Parents' Guide to

Clue: The Classic Mystery Game

By Christy Matte, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Classic mystery game pushes in-app purchases.

App iPhone, iPad, Android Paid Board Games
Clue: The Classic Mystery Game Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this app.

  • Clue: The Classic Mystery Game Screen #1
  • Clue: The Classic Mystery Game Screen #2
  • Clue: The Classic Mystery Game Screen #3

Community Reviews

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age 9+

Based on 2 parent reviews

EllingtonEdTech
EllingtonEdTech Parent of 6 and 7-year-old
January 11, 2021
age 9+

This title has:

Easy to play/use
Marci5883
Marci5883 Parent of 10-year-old
June 2, 2020
age 9+
See all 2 parent reviews

What’s It About?

CLUE: THE CLASSIC MYSTERY GAME brings all of the intrigue you may remember as a kid minus the cheating that sometimes came along for the ride. Kids choose a character from one of six included, or select from one of the dozens of paid add-ons. They also choose a board; the standard board is included, but player can purchase themed boards (with characters, if they choose) such as Sherlock, Murder Express, Vampire Castle, and Egyptian Adventure. They also have the option to play solo (with AI), online with strangers, or online with friends.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (1):

This old-school favorite translates well to the digital version, as long as you understand the basic rules. Clue: The Classic Mystery Game plays just like the board game, but with many actions automated for you. For example, the cards in your hand are automatically crossed out on your notepad to make it easier to detect the murderer. Those who have never played before may find it all a bit confusing, as the tutorial doesn't explain very much, and the help option is tucked away in the settings menu. But since you can't move to the wrong room or select an inappropriate card, those who just play along will likely figure most of it out.

It would be nice to have a few more characters unlocked with the paid game, especially where it would add to the diversity of options. And overall the presentation of the in-app purchases feels heavy-handed for a paid app. You're frequently presented with a new board or character, knowing that you're being asked to shell out more cash just to access this new content. But if you grew up with a sibling who loved to cheat, the digital version of Clue: The Classic Mystery Game might offer you the retribution you've been longing for.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about using logic in a game like this. How do you figure out which cards the other players have? How do you keep them from knowing which cards you have?

  • What are your family rules about in-app purchases? Is there a reason to constantly charge for additional content, or should this be wrapped into the initial price of the app?

App Details

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