Final Girl – You've Played Happy Trails Horror. Now What?
Reading time approx. 6–7 minutes
Last updated: 07/26/2026
Final Girl is a solo horror board game by Van Ryder Games. The question new players ask most often, right after finishing their first game with Happy Trails Horror: what do I buy next? The community is surprisingly split on this, some swear by a gentle difficulty ramp, others think that's overthinking it. So instead of one single recommendation, here's a full matrix of every box, sorted by how big a mechanical jump it is compared to Hans.
| Starting point | Scope | Applies to | Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Have played Happy Trails Horror | 20+ boxes compared | All Feature Film boxes with a rulebook or verified reports | Core Box + expansion box |
This overview is for players who already know Happy Trails Horror and are looking for a second or further box. It's sorted by complexity jump compared to Hans, not by pure quality.
Table of contents
- Why there's no single right answer
- The full matrix by complexity jump
- Four curated paths if the matrix is too much
- Conclusion
Don't know the core rules yet? The 5 phases, Action cards, and the Horror roll are explained in the Final Girl Core Rules Guide, read it once, it applies to every box.
1. Why there's no single right answer
Happy Trails Horror with Hans was deliberately designed to carry no special rules at all, a pure learning mode for the base mechanics. What comes next depends on whether you want to keep that calm entry going, or want to see right away what the system can do once the Killer and Location bring their own mechanics. There are recurring voices in the community arguing that solo board gamers can handle more complexity from the start anyway. Both positions are legitimate, so what follows is a sort by complexity jump instead of one single "best" pick.
On sourcing: boxes marked with ✓ were checked directly against the official rulebook, which now covers the entire list. Only The Raptor Games still relies on community reports, since no rulebook exists for it yet. For Series 4, only Bad Times at Buddyland, A Rotten Harvest, and A Demon in the Shadows are currently officially listed. The Green Terror and The Raptor Games are still listed as "Coming Soon" ⚠, but are included so you can already factor them in.
2. The full matrix by complexity jump
Sorted from no complexity jump to the biggest one, aside from Happy Trails Horror itself. Look in the last column for what applies to you.
Turn your phone sideways for easier reading.
| Jump | Box | Series | Killer / Location | Best for you if... |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small | Once Upon a Full Moon ✓ | 2 | Big Bad Wolf / Storybook Woods | you liked the calm of Hans but are ready for one real Killer mechanic of its own: the Big Bad Wolf switches between Track and Slay mode, and Terror cards work differently depending on the mode |
| Small | Carnage at the Carnival ✓ | 1 | Geppetto / Carnival of Blood | you want to experience Minions for the first time, without going overboard |
| Medium | Bad Times at Buddyland ✓ | 4 | Billy the Bear / Buddyland | you want the Happy Trails feeling with newer components, but know this: the Location itself has only one special rule, the extra depth comes from Billy himself. His Buddies spawn with their own initiative order, fully protect him from attacks as long as one is in his space, and there's a dedicated Power Source and Bloodlust Track token system on top |
| Medium | The Haunting of Creech Manor ✓ | 1 | Poltergeist / Creech Manor | you don't want a combat target, but a rescue mission against an unkillable Killer |
| Medium | Frightmare on Maple Lane ✓ | 1 | Dr. Fright / Maple Lane | you weight the Nightmare on Elm Street theme heavily and can live with some mechanical rough edges |
| Medium | Madness in the Dark ✓ | 2 | Ratchet Lady / Wolfe Asylum | you're looking for the first real tactical bind (hesitation gets punished) |
| Medium | Hell to Pay ✓ | 3 | Razorface / Hellscape | you want to jump straight into Series 3, with the most approachable Killer there |
| Medium | The Marrek Murders ✓ | 3 | The Tormentor / Marrek Warehouse | the Saw theme appeals to you, despite mixed community feedback on the Killer |
| Medium | Don't Make a Sound ✓ | 3 | The Eyeless / Utopia | you want to try a noise mechanic, even if the community feels it isn't fully polished yet |
| Medium | North Pole Nightmare ✓ (special release) | 2 | Krampus / Santa's Village | you want a seasonal niche product with its own miniatures, where both you and the Victims can open presents you find, for a reward or a punishment depending on which deck it's drawn from |
| Medium–large | Into the Void ✓ | 2 | Evomorph / USS Konrad | you want the tip most often mentioned in the community for a second purchase |
| Large | A Knock at the Door ✓ | 2 | Intruders / Wingard Cottage | you want multi-killer chaos and a crafting system, something so far only this box brings |
| Large | The Falconwood Files ✓ | 3 | The Slayer / Falconwood | you want the highest replay value through a mission system |
| Large | The Killer from Tomorrow ✓ | 3 | H.U.N.T.E.R. / Sunnydaze Mall | the Terminator theme appeals to you, though you should probably play this box on someone else's dime |
| Large | A Rotten Harvest ✓ | 4 | Grimlash / Shady Acres | you want a genuine all-or-nothing decision: heal or lower Harvest Madness, never both, and at level 3 you lose instantly |
| Large ⚠ | The Raptor Games | 4 | The Raptors / Isla Lagarto | you want a growing raptor pack plus an unkillable T-Rex; no rulebook yet, sales status "Coming Soon", inquiry to Van Ryder Games about the current status is pending |
| Very large | Panic at Station 2891 ✓ | 2 | The Organism / Station 2891 | you don't mind a high amount of bookkeeping and like The Thing's theme |
| Very large | A Demon in the Shadows ✓ | 4 | Berith / L'armes Abbey | you want the deepest mechanics right away: Ursula also has to be brought back to life through the Divine Blessings reveal |
| Very large ⚠ | The Green Terror ✓ | 4 | The Volk'ar / Pesadilla Verde | you want the only hidden-movement Killer; the rulebook exists, but sales status is "Coming Soon", inquiry to Van Ryder Games about the current status is pending |
| Very large | Shriek ✓ (special release) | 4 | Mort / Mega BG Con | you want a unique deduction mechanic: ten suspects, Interrogate and Coerce; high component overhead |
| Very large, its own tier | Slaughter in the Groves ✓ | 1 | Inkanyamba / Sacred Groves | you already have experience, since the original pairing is brutally hard |
No/small jump Medium Large Very large
✓ checked against the rulebook ⚠ Coming Soon / inquiry pending
3. Four curated paths if the matrix is too much
Path 1, the gentle climb: Once Upon a Full Moon → Carnage at the Carnival → Madness in the Dark. Each step adds exactly one new mechanic.
Path 2, show me what the system can do: Into the Void as the most commonly mentioned recommendation, then A Knock at the Door, then A Demon in the Shadows for the deepest mechanics currently confirmed against the rulebook.
Path 3, same basic feeling, new series: Bad Times at Buddyland feels in theme and setup like a "Happy Trails Horror of Series 4", but brings noticeably more mechanical depth through Billy the Bear's Buddy system, not a pure zero like Hans.
Path 4, straight into a new series: Hell to Pay, named by several independent sources as the best Series 3 entry point.
4. Conclusion
There's no wrong choice among these boxes, only different answers to how much new stuff you want right away. If you're unsure, Into the Void carries the least risk, that box ends up in every collection sooner or later anyway.
All the core rules are in the Final Girl Core Rules Guide. The full box comparison with all tier ratings: All Feature Film boxes compared.
Here's the link to the original rulebook.
Note: This is an unofficial fan post and has no connection to the game's manufacturer or publisher. Final Girl and all associated names, cards, and game content are the property of Van Ryder Games. This page is neither sponsored nor authorized by Van Ryder Games.
We take no responsibility for the content of linked pages. Responsibility lies with the respective operator; if a rights violation becomes known, affected links will be removed promptly.
Original text, research, and compilation: © ReDesign.
