Disclaimer: I was gifted this expansion through Ravensburger North America and did not pay for this product.
Last Fall, I reviewed “Villainous”, a Disney Villains board game (that is still available for purchase on shopDisney!) When I found out there was an expansion, Villainous: Wicked to the Core, I knew I had to get it and add it to my game collection.
What is Villainous: Wicked to the Core?
Wicked to the Core is an expansion of Villainous, meaning that it’s essentially the same game but an expansion typically brings in new elements––such as new characters or features to the game. Unlike most expansions though, Wicked to the Core can be played on its own as a game and you don’t even need to buy the core set of Villainous to enjoy Wicked to the Core (though I recommend you do.)
This expansion brings us three new Villians to enjoy: the Evil Queen (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs), Hades (Hercules), and Dr. Facilier (The Princess and the Frog).
Game Play
Villainous: Wicked to the Core plays just like the regular core set of Villainous, with each villain having their own personal goal to win. For the Evil Queen, she must defeat Snow White. Hades must start his turn with three titans at Mount Olympus. Lastly, Dr. Facilier has to control the Talisman and successfully rule New Orleans. However, each of these villains did receive some added features that can’t be found in the original core version of this game.
For example, the Evil Queen has a new card type called “Ingredients.” While this type of card functions similarly to an Effect card, these are unique to the Evil Queen and actually are a core component needed for the Evil Queen to defeat Snow White and win.
The Evil Queen wasn’t the only Villain to receive a new feature––Dr. Facilier did as well. He has a mechanic called the “Fortune Pile,” which is an entirely new stack of cards that is to be kept separate from the Fate and Villain deck. Though, this deck isn’t marked. It’s random cards that you’ll find through playing the game and instruct you to add it to the Fortune Pile. If you play Rule New Orleans and add it to your Fortune Pile, you may just have a chance of winning the game!
Our last new Villain is Hades, my personal favorite. Hades received a new card type as well, the Titans. The Titans function very similarly to an Ally card, but you must play these cards to a specific location on the Hades board to bring them into the game. From there you can use them to defeat Heroes, but you have to be careful as there are only five Titans in the Hades deck and three of these are needed to get to Mount Olympus in order to win. They also added a fun feature to this card called “Trapped,” where Titans can become “trapped” (meaning you rotate the Titan card 90 degrees on your board) and their ability is now ignored. In order to untrap a Titan, you have to play specific cards to do so. Also, “trapped” Titans don’t count towards your final objective. So, if you have three Titans at Mount Olympus, but one is Trapped, you still haven’t won.
Final Thoughts
I loved the original Villainous, and as long as they kept the unique elements from that game and added it to this expansion, I knew I would love this as well. And I did. I love having new Villains to play with and appreciate the new features they bring to the game to help add some new mechanics. I also really enjoy that you can play this expansion as its own game, or add it to the Villainous core set and mix and match.
I highly recommend picking up this expansion, and if you haven’t played or own the core set of Villainous, buy this instead. This expansion is a cheaper option for new players to get their feet wet with the game and learn it without having to buy the core set. If you’re new to the game, I recommend playing Hades. If you’re more experienced, go for the Evil Queen.
Personally, I loved what Ravensburger North America did with this and I can’t wait to see what they do next. (Please, please, make Yzma!)
So, what do you guys think of Villainous: Wicked to the Core? Are you going to be adding this to your collection as I did? Sound off in the comments below and let’s talk Villainous playing strategies!