The Best ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ Games
Escape the Dark Castle
‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ newcomers come hither! Escape the Dark Castle is the perfect first quest.
You’re all prisoners trying to Escape the Dark Castle, using teamwork to overcome traps and challenges. Unlike other more complicated Choose Your Own Adventure games, Escape the Dark Castle takes the more traditional story book approach with players choosing their path at the beginning of each chapter. If you develop a thirst for adventure, try the second installment Escape The Dark Sector. Let’s hope it wasn’t beginner’s luck.
House of Danger
A campy ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ classic based on the bestselling book from 1982. Prepare for the nostalgia trip of a lifetime.
You’re a detective and psychic investigator exploring the dark history of your town. Intrigued by the mystery of the missing owner of the Marsden Mansion, you decide to take the case on yourself. You’ll encounter ghostly figures, secret rooms and collect cryptic clues in this spooky classic. “Choose Your Own Adventure” books have become family favourites packed with secrets to discover and with every replay of House of Danger, you’ll encounter all sorts of twists and turns you dodged the first time round. With its 80s sci-fi design and classic ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ storytelling, House of Danger is perfect for fans of Goosebumps, the Twilight Zone and all things kitsch.
What Next
Taking ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ to the next level. Who knows what they’ll throw at you.
What Next proves ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ games don’t have to take place on a tabletop. There are three adventures packed with twists and turns for players to face together , but that’s only half the battle. To complete What Next, players must take on more than 60 different physical mini games. It’s the first ever ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ game to include physical challenges and as we suspect, not the last.
The 7th Continent
Fancy pulling an all nighter? The 7th Continent is not for the faint hearted.
If you’re an experienced ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ player, The 7th Continent is your trial by fire. In The 7th Continent you’re an early 20th century explorer returning from an expedition when you realise several of your mates have since gone missing. Sounds simple, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. So put on a big pot of coffee and get stuck into this mind melter. With multiple layers and objectives, you can lose yourself for hours.
Fallout Wasteland Warfare roleplaying game
Expand your own fallout universe however you want - no console necessary.
Are you a fan of the post apocalyptic phenomenon Fallout, but find yourself on the train with no super mutants to shoot at? Perhaps this ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ book is for you! Based on the popular Fallout: Wasteland Warfare miniatures game, the lone wanderer returns with another wasteland adventure. Create your own unique characters or use the faction based Archetype cards to start your own hero and watch them grow. The ever-expanding Fallout universe is your oyster.
Cantaloop
The point-and-click classic that went analogue.
The O.G. incarnation of Cantaloop came out in 1976 as a point and click PC game. The new Cantaloop brings the magic of the original to your fingertips in a book format. In the first installment, you are a small-time criminal who just returned from exile, seeking revenge - but you won’t stand a chance against the most powerful crook in the city without assembling a motley crue of criminal accomplices. Cantaloop is perfect for solo games and with incredible illustrations you can marvel at the ingenuity of this re-imagined favourite.
Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon
Inspired by the legend of King Arthur (round table not included).
If legend and folklore are right up your street, you’ll love The fall of Avalon. The choose your own story narrative is set in Avalon, an ancient land populated by King Arthur’s gang, but a dark force called the Wyrdness is ruining the magic (literally). Depending on the character you create, players must pool their resources and skills to keep the dark forces at bay. The real tabletop board game connoisseurs amongst us will definitely appreciate the clever mechanics and striking visuals, but Tainted Grail isn’t just for the die-hards. You’d be surprised how much Arthurian legend and Celtic Mythology you’ll pick up on the way - think of it as LARPing without having to stand in a muddy field.
Above and Below
It’s world-building in the most literal sense.
The Shining - Escape from Overlook Hotel
All work and no play certainly made Jack a dull boy, but this nail-biting escape mission from the classic film is anything but.
In this choose your own adventure thrill ride, players take on the role of the homicidal Caretaker Jack’s wife and son, who need to escape the paranormal overlook hotel to survive the winter. Driven by the "Coded Chronicles" mechanism, which requires you to unlock clues and solve puzzles for unique storytelling codes, the game allows you to use psychic abilities like "the shining". For fans of the film or book, this game provides a twisted new perspective and immerses you in the disorienting world of the Kubrick classic.
Tales of the Arabian Nights
Follow in the footsteps of Scheherazade the great Arabian storyteller in this rich ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ tapestry.
In Tales of the Arabian Nights, you’ll tread the lands of the Arabian Nights alongside Sindbad, Ali Baba, and the other legendary characters. Depending on the decisions you make, you could end up a powerful sultan or a cursed beggar. Boasting over 2002 different tales, Tales of the Arabian Nights is endlessly replayable and you can learn more about the classic Arabian tales and legends in the meantime. Enriching all round!
Until Dawn
Ever watch a horror film and think you’d make better decisions than the characters?
Until Dawn submerges you in the world of a suspense thriller where your choices have fatal consequences. Players take control of eight young people who have to survive on Blackwood Mountain until they are rescued at dawn. What’s so impressive about Until Dawn is the butterfly effect system, where players make a seemingly minor decision, then see it escalate into something huge. Any choice you make could mean the difference between life or death - so no pressure.
From cult-classic novels to full-on interactive video games , the world of ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ gaming has come a long way. With an ever growing number of innovative new takes on the classic format along with advances in video game technology, the choice is all yours.
