- BGG rank
- BGG #3,015
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Smash Up: Big in Japan
2017
Rules assistance for Smash Up: Big in Japan
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 30–45 min
- 14+
- Complexity 2.4/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Smash Up: Big in Japan
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Smash Up: Big in Japan is a board game released in 2017 for 2 players, 30–45 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Paul Peterson and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Area Majority / Influence.
About the game
Smash Up: Big in Japan brings the most kawaii base-bashing you've seen to Smash Up, with four factions born from Japanese pop culture: anime fighting girls, cute collectible critters that are totally not Pokémon, colorful fighters that are in no way Power Rangers, and Godzilla. NOTE: The box says that there are 4 dividers and 4 Titan cards in the expansion. However, something truly MAGICAL happened at the factory! Like a group of smaller robots forming into a larger one, the Titan cards became the divider cards! So you aren't missing anything. Quit emailing us. - AEG Customer Service
Designers
Publishers
- Pegasus Spiele
- Hobby World
- IELLO
- Alderac Entertainment Group
Questions and answers
Smash Up: Big in Japan supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Smash Up: Big in Japan is 30–45 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Smash Up: Big in Japan for ages 14 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Smash Up: Big in Japan has a complexity rating of 2.4 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Smash Up: Big in Japan belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Humor. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Area Majority / Influence. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Smash Up: Big in Japan are: Paul Peterson. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Smash Up: Big in Japan as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.