Cryptid / Similar games

18 games like Cryptid

The best games like Cryptid are Tobago, Mysterium and Deception Murder in Hong Kong — the closest of 18 ranked alternatives, scored by shared mechanics and category. Tobago shares deduction, deduction, hexagon grid with Cryptid.

Every alternative below links to its own Cryptid-style fact page, drawn from MeeplePick’s deduction shelf.

Ranked by shared category (3 pts) and mechanics (2 pts), bonus within 0.7 of Cryptid’s 2.2 weight, then BoardGameGeek’s Bayesian rating — one entry per series, 18 shown.

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1. 1. Tobago (2009)
   2–4 players · 60 min · ★ 7.1 · Medium-light
   Shares with Cryptid: Deduction, Deduction, Hexagon Grid, Modular Board · 3 of Cryptid’s 4 mechanics (75%)
   vs Cryptid: overlaps at 3–4 players · goes down to 2 · ~20 min longer · same complexity
   View Tobago on Amazon →
2. 2. Mysterium (2015)
   2–7 players · 42 min · ★ 7.3 · Medium-light
   Shares with Cryptid: Deduction, Deduction, Pattern Recognition · 2 of Cryptid’s 4 mechanics (50%)
   vs Cryptid: overlaps at 3–5 players · goes down to 2 · scales to 7 · about the same length · 0.3 lighter
   View Mysterium on Amazon →
3. 3. Deception Murder in Hong Kong (2014)
   4–12 players · 20 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium-light
   Shares with Cryptid: Deduction, Deduction · 1 of Cryptid’s 4 mechanics (25%)
   vs Cryptid: overlaps at 4–5 players · scales to 12 · ~20 min shorter · 0.6 lighter
   View Deception Murder in Hong Kong on Amazon →
4. 4. Awkward Guests (2016)
   1–8 players · 45–75 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium-light
   Shares with Cryptid: Deduction, Deduction · 1 of Cryptid’s 4 mechanics (25%)
   vs Cryptid: overlaps at 3–5 players · plays solo · scales to 8 · ~20 min longer · same complexity
5. 5. The Search for Planet X (2020)
   1–4 players · 60 min · ★ 8.2 · Medium-light
   Shares with Cryptid: Deduction, Deduction · 1 of Cryptid’s 4 mechanics (25%)
   vs Cryptid: overlaps at 3–4 players · plays solo · ~20 min longer · same complexity
6. 6. The Shipwreck Arcana (2017)
   2–5 players · 10–30 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium-light
   Shares with Cryptid: Deduction, Deduction · 1 of Cryptid’s 4 mechanics (25%)
   vs Cryptid: overlaps at 3–5 players · goes down to 2 · ~20 min shorter · same complexity
7. 7. Watson & Holmes From the Diaries of 221B (2015)
   2–7 players · 45–75 min · ★ 7.3 · Medium-light
   Shares with Cryptid: Deduction, Modular Board · 1 of Cryptid’s 4 mechanics (25%)
   vs Cryptid: overlaps at 3–5 players · goes down to 2 · scales to 7 · ~20 min longer · same complexity
8. 8. Zendo (2001)
   3–5 players · 60 min · ★ 7.3 · Medium
   Shares with Cryptid: Deduction, Pattern Recognition · 1 of Cryptid’s 4 mechanics (25%)
   vs Cryptid: overlaps at 3–5 players · ~20 min longer · +0.3 heavier
9. 9. Mr. Jack Pocket (2010)
   2 players · 15 min · ★ 6.9 · Medium-light
   Shares with Cryptid: Deduction, Modular Board · 1 of Cryptid’s 4 mechanics (25%)
   vs Cryptid: no player-count overlap (2–2 vs 3–5) · goes down to 2 · ~25 min shorter · 0.4 lighter
10. 10. Room 25 (2013)
    1–6 players · 30 min · ★ 6.7 · Medium-light
    Shares with Cryptid: Deduction, Modular Board · 1 of Cryptid’s 4 mechanics (25%)
    vs Cryptid: overlaps at 3–5 players · plays solo · scales to 6 · ~10 min shorter · 0.3 lighter
11. 11. Sleuth (1971)
    3–7 players · 30–45 min · ★ 6.9 · Medium-light
    Shares with Cryptid: Deduction, Deduction · 1 of Cryptid’s 4 mechanics (25%)
    vs Cryptid: overlaps at 3–5 players · scales to 7 · about the same length · +0.3 heavier
12. 12. Beyond Baker Street (2016)
    2–4 players · 20 min · ★ 6.9 · Medium-light
    Shares with Cryptid: Deduction, Deduction · 1 of Cryptid’s 4 mechanics (25%)
    vs Cryptid: overlaps at 3–4 players · goes down to 2 · ~20 min shorter · same complexity
13. 13. Paranormal Detectives (2019)
    2–6 players · 30–50 min · ★ 7.2 · Medium-light
    Shares with Cryptid: Deduction, Pattern Recognition · 1 of Cryptid’s 4 mechanics (25%)
    vs Cryptid: overlaps at 3–5 players · goes down to 2 · scales to 6 · about the same length · 0.6 lighter
14. 14. Alchemists (2014)
    2–4 players · 120 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium-heavy
    Shares with Cryptid: Deduction, Deduction · 1 of Cryptid’s 4 mechanics (25%)
    vs Cryptid: overlaps at 3–4 players · goes down to 2 · ~80 min longer · +1.7 heavier
15. 15. The Grimm Masquerade (2019)
    2–5 players · 20–40 min · ★ 7.0 · Medium-light
    Shares with Cryptid: Deduction, Deduction · 1 of Cryptid’s 4 mechanics (25%)
    vs Cryptid: overlaps at 3–5 players · goes down to 2 · ~10 min shorter · 0.6 lighter
16. 16. Rising 5 Runes of Asteros (2017)
    1–5 players · 15–25 min · ★ 6.6 · Medium-light
    Shares with Cryptid: Deduction, Deduction · 1 of Cryptid’s 4 mechanics (25%)
    vs Cryptid: overlaps at 3–5 players · plays solo · ~20 min shorter · 0.3 lighter
17. 17. A Gamut of Games (1969)
    1–10 players · 30 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium-light
    Shares with Cryptid: Deduction, Deduction · 1 of Cryptid’s 4 mechanics (25%)
    vs Cryptid: overlaps at 3–5 players · plays solo · scales to 10 · ~10 min shorter · same complexity
18. 18. Chaosmos (2015)
    2–4 players · 60–90 min · ★ 7.0 · Medium
    Shares with Cryptid: Deduction, Modular Board · 1 of Cryptid’s 4 mechanics (25%)
    vs Cryptid: overlaps at 3–4 players · goes down to 2 · ~35 min longer · +0.5 heavier

Looking for the original? See the full Cryptid fact page — players, play time, age and complexity.