Disney villains have always held a special place in our hearts, with their larger-than-life personalities and unforgettable storylines, which is part of the reason Disney Villainous is the award-winning game that it is. They are iconic characters that have become synonymous with Disney’s rich storytelling tradition. However, the inclusion of Pixar villains in the Disney Villainous board game takes this excitement to a whole new level. The ability to pit characters like Hades from Disney’s Hercules against Syndrome from Pixar’s The Incredibles adds a fascinating new dynamic to the game.
We learn about the reaction of the Villainous team when Pixar was able to join the game, and other behind-the-scenes information about Disney Villainous in our exclusive interview with the lead designer of the Villainous franchise, Mike Mulvihill.
A Momentous Moment for Disney Villainous
There are tons of behind-the-scenes stories of any project. Some you have to be there for, others are great anecdotes that can make people laugh, others can inspire, while some are just interesting. In our interview with the lead designer of Ravensburger’s Villainous franchise, Mike Mulvihill tells us about one of his most memorable moments developing Disney Villainous.
“The day we were allowed to add Pixar into the mix of Villains was awesome. The first time I get to see versions of the cards with art always gives me chills. Creating a character like Madam Mim was a total joy from start to finish. For Introduction to Evil, one big memory during playtesting was watching a player who had never played Villainous win with Maleficent in the 2nd turn!!!!!
We had to have them walk through it like three times to see where we had made all of the mistakes! It was like watching the person in checkers jump the entire board!!!!! We just sat with our mouths open. Even better was the quote: “I think I just won…that doesn’t seem right!” coming from an 8-year-old girl!”
-Mike Mulvihill, Lead Designer of the Villainous Franchise-
Not All Fun and Games
While it is about fun and games, it’s not all fun and games. Mike tells us about some of the challenges that arose from adapting the Disney characters into a board game.
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“The biggest challenge is finding out how to give the Villain an Objective in game terms that mimics their well-known movie goal. THEN, to make that Objective’s play pattern (or game engine, if you are nerdy) be different than all the other ones we have done. That is the biggest and most exciting challenge that we have before us each time! That is one of my proudest Villainous achievements! Since, as I said, the movies are Hero stories, the Villain sometimes only appears when they are needed…some in single scenes or very late in movies…
In some way characters, like Cruella, Scar, Maleficent, Hades, or Mother Gothel are easy… they’re involved from the start of the movie and their Objectives are simple. Others like Madam Mim, Queen of Hearts or Dr. Facilier come in later in the film and offer a new twist for the Hero but they have little on-screen time, so we have to really work on making their game story as unique and complete as possible.”
-Mike Mulvihill, Lead Designer of the Villainous Franchise-
This crossover aspects not only expands the universe of Disney Villainous but also allows players to explore new strategies and narratives, making the game an even more thrilling experience for Disney and Pixar fans alike. But it’s a long and difficult process that Mike Mulvihill and the rest of the Villainous team undertake in order to deliver us a truly great game. Be sure to stay tuned as we have a lot more to share about Disney Villainous and the Villainous franchise.
The Disney Villainous “Introduction to Evil” Disney100 Edition is exclusively available at Target for the MSRP of $34.99.
The standard Disney Villainous base game is available everywhere board games are sold.
About Disney Villainous
Original Release: 2018
Genre: Strategy
Players: 2-6
Playtime: 45-120min
Age: 10+
Designer: Prospero Hall
Publisher: Ravensburger
Description:
You are the Villain! Command your henchmen, defeat the heroes, and enact your evil scheme. In Villainous, the story-based gameplay allows players to experience events from the classic Disney films, Aladdin, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, Robin Hood, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter Pan in exciting new ways. Each Villain plays differently, offering rich strategy to explore, surprising combinations to discover, and plenty of replay value.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on the Disney Villainous! Who is your favorite Pixar villain? How do you strategize to achieve your devious objectives? Did you find the game beginner-friendly as promised? Share your game night pictures and experiences with us on social media!
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