How to play Mafia is a question many folks have, and we’re going to help you answer it.
Mafia is a classic party game built around strategy, hidden roles, and group deduction. One group tries to eliminate players in secret while the rest of the group works together to find the guilty players before it is too late. It is an easy game to set up, and it works well for families, youth groups, college events, or game nights with friends. Here is how to play.
Materials You Need
- A deck of cards or slips of paper for assigning roles
- One moderator or narrator
- A group of at least seven players
Role Setup
You need a mix of good and evil roles. The most straightforward setup includes:
- Mafia: One or two players who work together secretly
- Detective: One player who can investigate a person each night
- Doctor: One player who can save someone each night
- Villagers: Everyone else
The moderator assigns the roles by handing out cards or slips in secret. Only the moderator knows every role in the game.
How the Game Works
Night Phase
All players close their eyes. The moderator calls on roles one at a time:
- Mafia: Quietly choose a player to eliminate.
- Doctor: Choose someone to protect. You may choose yourself.
- Detective: Choose a player to investigate. The moderator signals yes or no to indicate whether the player is a Mafia member.
Once all actions are taken, the moderator ends the night phase.
Day Phase
The moderator announces who was eliminated, unless the Doctor protected that person.
The surviving players discuss who they believe is the Mafia. After the discussion, the group votes to eliminate a suspect. The player with the most votes is removed from the game.
Night-and-day phases repeat until one side wins.
How to Win
- Mafia wins when the number of Mafia players equals the number of remaining non-Mafia players.
- Villagers win when all Mafia players have been eliminated.
Optional Roles
- Nurse: Works like the Doctor but can only save others.
- Vigilante: A villager who can eliminate someone once per game.
- Jester: A player who wins if the group votes them out.
- Bodyguard: Protects one person but sacrifices themselves if that player is attacked.
Tips for Playing Mafia
- Choose a moderator who can keep the game moving and stay neutral.
- Encourage players to take notes during discussions.
- Remind the group that bold accusations make the game more fun.
- Use fewer special roles when teaching new players.
- For large groups, add more villagers and one extra Mafia.
Image Suggestions
- Players sitting in a circle with eyes closed during the night phase (alt text: “Mafia game players with eyes closed during the night phase”)
- Moderator pointing to players to act out their roles (alt text: “Moderator guiding players through a round of Mafia”)
- Group debating during the day phase (alt text: “Players discussing suspects during a Mafia day phase”)
