“Oh, look. Another glorious Disney Villainous expansion. Makes me sick!”
Mention the Sanderson Sisters to someone and you’ll likely get one of two reactions: a blank stare or a squeal of excitement, accompanied by dancing and chanting: “Itch-it-a-cop-it-a-Mel-a-ka-mys-ti-ca”. If you’re in the know, the Sanderson Sisters are the three witches from Disney’s enjoyable 1993 Halloween-themed film, Hocus Pocus. Fans of the film go mad for the sisters so it should probably come as no surprise that Ravensburger has finally given them their own Disney Villainous expansion – just in time for spooky season.
One thing that’s immediately noticeable is that because Hocus Pocus is a live-action film, Ravensburger has had to bring Winifred (Bette Midler), Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Mary (Kathy Najimy) to life as Disney-esque illustrations. This is a definite highlight and the cards really capture the look and feel of these characters – Winifred, in particular.
First up, Disney Villainous: Come, We Fly! requires either the base game or another expansion to play. It’s basically a new Villain to add into the mix when you’re deciding who to play as.
Just like other previously released Villains, the Sanderson Sisters have their own devious plot to execute. In this case, it’s completing the Life Potion Recipe, which is presented on a series of five cards that you flip open like a book. Each of the cards has an objective (spend five Power, Vanquish a Hero, etc.) and after each task you add an ingredient token to the sisters’ cauldron. It’s such an imaginative way to bring their scheme to life and it really does feel like you’re flipping the pages of their spellbook.
Unfortunately, completing the spell is anything but simple. Yes, we know that Villain Objectives in Villainous shouldn’t be a breeze to achieve but the odds do seem to be stacked against the sisters. We regularly got stuck on the third step of the recipe, which requires you to Vanquish a Hero. Normally this wouldn’t be too difficult, but there are two Fate cards (Salt and Hallowed Ground) that stop you Vanquishing a Hero at a Location. Worse still, the only way to discard Items is by playing one of three cards called You Can’t Save Your Friends – but even that only works if you have Witches in two adjacent locations in your Realm. As a result, if you’re playing against a particularly aggressive opponent who keeps sending Fate cards your way, you may find yourself getting bogged down and struggling to Vanquish those pesky Heroes.
What does work well in this expansion is the sense of the sisters working together. For starters, the sisters gain +1 Strength for each other Witch in play, plus cards like Dance, Dance, Dance allow you to perform several actions if multiple Witches are in play. As a result, if things are going smoothly, you’re able to create quite a clever engine that maximises the number of Actions you can perform each turn. All of this makes it feels like Come, We Fly! is an expansion for more experienced Villainous players looking for an extra challenge. Having so many different objectives to achieve from the spellbook means you’re constantly having to shift your plans, which can feel overwhelming for new players.
Review by Rob Burman
Maybe
If you’re a huge fan of Hocus Pocus then seeing the Sanderson Sisters brought to life in the Villainous universe will be enough to pick this up. However, be warned that achieving their various objectives can be a frustrating experience if you don’t have the right cards at exactly the right time.
DISNEY VILLAINOUS: FILLED WITH FRIGHT
If you want to pick up another Halloween-themed expansion to add to your collection, then the Sanderson Sisters will sit nicely alongside Oogie Boogie.
Category: Family games & Party games
Designer: Mike Mulvihill
Publisher: Ravensburger
Time to Play: 20-60m
Players: 2-4 Players
Age: 10+
RRP: £20
Game board
Villain Mover
30 Villain cards
15 Fate cards
5 Recipe cards
Tile
16 tokens
Villain Guide
Reference card
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