Mice and Mystics: Downwood Tales

Plaid Hat Games, CrowD Games, Cube Factory of Ideas · Board game · 2014
9.4 Ludopedia 8.1 BGG 1–4 · best 2 Solo 90 min Weight 3.0/5
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9.4 rating Ludopedia
8.1 rating BGG
Our Verdict
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

If you love the charm of heroic mice, Downwood Tales adds more story and stunning miniatures.

Highlights
  • More playable characters
  • High‑quality components
  • Expanded narrative
Keep in mind
  • Requires extensive translation
  • Light learning curve
Rules manual not indexed yet Upload the PDF rulebook to ask questions about this game with AI.

About the game

What you do in a play session

Mice and Mystics: Downwood Tales arrives as a box brimming with fresh content for fans of the tiny heroic rodents. Inside you’ll find a new storybook, dozens of detailed miniatures, new heroes – including the charismatic forest ranger lizard Jakobe – plus fresh villains, minions and location tiles that take the adventure out of dungeons and into the woods. The expansion also adds a search deck with brand‑new items, gear that broadens tactical options, and several narrative arcs that extend the main campaign.

The core mechanics remain area movement, where players shift their miniatures across forest tiles, confronting challenges resolved by dice rolls. Each character wields variable powers, allowing the group to explore different cooperative strategies. Storytelling is more prominent than ever: event cards and the storybook drive the plot, while the role‑playing element encourages players to embody their mice and allies.

Supporting 1‑4 players, a game runs about 90 minutes and keeps complexity low (weight 2.95/5) – perfect for an immersive experience without rule overload. Components are high‑quality, with painted miniatures and sturdy tiles, giving a genuine feeling of being inside a wild fairy‑tale. In short, Downwood Tales adds variety, humor and challenges that perfectly complement the base game, making it almost essential for anyone who’s already taken the journey with these brave mice.

Expansion for

Published additional content

1 items

Rules videos

Learn by watching before you open the box

2 videos

Best player count

BGG community vote

1–4 players
1 REC
2 BEST
3 BEST
4 BEST

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Game details

Mechanics, categories, families and credits

Families

Animals: Mice Game: Mice and Mystics Theme: Anthropomorphic Animals
Publisher Plaid Hat Games, CrowD Games, Cube Factory of Ideas, Ediciones MasQueOca, Filosofia Éditions, Heidelberger Spieleverlag, Raven Distribution
Designer Jerry Hawthorne
Artist Chad Hoverter, David Richards, JJ Ariosa

Community

Data from BoardGameGeek

7,655owners
1,095wishlist
253want to play

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers before you buy

5 questions
How many players can join?
1 to 4 players, solo play included.
What’s the typical play time?
Around 90 minutes, depending on player count.
Do I need the base game to play?
Yes, Downwood Tales is an expansion that builds on the original campaign.
What are the main components in the box?
Storybook, painted miniatures, location tiles, search deck, equipment cards, and character sheets.
Has the game’s complexity increased?
Complexity stays low (weight 2.95/5), still easy for newcomers.