Clue (Cluedo) Review
Stats at a glance
No matter the edition, the location, or the weapon — I guarantee it was Colonel Mustard.
Honestly, can you blame the man?
All his fellow counterparts have eloquent pretty names that roll off the tongue, like Miss Scarlet, for example. And then, you have… Colonel Mustard.
You may have seen him before in the original version of Clue. This newer version is pretty much the same, but with a few select elements: bonus cards, quicker gameplay, two-player variations, and a shorter distance from point A to B.
Remember having to wander down barren corridors to get from room to room? Yeah, they remodeled, there are way more doors now.
Brief Overview of Clue/Cluedo
Clue/Cluedo is a dice-rolling, murder mystery game that has everyone on the edge of their seat — or in the bedroom viciously attacking poor Mr. Boddy with a candlestick.
You need to find: who, where, and how poor Mr. Boddy was murdered by working strategically to solve the case before anyone else.
But there are updates… Drumroll, please!
There’s a new man on the block; a man who’s hard to water, but soft like a flower, it’s Dr. Orchid!
Oh, and they killed off Mrs. White. May she rest in peace.
You’ll notice this Cluedo game includes red bonus cards, allowing players to make some new foretelling movements when they land on select spaces.
Versions & Expansions
Do you have a Clue how many expansions or versions of Cluedo are in existence? Hint: It’s more than 10.
Themed Versions
- Bridgerton Clue
- Scooby-Doo Clue
- Harry Potter Clue
- Disney Villains Clue
- Bob’s Burgers Clue
- Star Wars Clue
- The Office Clue
- Finding Nemo Clue
- Golden Girls Clue
- Dungeons & Dragons Clue (I NEED it!)
Other Versions
- Clue Master Detective
- Clue Classic Edition
- Clue Jr. Avengers
- Clue Jr.
- Clue Liars Edition
- Clue Mysteries
- Clue Vintage Bookshelf Edition
- Clue Luxury Edition
Click here for 5 games like Clue (Cluedo)!
As you can see, there’s a whole range of fun-filled mysteries just waiting to be solved. I have to admit though, Finding Nemo would be impossible.
Unboxing Clue/Cluedo
The game contains the following components:
- Gameboard
- 1 Yellow Case File Envelope
- 1 Detective Notepad
- 6 Character Tokens
- 34 Cards: 24 Black CLUEDO cards and 13 Red Bonus Cards
- 6 Weapon tokens
- 2 Red Dice
- Rulebook
Just like an actual detective toolbox, players have everything they need to catch the perp.
Clue fanatics might be bummed about some name changes of characters, but will soon find the vibrant game art canceling out the disappointment. All the art is modernized, though, so Clue collectors — you might want to steer clear of this version.
The colors are very bold and eye-catching. There are a few changes to room appearances since the board is technically smaller. You can enter rooms much quicker now than before, and the pathways have changed up.
The gameboard is heavy cardstock, with detailed art and two secret passages. One of them is between the study and the kitchen for other snackers like me. The other? You’ll have to play to find out.
I have to say I was impressed by the component quality at this price point. Most games you’d pick up for $12 would be merely lackluster, but this one has lasted through countless late-night antics.
How to Play Clue
Before you get your hands dirty, snag 2-6 players for an hour-long adventure to find who’s done the don’t do!
Everyone’s a suspect and there’s no foul play out of the question.
Game Setup
Begin by placing each colored player marker in its matching position on the player board, and littering the weapons throughout the different rooms.
You’ll have three stacks of cards: suspects, weapons, and rooms. Shuffle these stacks and place one card from each pile into the top-secret case file envelope. You’ve made your case.
Deal the remaining player, weapon, and room cards clockwise. Some players will have more cards than others, it’s normal.
Playing Objectives
To completely eliminate yourself as a suspect, you need to correctly guess the components of the sealed case file. To do so, use the process of elimination to scratch off weapons and suspects as you wander the eerie halls of the mansion.
Each player is equipped with a detective notebook to stay organized. As you roll the dice, you’ll move throughout the halls and various rooms. If you’re able to enter a room on a dice roll, you can call any suspect to the room to declare a hypothesis; such as, “I think it was Colonel Mustard in the Billard Room with a wrench.”
The first player to your left will search their cards to see if they can disprove this hypothesis by revealing either the Colonel Mustard card, Billiard room, or wrench card. If they’re unable to invalidate your claims, it moves to the next lefthand player to attempt until you’re eventually shown a card or proven right.
Game Win
If your opponents are unable to undermine your guess, then you move to a formal accusation. Players are only allowed to make an accusation once per game.
When you accuse the guilty party, you get to take a peek at the top-secret case file to determine if you solved the case or if there’s still missing evidence.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Excellent value for the price
- New cards and players
- Two-player variation
For the price, you can’t beat it. It’s not every day you find a solid nostalgic game for under $20.
The developers did their part by switching up mechanics as much as they could without deviating too far off from the original game. I personally like Dr. Orchid, he’s a chilled addition but doesn’t really add anything new for me.
The bonus cards did spice it up, but when we played with them it seemed almost too easy. I thought it was more of a challenge to play the two-player variant.
Cons:
- Bonus cards make it too easy
- Not a fan of the modernized art
Okay, you may think I’m a total scrooge for saying this but… it’s just too easy with the bonus cards. I reckon if you play with a younger audience it could be a nice way to give them some leeway.
The art, while vibrant and fresh, deviated too much from the antique Clue style. Cue the nostalgia.
Clue (Cluedo) Review (TL;DR)
If you’re looking to snag this version of Clue, make sure you are very specific with the name. There are so many versions that you could end up with a bonus-card-less Cluedo.
If you don’t yet own a version of Clue, this would be the one to pick up. The price is unbeatable and it still plays nearly the same as the original game with an extra chance for two-player mixups and some bonus foreshadowing cards.
Conclusion: Verdict?
Clue fanatics — sit this one out.
New to Cluedo? Snag it.
This game plays well for younger audiences and could be better suited for a family game night rather than the past versions. Without a doubt, it’s still worth a play or two. I plan to utilize this version for newer gamers as a warm-up game for more strategic games, like Betrayal at House on the Hill.
So there you have it…
Will you be Mr.Green with envy? Or, will you be caught red-handed in the foyer?
My lips are sealed.
We hope you enjoyed our Clue (Cluedo) review! Have you tried this classic whodunnit murder mystery game? Which version is your favorite? Drop a comment below and let us know what you think! We’d love to hear from you.
