Mafia (Party Game) – Newsletter

By Laura Dinh

September 30, 2022

A few years ago, my friends and I gathered at my house to celebrate the end of our final examinations. After a lunch and a spirited round of Wii Sports, I was introduced to a game called Mafia.

Mafia is a game of deception, lying, strategy, and social analysis. Although the rules are fairly straight-forward, it has become one of my favorite party games because of its spontaneity and opportunities for critical thinking. Typically, having between 6-12 players maximizes the gameplay and does not need any additional cards or devices (although they may be used). In addition, there are many variations of the game that can be played either online or in-person, such as Town of Salem, One Night a Werewolf, and Among Us. These variations add yet another layer of complexity to the game.

However, I will outline only the basic, traditional gameplay for now.

Roles:

• Narrator (One player)

The Narrator is the “story-teller” who chooses the other players’ roles and guides the other players throughout the game. They themselves do not participate in the game. They keep track of the other players’ choices and votes, and organize the gameplay. It also requires a creative communicator to be able to create an engaging story for the others.

• Mafia (1-3 players)

The Mafia’s goal is to eliminate all Townies from the game. They do this by collectively choosing to eliminate one player each night (this is their Night Function) or voting them out during the Daytime. They are aware of the other Mafia members and must deceive the Town to avoid suspicion.

• Town

The Town’s goal is to eliminate all of the Mafia members by voting them out during the Daytime. It includes three different roles: Detective, Doctor, and Citizens.

• Detective (Town; One player)

The Detective may investigate one player each night to determine if that player is the Mafia (this is their Night Function). The Narrator will nod (indicating that the player is a Mafia member) or shake their head (indicating that the player is a Townie).

• Doctor (Town; One player)

The Doctor is allowed to heal one player each night, including themselves (Night Function). Their role is only effective if the Mafia also chooses to eliminate that same player on that night.

• Citizens (Town; all remaining players)

Citizens are simply Town members who have no Night Function.

Gameplay

• Day/Night Phases

Nighttime – All players close their eyes; the Narrator will call each role (except for Citizens) to perform their roles’ Night Functions.

Daytime – Two parts: Discussion and Voting

• Discussion

All living players discuss who they believe the Mafia is based on the previous Nighttime events and logical assumptions.

Voting

All living players choose who to eliminate for the day.

Eliminated players may not participate in the game until the end of the round.

Win Conditions

• Mafia: All Town members are eliminated (via Night Elimination or voting)

• Town: All Mafia members are eliminated (via voting)

Additional Roles

Of course, this is the traditional, simplified version of the game, so personally, I add one or two of the following roles to make the game more exciting:

• Jester

The Jester is on neither the Townies’ or Mafia’s side. Their goal is only to be eliminated by voting. Once they are eliminated, they may eliminate one other player at night. They must be voted out in order to win.

• Vigilante

The Vigilante functions as an eliminator at night. They are on the Town’s side and attempt to eliminate the Mafia members.

• Jailor

The Jailor detains one player each night and prevents that player from using their Night Function that night. They are on the Town’s side.

Whether you have a Town or Mafia role, deception is a key part of strategy. Townies want to be able to trick the Mafia into revealing themselves, while Mafia members must blend into the Town to avoid elimination. So remember: trust no one!