Code 3

About this board game

Code 3 is a cooperative, story-driven crime-fighting game for 2–4 players, with sessions lasting about 120 minutes. Set in an over-the-top 1980s city, it challenges officers to confront mob bosses, serial killers, rising crime, and a police Chief who may not always be on their side.

Each scenario presents goals and difficult choices before revealing the next part of a branching story arc. At the same time, 911 calls spread across the city. If too many calls go unanswered, the team loses, so players must balance immediate emergencies with investigation and scenario objectives.

Before taking to the streets, players customize their crime-fighting duo by selecting two officers from hundreds of possible combinations. Each officer brings a unique deck; these decks are shuffled together to create the team’s Beat Partners deck.

• Answer 911 calls quickly and keep the city’s emergencies under control.
• Investigate for witnesses and evidence.
• Complete scenario objectives and position beat cops to support allies.
• Experiment with different officer combinations to find the right team.

Choices also extend to how closely you follow police procedure. Handling situations outside the Police Department’s Code of Conduct adds IA Heat cards to the deck. If two are drawn during the same turn, the affected players must enter an Internal Affairs Interview, keeping them off the streets while teammates decide whether to vouch for them—and risk their own reputations.

With dice, push-your-luck decisions, cooperative problem-solving, and an unfolding narrative, Code 3 offers a sandbox of 1980s cop action where every choice can affect the team’s chances.