- BGG rating
- 6.2
Ace Detective: Strange Tales
- 2–5 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2013
- BGG rank
- BGG #16,793
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Ace Detective
2013
Rules assistance for Ace Detective
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 60 min
- 14+
- Complexity 2.2/5
Rules assistant for Ace Detective
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Ace Detective is a board game released in 2013 for 2–5 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Richard Launius and its main mechanics are Storytelling.
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About the game
The year is 1941. Within eight months, the United States will join in the war raging in Europe and brewing in the Pacific. However for the moment, the lives of most Americans continue in relative peace...unless you live in the City by the Bay. In San Francisco crimes, mysteries, and good old-fashioned murder present unique challenges to detectives and residents alike – especially if you happen to be a detective investigating a dirty backroom deal inside a neon lit nightclub, or a future criminal plotting against a spouse under a flickering streetlamp. It is up to you, the players, to create the story. Ace Detective – which features color and black/white artwork from the grand masters of detective pulp Black Mask Magazine – is a noir storytelling card game that rewards imagination and the turn of a good tale. Play your cards right, tell your story, and be rewarded with the plot points needed to place clues on the suspects of the crime. But be careful as everyone in this gritty city is competing to tell his or her own story... ...to become the true ace detective.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Arclight Games
- 8th Summit
Questions and answers
Ace Detective supports 2–5 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Ace Detective is 60 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Ace Detective for ages 14 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Ace Detective has a complexity rating of 2.2 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Ace Detective belongs to these categories: Card Game and Murder / Mystery. Its main mechanics are Storytelling. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Ace Detective are: Richard Launius. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Ace Detective as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.