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      27.02.2013 09:15
      Very helpful



      A classic

      On the run up to Christmas I received a call from my sister who was out doing some shopping and she asked me did I think my son would like the game cluedo. I knew that this was as much about that she would like to play it than would he like it but I did think it would be a good investment because I think it is one of those classic games that people of all ages seem to enjoy playing. This is my review of the game.

      ==What is it?==

      Cluedo is described as the classic mystery game where you need to solve the murder in the mansion before any of your opponents. The word classic is highlighted in yellow on the game box but I think this is a fair statement anyway because it is a game I have fond memories of playing when I was younger and suspect it is one of those games that will just last the test of time.

      The game is made by Hasbro which is to me one of the most respected names in the world of board games and so I always expect their products to be of a good quality. This one is no exception and it comes packaged in a tough long cardboard box which feels as though it will stand up well to being played with plenty and will still last many years. The front of the box features the game name but also features a more modern look than the game I was used to and on this one there is a picture of the mansion with a spooky looking figure stood at one of the windows holding a weapon! There are real faces used on the game box too as opposed to the cartoon ones that I remember.

      This game is suitable for those aged eight years plus and I would say that is a pretty good guide really. My son was seven and a half when he received the game for Christmas and whilst he got on ok with it he did need help here and there. What is new now is that there are rules to play the game with just two people and so it makes it more usable in our home where there is often just my son and I.

      ==Setting up the game and play==

      Inside the box you have the following things:

      Mansion game board
      Yellow murder envelope
      Detective notepad
      6 character tokems
      21 cluedo cards which have the characters, rooms and weapons on
      13 red bonus cards
      6 weapon tokens
      2 dice

      First and foremost you need to set up the game board. We like to play on a table because the game board is secure on there and there are places to hide your detective sheet as well when you are marking things off! The game board is a great quality and again is really built to last. It features so much detail for rooms around the mansion and there are even small decorations to look at within the rooms so it is an interesting board to look at.

      Once the board is set up someone needs to sort the cluedo cards in to character, room and weapon and give them a shuffle in their individual packs. One from each of the packs should then be placed without anyone looking at them in to the yellow murder envelope and it really is important that no one takes a peep at these cards because inside the envelope is who killed, in which room, using which weapon and that is the information you are ultimately trying to work out. Once the cards are in the murder envelope the others can be shuffled together, again without looking at them, and shared equally between the players of the game.

      Each player should choose a character token who they want to play as. In this case the playing tokens are a Perspex figure shape in the colour of the characters name. What I found interesting in this edition of the game is there is an insert in the game box which tells us a bit about the story and so we learn Samuel Black is the infamous millionaire who is killed in his mansion whilst also learning a little about each of the characters who all have a colour nickname but their real names printed in the box too. Whilst this isn't necessary information for the game I did enjoy the addition of it but I suspect adults who have played this game may already have a character they always "be" anyway! My sister for example will always play as Scarlet. Another fact to note here is that they are represented now by actual people as opposed to cartoon drawings and they are no longer called Miss Scarlett for example and are just Scarlet. This doesn't affect the playing of the game but I do think they'll always have that prefix to their name for me!

      The weapons tokens should be distributed on the game board and it doesn't matter which room you put them in at all. They could all be in the same room if you really wanted but it is more fun to space them out!

      Each player is given a sheet off the detectives pad which features a grid with seven sections across the top and then all of the characters names, room names and weapon names along the side. The fact that there are seven sections across the top means that each piece of paper is useful for seven games and as the pad is also double sided I think there is plenty of paper for the game. Obviously at some point you are bound to run out but this would take a long time and when that happens you can easily make up some yourself anyway.

      Players should mark off on their detective pad sheet the cards that they have in their possession as they know that they cannot be involved in the murder in the mansion. I think here it is key to guide children and let them know that they can take their time but they need to keep their cards a secret from everyone else if possible. My son managed to do this ok but you could tell the cogs were ticking over as he was working through the task.

      Players all begin in the middle of the game board and it is here you need to return should you think you have worked out the answer to the murder before you can make your guess. Players roll the two dice and move their way around the board in to rooms and once there can move any character and weapon to the room they are in to ask a question involving them. An example would be to take Scarlet to the kitchen along with the pistol and say "I think Scarlet did it in the kitchen with the pistol" and then the player on your left must try and show you just one of their cards if they hold any of the ones you have mentioned so that you can tick it off your detective sheet. If the player cannot answer you then play moves to the next player on the left and so on. It really is so important to just show one card and my son when playing this got a little upset as he had two cards that my sister mentioned and so showed her both and as such we both managed to tick more off our sheets than him. He has since played and been much more cautious and understanding of the rules but I would say be patient with a child when playing this game because it takes time to get used to everything that is going on and it is a game where you have to use strategy and think a lot and so they do need to be given help sometimes. When I play this with grown ups though we are all so competitive and really want to win! I think it is definitely one of those games that brings out the wannabe champion in everyone that's for sure!

      New to this version of cluedo is bonus cards which are handy if you cannot make it to a room to ask a question. If you land on a bonus space you may be able to ask a question to the player on your left about any character, room or weapon for example. This is a handy addition to the game I think but there aren't many bonus squares on the board to look for.

      If you think you have worked out the answer to the murder you should head to the centre of the board to make your guess. What is amusing but equally frustrating is if your character is the suspected murderer people are going to keep moving you to various rooms until they find out for sure and so you can find yourself moved away from the centre with almost every roll! Once at the centre it is important that when you make the prediction you check if you are right secretly. If you are then great but if you aren't you must replace the cards and you are now out of the game and must let the other players carry on. It is quite easy to trick other players by persistently asking questions involving a card you have because they won't have it themselves and may start to believe that it is involved in the murder but I try not to do this when I play with my son because I think he is a bit young yet to be having that kind of trick pulled on him! Again though my sister is incredibly competitive and will do this even if my son is playing so it is each to their own!

      A game of cluedo played in the traditional way normally takes about half an hour or so which I think is a great time to be sat playing a family game. It isn't too long that you become bored but too short that you wonder why you bothered setting it up in the first place.

      When you play the game with two players it is pretty much the same length of time when you play which is also good. In the two player mode the concept is the same but instead four cards are placed along the side of the board and should your opponent not be able to show you one of their cards when you ask a question then you can look at one of the cards on the side of the board. You must return the card to exactly the same place you left it for ease of play. What is great with the two player option is that adults can play this and have a child on their team when they are teaching the child the basic rules of cluedo but also smaller families such as my own where it is just my son and I can play this classic game together where as before we wouldn't have been able to. The two player game is really helping my son develop confidence with his problem solving and strategy skills and so I think it is a good game to play!

      ==Price and availability==

      Cluedo is one of those games that is probably going to be sold in most toy shops. Having looked online at argos I can tell you that it costs £15.99 and this is a very fair price I think for a game which can be enjoyed by both children and adults alike and which is bound to be played for many years indeed.


      I would certainly recommend cluedo. I think it is one of those purchases which become an investment and although I don't want to sound like a total saddo I think you are buying something which is going to provide years of entertainment for your family which will also build some really good memories as well.

      Thanks for reading my review!


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      • More +
        07.12.2012 11:56
        Very helpful



        A Decent Game But Not My Favourite

        I have recently reviewed both Jenga and Monopoly and was wondering what other classic games I could think of. One that has been around for a very long time is of course Cluedo. This is a game that I first played back when I was a kid and we still have it today. To be perfectly honest it's not a game I'm a massive fan of but I know that many other people are, so hence it is well deserving of a review.

        Cluedo is quite an unusual board game in the fact that you don't really move around the board in any set way. The object of the game is to discover who committed the murder. To do this you must use trial and error to whittle down the possibilities. The winner of the game is the player who solves the murder and discovers who the murdered is, what weapon was used and exactly where the murder took place. All this usually takes around an hour to happen although sometimes it can take a little longer.

        The game begins when you randomly draw out three cards and place them in a little folder. Each card has something on it, some cards have a person for instance Professor Plum and Mrs White, some cards have a weapon such as a candlestick or a lead pipe and some cards have a location such as the kitchen or library. Now the three cards have been selected you have your murderer, weapon and location. At this point nobody knows the solution.

        Now you must ask questions as you move around the board to different rooms. You also have little miniatures of the weapons and of course the characters are in miniature versions. The rules can be a little tricky at first to understand and so this is not really a game for very young children. I won't try and explain them all here, you will have to play the actual game to get a real understanding of them.

        As I mentioned earlier I'm not a great fan of this game. Of all the games we used to play as a family this is the one I liked the least. There are good things about it but I tend to get a little bored. Plus there is the fact that you can actually cheat when playing the game and when your playing with a naughty younger sister sometimes this is an issue.

        So overall Cluedo is certainly a very popular well loved game. The whole concept is very clever and this is no doubt why it has been a popular game for many years. We still have Cluedo and every so often I do get roped in to playing it, but for me there ar much better board games out there that I would rather be playing.


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      • More +
        29.11.2012 14:41
        Very helpful



        Cluedo provides years of fun.

        A murder most horrid has been committed. Mr Black the owner of a stately home has been found dead but the body has been moved from the room where he was killed.

        If you are any age above the age of eight then you are invited to become a detective. Your mission is to solve the murder. There are many lines of enquiry to be made and you'll have to prowl around the house to establish all the facts.

        However, you are not a lone detective. It makes good sense for your career to be the detective who finds out what happened to the poor victim before the other detectives/players determine inconclusively the events on that murderous day.

        Detectives must gather evidence to procure the following vital information to solve this case:

        1. WHO murdered Mr Black?
        2. WHERE In the house was Mr Black murdered?
        3. WHAT/HOW - deduce the weapon used to kill the victim?

        Three to six detectives/players can compete in each game which is made by Hasbro and brought many years of family fun to homes since the late 1940s. The one strange point is that the detectives are actually the suspects too so you could be the murderer without even realising it for a long time. Well, at least you've got the excuse of amnesia!

        Step One:

        Open the game board in front of you to see the floor plan of a house with squares dividing the rooms from corridors. It's a good sturdy board and nicely decorated. Place the six weapon pieces, on this board, into any of the nine rooms. No more than one weapon is to put into one room.

        Step two:

        There are cards which are divided into evidence for the WHO, WHERE and WHAT/HOW questions. Each of the three card piles are shuffled separately.

        A Note on Cheating:

        Step two is a point when cheating is easy if everyone isn't alert to the possibility. I know because when I was little...ahem...anyway, cheating spoils the game. Cheating involves glancing at the three WHO, WHERE, WHAT cards before inserting them into a special envelope provided for them. These three cards represent, the murderer, the weapon and the room in which the murder took place. The whole aim of the game is for the winning detective to discover these three elements correctly to win the game.

        Another quick reference to cheating, don't leave anyone alone with the cards, during gameplay as this also gives players the chance to peek in the envelope or at your own detective notes!

        Step Three:

        Shuffle the three small stacks of evidence cards altogether, creating one pile rather than three. The cards are all, as equally as possible, distributed to all the players. Cheats might try and look over shoulders so be careful; hide your cards from the sight of others.

        Step Four:

        Each player has a specially made check sheet, in their detective notepad, listing ever single piece of evidence available. Tick or cross off each evidence card held in your hand on your personal sheet whilst ensuring no one else can see your evidence cards and check sheet.

        Evidence Cards:

        WHO - six character suspects on the cards and on the playing board.
        WHERE - Nine roomcards representing each of the nine rooms in the house.
        WHAT/HOW - six weapon cards and model weapons.

        Step Five:

        Each player picks out their playing piece and the first person rolls the die. There are two that must be rolled at the same time. When the player can move over enough squares in the passages/corridors to get into a room they then guess and voice their suspicions. For example;

        'I suspect the murder was committed by Miss Scarlet in the lounge and the weapon used was the dagger.'

        Note the room announced has to be the room the player has landed in.

        Annoyingly, if you happen to be the Miss Scarlett playing piece, and you had high hopes of getting to a room at the other end of the board, you are forced to come into the lounge. Not only that but if you hold any of these corresponding evidence cards in your hands then you have to choose one to show the player who dragged you into the lounge. Players can learn to be clever in what they show and if other players are taking careful note they can narrow down the suspects through a process of deduction and elimination. Watch a player being forced to show a piece of evidence and you can be aided too in this process of elimination. You have just discovered that Miss Scarlet (the player) is holding at least one of the three suspected by the player who's turn it is and therefor one of those three are not in the envelope and are not involved with the murder. This is a good clue for everyone.

        With over three hundred solutions repeated game play is not boring. Players may have an inkling as to the three cards in the envelope and may choose to take a risk and announce them to prevent another detective player from beating them to it.

        There's more logic than luck involved in Cluedo.

        My thoughts:

        Two players don't make the game exciting enough. It's more challenging to play with about four players upwards.

        Despite the theme of murder this is a very safe and tame game Only those with the wildest imaginations can add any sense of horror to this. When children play I sense they are more taken by being able to explore from room to room, gathering evidence, and winning then any finer descriptive details that imaginations could form. Mr Black is not described and the pieces are only little models of people. It's a very tame sort of game of deduction.

        Cluedo is appealing to lovers of simple detective novels and films, justice seekers and lovers of fun with friends and family. I give Cluedo five stars because it is a great and classic game. The only downside is that boxed games are quite expensive. It currently costs, from various suppliers, around £25 or more. However, the longevity of this game and the suitability for a large range of ages makes it more worthwhile than video games or battery sourced toys.

        I say, 'Buy it!'


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        • More +
          28.11.2012 22:15
          Very helpful
          1 Comment



          A great game

          I have always loved this game from being a little girl and now as an adult I still love playing it and even more so as I understand about strategy.

          To play the game you have to work out who the killer is, in what room they committed the murder and what weapong they used to murder the victim.

          The game comes in a thick cardboard box, the picture above is the newer box and is slightly different from mine but still has the same basics of the name, the fact that up to 6 people can play and that the game is for ages 8 and up.

          Inside the box you get the game board which is set out with 9 different rooms around the outside of the board and lots of little squares marked on it which are your moves, each room has doorways for you to enter and 4 of the rooms have secret passageways where you can move from one corner of the board to the other in 1 move.

          Also within the box are 6 plastic coloured pieces to represent the 6 different characters within the game, you get 6 different toy weapons for the weapon the murderer uses, a pad of game sheets, a wallet for the murder cards and then you get 15 cards, 9 room cards, 6 people cards and 6 weapon cards.

          To play the game you have to first shuffle the 3 different types of cards and then select one from each pile without looking at it, these then go in the murder cards wallet. The rest of the cards are shuffled and dealt among the players and then you mark off your cards on your game sheet. You take it in turns to throw the dice and move the correct amount of spaces until you manage to reach one of the rooms. Once in a room you have to select a person and move them into the room, this can get really annoying if you are trying to get somewhere and another player keeps moving you back, a weapon and the room that you are stood in and select a player to ask. If the person you ask has one of the cards you have picked they have to show you a card, if they have two of the cards you have asked for they still only have to show you one.

          You keep going around the board marking off on your sheet what yourself and other people have until you are left with one person, one weapon and one room which will be the murder cards. Once you know the murder cards you have to make your way to the murder room this can end up fun if 2 of you are trying to get there and this can also be annoying when you get the lead and someone pulls you back into a room on their turn. Once you reach the room you state that you are guessing and read it aloud, you have to take a look at the cards but not show anyone else unless you are correct, if you are incorrect play continues for the rest of the players but they can still ask you about your cards.

          The game is loads of fun and I am pretty good at it as I play with a strategy instead of just jumping from room to room, I tend to try and find out one item at a time by using 2 items I hold the cards for and then move on to the next thing on the list. The only downside with this game is that there is not enough sheets for playing with as the game isn't just a childrens game we have been playing with mine for years and have to write out the sheets every time we play. The game sells at about £10 and is widely available I would certainly recommend it.


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          • More +
            30.05.2012 00:00
            Very helpful



            Is this how Sherlock Holmes learnt his trade...? you never know.

            Picture this; you're in a mansion in the middle of nowhere with a few rather strange people of all different colours. As you wonder around the mansion you come across several rooms, including a that grand library and ball room with a freshly polished floor, with one or two of the rooms actually holding more than they want to disclose.
            Then one evening, much to your displeasure, there is a death in the mansion, a murder in fact, with one of the guest within the building being the murderer.
            Unfortunately, before you can flee with fear, heading for your car outside so you can get as far away from the place as possible, someone goes and locks all the doors and windows, trapping everyone inside until the police arrive, keeping the murderer locked within the walls until they can be exposed.
            But before the police arrive, taking there usual four days to even answer the telephone, let alone turning up to the scene of a crime, (mainly due to the fact that someone off the television isn't involved so there's no rush really). But before they arrive you and the other people in the mansion decide to try and flush out the murderer before the murderer finds you.
            So you decide to ask a few questions, trying to find who did the dirty deed, in which room it was done and the weapon that was used to inflict that fatal blow or shot or stab or what ever way the victim was murdered.

            Can you find the murderer before he, or she, commits another crime? Can you manage to stay alive long enough to uncover the truth about the terrible night in the Grand Mansion you have had the misfortune to end up being forced to stay the night at?

            Well now you can give it a go; and what's more, you don't even have to put yourself in any form of danger at all as you can find out who the murderer is in the comfort of your own home.
            And how you do it is by getting your hands on a board game called Cluedo, where a murder's been committed and it's up to you to find out who did it.

            What is Cluedo then..?
            Firstly, before we begin, this is me talking about the original Cluedo game, as for me this is, and always will be, the best version of the game ever made.

            So to the game, and, as I said, it is a board game for 3 - 6 players that involves trying to find out who committed the deadly dead by process of elimination.
            Simple as that really; you ask someone if they have something, if they haven't then you may be closer to the murderer that you think, but make the wrong accusation and you're out of the game, (but don't panic, you won't get murdered as it's only a game)

            In the box you should get...

            * The board, (which is about 19" by 19" {or 480mm by 480mm} )
            * 6 murder weapons, such as a candle stick, rope, pistol, lead piping, knife and even a spanner
            * 6 suspect cards with the name and image of each character, Mrs Peacock, (blue), Professor Plum, (purple), Reverand Green, (Green), Miss Scarlett, (red), Colonel Mustard, (Yellow) and Mrs White, (White)
            * Nine room cards
            * Score pads, or more notepads so that you can mark of the suspects as you go along
            * A couple of dice
            * A little envelope that three cards slip into
            * and instructions which are in English and some other language which I couldn't understand, although I struggled a little with the English side so it was a good job I knew how to play the game.

            The board itself...

            The layout of the original board has nine rooms which are all joined together by yellow corridors. The corridors are made up of little squares, with each square representing a single move.
            The nine rooms are what you would expect in a house, such as the Kitchen, hall, dining room, lounge, study and conservatory. Plus, there's a few rooms that you'd expect to find in a mansion, or grand house, such as a billiard room and even its own library. And the corner rooms have a little secret hidden with in them, which come in handy throughout the game.

            Each room has at least one entrance/exit, represented by a gap in the wall, with these gaps in the wall the only way in and out of the rooms, obviously.
            In the centre of the entire board there is the area where the 'murder' cards are placed and should remain until the final accusation.

            So how do you play the game then..?
            First thing to do is set up the board by placing the six coloured character pieces onto their relevant start positions, which are clearly mark with their names, then the weapons are placed into any of the nine rooms.
            Then it's a matter of sorting out the cards into three piles, those being the characters, rooms and weapons. Then, with the cards of each pile placed face down, so that no one knows what they are, a single card from each pile is taken out and placed into the little envelope, which is then placed into the centre of the board and left there until more or less the end of the game.
            The rest of the cards are then all mixed up and dealt out amongst the players, with each player then marking off their cards on the score sheet/notepad so that they know which ones may still be the cards in the centre of the board.

            The first player then throws the dice and moves the number of squares the dice shows, aiming for the doorway of the room of their chose. Then, once in the room, a player can take a guess, or accusation, at who the murderer is and what the weapon was that they did the deadly dead with, but the room that the person lands in has to be the room that that person suspects the murder was committed in, (are you with me so far).
            If a player has any of the cards that you suggested as the suspects then they have to show you one of the cards so that no one else sees it, this is so that you can mark off that card on you score sheet/notepad.

            With each accusation you make you hopefully mark off at least one of the suspects/rooms or weapons that you called, this is how you narrow the list down until you're left with the cards that are in the envelope in the centre of the board.

            The game continues like, with each player taking it in turns, although you don't have to have a guess if you don't want to.

            The game comes to a finale when a player makes a full accusation, claiming that they know who did the murder, in which room it was committed and with what weapons they used.
            That player then looks at the card in the envelope and if they guessed right they win the game, but if they guess wrong they are out of the game and, after putting the 'secret' cards back in the envelope without anyone else seeing them. The game then continues with that players cards being dealt out to the other players so that they can mark off any they haven't seen.
            The game continues until a player guesses correctly or all but one player guesses wrong.

            There is a shorter game where the game ends when the first person who guess is either right or wrong, but the game is over regardless.

            My opinion...

            The original board is, for me, still the best as it's straight forward and a lot less confusing than these modern boards where the rooms are crammed with over the top designs and images of everything including the kitchen sink.

            The game itself is so easy to play, even though initially, if you just read through the instructions, it sounds a lot harder than it actually is, with the actual 'scoring', or marking off, being the hardest part of the game. But once you've played it you'll be amazed on how much fun it is and how wrong you can be even though you think you've solved the game... Believe me, many times I've 'accidentally' ticked off the wrong thing and been left with egg on my face as I've 'confidently' stated who's done what in where and with which weapon, only to be left red faced and out of the game.
            So you do need a fair bit of concentration and common sense when playing it.

            The rules state that this is a game for 3 - 6 players, but you can get away with playing it with 2 people, although it's a bit obvious who's got what cards as if you haven't got them the there's a big chance that the other person has got them.
            You do get a better game when more than 3 people are playing as the game gets a little more difficult, but never impossible, as the elimination rounds begin and the answers to the murder are revealed.

            The board is simple to navigate, just follow the yellow brick road, or corridors, entering the room of you choice by one of the gaps in the walls of that particular room. Then take a stab, (pardon the pun), at who did the crime and with what? Then it's a matter of using the process of elimination to win the game.
            Each game can take a while to play, probably on average about 15 minutes or there abouts, although some can last longer and some shorter, but you get the point.

            What more can I say about this family game of 'find the murderer'?, well, once you've played the game you'll realise just how easy it is to play and possibly want to play it again and again, especially if you win a game or two.

            And as for the price: this game; the original style one that is, sells for about £10.00, or a lot cheaper in charity shops as I think charity shops are the only place you can get the original from these days. But if you can't get this original version, which is the simplest to play in my opinion, then get the latest version for around £20, just miss out all the unnecessary add ons.

            © Blissman70 2012


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          • More +
            23.12.2010 02:09
            Very helpful



            A game that requires plenty of skill and a little cheating!

            ~A few clues about Cluedo~

            The game of Cluedo that we have all embraced and taken to our hearts is one that the nation has enjoyed playing since its conception way back in in the mid 1940s. The game was created by a solictors clerk named Anthony E Pratt who called the game 'murder' which was perhaps not a blockbuster name for a family board game! Still the concept was a good one as the original game was one that was first played out during air raid drills by those taking part in them and it was considered good enough to be taken under the wing of a major games company in later years. The patent for the game was taken out in 1947 when the game was taken on board by Waddingtons the well known card and game manufacturer. Waddingtons were unable to begin reproducing the game at that time due to post war shortages, so it was eventually released for sale in 1949 at which time it had gone through a few tweaks here and there and been re named as 'Clue' in the USA where it was licensed for sale by the Parker Brothers company.

            ~The Cluedo Box Contents~

            I gameplay board 19 1/2" X 19 1/2"
            6 game character pieces in various colours
            6 weapons ( 5 made from unpolished pewter and 1 made from rope)
            6 suspect cards
            6 weapon cards
            9 room cards
            1 crime card envelope
            1 detective notebook
            2 dice
            I set of instructions in English

            ~ Game review~

            ~How to play a murder mystery~

            The idea of this game is a simple one that is best enjoyed by a small group of up to 6 players who have to move around the game play board, to solve the clues and work out who killed who, with what and where! This sounds easier than it is, as to play the game correctly a certain amount of skill is needed, along with a good deal of enthusiasm. Within the boxed Cluedo game set you get everything you need to be able to play the game. Our own set had a set of 6 tiny pencils and a crime notepad inlcuded which has allowed us to fill in details of who we suspect may be involved in the crime. We are also able to note which room or weapon was or was not used which is helpful when thinking about who did what and where. As the number of sheets was limited we copied a page full of them onto an A4 sheet and can print off more should we need them which is very useful.

            When we play Cluedo we tend to find that we have players with plenty of enthusiasm who also have a habit of cheating, as there seems to be something about this game that brings out a competitive streak at times. I sometimes giggle at the goings on and often end up having to turn a blind eye to some things in order to keep the peace as a few players will try to get any small advantage they can, by any means in order to work out who eventually dunnit and win the game. This seems to be part and parcel of the game and in an odd way it does seem to add to the sense of excitement and tension that builds as the game is played, although a more suitable storage envelope in which to store the 3 crime solution cards would go a long way to put paid to players being able to reveal the outcome of this who dunnit game sooner than it ought to be.

            ~All about the board~

            In keeping with the spirit of a typical Agatha Christie novel the board itself depicts a mansion house complete with 9 main rooms, which are all laid out around the outer section of the board. I like the way each of the 4 corner rooms on the board are connected to another diagonally opposite room via a secret passage way, that allows the players to move from one room to another using up less moves than they would normally need. We often use these secret passageways to great advantage when playing the game as it means that a player can move swiftly from one room to another and be in place ready to make a suggestion as to who committed the crime.

            The main rooms depicted on the game board have a series of pathways which are made up of game play squares and a player must roll the dice provided with the game in order to move around the board using the game squares. This sounds easy enough to manage and in practice it works well as the board is well laid out and easy to use even when a player wants to race ahead into the next room to make a crime suggestion. I feel that this urgency to solve the crime and win which the game seems to create, adds a good degree of laughter and excitement to the game making it plenty of fun for all the players involved.

            The Cluedo game board is quick and easy to set up and can most often be stored in its game box when not in use as it can be folded away to half its size in a flash when not needed. The materials used for the game board that we have are of a durable quality as our board has lasted for a good number of years and the only thing that has altered a little is the fact that the playing surface has dulled a little due to having been played on many times. Other than that the board is in good condition and it still lays nice and flat when it is opened out. The box that our Cluedo game came in has become a little care worn over the years, especially at the outer edges although I feel it has stayed together well over all. The box is still used to store all the game pieces, game cards and game board inside when the game is not in use which I find very useful.

            ~Beginning the game~

            Before the game can begin the game play cards which are used with the game must be shuffled, with one of each type selected and then placed inside a special envelope that sits in the centre of the board in the cellar of the mansion house. This in theory is the idea, although the way the envelope that came with with our Cluedo game works, as a simple open on one side shaped pouch, makes it easy for a player to break the rules and sneak a cheeky look if wanted. This means that once we finally manage to get the envelope and its contents sorted out, we have to watch it like hawks to make sure little hands don't end up chancing a look at the cards within.

            As the envelope contains details of the crime and includes a room card, a suspect card and a weapon card, it will spoil the whole game should one individual know what the envelope contains. The next thing we generally sort out is who is playing as who and this is often a contentious thing. As some characters in Cluedo are more popular than others such as Miss Scarlet and Colonel Mustard we sometimes have to decide for each player who they will play as and rotate that between games. I feel this is the fairest way to deal with this when there are a number of children playing together who all want to play as the same person. For some reason no one ever wants to play as Mrs White or Reverend Green (mm I wonder why?) and so we find that rotating who plays as who seems to stop any arguments.

            ~How we play the game~

            This is where a clear set of game instructions such as the ones we got with our Cluedo game, come in handy for those who have ever played the game. Reading the instructions out to the players is simple to do and I feel that the rules of the game are easy to get to grips with. Once everyone is au fait with the rules they are ready play along and deduce who the murderer is, where the crime was committed and what weapon was used. The lucky person who takes on the role as Miss (or should it be Ms these days?) Scarlet is always first to play and as such may be seen to have a minor advantage over the other players. Miss Scarlet wears a lovely shade of red that seems to cause chaos, as everyone wants to play as the red character for some reason

            Each player places their character onto the coloured start space provided and the players each take a turn to throw the dice and move around the board in a clockwise direction. I think the dice we have are the originals and they still work well even after all this time. We always aim for a smoothly running game with no hitches, although in reality when we play this it can sometime end up a little chaotic if we have full set of players taking part. As everyone wants to rush towards solving the crime before the rest of the players manage to do so. I feel that does add to the feel of the game and I don't mind it too much, as there would be very little point to playing this were it not an exciting game in the first place.

            ~Is a murder mystery a suitable family game?~

            As the theme of this game involves a made up murder situation we did wonder if it was a suitable game to play with younger children. I feel that in the context of this game, with it being based upon those classic Agatha Christie type films and books, this is not an unsuitable game for a child of age 8 onwards to play. After all everyone at the game play board knows that the characters are not based on real life people and the whole game has a made up feel to it that manages to get away with the subject without causing offence. I wouldn't feel as happy playing the game with very young children as they can often take things literally and may not understand the over all concept of the game as they should. Of course this is just my own opinion and as each person knows their own child best it is up to the individual as to what seems right.

            ~Who is who? ( the list of players)

            Miss Scarlett : Always plays first and is dressed to kill in vivid scarlet red

            Colonel Mustard: Debonair and smooth, he is a popular choice and is dressed in a bright mustard yellow

            Mrs. White: Never a first choice piece at our games, she has a dowdy image that suits her white outfit

            The Reverend Green: Another lack lustre choice that no one wants to play as dressed in forest green

            Mrs. Peacock: A little snooty yet not as unpopular as Mrs White, she dresses in shades of peacock blue

            Professor Plum: Nutty as a month of sundays with an outfit to match in gleaming plum tones

            With our own Cluedo set the playing pieces (whose characters are both suspects and suggesters all at the same time), are made from a simple shaped and coloured plastic material which gives away very little about the persona of the person you are playing as. The play pieces in our Cluedo set have remained in good condition even though we have used them many times and their simple design is possibly a factor in this as there is nothing much that can break off. Thankfully the character cards that are used in the game, which show the name of each and every player, depict each one and so they do give away a few clues about the characters, that have enabled us to make our own judgement about what each one is really like.

            This is useful when playing the game as each player is able to make up their own mind about the others in the game, for example Mrs Peacock is depicted as a very well dressed older lady who looks a little snooty and quite possibly has pot of cash stashed away for a rainy day ~ making her above any such crime. Or is she now perhaps down on her luck and in need of a financial boost? Perhaps she is and that may be why she may have committed the crime that is afoot in this particular game.

            We like to imagine the personas of each player during the game as it adds a sense of greater depth to it that makes it more like a classic murder mystery. Thats why we often feel that Miss or Ms Scarlet seems to be a rather glamorous yet flighty looking woman, who looks like she will use her good looks to best advantage to get what she wants ~ at any cost. The Rev Green seems to have an odd guilty look in his eye that says he is less of a fine figure of the community than he makes out and it seems all the more probable that he has been thinking about who will be his next victim ~ as he passes around the collection plate at the sunday service each week.

            ~The murder weapons!~

            The murder weapons are made from unpolished pewter so they can cause harm if thrown around or messed about with and I feel they should be used with care. The metal game play pieces are quite small and so should not be left unattended with younger children who may be tempted to put them into their mouths. The unpolished pewter gives them a degree of weight and adds to the feel of the game, they comprise of a dagger which has slightly sharpened point and needs to be handled with care, a candlestick that is a mini version of the real thing, a revolver, a piece of lead pipe (which thankfully is no longer made form real lead), a spanner or monkey wrench and finally a piece of rope that bucks the trend and is made from well... rope of course!

            Well our set did have a rope until during one particular game the rope, which turned out to be the murder weapon, kept coming and going mysteriously from the game board, as it was being nabbed by one particular player who already knew the outcome of the game due to some rather sneaky tactics! The rope was then confiscated and placed back on to the board and play continued. Towards the end of the game the rope was absent altogether as the player involved thought if the rope went was missing then the game could not be successfully concluded.

            Since then the rope has been absent from our games as it has never returned and that is a mystery in itself. We have taken to playing the game instead using the iron from our Monopoly board, which now doubles as a murder weapon and means I can suggest 'death by ironing', which sounds like a nasty and gruesome end for any Cluedo character. The iron fits into the game well enough as it seems to be made from a similar silver metal and is about the right size to be used. I suppose we could have gone for the scottie dog Monopoly piece instead had, death by ironing not seemed like such a wonderfully silly suggestion to be able to make, as it was death by scottie dog just didn't have that edgy feel to it.

            ~The rooms~

            The rooms in the the mansion house comprise of a full compliment of 9 rooms and they include the Kitchen, the ballroom, the conservatory, the billiard room, the library, the study, the hall, the lounge and the dining room. The central section of the board shows the cellar that holds the crime solution envelope that gives the details of the crime which needs to be solved in order to win the game. I feel the set up of the rooms allows for a fair amount of movement between each one which evens out your chances of being able to solve the crime before the other players.

            ~The game play cards~

            Our game cards have become slightly aged looking as they have had plenty of use, although as they are clearly printed and the colours on each card have remained true, we continue to use them with no real problems. The only issue of any note with one or two cards in our set, is a slight turning up of one or two corners of the cards in places, other than that they are in fair condition. The sets of game play cards are given out to the players at the beginning of the game and there are 324 combinations as to who did what, where and with which murder weapon. As the game goes ahead these cards form part and parcel of the game and are used during play to great effect.

            When a player wants to make a suggestion as to the person, place and weapon used in the crime, both the murder weapon and the murder suspect involved may be moved to the room in question in order for the player doing the accusing to make their suggestion. Some times this can cause players to get the hump about that although again this does even itself out as everyone is able to do this and players pieces do get moved from room to room frequently. Generally over time as the game moves along each player is able to reduce the number of available crime options thus solving the crime in the process.

            This is the point when the game begins to get more exciting as with more and more suggestions made the players are able to work out the details of the crime and hopefully win the game in the process. The classic way to suggest something is along the lines of 'I suggest it was Mrs White, in the study with the rope' or ' I suggest it was Rev Green in the billiard room, with the candlestick' etc. This really is great fun as no one should know if their own player is in fact the criminal and when the results are finally revealed, as long as no one has had a sneaky look before the end of the game the final reveal is often great fun for all the players and really is the high point of Cluedo.

            ~Rating and price~

            As our Cluedo game is one that can be easily packed away in its box and taken out to play time and time again, I feel it has plenty going for it. I know that with computer based games being very popular this type of game has perhaps lost a few fans over recent years and that is to be expected to a certain extent. I feel that these types of family board games can still provide a great deal of fun for families and groups, as they allow people to interact with each other during the game. The happiness and excitement that builds up when this game is being played seems to be infectious, as the more engrossed in the game everyone is the more exciting the game seems to be for all involved.

            Once you have purchased a game such as this one it can be played many times over and so I feel it offers great value for money if bought as a game for the whole family. Prices for the game do vary depending on the version of the game purchased and there are a number of fantastic varieties to pick from including a Harry Potter one that I have my eye on which is priced at £19.99. I am looking forwards to purchasing that version as it looks like it will be great fun to play the game within Hogwarts, there is also a Simpsons version of the game priced at £19.99 although it does not appeal quite so much.

            With standard versions of the game such as ours being available widely at slightly lower prices than the themed and featured versions, I feel they are not too expensively priced and possibly offer the best value. As for rating Cluedo, I feel it can be fun to play and allows families and friends to get together enjoying the twists and turns of the game and as such I feel Cluedo ought to get a very respectable 4 star product rating.


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              15.12.2010 08:53
              Very helpful



              Board Game classic

              My girlfriend and I have continued in recent weeks to overcome the nightly routine of watching Tv when we are in by investing in a few board games to try and entertain ourselves on these long cold winter nights. Over the past few months we have played all sorts of games but with Christmas coming and the families due round on a daily basis we have went a bit loopy this past week and ended up with a cupboard full of games.

              One such game is a classic I remember playing for hours on end with my family, Cleudo. The ultimate detective game! I remember the competitive, brain churning nature of this game and could not resist purchasing it to replay all over again. Bring on Xmas day Cleudo!

              The premise of the game is quite simple, there has been a murder and you must find out who did it, where the murder was committed and with which implement. Each person takes the role of a character and works there way around the board which is in the layout of a house. The dice roll's determine how many spaces you can move the faster you get between rooms the more chance you have of guessing who has committed the atrocity.

              Three cards are placed in a bag at the start of the game and these cards determine who has committed the act and it its up to the players, who are each given the other cards, to work out who done it! As you play through the game you get to quiz and probe your competitors to see which cards they have so you can rule them out of the checklist. Once you have only three remaining on your list you call time and guess the cards in the bag representing the crime.

              However, guess wrong and you are out of the game!
              The game gets really competitive, one minute you could be on a roll getting clue after clue and getting your list down to a final five, and then again you could spend turn after turn without unveiling anything. Also, watching the other players get closer to the prize always tempts the risky players to take guesses at the answer which rarely turns out in their favour.

              The game works bets with 4 players. At the end of the day although me and my girlfriend have had fun with this just the two of us it was mainly bought for a larger party. Two players means the cards are halved so there isn't much detective work to do as dishing the cards out to only two people means fifty [percent of the work has been done for you!
              Also I would only recommend this as a game if you have time and patience. It can take anything from an hour to 3 hours to get through a game and it takes the patience of waiting and working out. Id say depending on the childs this is best suited to 12 years and over!

              A classic family title!

              Also on CIAO


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              06.10.2010 21:46
              Very helpful
              1 Comment



              A fun mystery game.

              Cluedo is one of my favourite board games of all time. It has a bit of mystery about it which simply adds to the fun and exitment of the whole experince.

              .........Daily Echo........
              Monday, 7th june 1926
              AT THE BLACK ESTATE!

              HAMPSHIRE-Well known anthropologist John Black was found dead on saturday night at his hampshire estate, Tudor mansion. The cause of his death is yet unknown, but the police are treating it as suspicious........

              Body found...

              Police rushed to the Black estate after receiving an emergency phone call from an unidentified guest staying at the home. Six suspects have been reportedly detained for questioning.

              Mansion searched...

              Officers carried out an initial search of the premises room by room, and it is reported that six items have been identified as the possible murder weapon.

              No evidence of break-in...

              Police report no obviouse evidence of break-in. A source close to the investigation stated that Dr Black's body was found at the bottom of the stairs. However, early indecations suggest he was moved there from another location in the house.
              (The above ^^^ is taken from the game itself)

              In the box you get a game board, and the little playing pieces, each one is individually coloured to represent an individual character, Here is the line up of the usual suspects! ~

              ~Colonel Musterd (yellow)
              ~Reverend Green (green)
              ~Professor Plum (purple)
              ~Mrs Peacock (blue)
              ~Miss Scarlet (red)
              ~Mrs White (white)

              In my version i was lucky enough to have six collectable suspect figures (well thats what it says on the box.)
              But they are a lot better than the usual cone shaped pieces.

              You also get six miniature weapons these are little murder weapons but which one was used is all part of the mystery here is a list of them ~

              ~Revolver (gun)
              ~Lead pipe

              Ther is a total of nine rooms in which the murder could have taken place, it seems like a rather small mansion to me lol! they are as followed ~

              ~Dining room
              ~Billard room

              The remaining contents of Cluedo are six suspect cards, six weapon card, nine room cards, one pad of detective notebook sheets for you to make notes and keep a record of any information you may have gatherd wile playing, a case file envelope for you to randomly put one suspect card one weapon card and one room card, thats how the murderer and the wepon and room are created for every different game you play so its never the same game. (It would be a bit silly lol if they were the same every game!!!!) plus you get the basic two dice and of course the instructions.

              You need more than two players to play this game otherwise it would be rather easy to win as if either of you haven't got certain cards then its obvious that the missing three cards are the murderer the weapon and the room. It wouldn't work because you need to shuffle the remaining cards and dealt out between the players. Each player has their own detective notebook sheet you then need to mark off the cards you have to eliminate them from being in the case file envelope, this way you definatly know for example, that the murder weapon isn't the dagger because you have it in your hand and have marked it down.

              Each player takes it in turns to roll the dice and what ever number it lands on is the amount of spaces your allowed to move. Your first objective is to get into a room of your choice.
              Once youve reached a room you then need to take a guess at the three subjects for example

              Player one makes it to the ballroom their guess should go something like the following ~ Miss Scarlet, with the candlestick in the ballroom.

              The other players then need to show just you any one of the cards you've asked for providing they have any that is, so you then can elimanate them cards from your investigation.

              You can do a bit of a red herring and ask about people you already have, or weapons you have to put others off the scent so to speak.

              The game carries on like this until someone is ready to guess. I like to appoint someone who isn't playing to be the one to check the cards, as if the first guess is wrong then the game plays on untill another player is ready.

              I find it a very amusing mystery game that I would happily play for hours!

              It is recommended for 3 - 6 player from ages 8 +, but my 6yr old will happily play along and understands the basis of the game.

              It is available in a few different varieties like The Simpsons and Harry Potter and others too, there's also a compact travel version available.

              This Classic version of the game will cost you £10-£15, and the others will cost in the region of £20. The travel version however is considerably less.


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                20.06.2010 20:19
                Very helpful



                Fun game

                Cluedo is another of those board games that I remember from my childhood and we still have a version of it in the house still although to be honest I cannot remember the last time we played with it.

                Cluedo is basically a muder mystery game played out on a board which has a number of rooms in it set out like a stately home. Ideally you need four to six players otherwise it is not as much fun, each player will be a particular character denoted by a coloured piece, all of the character names are linked to the colour such as Ms Scarlett being red and Professor Plum is well plum colour, I guess you can work it out.

                There are cards that also denote each player as well as cards to represent a series of possible murder weapons and the locations of the murder, at the start of the game one card in each category is deposited in an envelope that no one has seen, the other cards are then distributed amongst the players and you also have a list of all the options and a pen so immediately you can cross off those locations, victims and weapons you know it cannot be.

                Players move around the house by shaking the dice and when you get into a room you can ask another player whether they have the card for a particular thing, they will then show you the card if they have it however you can always place a false trail by asking for something you know they do not to fool other players.

                It is a fun simple game to play and the winner is the person who correctly guesses the three items involved however make a wrong guess and you loose.

                It is a fun startegy game and a very simple one to play, there have been many different versions over teh year and special editions. You can buy the standard version for £7.25 from Amazon.


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                  11.06.2010 17:46
                  Very helpful



                  Fun for everyone, and a must for a rainy day

                  'It was Prof Plum, in the study with the candlestick', this is a traditional cluedo scene and a tense moment!

                  So.. What am I going on about?!
                  Cluedo is a detective game where players work out by deductive logic who has committed the murder. Basically in other terms.. someone has been murdered and this was caused by the object, person and room that you have chosed at random (face down card selection) at the start of the game and then placed, sealed in the murder cards wallet. All the other cards are then delt to the players, all marking off the ones they have in their hand. Players then roll the dice and start to move around the board and once in a room they can accuse anyone one with any object in that room, then other players have to see whether they can prove that it wasn't that crime.

                  Any good?
                  Well this, a bit like the Rubix cube, a bit like Jenga, a bit like Monopoly, is an orginal, and good game that everyone has! It is different every time and requires skill and luck to win - it is generally good fun and a great laugh.

                  Who is it suitable for?
                  I would personally say anyone under 8 may struggle with the concept of the game but I would expect over 8s to do just fine. As for an upper age limit - no chance, my grandmother who is practically blind enjoys the game, we just print out a bigger sheet for her to cross of the names so she can see them!


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                  27.02.2010 05:22
                  Very helpful
                  1 Comment



                  Still an essential addition to any collection family games

                  ** Cluedo **

                  For as long as I can remember we have had a game of Cluedo around the house. It's one of those must have board games like Monopoly and Game Of Life.

                  Every Christmas and every summer holiday for rainy days a selection of our board games get dusted off and used. Amazingly all the pieces are still there too! The last Cluedo replacement was bought from a car boot sale for a few pounds. It is the 1980's version though the original version of the game has altered little over the years. A brand new Cluedo game is available from around £12 online and slightly more in the shops.

                  Cluedo is a mystery game. A whodunit! Each player is denoted by a coloured skittle like counter. Each counter represents a suitably named character for instance the green counter represents the Reverend Green. You can have up to 6 players.

                  The board is made up of the rooms of a large house. Kitchen, library etc etc. with squares in the intervening spaces between rooms. A throw of the dice decides how many squares you can travel at a time on your journey to various rooms.

                  The purpose of the game is to solve a crime. A murder no less. At the very start of the game three lots of cards are shuffled.

                  1.Murder weapons -of which there are six. To match the weapon cards are six representations of the weapons that are scattered in the rooms. Lead pipe, revolver, dagger and so on.

                  2.Characters -there are 6 character cards to represent each of the 6 players on the board. Reverend Green, Colonel Mustard and so on. Though any of the 6 can be the murderer not all six players need to be in the game. You could play Cluedo with just 2 people but it would not be as much fun.

                  3.Rooms. There are cards to represent every room on board.

                  Without anyone seeing the 3 lots of cards -including whoever does the picking, one card is selected face down from each pile and put in a special wallet that remains in the centre of the board.

                  The wallet contains all the facts of the crime. The card denoting the murderer. The card denoting the weapon. The card denoting the room the murder happened in.

                  The remaining cards are distributed among the players. It is important not to let anyone see your cards unless you have to show the card in the course of the game.

                  Now all the players have to do is to work out from their own cards, and by traveling to different rooms the who?, where? and with what? aspect of the murder.

                  This is done by throwing dice until you get into a room. When in a room you can make a guess at the 3 aspects of the murder and see if an opposing player can prove you wrong. For example you may guess that Professor Plum was the murderer in the Library with the lead pipe. The player next to you could then show you one of his cards which could be the Library. Now since another player has the Library card you know that the murder room cannot be the Library and so you can tick it off your list of rooms ( tickable lists of rooms, weapons and people is supplied with the game).

                  I find the game gets really interesting when you are playing with people who bluff. They may themselves have one of the 3 cards they use for there guess in order to learn more details and mislead the other players.

                  It can get quite exciting when you think you know two of the 3 cards in the murder wallet and are desperately rushing into rooms and making guessing in order to beat the other players who also are have almost solved the crime.

                  It doesn't stop you winning the game if it turns out that your character is the murderer which is just one of the quirky twists of Cluedo.

                  The appeal for me lies in the unpredictability of the game. Every game generates a new combination of room, weapon and murderer. Every game is a brand new puzzle to solve. The more you play it the better everyone gets and the more exciting the games can be.

                  Somehow this quite old board game can still generate as much excitement for me as any console game. Cluedo may be an old game but it's still popular. It's still popular for a very good reason -it is bloody great!

                  I find it difficult to find fault with the game except to say that I do prefer the older versions of it to the newer ones. The game play is identical, but the parts and board just look a little bit more classy on my 80s version of the game than the modern boards I've seen.

                  The older version that my grandparents had that I remember playing as a child looked even more substantial and classy than my 80s version. So I think I see a slight cheapness creeping into the design over the decades.

                  This does not affect the game play though and IO will buy a new version if the old one wears out. Unless I can get my hands on an even older board in good condition of course :o)

                  Thanks for reading my review.

                  Mike x


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                    21.01.2010 14:59
                    Very helpful



                    A great game thats easy to follow and for all ages

                    Cluedo has been around for as long as I can remember.

                    Its a game of stategy where you have to have a good memory to remember who does what, "Like a who dunnit"

                    To start the game, you choose a piece, like Mrs Peacock or Miss Scalet.

                    You then take 3 cards, the item used, the person and the room so no one can see them and place them in a black envelope face down. The remaining cards are shared out equally amongst the other players.

                    You then roll a dice and move room to room to try to deduce who done it. There are 9 rooms in total joined by a series of corridors.

                    In each room there are items, like a rope, agun and a lead pipe.

                    As you got to each room, you can have a guess as to who done it, ( you can have as many guesses as you want on your turn, but each time you guess your helping other people) which room and with what item. If your wrong the turn moves onto the next person. People can disprove your answers (guesses) by showing you the card that disproves it but not any one else.

                    If you cant disprove it, you look into the black envelope and if your right you win.

                    Its a great game for all the family and is advertised from ages 8 and above but their are versions like junior Cluedo, London Cluedo etc. But allow two to three hours if everyone has their wits about them and play their cards pretty close to their chest

                    The early games of Cluedo are collectors pieces and can attract a good su of money if they`re in mint condition.


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                      21.01.2010 14:16



                      Great family game

                      Cluedo is a murder mystery board game created by Hasbro. The background story of the game is that Dr Black has been murdered and his body was found dumped in the basement. You must find out whodunit, with what as their weapon and in what room of the house. You play one of six characters, each one named after a colour (e.g. Miss Scarlet and Professor Plum). You move around the board into different rooms of the house and make accusations. Each accusation must include a person, an object and the room in which you are in, as what you suspect as the circumstances of the murder. You gradually come to find out the answer t the mystery through a process of elimination. Cards of each person, object and room were given out at the start of the game and three chosen blindly as the circumstances of the murder. The remaining cards are dealt out between the players. Each time you make an accusation, other players must show you one card, if they can, and this is how you go about eliminating each aspect of the murder.

                      This is a great family game, better with more people (you need at least three but it is much better with four). Despite the murder aspect of the game it is suitable for children as young as 8 years old.


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                      12.01.2010 22:06
                      Very helpful



                      Excellent fun for all the family

                      I spent many happy hours playing this game as a child, so when my children saw it advertised just before Christmas and expressed an interest in owning it, I was delighted! However I then found out that the game had been updated and a number of changes had been made - so the big question for me was whether they actually made the game any better, or whether they had completedly ruined a classic......

                      Thankfully I can report that the amendments have actually improved rather than spoiled things. There are some minor cosmetic changes which do not really change anything - all the characters now have first names rather than being Mrs White, Rev Green etc, although I have persuaded the girls to stick with tradition as far as this is concerned!

                      However there are now more murder weapons, which of course makes it harder to solve the mystery, and the fact that you cannot just stay in one room and guess continuously but simply change the person and murder weapon means that you also have to be more inventive in terms of narrowing down your shortlists. They have also added Intrigue cards which you draw should you land on the relevant square on the board or the symbol appears on one of the two dice, and these allow you to do a number of things, some of them very straight forward (add six to your score on one of your subsequent gos, or simply have another turn), and some of them much more tactical (for instance you can ask to see a card which has been shown to one of your opponents, or you can refuse to show a card on one occasion that you are asked to do so)

                      Perhaps the only disadvantage of all this is that it means that except in extreme circumstances, there is no such thing as a 'quick game of Cluedo' any more! However my girls love it, and it is really nice to be able to play something with them which I played with my parents as a kid. I highly recommend it!


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                      • More +
                        06.10.2009 16:35
                        Very helpful
                        1 Comment



                        Be clever!

                        Cluedo is a fun little game of deduction and logic where you have to discover the who, where and how of the murder of Dr Black. You have to deduce between nine rooms, six suspects and six weapons. At the beginning of the game one of each is removed unseen and placed in the middle of the board. the rest of the cards are then shuffled and dealt to each player.

                        The game continues as you move about the board and each time you come into a room you can bring a suspect and weapon into that room and put this assertion to another player. They must then show you if they have one of these cards, thus eliminating that one from your enquiries. The game continues until one player is ready to guess. They go to the room in question and make their accusation. They check the cards in the centre and if they are correct they win. If they are incorrect they are out and the game continues.

                        I do enjoy playing Cluedo but don't get to that often as other people find it boring, and it can become a little formulaic once I worked out the best way to play. However, there is more to it then meets the eye and you are unlikely to win just by getting all other players to show you all their cards.

                        The best way I have found to play is as follows. Head to the nearest corner room. Jump back and forward between this and the opposite room using the secret passageway until you have eliminated both these rooms, or even better discovered that it is one of them. Then head to the opposite pair of rooms and do the same. If you still haven't found the room, move to the nearest and so on. The rooms are the most important to find out as you have to travel between them, thus wasting gos, whereas you can find out about suspects and weapons in any room. So I never show a room card if I can show another card. You can force a player to show you a room card if they have it by asking about a suspect and weapon which you have, or you know another player has. Be careful though as if you always do this players will know you have the other two.

                        You can keep a record of each request and whether a card was shown but this becomes very complicated. I normally keep a simple record of who I have shown what, so I can show them the same card again if the opportunity arises. I also record who showed me each card and whenever a player couldn't show any cards. This can enable you to make cleverer choices about who to ask what and deduce things from what other players do.

                        If another player clearly is about to guess and is heading for the right room it may be worth trying to get there first and make a guess even if you don't have all the information.


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