Board games are usually about being the hero. You save the world, you find the treasure, or you build the most efficient medieval farm. But honestly? Being the bad guy is just more fun. That is exactly why Disney Villainous—the board game that turned the "save the princess" trope on its head—has become a permanent fixture on shelves since Ravensburger first released it in 2018.
It isn't just a licensed cash-grab. Far from it.
Most movie-themed games are pretty shallow, but Prospero Hall (the design collective behind the original) actually built something with teeth. It’s a "symmetrical-asymmetrical" strategy game. That sounds like a contradiction, but it basically means that while everyone is playing the same game, nobody is playing by the same rules. If you’re Maleficent, you’re trying to curse the kingdom. If you’re Jafar, you’re hunting for a lamp. You’re in the same room, but you’re living in different movies.
The learning curve can be a bit of a steep climb for casual fans, though. You open the box, see the gorgeous "mover" pieces that look like abstract art, and then you realize you have to manage a deck, a board, a realm, and a "Fate" pile all at once. It’s a lot.
The Disney Villainous Mechanic That Changes Everything
In most games, you interact by trading or attacking. Here, you interact by being a jerk. The "Fate" action is the heart of the Disney Villainous board game experience. When you land on a Fate space, you reach over to an opponent’s deck and pull out their greatest nightmare—their movie's hero.
Imagine you're playing as Captain Hook. You’re one turn away from defeating Peter Pan at the Jolly Roger. You can taste the victory. Then, your friend playing as Ursula drops a "Tick-Tock" card on your board. Suddenly, you’re forced to discard your best cards because a crocodile is stalking you. It’s frustrating. It’s mean. It’s perfectly in character.
This is what game designers call "asymmetric win conditions." Because every villain has a unique goal, you can't just glance at the board and know who is winning. You have to actually know the movies. You have to know that if Jafar has the Magic Lamp and the Genie is under his control, the game is basically over. If you don't know that, you've already lost.
Why the "The Worst Takes It All" Core Set Still Holds Up
While there are roughly a dozen expansions now (often called "expandalones" because you can play them by themselves), the original green box is still the gold standard. You get Maleficent, Jafar, Ursula, Captain Hook, Queen of Hearts, and Prince John.
Maleficent is the "entry-level" villain. She’s straightforward. You just need to play curses. But even she has layers. If you don't manage your "Power" (the game's currency) correctly, you'll find yourself sitting on a hand of expensive cards with no way to play them. Prince John is the opposite. He’s a hoarder. His goal is literally just to collect 20 Power. It sounds easy until everyone at the table decides to steal your tax money every single turn.
The balance in that first box is surprisingly tight. Later sets like Evil Comes Prepared or Despicable Plots introduced more complex mechanics—like Gaston’s "Remove Obstacles" or Horned King’s "Cauldron Born" army—which are cool but can sometimes feel a bit clunky compared to the streamlined cruelty of the original six.
Real Talk: The Strategy Most People Ignore
If you want to actually win at Disney Villainous, you have to stop focusing entirely on your own board. This is the biggest mistake beginners make. They treat it like multiplayer solitaire. They get so caught up in finding their own items that they forget to Fate their neighbors.
Here is the secret: You should be Fating the person to your left almost every chance you get.
Specifically, you need to track their "discard pile." If you see that Jafar has already burned through both of his "Scimitar" cards, he’s vulnerable. He has fewer ways to move Heroes out of his way. That’s when you strike.
Also, realize that "Power" isn't just for playing cards. It's for tempo. If you spend all your Power in one turn, you're telegraphing to the table that you're about to make a big move. Sometimes, the smartest play is to do nothing but gain Power and move to a space that lets you discard cards. Cycling your deck is often more important than playing a mediocre card. You need your "win con" cards, and you need them fast.
The Expansion Rabbit Hole
Ravensburger has been smart with how they've grown the franchise. They didn't just stick to the 2D classics. They've branched out into:
- Marvel Villainous: This one actually changed the rules quite a bit. There’s a shared "Fate" deck, which makes it feel more like a traditional comic book brawl. Thanos is in it, and yes, collecting the Infinity Stones is as hard as it sounds.
- Star Wars Villainous: They added "Ambition" as a secondary currency and introduced ships. It’s definitely the most complex version. If you aren't a fan of managing multiple tracks, maybe skip this one and stick to the Disney version.
- Pixar Additions: Seeing Lotso from Toy Story 3 or Syndrome from The Incredibles enter the fray was a huge turning point. Syndrome’s mechanic with the Omnidroid is incredibly thematic—you have to keep upgrading it until it’s unstoppable.
Is Disney Villainous Actually "Balanced"?
Honestly? No. Not perfectly.
If you put a pro-level Ursula player against a pro-level Prince John player, Ursula is probably going to struggle. Her "Binding Contracts" are just harder to pull off than Prince John’s "Tax the Poor" strategy. Some villains are "fast" (like Dr. Facilier) and some are "slow" (like Mother Gothel).
In a four-player game, this usually balances itself out because everyone tends to gang up on the person who looks like they're winning. But in a one-on-one "duel" setting, certain matchups are definitely skewed. That’s okay, though. Part of the fun is the challenge. Winning with a "hard" villain like Hades feels way better than a quick win with a "top tier" character.
The components also deserve a mention. The card art is stunning. It’s all original illustrations that capture the vibe of the films without just being screenshots from the movies. The "mover" pieces are heavy, stylized plastic that feel great in the hand. For a game that usually retails under $40, the production value is honestly insane.
Common Rule Mistakes That Ruin the Game
I've seen so many people play this wrong.
First, the "Locked" location. Some villains, like Jafar or Captain Hook, start with a location that has a lock symbol on it. You cannot move there. You cannot perform actions there. You have to find a specific card (like the Scarab Pendant) to unlock it. If you're playing without the lock, you're basically cheating.
Second, the "Move a Hero" action. People forget this exists. You don't always have to defeat a Hero to get them out of your hair. Sometimes you just move them to a location where they aren't blocking the actions you need. It’s about lane management.
Third, and this is the big one: You don't draw cards until the end of your turn. If you play a card that says "Draw a card," that's fine. But your normal hand-refill happens after you've finished all your actions. You can't play a card, draw up, and then play another card you just drew in the same turn. This slows the game down and forces you to plan ahead, which is where the real strategy lives.
How to Get Started the Right Way
Don't buy everything at once. It's tempting because the boxes look so good on a shelf, but start with the original "The Worst Takes It All." It gives you the best variety of playstyles.
Once you’ve mastered that, look for Bigger and Badder. It includes Madam Mim and Syndrome, and they are easily two of the most creative villains in the entire lineup. Madam Mim’s "Transformation" duel mechanic is basically a mini-game inside the game.
👉 See also: Why ATV Offroad Fury 2 Still Holds the Crown for PS2 Racing
Actionable Next Steps for Your Next Session:
- Read the Villain Guide twice. Every box comes with a little booklet for each character. Don't skip it. It tells you exactly what cards are in your deck that you need to win.
- Focus on deck thinning. If you have cards in your hand that don't help your specific goal, use the "Discard" action spaces. A smaller, leaner deck is a winning deck.
- Watch the "Power" levels. If an opponent has more than 6 Power, they are dangerous. Start Fating them immediately, even if they aren't close to their goal yet.
- Embrace the theme. Read the flavor text. Use the quotes. The game is 50% strategy and 50% role-playing. It’s way more fun if you actually act like a diva while playing as Maleficent.
The Disney Villainous board game isn't just about winning; it's about the spectacle of being a menace. Whether you're a hardcore strategist or just someone who grew up on 90s Disney movies, there’s something deeply satisfying about dropping a "Crush 'em!" card on your friend's board and watching their plans crumble. Just be prepared to lose some friends along the way. That’s the price of being the greatest villain in the kingdom.