How long does it take to play a game?

All of the mystery games here on this site consist of four rounds. How long each round lasts is really dependent on the players and how much improvising is going on. A round can last 20 minutes or 45 minutes depending on how involved everyone gets. On average a game should last a couple of hours, especially if a meal is being served.I have had many friends say that the Titanic Murder Mystery game with dinner lasted 3 or 4 hours, while others have reported a shorter experience of two hours. If this is a concern for you, and you’re worried that the game will not fill the entire evening then here are a few suggestions to extend the party.

Many parties begin their evening with a photo session. As their guests arrive in costume they take the time to pose them in different groups, it can be a lot of fun, not to mention great memories as well!

As the host (many hosts play the game as well) you may want to spread the game out if you see that it is running very quickly. If a meal is being served, then the game can be played around the meal or in between the courses, or you may take a break or two during game play. If you are planning a full evening starting late afternoon, it may be wise to add extra elements to your party, such as a afternoon croquet game before beginning the Alice in Wonderland murder mystery game. How magical it was for us to see everyone in their Wonderland costumes playing croquet out on the lawn. Another idea would be to have a special Titanic cocktail/punch with trivia about the ship prior to dinner and the Titanic game.

Two great ways to extend the evening is by adding an introduction round at the beginning and an awards ceremony at the end. At the beginning of the evening each player can introduce themselves and read the biography that they received with their invitation. You may need to have extra biographies printed up and on hand for this purpose.

It is also a good idea to have the awards ready, (one for each player) even if you are not sure if you are adding this to the party. You can fill in the names of the winners quickly after the game has played out. An awards ceremony at the end of the game can also extend the party quite a bit. And everyone I spoke with said they loved receiving an award, and that it added quite a bit to the full evenings experience. (It’s a great idea to make sure everyone gets one).