Disney Villainous Game Developer Mike Mulvihill

If you’ve ever played any of Ravensburger’s Villainous board games (or read any of MiceMerch’s reviews – you can find them at the bottom of this article), then you have Mike Mulvihill to thank for the experience. Serving as the Game Development Manager for the series, Mike has worked with a team to release every Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars Villainous expand-alone game (“expand-alone” means it can be played by itself or in combination with another version). I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Mike about his experiences while creating these games. Read on to hear his thoughts!

First, please tell us what your role is in making the Villainous games.

Mike Mulvihill: Hi! I’m the Game Design and Lead Developer for the entire Villainous franchise. So, from conception (who is going to be in any product) to creation (all the rules, mechanics, cards, and types) to playtesting and ideating the game until you hold the product in your hands, that’s my responsibility. The awesome team of Jake Breish, Art Director on all the Villainous products, and my partner from Day 1, Chris Buckley (Graphic Design) and Kevin Coomes (Production Design), deliver the look and feel of Villainous!

The Villainous games span the universes of Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars. How did this franchise start out?

Mike Mulvihill: Six years ago, Villainous started out with the award-winning game Disney Villainous: The Worst Takes It All. Some call it the “Green Box.” From that success, we saw the potential of making more Villains accessible to fans and created what we call expand-alone products – here, we introduced versions that each contained 3 new Villains that can be mixed and matched with any other Villains we have produced. Currently, we have 25 Villains available to play for Disney Villainous!

After Disney Villainous was an established line, we were then able to add Marvel and Star Wars to the mix. It should be noted that each game – Disney Villainous, Marvel Villainous, and Star Wars Villainous – all play a bit differently, so those Villains can’t be mixed in-between game lines.

How do you decide what characters to include in each expansion?

Mike Mulvihill: We go through a process each time we do a Villainous product that breaks down into a few simple steps. 

We begin every new Villainous game by asking: who is our compelling headliner or cover character? Who is that Villain that’ll stop you while scrolling or walking down the aisle the moment you see them? Sometimes that’s popularity – sometimes, it’s an iconic, unique silhouette. We keep a list!

From there, we aim to create a compelling set of Villains in each game. We do this by considering things like eras or styles, objectives or play patterns, deep-cut characters or surprises, and many other criteria to ensure an awesome product.

The licensor must approve our initial plans before we move forward.

What characters would you suggest for someone new to the Villainous games?

Mike Mulvihill: We created the new Disney Villainous: Introduction to Evil game with exactly those players in mind – new players who may not even be gamers but who love Disney and the Villains. This product has a streamlined set of rules and 4 classic Villains (Ursula, Captain Hook, Prince John, and Maleficent) that everyone knows. We pride ourselves on the immersive nature of Villainous and these Villains, and the new presentation will bring even the newest gamer into the Villainous family immediately.

Are there any expansions that are best for veterans looking for a challenge?

Mike Mulvihill: For the Disney fan, they should know that every expand-alone has different levels of Villains – some are easy, and some are a bit more challenging. The Bigger And Badder set, in which we add the Pixar Villains (Syndrome and Lotso!), is seen as a bit more complex. The Pixar Villains’ Objectives are a little more advanced.

Is there a character that you most enjoyed creating?

Mike Mulvihill: Currently, the character that stands out to me (and she’s in the Bigger and Badder set) is Madam Mim. She is probably the Villain with the least amount of screen time we’ve ever done, and I think we not just captured her essence but made her a riot to play. She is so much fun, and I had a blast coming up with her unique mechanic.

One of the things I love most about the Villainous franchise is all references to different aspects of the villains and their movies, including some relatively obscure ones. How do you pick what reference to use?

Mike Mulvihill: Wow, thank you for that! That means a lot because we work really hard at theming and creating mechanics that match.

It’s always a bit of a dance… the movies are universally told from the Heroes’ points of view. So, the first step is to determine what the Villains really want and how the Heroes are these pesky interruptions ruining their plans. Once we figure out that objective – I submit to the Licensor (Disney, Marvel, or Star Wars) various plans that match what we think the Villains want to do.

After that, I need to make sure the gameplay path is different than any other Villain we have done, even if it starts with a similar base Villain activity (defeat the Hero or have the X Items…etc.).

Once conceived, we make some testing material and expose it to the testers – who judge everything from gameplay to theme to make sure it all works.

Do you have a favorite reference or one that you are particularly proud of incorporating?

Mike Mulvihill: I think the Captain Hook Fate card Tick Tock that forces Hook to discard his hand (of cards) may be the best insider joke.

Madam Mim’s Transformation fight is so unique and awesome. It’s just so much fun to play and really captures the Duel of the Wizards!

Personally, I like the Lady Tremaine gameplay as well – you are playing the movie in real-time…it’s so thematic, and the fact she can’t win while Glass Slippers are in play is perfect.

And finally, do you have anything you would like to say to MiceChat’s readers?

Mike Mulvihill: If you are already a fan of Villainous – THANK YOU! I can’t express how much we appreciate everything you’ve done for us and the game line. For fun, try playing your chosen Villain as the villains would play themselves. Treating the Villain almost as a role (dare I say role-playing game) seriously unlocks a level of fun and immersion. Your choices become a little different, and a bit more of the game is revealed.

If you are new and are wondering about how to get involved (Welcome!), then I suggest the new Disney Villainous: Introduction to Evil. Not only is there a learn-to-play video via QR code in the rules and on youtube.com/@ravensburgerna, but also, each Villain has a little video guide that tells what cards are important and what strategy to use at the same site.

Thank you very much for taking the time to answer our questions, Mike!

Now that you’ve had a behind-the-scenes peek at the games, you can dive even further into the Disney Villainous world with our reviews!

MiceMerch Review: It’s Easier to Be Bad in “Villainous: Introduction to Evil”

Disney Villainous Game Gets Bigger and Badder

And don’t forget to check out our review of Star Wars Villainous: Scum and Villainy, too!

MiceMerch Review: Play Bounty Hunter in Star Wars Villainous: Scum and Villainy

And keep an eye out for the very first single-character Disney Villainous expansion, Filled with Fright! Starring Oogie Boogie from The Nightmare Before Christmas, this game can only be played when added to another Disney Villainous title. Look forward to haunting Halloween Town when the game releases in October 2023.

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Have you played any of Ravensburger’s Villainous games? What title was your favorite? Do you have a favorite villain to use? And if you have not tried the series before, are you interested in giving them a shot? Let us know in the comments below!

If you are looking to acquire one of the Disney Villainous sets, you can find them through our Amazon Affiliate link (You get a great game, and we make a few cents): Ravensburger Games & Puzzles

For all the latest Disney merchandise news and reviews, follow MiceChat’s new dedicated merchandise social accounts: MiceMerch, now on Instagram and Facebook! Or, visit our merchandise page directly at MiceMerch.com! And be sure to join our MiceMerch Facebook Group for general merchandise, chat, and news!

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