕯️) to build ambiance. Or use a well-timed blackout to change the mood between reading the introduction and starting the detective style part of the game!
- Label rooms with makeshift signs like “Detective’s Office” or “Crime Scene – Do Not Enter!"
Space-saving tip: Have all scenes take place in one or two rooms to keep the action tight and immersive.
🧑🤝🧑 Step 3: Assign Characters & Encourage Costumes
- The more your guests embrace their roles, the more fun your murder mystery party game at home will be!
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Send out character assignments ahead of time.
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Encourage simple costume elements — hats, sunglasses, or themed accessories — that don’t take up much room or require changing spaces.
- A little dress-up goes a long way in making your party unforgettable 🎩🕶️.
🗣️ Step 4: Create Movement Without Needing Space
Even in a small apartment, you can keep the game dynamic:
- Let guests “move” to different rooms metaphorically (i.e., “I’m heading to the study,” while staying in the same space).
- Rotate conversation pairs regularly to keep interactions flowing.Use audio cues or mini scene breaks to indicate transitions or discoveries 🔍.
- Build the perfect playlist centered around your theme! You don’t need square footage to create suspense — just smart pacing and interaction.
- Use the bathroom for confessionals-- you can even film them to rewatch afterwards and relive the fun!
📄 Step 5: Keep the Game Flowing with Simple Rules
- all of our games are super easy to follow, and great for first time players and experts alike! The rules are clear and the mystery flows naturally, so there isn't any confusing setup or rule learning required.
- ✨ Quick tip: Print or email cheat sheets so players can keep track of clues without needing table space. We include notes sheets with all of our games!
You don’t need a mansion to host an epic murder mystery party. With the right murder mystery party game kit, a bit of imagination, and some clever space-saving hacks, your apartment can become the scene of the crime — and the night’s most memorable event.
So gather your suspects, pour the wine, and get ready to solve a crime... right from your living room. 🥂🎭
Ready to host your own murder mystery party game at home?
Check out our favorite space-friendly kits and let the sleuthing begin! 🕵️