Dangerous Games to Play in the Dark

What begins as a test of bravery or a sleepover activity—chanting in front of a mirror, riding an elevator alone, taking pictures in the dark—can become something…dangerous.

Dangerous Games to Play in the Dark collects the most sinister, fascinating, and unsettling games based on urban legends and folklore from around the world, some of which have been told and played for generations. Centuries-old games such as “Bloody Mary” and “Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board” are detailed alongside new games from the internet age, like “The Answer Man,” a sinister voice that whispers secrets to whomever manages to contact him with a cellphone. Anyone can play these games using easily accessible materials and a little patience, but beware who—or what—might come out to play.

Chapters are broken up into Party Games, or games that require multiple players to complete; Summoning Spirits, or games whose sole purpose is to summon an otherworldly being; High-Stakes Hide and Seek, or high-risk games to face off against a supernatural opponent; Long, Strange Trips, or games intended to deliver players to alternate dimensions; Contacting the Other Side, or games which put players in touch with the lost; and Games of Knowledge, or games which give players gain access to insights and information. Each game is given some context (the folklore behind it, the fears it taps into, the cultural history), as well as the stakes involved (Risk Level, Objective, and Reward), before detailing the step-by-step process for playing each game. Illustrations head each chapter and spot-illustrations are scattered throughout the games to set the mood for the book.