4–16 players · 15–30 min · Social deduction
Mafia Night: trust no one
Mafia Night is the social deduction game of whispered accusations and dramatic defences. A few players are secretly Mafia. Every night they eliminate someone, and every day the town argues, accuses and votes to throw out whoever they think is guilty. The Mafia win if they survive long enough to match the town in numbers; the village wins if it finds them all. On PlayAdda the app is the narrator: it deals roles, runs the night in secret, and counts every vote, so you can focus on reading faces and telling lies.
The app narrates. You lie, deduce and survive.
The roles
| Role | Team | Power |
|---|---|---|
| 🕶️ Mafia | Mafia | Know each other. Each night they choose someone to eliminate. |
| 🩺 Doctor | Village | Each night protects one player, possibly themselves. A protected player survives the Mafia’s attack. |
| 🔎 Detective | Village | Each night checks one other player and learns whether they are Mafia. (5+ players.) |
| 🧑🌾 Villager | Village | No night power, but a full vote and a loud voice during the day. |
How a game runs
- Setup. Tap Start Mafia Night, share the code, and wait for at least four players. The host can set the day and night lengths. Then tap Start.
- Check your role. Tap your card to reveal it, privately. Mafia members also see who their partners are.
- Night. The Mafia pick a target, the Doctor picks someone to save and the Detective picks someone to check. Villagers wait. The night ends when everyone has acted or the timer runs out.
- Morning. The app announces who was eliminated, unless the Doctor saved them.
- Day. Everyone discusses. Then each living player votes for someone to vote out, or votes to skip. The day ends when everyone has voted or the timer runs out.
- Repeat until one side wins.
Voting rules
The player with the most votes is voted out and their role is revealed. If the top two are tied, or “skip” gets the most votes, nobody is voted out that day. You cannot vote for yourself. You may change your vote until the last vote comes in.
Winning
- The village wins when every Mafia member has been eliminated.
- The Mafia win when they equal or outnumber all the other living players.
Tips
- Villagers: watch who pushes votes and who stays quiet. The Mafia know exactly who is innocent, and that sometimes shows.
- Detective: do not reveal yourself too early, or you will not see the next morning. Share what you know when it can swing a vote.
- Doctor: if someone claims to be the Detective, protecting them may win the game.
- Mafia: agree on a story, vote with the crowd, and sometimes accuse your partner to look innocent.
Want something lighter first? Warm up with Don’t Say It or Spy Words.
Frequently asked questions
How many players do I need?
At least four, and it gets better with six or more. Up to sixteen can play. With 4 players there is 1 Mafia and a Doctor; from 5 players a Detective joins; from 6 there are 2 Mafia, and from 10 there are 3.
Do we need a narrator?
No. PlayAdda is the narrator. It hands out secret roles, runs the night, announces who was eliminated each morning, counts the votes and declares the winner, so every player gets to play.
Is this the same as Werewolf?
Mafia and Werewolf are two names for the same traditional party game, invented in the 1980s and played in classrooms and offices all over the world. Our version uses the classic Mafia theme and is free to play.
Can we play in the same room?
Yes. Everyone uses their own phone for their secret role, night actions and votes, and you discuss face to face. It also works well on a video call, where the in-game day chat is handy for quiet players.
What happens to eliminated players?
They become spectators. Their role is revealed to everyone, they can watch the rest of the game, and they must not give hints. They can no longer vote, chat or act at night.
Can someone peek at the roles?
Your role is only shown on your own screen, and only when you tap the card. As with every game here, the game state is shared between the players’ browsers, so a determined player could find roles with developer tools. Play with friends, not strangers.
Free, no app, no signup. Share the code and play.
More party games
🎟️ Tambola (Housie) · 🎲 Ludo · 🐍 Snakes & Ladders · ⚪ Carrom · 🃏 Colour Rush · 🔵 Five Chip · 🤐 Don't Say It · ✏️ Doodle Dash · 🕵️ Spy Words