- BGG rating
- 7.6
Psycho Killer: Bloody Mary
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,342
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Psycho Killer
2020
Rules assistance for Psycho Killer
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–6 players
- 15–30 min
- 13+
- Complexity 1.7/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Psycho Killer
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Psycho Killer is a board game released in 2020 for 2–6 players, 15–30 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Michael Wilkinson and Mitch Young and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Hot Potato.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Psycho Killer: Gratuitous Violence!!!
- 2–6 players
- 15–30 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2021
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Psycho Killer: Z
- 2–6 players
- 15–30 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2021
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Psycho Killer: Bloody Mary 2
- 2–6 players
- 15–30 min
- 2025
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Psycho Killer: Crime Time
- 2–7 players
- 15–30 min
- 2025
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Psycho Killer: Nightmare Street
- 2–7 players
- 15–30 min
- 2025
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Psycho Killer: Occult Classic
- 2–6 players
- 15–30 min
- 2025
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About the game
In the deck, there are 5 cards for the psycho killer and cards for the weapons he uses to attack you. Your turn consists of playing as many cards as you like from your hand but must end by you drawing a card from the top of the deck. However, you do not need to play a card to draw from the deck. If someone draws a Psycho Killer card they must play it on the table in front of them, unless they can evade the Psycho Killer. If they cannot, every player with a weapon card in their hand gets attacked. When attacked, players must place their Weapon cards face up on the table in front of them. These are called Injury Piles. Each Psycho Killer and Weapon card is worth a certain amount of points. When they are added to your injury pile they become Injury Points. The game ends when the last Psycho Killer card is drawn and the player with the lowest amount of injury points wins. Psycho Killer satirises your favourite retro horror and slasher films. Use every cliche in the book to screw over your friends and survive the Psycho Killer! -description from designer (edited)
Designers
Publishers
- Escape Tabletop Games
Questions and answers
Psycho Killer supports 2–6 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 Psycho Killer is 15–30 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 Psycho Killer for ages 13 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.
Psycho Killer has a complexity rating of 1.7 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a 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.
Psycho Killer belongs to these categories: Card Game, Humor, and Movies / TV / Radio theme. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Hot Potato. 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 Psycho Killer are: Michael Wilkinson and Mitch Young. 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 Psycho Killer 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.