Disney Villainous: Wicked to the Core

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Let’s take a look at Disney Villainous: Wicked to the Core, a standalone board game as well as the first expansion to the core Disney Villainous board game. One of the great things about Disney Villainous is that every villain has his/her own powers, goals, and rules (in addition to the base rules) that makes every game a little bit different every time it’s played. Wicked to the Core adds 3 new Disney villains to the mix: the Evil Queen (“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”), Hades (“Hercules), and Dr. Facilier (“The Princess and the Frog”).

Inside the Box

The box itself is very nearly half the size of the core game, and it still uses large round stickers to seal the box—yuck! Every board game enthusiast has requested shrink wrap for better protection of the beautiful box art. But, since the second printing of the core game, the texture has changed from smooth and luxurious to one that is more sticker-friendly. I can live with that. The previous texture did not allow for clean removal of the sticker seals, leaving adhesive that was a nightmare to clean off.

Inside the box is everything needed to play the game: player boards, villain cards, fate cards, player pawns, power tokens, villain guides, reference cards, and a newly designed instruction book. The only thing missing is the cauldron which is merely a luxury item. A bowl or two is really all that is needed if you absolutely want to use a container for the power tokens.

The player pawns are beautiful abstract crystal art sculptures that represent each villain. The plastic is soft and flexible, resistant to breakage, and they have some heft to them that feels nice.

The cards still feature drop-dead gorgeous original artwork, including the wicked (excuse the pun) line art on the backs of the cards. I still say they look like pinstriping on a car or on an old fire wagon.

The instructions seem to be a bit more detailed compared to the set found in the core game, and the images are large & clear. The reference cards are the same on the front as the reference cards from the core game. But, the backsides have the summarized goals of the new villains as well as tips for defeating them.

For storage, I removed the original cardboard divider from the core box, and I designed a card divider with room for 3 more villains (being a papercraft designer has its advantages). Everything else fits inside the remaining space except for the cauldron, which I’m storing in the Wicked to the Core box (removing the plastic organizer).

You can now download the deck organizer (complete with stickers & labels) and build one for yourself!

Overview

Since my review of the original Disney Villainous board game, my nephews and I (my sister has played a game or two as well) have played many games. My nephews always fight over Jafar and Captain Hook, which are the only characters they ever play. I think I’ll have to put my foot down and make them choose a different character—because that’s where the fun begins!

I’ve played nearly every character (I have yet to get my hands on Captain Hook), and each has a delightfully different—and appropriate—play style and objective. Wicked to the Core adds even more fun and variation with its 3 new characters and game mechanics.

The Evil Queen must gather ingredients and poison in order to defeat Snow White. Hades must unleash 3 titans and successfully get them to Mount Olympus. And, Dr. Facilier must control the talisman and successfully rule New Orleans.

Which Version Should Newcomers Buy?

Since Disney Villainous: Wicked to the Core is a standalone board game (2-3 players) in addition to an expansion of the core board game (2-6 players), which version should newcomers buy?

If you’re a Disney villain fan and a board game geek, I’d say go for the core game. You’ll have twice the villains to choose from, which is great for replayability, and you can have more players in a single game. You also get the nifty cauldron to hold your power tokens. Comparing online and in-store prices, the core game costs roughly $5-7 more than the expansion, and you’re getting more than twice the content.

If you’re only curious about the game, the expansion will give you a taste of the gameplay. When you tire of playing the three villains, graduate to the core set and combine the two sets for 3 times the fun.

Personally, I say buy both!

How Many Players Are Too Many?

Try out our own set of solo play rules!

Combining the two editions of Disney Villainous means that you can technically have up to 9 players in a game (the game specifically states no more than 6 players). I personally wouldn’t recommend that; more players make game sessions longer, and there are too many things to keep track of. Instead, break the group into two smaller groups of 4-5 players. I personally wouldn’t go more than 4 players, although I’ve never played a 5-6 player game. Three to four players just feels right.

With even smaller groups (or additional future expansions), you can have a tournament. Who can play the best and rise above all other Disney villains!?

Verdict

Disney Villainous: Wicked to the Core is a must-buy whether you own the core game or not. It’s fun, it’s beautiful, and the tight integration of both gameplay and mechanics with the villain storylines will make you fall in love with the game.

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