Which Smash Up expansion after the base game?

2-4 players Cards / faction combos About 45 min

The game

Already own a Smash Up box? Here is which one to buy next, and how many factions your table needs.

A game by Paul Peterson, published by AEG. 2-4 players, about 45 minutes. Each player shuffles 2 factions of 20 cards into a 40-card deck, then everyone fights to break bases. The 20 boxes released in French are listed here, all compatible with each other.

2 factions per player. You need 4 factions for 2 players, 6 for 3 and 8 for 4. Expansions with 4 or 5 factions play on their own, but only with 2: for 3 or 4 players you need a second box.

Two 8-faction boxes. The core set and Smash Up: Marvel each have 8 factions and 16 bases: enough for 4 players out of the box.

Small packs need another box. The Bigger Geekier Box (2 factions and a big storage box), Sheep and Penguins do not have enough factions to play on their own.

Which boxes do you already own?

Put on the table what you already have, and how many of you play.

You usually play with

2 3 4

Release timeline

French release years (Iello), used here for every box: core set and Awesome Level 9000 2013, The Obligatory Cthulhu Set and Science Fiction Double Feature 2014, Monster Smash and Pretty Pretty Smash Up 2015, It’s Your Fault!, Cease and Desist and What Were We Thinking? 2017, Big in Japan 2018, That ’70s Expansion 2019, Oops, You Did It Again and The Bigger Geekier Box 2020, International Incident 2021, Marvel, Culture Shock and Sheep 2022, Penguins 2023, Excellent Movies, Dudes! 2024, Anniversary 2025.

The graph

How the Smash Up boxes connect, plus the mechanics. An arrow starts at the expansion and points to the box it needs.

needs another box
contains this box
part of the line
game mechanic

Depending on what you want

You want	Get
Start out	Smash Up, the core set
A first expansion	Awesome Level 9000
Cute but vicious	Pretty Pretty Smash Up
Movie monsters	Monster Smash
Superheroes	Smash Up: Marvel
Store your whole collection	The Bigger Geekier Box

Tick your boxes at the top and the answer follows.

At the table

Box	What it brings
Smash Up (Core Set)	8 factions, 16 bases; 2 to 4 on its own.
Smash Up: Awesome Level 9000	4 factions. 2 players on its own.
Smash Up: The Obligatory Cthulhu Set	4 factions and Madness cards. 2 players on its own.
Smash Up: Science Fiction Double Feature	4 factions. 2 players on its own.
Smash Up: Monster Smash	4 factions, plus +1 power tokens. 2 players on its own.
Smash Up: Pretty Pretty Smash Up	4 factions. 2 players on its own.
Smash Up: It’s Your Fault!	5 factions, including Sharks, Superheroes, Greek Myths and Dragons, and 10 bases. 2 players on its own.
Smash Up: Cease and Desist	4 factions. 2 players on its own.
Smash Up: What Were We Thinking?	4 factions. 2 players on its own.
Smash Up: Big in Japan	4 factions; introduces Titans. 2 players on its own.
Smash Up: That ’70s Expansion	4 factions. 2 players on its own.
Smash Up: Oops, You Did It Again	4 factions. 2 players on its own.
Smash Up: The Bigger Geekier Box	A big storage box with dividers, plus 2 factions and 4 bases. Needs another box.
Smash Up: World Tour: International Incident	4 factions. 2 players on its own.
Smash Up: Marvel	Standalone: 8 Marvel factions and 16 bases, 2 to 4 on its own.
Smash Up: World Tour: Culture Shock	5 factions and 11 bases. 2 players on its own.
Smash Up: Sheep	1 faction. Needs another box.
Smash Up: Penguins	1 faction. Needs another box.
Smash Up: Excellent Movies, Dudes!	4 factions. 2 players on its own.
Smash Up: Anniversary Edition	French edition: 4 factions, 9 bases, 11 Titans and base boards. The English 10th Anniversary set has different contents.

Compatibility

Box	Needs	Players
Smash Up (Core Set)	standalone base	2-4
Smash Up: Awesome Level 9000	plays on its own	2
Smash Up: The Obligatory Cthulhu Set	plays on its own	2
Smash Up: Science Fiction Double Feature	plays on its own	2
Smash Up: Monster Smash	plays on its own	2
Smash Up: Pretty Pretty Smash Up	plays on its own	2
Smash Up: It’s Your Fault!	plays on its own	2
Smash Up: Cease and Desist	plays on its own	2
Smash Up: What Were We Thinking?	plays on its own	2
Smash Up: Big in Japan	plays on its own	2
Smash Up: That ’70s Expansion	plays on its own	2
Smash Up: Oops, You Did It Again	plays on its own	2
Smash Up: The Bigger Geekier Box	needs one base	with another box
Smash Up: World Tour: International Incident	plays on its own	2
Smash Up: Marvel	plays on its own	2-4
Smash Up: World Tour: Culture Shock	plays on its own	2
Smash Up: Sheep	needs one base	with another box
Smash Up: Penguins	needs one base	with another box
Smash Up: Excellent Movies, Dudes!	plays on its own	2
Smash Up: Anniversary Edition	plays on its own	2

Smash Up: Munchkin, the Disney Edition, Half the Battle and promo packs are left out of the picker because they never came out in French. They mix in all the same.

FAQ

Which Smash Up expansion after the core set?

Pick the factions whose theme tempts you: every box mixes with the core set. Awesome Level 9000 and Pretty Pretty Smash Up are good first picks, with 4 factions each. For a big box in one go, Smash Up: Marvel brings 8 factions.

Can I play with one expansion and no core set?

Yes, with 2 players: a 4-faction expansion gives each player 2 factions. With 3 you need 6 factions, with 4 you need 8, so you need a second box.

How many factions for 4 players?

8: each player shuffles 2 factions of 20 cards into a 40-card deck. The core set and Smash Up: Marvel have 8 each, enough for 4 on their own.

Does Smash Up: Marvel mix with the other boxes?

Yes. It is a standalone box for 2 to 4 with 8 Marvel factions and 16 bases, and its factions play with those of every other Smash Up box.

Why is the English 10th Anniversary box different?

This page follows the French releases. The French Anniversary box has 4 factions (mermaids, world champions, goblins and skeletons), 9 bases and 11 Titans; check the contents of the English edition before ordering.