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Description
In Villainous, each player takes control of one of six Disney characters, each one a villain in a different Disney movie. Each player has their own villain deck, fate deck, player board, and 3D character.
On a turn, the active player moves their character to a different location on their player board, takes one or more of the actions visible on that space (often by playing cards from their hand), then refills their hand to four cards. Cards are allies, items, effects, conditions, and (for some characters) curses. You need to use your cards to fulfill your unique win condition.
One of the actions allows you to choose another player, draw two cards from that player's fate deck, then play one of them on that player's board, covering two of the four action spaces on one of that player's locations. The fate deck contains heroes, items, and effects from that villain's movie, and these cards allow other players to mess with that particular villain.
Year Published
2018
Featured Videos
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 8
This page: 8
Sentiment:
pos 7 ·
mix 1 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–8 of 8
Video Ng3Ka7rgcNo
Allies or Enemies top_10_list at 10:14 sentiment: positive
video_pk 61108 · mention_pk 153589
Click to watch at 10:14 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- iconic IP with broad appeal
- expansions offer cost-effective entry into new playstyles
- fun, thematic, and highly social
Cons
- can be brutally frustrating due to direct interference
- the base box can feel underpowered without expansions for variety
Thematic elements
- villain-centric goals and nefarious plots
- Disney villain-themed area-control/competition
- fantasy, playful cunning and rivalry
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- asymmetric player powers — Each villain has a unique objective and playstyle, creating divergent paths to victory.
- interaction via heroes — Players move heroes between realms to hinder opponents.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's a date night classic for us
- Escape rooms in a box
- it's such a beautiful like calm game
- it's a terrific tile placement game
- this is the heaviest of all of the games on this list
- it's a two-player only game
- it's meanest game on this list
- it's a modern classic
- Bandido is slippery
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video w2ZKAz-zIWE
Allies or Enemies top_100_list at 19:21 sentiment: positive
video_pk 61189 · mention_pk 153841
Click to watch at 19:21 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Asymmetric factions with strong thematic fit
- Aesthetic and collectible appeal with expansions
Cons
- Balance can be uneven across factions
- A few expansions skew power
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's legitimately pretty cool
- it's a really cool game
- it's a starter worker placement game
- it's surprisingly thinky for a game that's one page of rules
- it's asymmetric and the factions play very differently
- the theme is absurd
- it's thinky because of planning ahead
- it's a flicking game, it's a dexterity game
- the artwork is beautiful
- it's purposely mean
- it's a great space game
- it's a big epic adventure
- every time you put a tile in and it affects everything else in your area
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video WTLLWLSzoj4
Board Stupid top_10_list at 6:31 sentiment: positive
video_pk 38983 · mention_pk 117538
Click to watch at 6:31 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- strong theming and recognizable IP
- highly replayable with multiple villains
- great for two players and above
Cons
- solo play can feel thin
- some villains feel more intuitive than others
Thematic elements
- asymmetric control and villain-specific goals
- Disney villains' worlds
- storybook, fairy-tale with a dark twist
Comparison games
- Villianous expansions (Power of Darkness, Wicked to the Core)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Asymmetric play — each villain has a unique deck and victory conditions.
- deck manipulation — fate deck interaction adds disruption to opponents.
- hand/resource management — managing villains' actions and resources to advance your scheme.
- Resource management — managing villains' actions and resources to advance your scheme.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- IP games are something of a red flag for us
- it's amazing accessibility
- a sea of average games there
- the licensed IP and game design is a perfect match
- Dune Imperium is an amazing game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Q2IYHP6F2B4
Foster the meeple general_discussion at 26:29 sentiment: positive
video_pk 8418 · mention_pk 145338
Click to watch at 26:29 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Fun Disney theme, quick play, accessible
Cons
- May over-simplify for veterans
Thematic elements
- Card drafting and set collection with villains' powers
- Disney villain lairs
- Short, quick rounds with escalating piles
Comparison games
- Sushi Go!
- Love Letter
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card drafting — Play cards onto piles to score points; top cards drive scoring.
- Card drafting / placing onto piles — Play cards onto piles to score points; top cards drive scoring.
- Face-down cards risk-reward — Players may place face-down cards with varying effects on scoring.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This video has been sponsored by munchpak so thank you to munchpak.
- Tapestry is a game that has just continued to increase on my list; I've always liked it a lot.
- Rhino Hero Super Battle... this game is so much fun.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video G1WMKP-i0j4
Board Game Coffee general_discussion at 12:21 sentiment: positive
video_pk 7743 · mention_pk 85333
Click to watch at 12:21 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Beautiful visuals and strong IP feel
- great for theme fans
Cons
- Asymmetry can be heavy for new players
Thematic elements
- villainy and personal objectives
- various Disney worlds
- asymmetric storytelling per villain
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- asymmetric goals — each villain has different abilities and objectives
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- we're giving away 50 games
- it's worldwide
- remember you can enter in every video
- the box is really heavy
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 4Z8_t2e4MEY
Before You Play top_50_list at 33:51 sentiment: positive
video_pk 4734 · mention_pk 119129
Click to watch at 33:51 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- strong production and Disney thematics
- engaging asymmetry and variety across villains
- expansions add replayability
Cons
- noted balance issues across a few villains
- two-player depth is limited compared with other versions
Thematic elements
- villain escalation with distinct end-game conditions
- Disney villain domains; asymmetric play
- thematic and character-driven
Comparison games
- Marvel Villainous
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Asymmetric action systems — Each villain has unique actions and end-game triggers.
- Card play and cursing/affecting others — Play cards to hinder opponents while advancing your own board state.
- end game bonuses — Each villain has a distinct condition to win, driving varied strategies.
- End-game pressure and goals — Each villain has a distinct condition to win, driving varied strategies.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- we are embarking on our top 50 journey
- the games for the most part are going to be shipped directly from the publishers
- we have excluded games that we've only played one time
- crossovers obviously because we share a collection a lot
- please keep in mind we are not here to sway you one way or the other but we do have to disclose
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video XUV59fV39_w
Three Minute Board Games game_review at 0:13 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 796 · mention_pk 130195
Click to watch at 0:13 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Each character plays differently with unique strengths and weaknesses
- Genuinely good gameplay despite Disney IP
- Villain guides ease learning asymmetry and reduce setup friction
- Good interaction and accessible complexity
- Chunky, satisfying villain tokens enhance tactile appeal
Cons
- Race to the finish can induce king-making behavior as fate cards pile on leaders
- Mastering all character strengths is important to optimize, which can be daunting
- Knowledge of each character's abilities is beneficial for competitive play
Thematic elements
- asymmetric villain objectives, power token economy, and direct player interaction via fate cards
- Disney villain universe across various locations and eras
- character-driven, objective-based race-to-win with readable villain guides
Comparison games
- Horrified
- Marvel Villainous
- Star Wars Villainous
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action selection — Each turn you move to a location and resolve up to four actions printed on that location, subject to fate card blocks
- asymmetry — Each villain has a unique board, cards, and victory objectives, creating distinct playstyles
- card management — Two decks per player (Power and Fate) and additional effect/condition cards require strategic handling
- deck manipulation — Discard to cycle through decks faster and redraw up to four cards at the end of a turn
- Discard and draw — Discard to cycle through decks faster and redraw up to four cards at the end of a turn
- Fate deck interaction — Opponents draw from their fate deck to hinder you; you may place a fate card on a player's top row
- Movement of cards — Move hero, and move item or ally cards one space on the board
- Objective-based win condition — Win by meeting your villain's unique objective before opponents do
- Playing cards — Play power cards to execute effects; place ally and item cards beneath locations on your board
- Power economy — Power tokens are gained to pay for power cards and enable plays
- Vanquish — If an ally's strength is higher than a hero's on the same space, you may vanquish the hero
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the most surprising thing about this disney focused game is that it has genuinely good gameplay
- each character plays differently and has its own unique strengths and weaknesses while all feeling equally capable of winning
- achieving this while keeping the complexity down is impressive
- the villain guides teaching asymmetric games is normally a pain and this one thing makes it so much easier
- this game is a race to the finish and knowing all the characters strengths and weaknesses is a big part of knowing who is closest to finishing that race
- there are marvel and star wars versions of this game
- for a co-op game about classic characters try horrified
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 8oozQ6zKdP0
Unknown Channel general_discussion at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 712 · mention_pk 109137
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Strong thematic integration with Disney villains
- deep asymmetric design
- high replayability with many villains
Cons
- can be chaotic with aggressive players
- learning curve for new players
Thematic elements
- asymmetric tug-of-war-like competition with personal objectives
- Disney villain realm featuring classic villains with unique goals
- story-driven, cinematic
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action locations on player boards — move to locations on your realm map and take actions
- Asymmetric victory conditions — each villain has a different objective to satisfy to win
- Combat: Deck/Hand — each villain has a unique deck tailored to their story
- fate deck — opponents can hinder you by playing fate cards
- personal decks — each villain has a unique deck tailored to their story
- Unique player powers — each villain has a distinct power that changes how you play
- Variable player powers — each villain has a distinct power that changes how you play
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- on your turn you're basically moving to one of the four locations on your mat and taking the actions that are symbolized by the different symbols
- as soon as a player meets their own objective they win
- this expansion is a standalone expansion so if you don't open the base game you don't need to
- we enjoyed the whole presentation of the game, the artwork and this expansion is no exception
- three new villains we have Pete, Mickey Mouse's nemesis any time why don’t, Cruella DeVil...
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–8 of 8