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rating
Ludopedia
6.7
rating
BGG
Our Verdict
RECOMMENDED
If you love chaotic card combinations and unique faction abilities, Smash Up is a fantastic "shufflebuilding" game that offers endless replayability through its diverse pairings.
Highlights
- Unique faction combinations create diverse gameplay
- Simple premise, quick to learn
- High replayability with many factions
- Engaging minion and base mechanics
- Fun, thematic faction abilities
Keep in mind
- Can feel random at times
- Player count impacts game flow
- Some combos are significantly stronger
About the game
What you do in a play session
Get ready for chaos in Smash Up, a "shufflebuilding" game where the fun begins even before the first move! The premise is simple and brilliant: you choose two factions, take their 20-card decks, shuffle them together, and voilà, your 40-card deck is ready. From there, the goal is to dominate more Bases than your opponents. Each faction brings a unique mechanic to the table – Pirates are masters at moving their minions around, Zombies love to bring cards back from the discard pile, and Dinosaurs? Oh, they bring a raw power that commands respect. The coolest part is that each faction combination creates a totally different gaming experience, ensuring that Smash Up never gets repetitive. During the game, the race is on to score points from Bases. Players send their minions to the Bases, and whoever has the highest total minion power when a Base is broken scores the points. Sounds easy, right? But what if an opponent's Alien-Ninja plays minions to your Bases that destroy your own? Or if a Pirate-Dinosaur plays a card that unleashes King Rex to trample your minions? And what about a Wizard-Zombie who, with their mystic power, floods a Base with minions from their discard pile, or a Zombie-Dinosaur who creates an epidemic of massive beasts? With eight different factions in the base box, Smash Up offers dozens of combinations for you to try. A Pirate-Alien team plays one way, while Ninja-Aliens act another. Which duo will you choose to crush your opponents? Oh, and yes, the Dinosaurs have laser beams!
Gallery
Box and component photos
Tap any photo to open fullscreen. Photos submitted by the community or publisher.
Rules videos
Learn by watching before you open the box
In English
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How to Play Smash Up in 3 Minutes
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Smash Up - Strategic Analysis
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Dad's Gaming Addiction - Smash Up (Episode 112)
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Smash Up - Turn By Turn
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Detailed Rules (including expansions)
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Learn the basics of Smash Up in just two minutes
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Changerbots: The Best Smash Ups in Smash Up
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Smash Up How-to & Review
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DIY Pints - Smash Up Tuck Boxes
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How to Play Smash Up - Roll for Crit
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Ignobles: The Best Smash Ups in Smash Up
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Smash Up - How to Play in 10mins
Rules manual
Official PDF file
Best player count
BGG community vote
2
REC
3
BEST
4
REC
Soundtrack
Ambience suggested by Melodice
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Mechanics, categories, families and credits
Mechanics
Categories
Families
Publisher
Alderac Entertainment Group, Arclight Games, Bard Centrum Gier, Edge Entertainment, Galápagos Jogos, HaKubia
Designer
Paul Peterson
Artist
Bruno Balixa, Carmen Cianelli, Conceptopolis, Crut, Dave Allsop, Pierre Raveneau
Community
Data from BoardGameGeek
48,349owners
2,507wishlist
216want to play
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers before you buy
How many players can participate in Smash Up?
Smash Up is ideal for 2 to 4 players, working very well at all player counts, but interaction and chaos increase with more people at the table.
What is the average game duration?
A game of Smash Up usually lasts between 45 to 60 minutes, making it perfect for a quick gaming session or to fit between other activities.
Is Smash Up a complex game for beginners?
No! With a BGG weight of 2.06/5, Smash Up is considered a low-medium complexity game. The rules are easy to learn, but the faction combinations offer enough depth to maintain interest.
What are the main components of the game?
The game is packed with cards! There are faction decks, Base cards, and some tokens for scoring. All of excellent quality with fun illustrations that reinforce the theme.
Who is Smash Up recommended for?
It's perfect for those who enjoy card games with lots of interaction, humor, and the possibility of creating crazy combos. If you like mixing improbable themes and watching chaos unfold on the table, you'll love it!
Are there expansions for Smash Up?
Yes, and many! Smash Up is known for having a vast array of expansions that add new factions and mechanics, further increasing replayability and combination possibilities.
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