Betrayal at House on the Hill is one of the most popular board games once you graduate beyond mass market games like Monopoly, Risk, and Scrabble and step into the world of hobby board games.
The game has such incredible appeal to those who have never experienced anything beyond classic parlor games. It has atmosphere, it has exploration, and it has a funky traitor mechanic that elevates the game into a deeply memorable experience.
But as with most board games, Betrayal at House on the Hill may lose its luster with repeat plays—especially if you play the heck out of it dozens and dozens of times, as many players tend to do.
Whether you love Betrayal at House on the Hill and want to see what else is out there like it or you like the idea of Betrayal at House on the Hill but don't like the game for whatever reason, you have options.
Here are my picks for the best board games like Betrayal at House on the Hill and why you should consider playing them.
10. Shadows Over Camelot
Designed by Serge Laget and Bruno Cathala
Supports 3 to 7 players
About 60 to 90 minutes
Moderate complexity
Shadows Over Camelot is a semi-cooperative game where players are working together toward shared victory, but one player could possibly be a traitor. Every turn requires you to make both heroic and evil actions, so it's far from easy to spot who the traitor might be—if there is one.
What makes Shadows Over Camelot similar to Betrayal at House on the Hill? The traitor mechanic is where these games overlap, except there's far more dread and uncertainty in Shadows Over Camelot because traitors are never guaranteed.
Shadows Over Camelot is a great game, but the reason it's ranked so low on this list is that it's pretty old. It hasn't been reprinted since 2012, so new copies are rare and used copies can fetch a high price.
9. Horrified
Designed by Prospero Hall
Supports 1 to 5 players
About 60 to 90 minutes
Simple complexity
Horrified is a cooperative game where you go up against one (or more) classic monsters as they terrorize a quaint little town. Whether it's Dracula, The Mummy, or The Wolf Man, each monster is defeated in a unique way and requires you to work together toward it.
What makes Horrified similar to Betrayal at House on the Hill? If you like the idea of cooperative play within a thematic horror atmosphere that's simple enough for even non-gamers to enjoy, then Horrified is a must-play board game for your collection.
Horrified lacks the modular tile-based layout, the exploration through the unknown, and the traitor mechanic of Betrayal at House on the Hill, so it's far from an exact substitute.
That said, if your main draw toward Betrayal at House on the Hill is the cooperative horror gameplay, then you can't go wrong here.
8. Marvel Zombies: Heroes' Resistance
Designed by Fabio Cury and Michael Shinall
Supports 1 to 4 players
About 60 to 90 minutes
Moderate complexity
Marvel Zombies: Heroes' Resistance is a cooperative board game in the Zombicide series that blends the zombie apocalypse theme with Marvel superheroes. You have to work together to survive the onslaught through different scenarios that each play differently.
What makes Marvel Zombies: Heroes' Resistance similar to Betrayal at House on the Hill? You're working together toward shared victory and there are several different scenarios to experience, meaning each game plays differently and you'll have unique stories from each session.
If you like the idea of cooperative horror gameplay but think Horrified might be too simplistic—or maybe you just don't like that theme—then Marvel Zombies: Heroes' Resistance is a great step up in complexity.
However, it does lack the traitor mechanic of Betrayal at House on the Hill. If you're looking for a game like Marvel Zombies: Heroes' Resistance but with a traitor involved, scroll down to Dead of Winter.
7. Sub Terra II: Inferno's Edge
Sub Terra II: Inferno's Edge is a cooperative game where players are adventurers inside a volcanic temple who must navigate a network of tunnels and hazards to steal a legendary artifact, then make it out safely before the volcano erupts.
What makes Sub Terra II: Inferno's Edge similar to Betrayal at House on the Hill? It shares the tile-to-tile exploration mechanic where you delve into the unknown, plus the tense and foreboding atmosphere.
There's no traitor mechanic in this game, so it's reminiscent of the first half of Betrayal at House on the Hill before the Haunt kicks in. The focus here is on exploration, hazards, and survival.
6. Arkham Horror (3rd Edition)
Designed by Nikki Valens
Supports 1 to 6 players
About 120 to 180 minutes
Advanced complexity
Arkham Horror (3rd Edition) is a cooperative game where you work together as paranormal investigators in the face of inexplicable cosmic horrors, trying to defeat eldritch beings before they destroy the world.
What makes Arkham Horror (3rd Edition) similar to Betrayal at House on the Hill? The theme of cosmic paranormal horror is thick throughout Arkham Horror (3rd Edition), and each session has a full-blown narrative feel that makes you feel immersed in the game.
If your favorite thing about Betrayal at House on the Hill is the immersive experience with self-contained sessions, Arkham Horror (3rd Edition) might be up your alley.
Just bear in mind that Arkham Horror (3rd Edition) has a lot of moving pieces so it can be overwhelming for newer players. It's also pretty long, so expect at least two or three hours for a session.
5. Clank! Catacombs
Designed by Paul Dennen
Supports 1 to 4 players
About 60 to 120 minutes
Moderate complexity
Clank! Catacombs is a competitive adventure game that blends elements of deckbuilding, exploration, and push-your-luck in a race to see who can delve the deepest and collect the most valuable artifacts and make it back out alive before the Dragon kills you.
What makes Clank! Catacombs similar to Betrayal at House on the Hill? Primarily its tile-based exploration system where you move from tile to tile and reveal new tiles as you explore unknown areas.
If you like the first half of Betrayal at House on the Hill but wish the game had more of an dungeon crawling adventure feel and competition between players, then you should check out Clank! Catacombs.
4. Dead of Winter
Designed by Jonathan Gilmour and Isaac Vega
Supports 2 to 5 players
About 60 to 150 minutes
Advanced complexity
Dead of Winter is a semi-cooperative post-apocalyptic game where players must work together in order to survive zombies and other hazards, but everyone also has their own secret individual goals that may put them at odds with other players.
What makes Dead of Winter similar to Betrayal at House on the Hill? The tension that comes from players working together for a while before someone (or several players) eventually betrays the group.
The theme is certainly different—zombie apocalypse versus haunted mansion—but when it comes to board games that pull players into the story and get them interacting with each other, few can deliver the kinds of crushing blows that Dead of Winter manages.
3. Cthulhu: Death May Die
Designed by Rob Daviau and Eric M. Lang
Supports 1 to 5 players
About 90 to 150 minutes
Moderate complexity
Cthulhu: Death May Die is an action-packed dice-chucking game where you're working together to take down eldritch abominations and obliterate them before you go insane.
What makes Cthulhu: Death May Die similar to Betrayal at House on the Hill? There's a lot of that same "exploring a horrific environment" feel, plus the paranormal horror theme that's thick throughout.
To be clear, the overall experience between these two games isn't very alike: if Betrayal at House on the Hill is like a slow-burn horror movie, then Cthulhu: Death May Die is more like an action flick.
That said, Cthulhu: Death May Die is an amazing game. If you're looking for a game like Betrayal at House on the Hill except now you can be heroic in the face of cosmic entities, you won't find a better one.
2. Unfathomable
Designed by Tony Fanchi
Supports 3 to 6 players
About 120 to 240 minutes
Advanced complexity
Unfathomable is a cooperative game in which you're all passengers aboard the SS Atlantica and must work together to overcome various crises and ensure the ship safely arrives at its destination. But there are traitors among you who are trying to sink the ship!
What makes Unfathomable similar to Betrayal at House on the Hill? This game leans heavily into the thrills and dread of having a hidden traitor amongst your group.
And unlike the aforementioned Dead of Winter, Unfathomable is themed toward cosmic horror than post-apocalyptic zombies.
Unfathomable is a long and complex game, which is a double-edged sword. The experience is unlike any other game mentioned thus far, and every session feels like an event unto itself. But it may be a bit too much for non-gamers to handle.
1. Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)
Designed by Nikki Valens
Supports 1 to 5 players
About 120 to 180 minutes
Moderate complexity
Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition) is an app-assisted cooperative game of exploration, mystery, and survival. You'll be investigating haunted mansions in an effort to fend off terrifying cosmic evils.
What makes Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition) similar to Betrayal at House on the Hill? Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition) is essentially the "big boy" version of Betrayal at House on the Hill.
It shares many of the same elements: tile-based map exploration, paranormal horrors around every corner, one or more players becoming traitors later in the game, multiple scenarios for variability, and mysteries to uncover as you work to survive.
But the standout feature of Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition) is the companion app, which narrates and guides the experience like a game master. That elevates this game and makes it one of the most memorable experiences to have in modern board gaming.
Important: Be sure to get the second edition! The first edition of Mansions of Madness is a substantially different game that's more complex and lacks the companion app.
