Oh, the thrill of being the bad guy. There is always something special about playing the antagonist, donning the villain’s shoes, and coming up with all the ways in which to execute that master plan, reveling in the chaos you have the power to create. Who knew board games had embraced the dark side, and most of them in years gone by give the player a chance to be the antagonist and enjoy some different kind of power trip? So, without further ado, let’s get into the best of the best board games that let you release your inner villain and relish in the wicked fun that they have to offer.
Betrayal at House on the Hill: Unleash the Horror
Let’s start with a classic: “Betrayal at House on the Hill.” On the face of it, this game is innocent enough—a bunch of characters exploring a creepy mansion for all it’s worth.
I remember the first time I played “Betrayal at House on the Hill.” I was the traitor. The atmosphere was tense as we explored room after room, collecting items and encountering eerie events.
And then one of us turned—he wasn’t an ally anymore; he was the harbinger of doom, armed with a unique set of powers and objectives to thwart the rest. The brilliance of this game is how flat-out replayable it is without ever growing stale. With 50 different haunts, every game feels fresh and swirls with unpredictability, turning you into a monstrous werewolf one night and seeing you summon an army of undead another. Being a traitor is an unpredictable role, but it is always very rewarding to turn on the other side.
Nemesis
Nemesis is one of those games that present a great opportunity to play as the villain in a game chock-full of elements from the movie Alien and survival mechanics. The twist? One of the players might have a secret objective involving betraying the rest.
Our first game of Nemesis was a roller coaster of tension and suspicion. The game really encourages paranoia, with players needing to work together to fix the ship and deal with the alien threat—all the while watching one another. For our hidden set of objectives, everyone’s mind was reeling because you never knew for sure which of your friends was secretly plotting with others to get your work undone.
I still remember one game where my hidden objective was that the ship didn’t make it back to Earth. So, I go to work, leading my coworkers into traps, keeping information from them. The result was a harrowing last-minute escape attempt where my true intentions were revealed, resulting in a chaotic, adrenaline-pumping showdown. Nemesis: The Promised Land of the Hidden Antagonist
Secret Hitler: Deception and Intrigue
Secret Hitler is another social deduction game that really sets the scene for being vastly villainous throughout history. In 1930s Germany, everyone is secretly on one of two teams.
Those are the majority of the time-liberals: on one side, the team of fascists knows each other and has merely to hide their identity from a very shocked populace to win. Someone plays Hitler himself, trying not to give anything away too early. “Secret Hitler” is really a hoot.
The game requires players to be adept at deception, persuasion, and strategy in general. Accusations fly and alliances are tested as time goes on. The fascists’ goal is, in general play, the thrill of trying to manipulate the Liberals; one tries to get one’s agenda to go through without being caught. Surely, it became that one game night when I found out that the role that I had to play was Hitler.
It is basically just trying to do the best job of acting as innocuous as possible while my fellow fascists created the discord. The thrill actually peaked when we had enough fascist policies go through, so they declared me Chancellor, securing a win as I became really sneaky when the suspicions closed in on me. “Secret Hitler” is really a masterclass in social manipulation and is ideal for anyone who loves playing the part of the villain.
Dead of Winter: Crossroads of Trust and Betrayal
“Dead of Winter” is a semicooperative survival game set in a post-apocalyptic world. Players work together in order to survive the harsh winter, fend off zombie attacks, and manage their colony resources.
However, each player also has a secret objective, which might include sabotage towards the group. What is beautiful about “Dead of Winter” is in balancing the cooperation with hidden agendas; it is a game of plausible deniability. It aims to place one in a position in which one frequently has to make hard choices: personal sacrifice has to be made for better colony prosperity.
But with the hidden objectives ever in play, trust becomes an ever-scarcer commodity. The most tense game was when I had a secret objective to hoard enough medicine to keep myself safe, even if it took the colony with me. I played the helpful ally, doing just enough to remain off the radar while I secretly hoarded supplies.
Then the colony was shown the brink of disaster and it was all about my betrayal, leading to a dramatic and desperate struggle for all of us. “Dead of Winter” sinks the theme of distrust and survival, which makes for an interesting experience when you kind of have to be the villain.
Fury of Dracula: Hunt or Be Hunted
In “Fury of Dracula,” one person takes on the role of Count Dracula, while all the other players take on the roles of the many vampire hunters trying to track him down all over Europe. This creates a really cool cat-and-mouse game in which Dracula uses deception, evasion, and misdirection to stay one step ahead of his pursuers constantly. Playing Dracula is a really satisfying role. You are always outnumbered, with your only hope being in the cunning and strategy of your plan.
In one of my favorite games, I was Dracula and I set false trails all across Europe. I had the hunters chasing red herring after red herring and managed to push my moves in time to stay away from them. It was awesome to have that thrill of staying ahead of these guys, frustrations mounting, only to be back in hiding for the climactic throw-down. There’s a real sense of tension, and the victory is that much sweeter for how cunning it was won. “Fury of Dracula” is a perfect game for those who want to be the elusive villain starring in it.
The Godfather: Corleone’s Empire: Rule the Underworld
“The Godfather: Corleone’s Empire” is an area control and resource management strategic game in the world of organized crime. You play the heads of feuding mafia families as you fight for economic control of the city.
Thematic immersion sets this game apart, along with the fact that every player is, in essence, a villain who needs to knock others out of the villain game in order to become the most powerful out there. The core mechanics place a premium on ruthless decisions: stores and businesses are extorted, hits put out on other families, and your opponents’ thugs get beaten mercilessly.
I once played a game where I was cast as the head of a mafia family, planning my moves in a timeless bid to conquer the city. I’m there—an unconscionable figure—making rent-a-friend deals, setting up betrayals, and placing my thugs in advantageous territories. It makes ‘The Godfather: Corleone’s Empire’ a standout experience for refusing to be good.
Villainous: The Disney Twist
“Villainous,” on the other hand, plays a bit lighter on the subject of playing villains, since here players get to lead one of the iconic Disney villains, be it Maleficent, Captain Hook, or Ursula. Each of the villains comes with objectives and abilities unique to themselves, capturing the character from the movies. “Villainous” has that delightful mix of nostalgia and strategy.
The boards and all villain decks are so uniquely modeled around the story that the games can’t be recreated in exactly the same way from one to the next. The pleasure of complete role immersion—that is, playing a villainous character—all in a plot to get your way, is supremely gratifying.
One of my favorite games was playing as Maleficent, where my goal was to place curses on the board. Thematic is everything here, from the design of the cards all the way through to the powers that the characters get, truly letting you feel like you really are one of those malevolent Disney villains. The competitive drive behind this game, paired with the absolute joy of seeing your favorite villains really do come to life in an artful way, makes “Villainous” a stellar pick for those wanting to play the bad guy but in a more whimsical setting.
Letters from Whitechapel: The Ripper’s Shadow
“Letters from Whitechapel” is a tight, gloomy, and atmospheric deduction game where one player impersonates Jack the Ripper, and the rest—detectives trying to catch him. For a deduction game, the whole atmosphere of Victorian London can really be felt as the game unravels.
Jack steps into the shadows of London’s most clandestine alleys, and with every shivering step, the dread of the unknown is fed by the silhouette at the end of the alley. It is really stressful being Jack the Ripper. You must try to outwit the detectives, behave with stealth and guile, and become a shadow to move unnoticed. The hidden movement mechanics of the game mean that Jack can lead the detectives, leaving clues, but also misleads them.
There are times you find yourself cornered, with no other option but to think fast and play misdirection to slip away, and that really did lead to one of the most dramatic and tense final plays in the games I’ve experienced. The feel of staying one step ahead and that impending doom as the net slowly closed in really made ‘Letters from Whitechapel’ a cracker of an experience while playing as the villain.
Specter Ops: High-Tech Espionage
In Specter Ops, one player plays as an agent, trying to infiltrate a high-security facility, while the rest are hunters who need to stop this agent. The agent is chock-full of high-tech gizmos and powers, and the hunters have to bring him down by force.
Playing the agent in Specter Ops? It’s the pinnacle of stealth and strategy. You move hidden across the board, meeting objectives, all toward the goal of not getting tagged. Tension is kept all the while, with cat-and-mouse mechanics being the name of the game, since everything needs to be thought about carefully in each move that is taken.
For instance, as the agent, in one game, I was able to slip my way to victory, using my abilities up to the point of outsmarting the hunters. That feeling of tension as I barely ran away from them and satisfaction from actually making those objectives was great. Specter Ops is perfect for all those tension-junkies out there in the role of the villain slipping away from disaster.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Vendetta: A Game of Political Intrigue
“Vampire: The Masquerade – Vendetta” is a game of political intrigue and power plays set in the World of Darkness. Players take up the mantle of clan vampires, attempting to rise to power over the city of Chicago through manipulation, deceit, and strategic alliances. It allows one to be a schemer—an aspect of being a vampire in “Vendetta.”
The game mechanics themselves push for Machiavellian tactics, if you will, in forming short-term alliances and stabbing your rivals in the back. Every clan offers uniqueness and a different goal, which in turn deepens and diversifies the game. On one of these occasions, I was playing the Ventrue clan, an extremely politically astute and influential clan. I would walk very carefully on the tightrope of alliances and betrayals, manipulating my use of abilities to favor the game. The thrill of outsmarting my opponents and securing my place as the dominant vampire is a great experience.
Shadow Hunters: Deception and Survival
“Shadow Hunters” is a social deduction game in which players are divided into three factions: Shadows, Hunters, and Neutrals. Each faction has its own objectives, with Shadows aiming to eliminate the Hunters, and Hunters trying to eliminate the Shadows. Neutrals have unique win conditions that add complexity to the game.
Playing as a Shadow in “Shadow Hunters” lets you bring out your inner bad guy as you try deceiving your way to victory. The mechanics of the game involve an attempt to gather information and make alliances while the players have to keep their true identity a secret.
I was in a game where I was playing a Shadow character, and every move I made was inching me forward in the process of eliminating Hunters without getting ousted. The excitement and tension of the game coupled with the success of throwing my opponents off was a very memorable experience. “Shadow Hunters” is for those who enjoy the mix of social deduction and strategic gameplay.
Ca$h ‘n Guns: The Heist Gone Wrong
“Ca$h ‘n Guns” is a party game where players are gangsters dividing the loot after a heist. The catch? Players use foam guns to threaten and secure their share of the money, with the risk of being shot and losing out on the loot.
Playing “Ca$h ‘n Guns” lets you bring out the inner gangster in you as you use intimidation and bluffing to make your way through the game. These mechanics force players to read the intentions of others and conclusively guess who is bluffing and who is serious. In one, I was really ruthless, playing dirty to get their opponents to back down, with my foam gun, and secure the lion’s share of the loot.
The big difference—the thing that really sets “Ca$h ‘n Guns” apart from the crowd—is that this game is hilarious. Which means it’s the best thing to play the bad guy without taking it too seriously.
Conclusion: Embrace the Dark Side
From planning betrayals in “Betrayal at House on the Hill” to outpacing in “Nemesis” and making your friends your minions in “Secret Hitler,” there’s plenty of board games that let you be the heavy. They let you embrace your dark side, using craft, guile, and smarts to get your way.
