The Night Cage is a fully cooperative, horror-themed tile-placement board game for 1–5 players, where you are prisoners trapped in a shifting labyrinth lit only by fragile candlelight. Players must each find a key and then converge on the same gate to escape before the tiles (representing your remaining light) run out and darkness consumes everyone.

Game overview

In The Night Cage, the board is built from tiles as you move, and only the spaces adjacent to your candle are visible; as you advance, previously lit tiles vanish, creating a constantly changing maze. The game emphasizes tension and dread through limited visibility, an ever-shrinking supply of tiles (wax), and strict cooperation between players.

Core mechanics

The Night Cage uses tile placement, grid movement, and “pieces as map” mechanics, where your pawn’s position and candle determine which tiles exist on the board. On your turn, you typically either move (revealing new passages and removing those left in darkness) or stay to gain nerve, which can help mitigate dangers but still burns time (tiles).

Monsters and danger

Monsters such as Wax Eaters attack along rows and columns when something enters or leaves their line of sight, snuffing out candles and forcing you to discard tiles from the shared stack. Advanced modes add other creatures like Keepers, who hold keys, and Pit Fiends, who transform nearby spaces into deadly pits, alongside optional boss monsters for higher difficulty.

Playtime and audience

The Night Cage typically plays in about 30–60 minutes and is recommended for ages 14 and up, fitting groups who enjoy tense, puzzly cooperative games with a strong horror theme. It is often praised for genuinely evoking feelings of isolation, anxiety, and urgency, especially near the endgame when light is running out.