Whether a fan of the original board game or the 1985 cult classic film starring Tim Curry, Clue occupies a unique space in pop culture. The game has been intriguing players for 75 years with its mix of mystery, strategy and deduction. It all started as a way fo everyone to enjoy a diversion during wartime.
“[Clue] was invented back in 1943 by this guy named Anthony Pratt,” said Brian Baker, SVP of Board Games at Hasbro. “He’s a musician, a piano player, and he perform in these lavish mansions in the English countryside around Birmingham. One of the things he noticed were some of the families hosting the parties doing these lavish murder mystery theme dinner parties. He always thought they were really fun. When World War Two started, the Germans started bombing England and the countryside. Everybody was stuck inside seeking shelter. He came up with a game that simulated kind of what these families would do in their mansions.”
While most Americans know the game as Clue, it was published under a different name in England. It still uses that name there, born of one of the deadliest arts in the English language: a pun.
“He called it Cluedo,” said Baker. “which is kind of like a mash up of the word ‘clue’ obviously to a nod to the mystery part of it and then the the the word ludo, which is Latin for ‘I play’. He eventually sold it into a company called Waddingtons. Then it was brought in by Parker Brothers in 1949 and renamed Clue.”
The Evolution Of Clue
While there are some elements to the game that have stayed over the years, the game has changed over time. In the most modern printing, for example, Mrs. White is now a celebrity chef. But many fans might be surprised at how different the murder weapons were back in the early days of Clue.
“There was an undetonated bomb,” said Baker. “A syringe, a fireplace poker and the other one is a cudgel, like a walking stick. Those obviously have evolved over time to be something a little bit more more familiar, maybe less graphic.”
Changes to the base game are carefully considered. Whether its a new printing, a different game using the Clue branding or one of the many licensed editions, Baker doesn’t want to new versions of the game to seem like cheap cash ins. Each experience should still feel close to the original.
“We have a whole team of narrative designers thinking about the storytelling behind this game,” said Baker. “Which is, you know, obviously one of the things that’s made it so popular and a mainstay in pop culture and entertainment. You can imagine the rope is actually a piece of the tapestry that was hanging on the wall or the curtains. You might find a lead pipe somewhere around the Manor because what all the plumbing was made out of. Certainly a knife you’d find in the in the kitchen. Syringes, maybe not so much. I think that the game has evolved over time. It’s those evolutions that make the game timeless and and give it some life.”
As part of preparing for this article, Hasbro sent two copies of the game to me. The first was the 75th Anniversary Edition with luxury components and a metal game board. The second was Clue: What We Do In The Shadows, a licensed version of the game featuring characters, items and plot lines from the hit FX TV show.
75th Anniversary Edition Clue Board Game
I distinctly remember the Clue set we had when I was a kid. The various weapons were made of pewter. I can still feel the weight of the gun piece in my hand.
“The interesting thing about those weapons is that that’s the role they play in the game from a mechanics point of view,” said Baker. “They really serve no other purpose. The field of weapons and makes it more of an immersive experience. They don’t play any other role in the game. That’s something we’re thinking about a lot. I want every component in the box to serve a meaningful purpose.”
I also took the opportunity to read the short rules pamphlet. Classic games like Clue are often taught through oral tradition and that distorts how the game is played because people misremember the rules or were taught versions with house rules. This is best exemplified by Clue’s sister game, Monopoly, which has different variant rules surrounding the Free Parking space.
I discovered I had gotten a rule wrong for my entire life. When making a suggestion, each player at the table has a chance to reveal one of the suggested cards in their hand rather than the player on either side of the questioner. This revelation sped up gameplay as the correct cards were whittled down much more quickly during play.
Clue: What We Do In The Shadows Board Game
For many years, there have been licensed versions of classic Hasbro games. Nearly everyone I know has some sort of Star Wars Monopoly. I’m a particular fan of the Indiana Jones version of The Game of Life which allows players to chase after treasures just like Dr. Jones.
“When we look at licensed games where we combine one of our original games, like Life or Monopoly or even Clue,” said Baker. “We couple that with third party intellectual property, you know like Harry Potter or Game of Thrones. The easiest thing for us to do would just be change the components and the names and call it a day. We would in the industry call that a label slap. That’s a derogatory term.”
Clue: What We Do In The Shadows shifts the story from a murder mystery to a treasure hunt. The players must figure out who hid Laszlo’s 100% Witch Skin Hat, where they hid it and what item they used to conceal their theft. The game still uses the basic mechanics but allows players to explore the iconic Staten Island house where all the vampire live.
This version also adds in some mechanics that change gameplay. Rumor and intrigue cards shake up gameplay with unexpected bonuses and penalties. They also act like a game timer that keeps the players on their toes to finish before the deck runs out.
Playing both games taught me a new appreciation for Clue. It’s easy to get caught up in new games and clever mechanics. Going back to something foundational was really refreshing.
Clue has been around for so long for a good reason. It offers the joy of solving a mystery with friends and family. I look forward to playing a few more rounds with my family (and teaching them the correct way to play.)
