The DDT Divas team and I were very thrilled when the creators of Smack Talk Showdown reached out to us for a review. I’m a very low-key, low-profile person, so DDT Divas readers/followers may not know that I’m a game lover. Party, boxed, board, cards, you name it, and I will play it. A wrestling-related party game! Sweet! Now, before I get into the fun part, let me explain the game rules and what you get when you purchase your copy of Smack Talk Showdown.
Disclaimer: The DDT Divas team was sent a free copy of the game for review. However, this is still my honest review.
General Game Description
Smack Talk Showdown comes in a vibrant bright red box that features awesome artwork and a nostalgic WWF-esque logo. The logo definitely gave me 1980s WWF wrestling show vibes. The masked luchadores artwork looks fantastic. On the back of the box are the game description and rules. If you purchase the Lewd ADDitude Expansion Pack (I’ll talk about this expansion pack later in the review), it comes in a smaller black box that features another luchador illustration and game title font/logo that reminded me of the 1990s WWF Attitude Era. It, too, featured a description on the back of the box.
When I opened up the Smack Talk Showdown box, I found all the cards to be in place orderly and based on card type and color. The cards are smooth and glossy. The font is easy to read. Same for the Lewd ADDitude Expansion Pack.
Smack Talk Showdown contains 550 cards, including:
- 365 unique Smack Cards
- 51 unique Segment Cards
- 52 unique Name One Cards
- 52 unique Name Two Cards
- 30 blank cards
Lewd ADDitude Expansion Pack came with 100 new cards, including:
- 15 Name 1 Cards
- 15 Name 2 Cards
- 15 Segment Cards
- 55 Smack Cards
I played with two other DDT Divas team members. We played one game of Smack Talk Showdown base game without the expansion pack and one game with the Lewd ADDitude Expansion Pack as a standalone game.
Let’s get to the fun stuff, game rules!
How to Play
For official game rules, provided by Smack Talk Showdown, click here. (I don’t want to explain the rules wrong.)
Game Evaluation
I evaluated Smack Talk Showdown based on the following:
- Age
- Gameplay time
- Game Instructions/Rules
- Complexity
- Luck vs Skill
- Gameplay advantages
- Uniqueness/Game Mechanics
- Game Concept/Theme
- Interaction
- Repeat Play
Age
Smack Talk Showdown is suitable for people ages 12 and up and can be played during family game night. Parents that allow their teens to watch WWE, AEW, and/or IMPACT Wrestling, should be ok with them playing Smack Talk Showdown. The Lewd ADDitude Expansion Pack, however, is not suitable for teenagers. The expansion pack is NSFW.
Name cards include names like “Badass”, “Stripper”, and “Drunken”. Segment cards mention things like drug dealing, strip clubs, and problems in the bedroom. Smack cards say things like chanting this is bullshit, describe beating their opponent “in the goriest way possible”, and promoting sexual enhancement drugs. Play this expansion pack with adult friends.
Gameplay Time
More than likely gameplay time will depend on how many people are playing because each WRESTLER gets 45 seconds to cut their promo. But when Smack cards are incorporated in each Segment, gameplay time is extended. Both of our games (three players) finished fairly quickly, about 45 minutes each game.
Game Instructions/Rules
Smack Talk Showdown game instructions/rules aren’t very simple but aren’t very complex. The average player should be able to understand the instructions/rules. I highly suggest that game instructions/rules should be read once or twice before the start of the game. It may also be helpful to keep the game instructions/rules nearby.
Complexity
Smack Talk Showdown isn’t a very complex game, but complexity will depend on who you are playing with. For example, players who enjoy longer gameplay may decide that in order to win players must earn more than three Segment cards. But general gameplay is not too complex.
Luck vs. Skill
30% Luck and 70% Skill
Smack Talk Showdown is most likely skill-based. How well you can cut your promo. But sometimes the luck of the draw can help. For example, I was lucky enough to draw names like “Super” and “Rascal” and “Lil'” and “Dragon”. But unlucky enough to draw a name like “Badass” and “Ass”. How do you cut a promo in character with a name like Badass Ass or Ass Badass? Cutting a promo as a wrestler named Lil’ Dragon is so much easier.
Gameplay Advantages
The only gameplay advantage that a player(s) might have is being a wrestling fan. If a player is not a wrestling fan, he/she/they probably wouldn’t have a clue how to cut a Segment winning promo. Me being a hardcore wrestling fan did give me a slight advantage (I think) since the other two players are casual wrestling fans.
Uniqueness/Game Mechanics
Smack Talk Showdown is unlike any other game I have played. To my knowledge (please correct me if I’m wrong), there aren’t any other party games that are played like this. Wrestling fans who play get the opportunity to act out their wrestling fantasies. For about 90 minutes, I had the opportunity to be a promo-cutting wrestler and a wrestling producer producing a wrestling segment.
Game Concept/Theme
Smack Talk Showdown has a terrific game concept/theme. As mentioned previously, every wrestling fan can live out his/her/their wrestling fantasies. In two games, I had the opportunity to be the following wrestler:
- Techno Traveler introducing my invisible tag partner during a segment in Rome, Italy where both wrestlers have to explain a non-injury related reason why we left the Smack Talk Wrestling Federation
- Cunning Hercules in a segment competing for $500,000 and cutting a promo where I have to incorporate the song “head, shoulders, knees, and toes.”
How cool is that? Terrific game concept/theme.
Interaction
The best party games allow tons of gameplay that requires players to interact with each other. Smack Talk Showdown allows players to interact with each other for the full game.
Repeat Play
A perfect game for repeat play. You will never play the same game. Each game will always be different depending on the card combinations that are drawn and depending on who you are playing with. Players can play this game and never get the same gameplay results. Good party games can be played over and over again.
Should You Purchase and Play Smack Talk Showdown?
Yes! Yes, I highly recommend it to both party games fans and wrestling fans alike. If you love party games and love wrestling, you will love this game.
Final Thoughts on Smack Talk Showdown
Smack Talk Showdown is a game for all wrestling fans and party game lovers. It’s fun, it’s competitive, and it will have you laughing with your friends and family the whole time (especially if the people you are playing with have a great sense of humor).
I only have two suggestions for the creators:
- Release more expansion packs!
- Consider releasing an online/virtual version of the game.
Other than those two suggestions, I love Smack Talk Showdown because it combines two things that I really enjoy: wrestling and party games. I highly recommend this game to any fan of either. So, if you’re looking for a great way to have some laughs with your friends, then Smack Talk Showdown is perfect for you!
