Smash Up is hardly going to get dull with Alderac Entertainment Group’s long-running franchise and card game getting new additions across the board. The latest addition to come from the company is Smash Up: Excellent Movies, Dudes!, a set of cards that is fun, a little on the nose, and perhaps just what the game needs.
More Movies, More 80s, More Smash Up
AEG has been rather skimpy with the details other than the fact that the game is going back to the 80s and featuring some of the best cinema assets done at that time. Or, as the publisher puts it, as far back as it can make it without attracting “some lawyer spaz.”
This wording aside, the new expansion breaks away from the traditional fantasy and sci-fi theme and fixates on popular movies from that period. AEG promises that players will be able to unload some serious action on “some dweebs,” and if you were worried about compatibility just because of the theme – do not be.
Smash Up allows you to mix any cards and boxes – more or less – and Excellent Movies, Dudes! will be cross-compatible with any of the previous expansions as well. The new box features 4 factions each with 20 cards, 8 base cards, and 4 card dividers. There is a token sheet and the rulebook, of course, with the game heading for hobby stores on July 14, 2023.
The box plays in 45 minutes and is suitable for 2-4 players and ages 14+. The new copy will cost $24.99. Smash Up is the brainchild of Paul Peterson and was originally published in 2012. The game has quick-to-pick rules along with dynamic gameplay that makes for fun and fast games.
The game’s true appeal lies in both the unique artwork and theme, but also in the fact that it’s open to customization and remains a self-contained product. Players are free to mix their copies of Smash Up old and new, adjusting any specific rules for each faction as they go, and join the often humorous out-of-this-world strife.