The Traitors is out, but this pirate game combines all my favorite board games into one deceptive pocket-sized package

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On July 3, 2025

I worry what it says about me that I love deception and hidden role board games. Don’t get me wrong, I’m terrible at lying. I can’t bluff without grinning like a maniac either if someone’s onto me, either. But sniffing out traitors? Yeah, that’s a bit of me.

The trouble is, a lot of those – despite being amongst the best board games – can take a while to get going. I adore the Cthulhu-themed Unfathomable, for example, and it’s a masterclass of backstabbing mixed with a 1920s cosmic horror vibe. But my goodness does it last for ages. Traitors Aboard, though? Here’s a board game you can dive straight into after a 60-second elevator pitch of the rules, and be finished with in around 20 minutes. More importantly, it combines my favorite mechanics from the likes of Unfathomable into a glorious cocktail of duplicity. Delicious.

It’s quite telling that the rules of Traitors Aboard are summed up nice and clearly on the back of the box – you could avoid looking at the instructions at all, if you wanted. This is a game you can dive straight into with minimal fuss, and there aren’t complex if-but mechanics to get your head around.

In short, you’re divided into two groups when play begins: pirates and mutineers. (The number of mutineers is decided based on the amount of people playing, but they’re always kept secret.) Like all good yellow-bellied scallywags, the pirates must build up their treasure chest to a points-value determined by the number of players around the table. Meanwhile, those dastardly mutineers must undo that hard work and make sure the chest doesn’t meet its goal.

Traitors Aboard box and cards laid out on a wooden table

(Image credit: Benjamin Abbott)

Each turn, players must put one of the cards in their hand facedown onto the chest. These all have a value of +1, 0, and -2. If you’re a pirate, you’ll obviously want to place +1s or 0s at a pinch to get the number up, or keep it stable. Mutineers, on the other hand, should add as many -2s or 0s as possible to lower the overall number.

Either way, you can tell the rest of the group what you played… or you can lie about it to throw them off the scent. Did you plonk your second lovely -2 card down in a row? Say it was a 0, because you ran out of +1s. Because the contents of the chest are only revealed.

Well, almost. You can get a sneak peek by using special ability cards, and these can turn the tide. If there’s someone you’re then suspicious of, the group can team up to give them three ‘walk the plank’ cards – they’re then banished from the game. Just bear in mind that mutineers can do the same thing after casting suspicion on someone innocent.

It’s all a delightful head-scratcher, suffice to say – and it’s quick. You don’t need to strongarm friends into playing because it’s so easy to set up and explain, and getting to the end won’t take ages like some other hidden role games.

Anyway, I’m taking any excuse I can to play Traitors Aboard right now (it’s a pirate’s life for me, I suppose), and I’d urge you to give it a go too. You may end up feeling the same way.

If you’d like to save as much as possible on building your collection, don’t miss our guide to board game deals or this year’s Prime Day board game deals.