How to Play Mafia: The Classic Party Game with a Twist
- terplingdedureper
- Aug 10, 2023
- 8 min read
How to Play Mafia Party Game: A Fun and Engaging Social Deduction Game
If you are looking for a party game that is fun, easy, and engaging, you should try Mafia Party Game. Mafia Party Game is a social deduction game that tests your powers of deception, deduction, and persuasion. In this game, you will take on the role of either a mafia member, a townsperson, a detective, or a doctor, and try to eliminate or survive the other players. This game is perfect for groups of 7 or more people, and can be played with just a deck of cards and a moderator. In this article, we will show you how to play Mafia Party Game, how to set up and start a game, how to play the night cycle and the day cycle, how to spice up your game with variations and tips, and why you should try this game at your next party.
What is Mafia Party Game?
Mafia Party Game is a social deduction game that was created by Dimitry Davidoff in 1986 in Russia. The game models a conflict between two groups: an informed minority (the mafia) and an uninformed majority (the townspeople). At the start of the game, each player is secretly assigned a role affiliated with one of these teams. The game has two alternating phases: first, a night-phase, during which those with night-killing-powers may covertly kill other players, and second, a day-phase, in which all surviving players debate and vote to eliminate a suspect. The game continues until a faction achieves its win-condition; for the town, this usually means eliminating the evil minority, while for the mafia, this usually means reaching numerical parity with the town.
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The origin and history of Mafia Party Game
Mafia Party Game was originally developed by Dimitry Davidoff as a way to combine psychology research with his duties teaching high school students. He dates the first game of Mafia to spring 1987 at the Psychology Department of Moscow State University. The game became popular in other Soviet colleges and schools, often associated with the hugely popular TV series La Piovra (The Octopus), which first ran in 1986. In the 1990s, the game spread to other parts of Europe (in some countries under the name City of Palermo) and then the United States. Andrew Plotkin gave the rules a werewolf theme in 1997, arguing that the mafia had less cultural resonance, and that the werewolf concept fit the idea of a hidden enemy who looked normal during the daytime. Since then, Mafia Party Game has been played at various tech events, science fiction writers' workshops, online platforms, and parties around the world.
The basic rules and roles of Mafia Party Game
The basic rules of Mafia Party Game are simple and easy to follow. Here are some of the key points:
The game requires at least 5 players (4 players plus 1 moderator), but it is more fun with 8 or more players.
The moderator is someone who knows the rules and has played the game before if possible. The moderator does not participate in any official rounds of gameplay, but they oversee each round and add unique stories to explain players' actions.
The moderator assigns each player a role by the moderator asks the detective to open their eyes or raise their head, and look at the moderator. The detective is a special townsperson who can investigate one player's identity each night cycle. The detective points at one player or says their number or name silently. The moderator nods or shakes their head to indicate whether the chosen player is a mafia member or not. The moderator does not reveal the exact role of the player, only whether they are mafia or not.
The doctor: The moderator asks the detective to close their eyes or lower their head again, creating darkness. Then, the moderator asks the doctor to open their eyes or raise their head, and look at the moderator. The doctor is a special townsperson who can protect one player from being killed each night cycle. The doctor points at one player or says their number or name silently. The moderator notes down their choice. The doctor can choose to protect themselves, but they cannot protect the same player twice in a row.
After all the roles have performed their actions, the moderator asks everyone to open their eyes or raise their heads, ending the night cycle.
The day cycle: Accusations, defenses, and votes
The day cycle is when all the surviving players debate and vote to eliminate a suspect. The moderator announces the result of the night cycle, and tells everyone who was killed (if any) and what their role was. The moderator also adds some flavor to the story, such as how the victim was killed, where they were found, and what clues were left behind.
Then, the moderator opens the floor for discussion. All the surviving players can talk freely and openly, accusing each other of being mafia members, defending themselves or others, asking questions, sharing information, lying, bluffing, etc. The goal of the townspeople is to find and eliminate the mafia members, while the goal of the mafia members is to deceive and mislead the townspeople.
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After some time of discussion (usually 5 to 10 minutes), the moderator calls for a vote. Each player can vote for one player to be eliminated, or abstain from voting. The players can vote by raising their hands, pointing at their targets, or saying their numbers or names out loud. The moderator counts the votes and announces the result. The player with the most votes is eliminated and reveals their role. If there is a tie, there is no elimination.
The end of the game: Win conditions and declarations
The game continues with alternating night cycles and day cycles until one of these conditions is met:
The townspeople win if they eliminate all the mafia members.
The mafia win if they reach numerical parity with the townspeople (i.e., there are equal numbers of mafia members and townspeople left), or if nothing can prevent this from happening.
The moderator declares the end of the game and announces which faction has won. The players can then reveal their roles and discuss how they played, what they learned, and what they enjoyed about the game.
How to spice up your game of Mafia Party Game with variations and tips
If you want to make your game of Mafia Party Game more interesting and challenging, you can try some variations and tips that will add more roles, rules, strategies, and tricks to the game.
Variations: Adding more roles and rules to the game
One way to spice up your game is to add more roles and rules to the game. There are many possible roles that you can create or use from existing versions of Mafia Party Game. Here are some examples:
Vigilante: A townsperson who can kill one player each night cycle.
Lawyer: A mafia member who can protect one player from being investigated by the detective each night cycle.
Joker: A neutral player who wins if they are eliminated by vote during a day cycle.
Cupid: A townsperson who can choose two players to be lovers at Some examples of additional roles and rules are:
Angel: A townsperson who can resurrect one player who was killed during the night cycle.
Serial killer: A neutral player who can kill one player each night cycle. They win if they are the last player alive.
Traitor: A townsperson who is secretly working with the mafia. They do not know who the mafia members are, but the mafia members know who they are.
Blindfold: A rule that prevents players from looking at each other during the day cycle, forcing them to rely on their voices and words.
Silence: A rule that prevents players from talking during the day cycle, forcing them to use gestures and signs.
Reveal: A rule that allows players to reveal their roles when they are eliminated, adding more information to the game.
You can find more variations and ideas online or create your own. Just make sure that everyone agrees on the roles and rules before starting the game, and that the moderator keeps track of them.
Tips: Strategies and tricks for different roles and situations
Another way to spice up your game is to use some strategies and tricks for different roles and situations. Here are some examples:
Mafia: Try to act innocent and blend in with the townspeople. Avoid being too quiet or too loud, as both can draw suspicion. Use your night communication to coordinate your votes and accusations. Try to frame other players or create confusion and doubt among the townspeople.
Townsperson: Try to find clues and patterns in the players' behavior and speech. Use logic and reasoning to deduce who is lying or hiding something. Trust your instincts and intuition, but also be open to changing your mind. Work together with other townspeople and share your information.
Detective: Try to investigate players who are suspicious or influential. Do not reveal your role or your findings too soon, as you might become a target for the mafia. Use subtle hints or coded messages to communicate with other townspeople. Confirm or deny other players' claims based on your investigations.
Doctor: Try to protect players who are valuable or vulnerable. Do not reveal your role or your actions too soon, as you might become a target for the mafia. Use your judgment and intuition to decide who needs your protection. Balance between protecting yourself and others.
You can find more tips and tricks online or learn from your own experience. Just remember that the game is meant to be fun and engaging, so do not take it too seriously or personally.
Conclusion: Why you should try Mafia Party Game at your next party
Mafia Party Game is a fun and engaging social deduction game that you should try at your next party. It is easy to learn and play, and it can accommodate a large group of people. It is also a great way to test your skills of deception, deduction, and persuasion, as well as to get to know each other better. Whether you are a mafia member, a townsperson, a detective, or a doctor, you will have a blast trying to eliminate or survive the other players. You can also spice up your game with variations and tips that will add more roles, rules, strategies, and tricks to the game. So what are you waiting for? Grab a deck of cards, choose a moderator, assign roles, and start playing Mafia Party Game today!
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about Mafia Party Game:
How many players do you need for Mafia Party Game?
You need at least 5 players (4 players plus 1 moderator) for Mafia Party Game, but it is more fun with 8 or more players. The ideal number of players is 12 to 16.
How long does a game of Mafia Party Game last?
A game of Mafia Party Game can last anywhere from 15 minutes to 90 minutes, depending on the number of players, the roles and rules used, and the length of discussion and voting.
How do you play Mafia Party Game online?
You can play Mafia Party Game online using various platforms and apps that simulate the game mechanics and allow voice or text chat among players. Some examples are Town of Salem , EpicMafia , Werewolf Online , etc.
What are some other names for Mafia Party Game?
Mafia Party Game is also known as Werewolf, Assassin, Village, City of Palermo, etc., depending on the theme and setting of the game.
What are some other games similar to Mafia Party Game?
Some other games similar to Mafia Party Game are Secret Hitler , The Resistance , One Night Ultimate Werewolf , etc. These games also involve hidden roles, deception, deduction, and voting.
References:
[Town of Salem]
[EpicMafia]
[The History of Mafia]
[Werewolf (social deduction game)]
[Secret Hitler]
[Mafia (party game)]
[The Resistance (game)]
[One Night Ultimate Werewolf]
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