- BGG rating
- 7.3
Arkham Horror: Curse of the Dark Pharaoh Expansion
- 1–8 players
- 240 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2006
- BGG rank
- BGG #494
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Arkham Horror
2005
Rules assistance for Arkham Horror
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–8 players
- 120–240 min
- 14+
- Complexity 3.6/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Arkham Horror
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Arkham Horror is a board game released in 2005 for 1–8 players, 120–240 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Kevin Wilson and Richard Launius and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Lose a Turn.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Arkham Horror: Dunwich Horror Expansion
- 1–8 players
- 240 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 2006
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Arkham Horror: The Dark Pharaoh (Herald)
- 1–8 players
- 180 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 2006
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Arkham Horror: The Dunwich Horror (Herald)
- 1–8 players
- 180 min
- Complexity 3.6/5
- 2006
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Arkham Horror: The King in Yellow Expansion
- 1–8 players
- 120–240 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2007
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Arkham Horror: Kingsport Horror Expansion
- 2–8 players
- 120–240 min
- Complexity 3.4/5
- 2008
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Arkham Horror: The Black Goat of the Woods Expansion
- 1–8 players
- 120–240 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2008
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Arkham Horror: Innsmouth Horror Expansion
- 1–8 players
- 180 min
- Complexity 3.6/5
- 2009
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Arkham Horror: Penny Arcade Characters
- 1–8 players
- 180 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2009
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Arkham Horror: The Lurker at the Threshold Expansion
- 1–8 players
- 240 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 2010
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Arkham Horror: Dance of the Damned (Mythos)
- 1–8 players
- Complexity 3.8/5
- 2011
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Arkham Horror: Miskatonic Horror Expansion
- 1–8 players
- 240 min
- Complexity 3.4/5
- 2011
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Arkham Horror: Oliver Grayson (Ally)
- 1–8 players
- 240 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2011
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Arkham Horror: The Curse of the Dark Pharaoh Expansion (Revised Edition)
- 1–8 players
- 120–240 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 2011
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- 60–120 min
- Complexity 3.6/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
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Arkham Horror: The Card Game (Revised Core Set)
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- 2021
- BGG rank
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- 60–120 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #331
- BGG rating
- 7.9
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- 1–5 players
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- Complexity 2.9/5
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- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,283
- BGG rating
- 8.8
Too Many Bones: Unbreakable
- 1–4 players
- 60–180 min
- Complexity 3.9/5
- 2023
About the game
The year is 1926, and it is the height of the Roaring Twenties. Flappers dance till dawn in smoke-filled speakeasies drinking alcohol supplied by rum runners and the mob. It's a celebration to end all celebrations in the aftermath of the war to end all wars. Yet a dark shadow grows in the city of Arkham. Alien entities known as Ancient Ones lurk in the emptiness beyond space and time, writhing at the gates between worlds. These gates have begun to open and must be closed before the Ancient Ones make our world their ruined domination. Only a handful of investigators stand against the Arkham Horror. Will they Prevail? Arkham Horror is a cooperative adventure game themed around H.P Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos. Players choose from 16 Investigators and take to the streets of Arkham. Before the game, one of the eight Ancient Ones is chosen and it's up to the Investigators to prevent it from breaking into our world. During the course of the game, players will upgrade their characters by acquiring skills, allies, items, weapons, and spells. It's up to the players to clean out the streets of Arkham by fighting many different types of monsters, but their main goal is to close gates to other dimensions that are opening up around town. With too many gates open the Ancient One awakens and the players only have one last chance to save the world - defeat the Ancient One in combat!
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Edge Entertainment
- Arclight Games
- Delta Vision Publishing
- Smart Ltd
- Wargames Club Publishing
- Hobby World
- ADC Blackfire Entertainment
- Korea Boardgames
- Fantasy Flight Games
- Heidelberger Spieleverlag
- Nexus Editrice
- Galakta
- Giochi Uniti
Questions and answers
Arkham Horror supports 1–8 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 Arkham Horror is 120–240 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 Arkham Horror 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.
Arkham Horror has a complexity rating of 3.6 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
Arkham Horror belongs to these categories: Fighting, Horror, and Adventure. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Lose a Turn. 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 Arkham Horror are: Kevin Wilson and 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 Arkham Horror 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.