Game Review: Prime Suspect at the Campground

Today’s review is for Prime Suspect at the Campground, a single-player deduction game with a camping theme.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary game for review from Timberdoodle. All views expressed are my own.

Prime Suspect at the Campground

The Prime Suspect series of games is designed for a single player to solve cases by using directional and observational clues and the process of elimination. There are several themes available. I received (by request) Prime Suspect at the Campground. It is recommended for ages 8 and up.

What’s Included

The sturdy, compact box includes 45 case cards and 9 character tiles. The details of the character tiles — such as camping gear, eye and hair colors, glasses, or facial hair — are important. They are represented visually on the front of the tile and listed on the back, just in case there are any questions, such as, “Are his eyes actually blue or green?”

How to Play

Gameplay is simple: Select a case card and lay out the tiles in a 3×3 grid following the clues. If you lay them out correctly, the Prime Suspect will be in the center. The Prime Suspect’s name is on the back of the case card, so you can check to see if you’re correct.

I recommend starting with Case 2001 (the easiest) and working your way through them numerically, since they get more challenging as you go.

My Thoughts

Single-player games are great when the family is just hanging out at the campsite, and the kids are bored. They don’t always want to play a game at the same time, so having games that an individual can play alone is a great option. My experience has been, though, that once a single-player game is pulled out and started, typically others are drawn over to observe and “help”… and soon beg to have their own turn.

Prime Suspect at the Campground is just such a game. Its compact size and quick set-up make it ideal for keeping in the trailer or tucking into a backpack.

Ours hasn’t retired to the trailer just yet, though. We are still working through all the clue cards for an initial run-through. I keep a basket of “fidgets” and single-player games in the living room for family members and guests to play with, and we’ve enjoyed having Prime Suspect among the options this summer.