New Game at my Table – Scooby Doo Betrayal at Mystery Mansion

Inspired by the podcast “Into The Meepleverse” discussing their Gaming Resolutions for the year, I decided to make some of my own. Hence, keeping a gaming diary that includes a list of new games that I have played this year. I feel like there should be more, but I only started tracking halfway through the year (and as a year in COVID lockdown ,it’s been more challenging to bring a board game to the table).

SCOOBY-DOO – BETRAYAL AT MYSTERY MANSION

3 – 5 players
Type: Co-operative until the Reveal, Tile Placement, Exploration

How to play / win
Explore the Mystery Mansion as Mystery Inc. (each of the Gang having a special ability to help them out) and find enough clues to uncover the mystery. Once the mystery is uncovered (each time a clue is found, a number of dice are rolled based on the total number of clues found so far; if the roll is high enough, then the mystery is uncovered), one player plays the part of the Villain (their character is presumed to have been captured) and reads their secret way of winning the game. The rest of the Gang reads their own way to win the game.

What I liked
The most recent of the ‘Betrayal’ games from Avalon Hill (I recommend them both), this one manages to use the improvements from its predecessors (i.e. an inside and outside to explore) as well as streamline this for younger players (i.e. there is only one floor to explore). There is a section that even identifies how this game differs from the others.

I was particularly tickled to see many of the scenarios bearing titles from the classic cartoon I watched while growing up. The feel has been nicely captured for the feel and it was hard not to drop character quotes with every turn taken. Unlike the other Betrayal games, the assumption is that the character has been captured (tied up in a closet, etc.) when they take on the role of the Villain.

Definitely simpler than the other Betrayal games, so a good one to crack out with younger players or newer board gamers. Even the rule books are laid out aimed at younger players, spelling out things that experienced gamers take for granted.

With this I take issue …
The clips for the character cards in the set I have are a bit on the stiffer side, a bit more difficult clip on and slide along the sides. At the worst, they cover the number you are trying to read or they slide off when you try to adjust them. I can understand why the clips aren’t set up for seeing through a loop, but pegs and holes might have been the better choice for this version.