When my young kids dressed up and played imaginary games, they often fought over who got to be “the bad guy” — Hook over Peter Pan, Maleficent over Sleeping Beauty, and literally anyone over “The Prince,” should he have actually had a name of his own. So when I got a sneak peak of Disney Villainous game when it was originally introduced at Toy Fair a few years back…obsessed! Instantly! It’s been a staple of our gift recos for tweens and teens ever since.

Now, the absolutely wonderful, best-selling, Toy of the Year Awards “Best of the Year” winning game,  Disney Villainous: Intro to Evil is out in a cool, limited-time Disney100 Edition right in time for the holidays. Disney fans — prepare to be wowed, if you haven’t played yet.

On behalf of our partners at Ravensburger (yes, the best puzzle people also make the best games!), here are a few of my own reasons I’m always recommending this game for gift giving.

Why Disney Villainous: Intro to Evil is a Great Game for Families

1. It’s gorgeous. I mean come on — just look at it.

 2. Disney Villainous: Intro to Evil is amazing for family game night. We love playing video games with our kids, but there’s something about sitting around the table (good snacks required) and really focusing on each other, and not our phones. In fact, board game nights have created some of our most wonderful memories as a family.

3. Disney Villainous: Intro to Evil is fun for adults too. With all due respect to the classic little-kid games we all endured with younger kids (I will not name names), it’s so fun having playing games we all like. This one is fun for kids about 10 and up.

4. Strategy! Creative thinking! Harmless mischief! In other words, it doesn’t get boring after a few games. There are so many themes and strategies that it’s really a different game every time. Plus Disney Villainous: Intro to Evil is compatible with the other Disney Villainous games, so you can add in characters like Cruella De Vil, Mother Gothel and Scar, and expand the possibilities.

5. You can play with as few as two people. Eh, sometimes not everyone wants to play a game and then our poor 4-person games get a little dusty waiting for everyone to want to participate.

6. Gameplay doesn’t take forever. Don’t worry, you won’t be saying “let’s pick this up again tomorrow” — assume about 20 minutes per player, with up to four players. Oh — and this includes reading the instructions too! There are now  linked video instructions so even first-time players can start playing in minutes. (Pet peeve: rulebooks that take longer to read than playing the actual game. ugh.)

7. Even the cynical teens like it. Let’s be honest, it’s kind of cooler to play Ursula than Ariel when you’re a little older. In fact, it would be a fun gift for college kids.

8. It’s affordable! Yes, really! Nice to find a great gift for multiple siblings or a whole family for under $30.

Okay so as much as I love it, I do need to make just one teeny tiny suggest to the makers of Disney Villainous: In future Villainous games, they should consider Tinker Bell for one of the villains. I’ve always had mixed thoughts about her role, and think those cute wings and all that sparkly pixie dust was kind of a mislead…but that’s another story, I suppose.

Order the limited-time 100Anniversary edition of Disney Villainous: Intro to Evil right now and make a Disney fan’s day.
Thanks to our amazing sponsor Ravensburger, whose puzzles and games keep us laughing and playing through the entire year.