13 Dead End Drive is a murder-themed board game released in 1993 by Milton Bradley.
DESCRIPTION
The death of a wealthy old woman triggers feuding over her estate, players have to utilize traps located on the board, which represents a large mansion, to kill other players characters off in order to claim the estate.
GAMEPLAY
At the beginning of the game players are passed “character cards” which correspond to matching pawns on the board. As there are 12 characters each player would typically have more than one character. However, the character each player controls is not revealed. Along with the character cards you also have “Portrait Cards”, these determine who the current favourite for the inheritance is. Finally, “Trap Cards” are used to spring traps and knock off other players.
During a players turn they will roll a one of the dice for each of their pawns, they can also move a pawn that is not theirs to bring it closer to a trap space. All pawns must be moved off the red chair spaces before and pawns can be moved a second time or onto a trap space. If a pawn is moved onto a trap space the player must have the corresponding trap card in his or her possession to spring the trap. After that, play moves onto the next player.
Throughout the game a Portrait Card is shown kin the picture frame above the fireplace. That character is the current favourite to inherit the fortune, however, that character is also marked for death and must try to escape the mansion before he or she is either killed off or the portrait changes.
During the game there is also a detective waiting outside, slowly making his way towards the front door. His arrival signifies the reading of the will and the announcement of the game winner. The detective can only move one space at a time, and only when the Detective Card (which is hidden inside the Trap Card pile) is drawn. In total there are 13 steps to the front door, if the detective gets there before all characters have been eliminated, the game is over.
CHARACTERS
Aunt Agatha: Owner of the mansion whose fortune is being fought over.
The Detective: Gradually gets closer to the mansion with every detective card, when he gets to the door the game is over.
Poopsie: Aunt Agatha’s sadistic Persian cat who wants the money to be among the world’s richest pets.
Smothers: The butler who served the family for over thirty years and now seeks to retire in style, cruising around the world and having people wait on him for a change.
Dusty: Conniving and seductive maid who wants the money to become a glamour model.
Beauregard III: Agatha’s lover, he made a trade of swindling recently deceased women.
Lulu: Agatha’s best friend and well known gossip who seeks to start a gossip column.
Charity: Agatha’s personal physician who wants to open her own practice.
Parker: The Chauffeur who wishes to spend the money racing in the Indianapolis 500.
Spritzy: Agatha’s hair stylist who wants to start her own salon.
Clay: Agatha’s tennis coach, he needs the money to pay debts and retire.
Pierre: Chef who seeks to finance his own TV show, Cooking for Profit.
Hickory: The gardener who wants to start a theme park based on killer plants.
Madame Astra: Agatha’s fortune teller, she believes her years of service will pay off by getting the the money.
13 DEAD END DRIVE - HOW TO WIN THE GAME
There are three ways that you can win 13 Dead End Drive:
- Escape the mansion while your character’s picture is displayed in the picture frame.
- Be the last character alive.
- Have your character’s picture displayed in the picture frame when the detective reaches the door.