Welcome to 13 Dead End Drive!

Hey there! I want to tell you all about this awesome deduction game called 13 Dead End Drive. It’s super fun and perfect for 2 to 4 players. Our goal is to inherit Aunt Agatha’s money. How cool is that?

Let’s Get Started!

First things first – we need to set up the game. We gotta assemble the mansion and get everything ready. Each of us will have our own character pawn, and it’s gonna be exciting because they’re randomly placed on red chairs in the middle of the game board. The detective starts outside the mansion, ready to solve the mystery. We also have trap cards and character cards that we shuffle and keep nearby.

First, I’ll remove Aunt Agatha’s picture from the portrait cards and mix them up. Then, I’ll place Aunt Agatha’s portrait at the bottom of the deck. After that, I’ll slide the deck into the picture frame on the wall, making sure Aunt Agatha’s portrait is facing out.

Next, I’ll deal the character cards facedown to each player, based on the number of people playing. If there are 4 players, each will get 3 cards. For 3 players, they will receive 4 cards each. And for 2 players, they will receive 4 cards that they can see and 2 secret cards that they cannot.

Now, let’s get into the gameplay:

Everyone will roll the dice, and the player who rolls the highest number will go first. Then, the turns will proceed from that player and go in a clockwise direction.

So here’s the deal: we start the game by taking Aunt Agatha’s picture out of its frame and placing it on the couch. This picture shows the heir of the moment – the person we’re all trying to escape from! The player who happens to have the character card for that heir is the one trying to make a break for it and earn some cash.

Movement

Okay, now let’s talk about how we move in this game. On your turn, you roll two dice. And here’s the thing – most of the time, you can move any two characters, not just your own. The goal is to keep your characters’ identities a secret, so no one knows who you’re helping and who you’re hindering. The number you roll on one of the dice determines how many spaces you move one character, while the number on the other die determines the distance another character travels. Simple, right? For example, if you roll a 2 and a 5, you’ll move one character 2 spaces and another character 5 spaces. Got it?

When it comes to movement, there are some important rules to follow. As a pawn, I can only move horizontally or vertically, never diagonally. It’s important to note that I cannot move or land in the same space twice during a turn, even if it’s where I started. Additionally, I cannot move through furniture, other characters, or walls. However, carpets and the red chairs are exceptions if other characters are blocking the squares.

Now, let’s talk about secret passages. There are a total of 5 secret passages on the board. If I happen to move onto one of them, I have the option to spend a movement and move to any other secret passage on the board. It’s like having a secret shortcut!

Hey, did you know that rolling a double in this game changes things up a bit? If that happens, you can choose to change the portrait, but it’s totally up to you. If you decide to switch, the current picture will be shuffled to the bottom of the deck. Oh, and here’s the cool part – when it’s your turn, you can move either one pawn the total number on both dice, or you can move two pawns if they share a number. Pretty neat, huh? Now, if a dead character’s picture is exposed, just take it out and place it face-down on the couch. That’s it!

Check Out These Traps!

If I move a pawn onto a trap space, I can choose to play a matching trap card from my hand or not. If I don’t play it, I can draw a trap card. If the trap card matches the trap on the space, I can play it, but I still don’t have to. If I choose not to play it, I will let the other players know that it doesn’t match and keep it in my hand. However, if I play a matching trap card, the trap is triggered and the character on the space is eliminated. If all my characters are eliminated at any point, I’m out of the game.

If I draw a detective card, I move him up a space and draw a new card.

2-player Game

When playing with two players, we each have 2 secret characters. Neither player can be eliminated from the game. We both keep playing until one of us meets a winning condition. At that point, we reveal all our secret cards to determine the winner.

The End of the Game

The game can come to a close in one of three different ways. You have a few options to win. First, if you move one of your pawns onto the game over tile at the front of the house, and the character pawn matches the portrait on the wall, then congratulations! You win! Your character card matches the winning pawn. The second way to win is if the detective pawn reaches the game over spot. If that happens, the player who has the character card matching the current portrait gets the victory. And finally, there’s a way to win by being the last character standing. If all other characters are out of the game, then you’re the sole winner.

Let me tell you a little bit about myself. My name is Amber, and I use the pronouns They/Them. I’m a writer from Austin, and I know a thing or two about games. Some might even call me a gaming master! Outside of games, I have a soft spot for dogs, plants, and Dungeons & Dragons. It’s my jam!

So, that’s me in a nutshell. Now, let’s jump back into the gaming world and continue our adventure!