The best games from Paul Peterson 👨 2025
Looking for a really good game from game designer Paul Peterson 👨? Then we have just the thing: the list with the best Paul Peterson games 2025.
Who is Paul Peterson anyway?
Paul Peterson has been designing dice, card & board games since 1995. The game designer currently lives in Seattle, USA 🇺🇸.
Peterson's first game was the "Dark Sovereigns" expansion for Vampire: The Eternal Struggle. This he developed in 1995 - so he's been designing games for over 30 years of games. Famous Peterson games include Guillotine & Smash-Up-series.
Beginning of his career
Paul Peterson began his career as a game designer at Wizards of the Coast working on Magic: the Gathering, Pokémon, and his card game Guillotine. Since then, he has moved between the worlds of electronic games and board games. His repertoire ranges from a massively multiplayer role-playing game (MMORPG) to a virtual world for girls to a poker chip collecting game. He also drives a really swanky Mustang.
How good are "Paul Peterson" games?
There are 8 games by Paul Peterson in our Top1000 games list, making Peterson the #22 best game author out of a total of 708 authors in our database.
More information about Peterson
More information about Peterson can be found on:
List of best games by Paul Peterson 2025
In this list we have listed the best board games that Paul Peterson either designed himself - or was involved in designing.
Unfortunately, not all of Paul Peterson's games are currently available. In the following list you can find all dice, board & card games by Paul Peterson that you can buy 2025:
Guillotine
Kingdom Builder is a strategic board game where players shape their domains by building settlements, with the ultimate goal of earning the most gold by the end of the game.
Nominated for 1 award and won 1.
More details for Guillotine- 2 - 5 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Immediately playable
Smash Up: It's Your Fault!
More details for Smash Up: It's Your Fault!Players choose from four winning factions in Smash Up: It's Your Fault! The selected factions are Sharks, Superheroes, Mythical Greeks, and Dragons, along with a bonus faction called "Shark Delivery System." This game involves a fun process where players worldwide contributed to the selection.
- 2 Players
- 45 - 60 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Easy to learn
Smash Up: Awesome Level 9000
More details for Smash Up: Awesome Level 9000Smash Up: Awesome Level 9000, also known as Smash Up II, is an exciting expansion to the Smash Up base game, introducing four new factions and eight new bases. This expansion not only adds variety but also brings unique combinations and fresh strategic layers to the already dynamic gameplay of Smash Up.
- 2 Players
- 45 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Easy to learn
Pairs
Paaranoia is a game where players aim to avoid pairs of cards. Using a deck of 55 cards, players are dealt one card and must decide whether to draw again or risk losing the round. If they draw a matching card, they incur penalty points and the game continues until someone exceeds a predefined threshold of penalty points and loses. Various versions of the game feature different artwork and some include unique rules related to their themes.
Nominated for 1 award.
More details for Pairs- 2 - 8 Players
- 15 Minutes
- Immediately playable
Smash Up: Pretty Pretty Smash Up
More details for Smash Up: Pretty Pretty Smash UpPretty Pretty Smash Up is an expansion for the popular card game Smash Up, introducing a whimsical and sweet twist to the classic base-smashing gameplay. This expansion adds four new factions: Kitty Cats, Princesses, Fairies, and Mythic Horses, each with their unique abilities and strategies. The Kitty Cats can charm their way into controlling enemy minions, while the Princesses use their regal influence to command the battlefield. Fairies offer a variety of tactical choices with their magical mischief, and the Mythic Horses bring a powerful group dynamic to the fight.
- 2 Players
- 45 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Easy to learn
Smash Up: Monster Smash
More details for Smash Up: Monster SmashSmash Up: Monster Smash adds a thrilling twist to the Smash Up universe with its inclusion of four new, terrifying factions: vampires, mad scientists, werewolves, and giant ants. This expansion not only enriches the game's thematic diversity but also introduces unique mechanics that reflect the iconic abilities and lore associated with each monster genre.
- 2 Players
- 30 - 45 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Easy to learn
Smash Up: Science Fiction Double Feature
Smash Up: Science Fiction Double Feature expands the universe of Smash Up with four new, out-of-this-world factions, each bringing unique gameplay mechanics to the table. This expansion allows for a fresh mix-and-match experience with the original game or stands alone as a two-player showdown.
Nominated for 1 award.
More details for Smash Up: Science Fiction Double Feature- 2 Players
- 30 - 45 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Easy to learn
Smash Up
Smash Up is a unique and engaging "shufflebuilding" game where players combine two distinct factions, each with a 20-card deck, into a single 40-card deck. The game is known for its quirky and diverse factions, each with its own unique mechanics and gameplay style.
Nominated for 3 awards and won 1.
More details for Smash Up- 2 - 4 Players
- 45 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Easy to learn
Smash Up: Cease and Desist
More details for Smash Up: Cease and DesistSmash Up: Forgotten Heroes can be played as a two-player game or combined with other Smash Up titles, allowing up to four players to compete for control of the bases. It includes four factions – Astroknights, Changerbots, Star Roamers, and Ignobles – each with 22 cards. Players mix two factions together, regardless of whether they are from this set or another Smash Up title, and then start the game.
- 2 Players
- 45 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Easy to learn
Smash Up: Oops, You Did It Again
More details for Smash Up: Oops, You Did It AgainSmash Up: Adventurous Legends is a standalone game for two players that can also serve as an expansion for other Smash Up titles. The four factions included in this set are Vikings, Cowboys, Samurai, and Egyptians.
- 2 Players
- 45 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Easy to learn
Smash Up: What Were We Thinking?
More details for Smash Up: What Were We Thinking?Never be fooled by a sweet face; behind that cuddly smile lurks a beating! If you survive the onslaught of teddy bears, you'll encounter rockstars, grandmas, and explorers – seriously, what were we thinking? This expansion brings back the wild randomness of the early days of the game, allowing you to pit zombie rockstars against explorer dinosaurs or time-traveling grandmas against teddy bear vampires. Your wildest dreams can finally come true!
- 2 - 4 Players
- 45 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Easy to learn
Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Rise of the Runelords – Base Set
Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Rise of the Runelords – Base Set is a cooperative strategy card game set in the Pathfinder universe. Players embark on a fantasy adventure, facing various challenges and evolving their characters throughout the game.
Nominated for 8 awards and won 1.
More details for Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Rise of the Runelords – Base Set- 1 - 4 Players
- 90 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Smash Up: Big in Japan
More details for Smash Up: Big in JapanSmash Up: Big in Japan introduces the most adorable base-bashing you've ever seen, featuring four factions inspired by Japanese pop culture. These include anime fighters, cute collectible creatures that are definitely not Pokémon, colorful warriors that are in no way Power Rangers, and Godzilla.
- 2 Players
- 30 - 45 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Easy to learn
Unexploded Cow
More details for Unexploded CowEurope, summer 1997. You and your creative friends have stumbled upon two problems with one common solution: mad cow disease in England and unexploded bombs in France. By herding your cows through France and releasing them behind the Cordon Rouge, you aim to get rich, all while dodging Greenpeace.
- 2 - 6 Players
- 25 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Immediately playable
Smash Up: That '70s Expansion
More details for Smash Up: That '70s ExpansionSmash Up: The Wild 70s is a standalone game for two players that can also be used as an expansion for other Smash Up titles. The four factions included in this set are truckers, vigilantes, disco dancers, and kung-fu fighters.
- 2 Players
- 45 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Easy to learn
Smash Up: The Obligatory Cthulhu Set
More details for Smash Up: The Obligatory Cthulhu SetSmash Up: The Obligatory Cthulhu Set dives into the deep, dark corners of the Cthulhu mythos, bringing a tentacle-filled twist to the Smash Up universe. This expansion pack is a love letter to H.P. Lovecraft's work, integrating iconic elements of the Cthulhu lore into the chaotic and strategic card game where different factions vie for dominance.
- 2 Players
- 30 - 45 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Easy to learn
Smash Up: World Tour – International Incident
More details for Smash Up: World Tour – International IncidentJoin the Smash Up World Tour! "Resistance is Futile" kicks off a year-long journey to explore cool heroes from diverse cultures. This first World Tour set introduces fantastic factions like the Luchadores, Mounties, Musketeers, and Sumo Wrestlers, each bringing unique abilities to the battle for the bases.
- 2 Players
- 45 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Easy to learn
Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Mummy's Mask – Base Set
More details for Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Mummy's Mask – Base SetOn the brink of discovery, the ancient lands of Osirion are shrouded in the sands of time, concealing secrets and immense riches beneath the sunburned surface. As modern Osirion opens its tombs to outsiders for the first time in centuries, lost treasures and dark mysteries resurface. A group of heroes must confront terrible guardians, malevolent cults, and the burning desert sands to prevent the rebirth of an ancient tyrant.
- 1 - 4 Players
- 120 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Running with the Bulls
More details for Running with the BullsGet ready for the craziest vacation ever! A herd of mischievous bulls has taken over the picturesque town of El Toro, and players must outmaneuver them to reach fabulous coastal destinations. Use a handful of dice as runners and play cards to roll again or influence opponents' runners while trying to avoid the bulls that are chasing you.
- 2 - 6 Players
- 40 - 60 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Skull & Shackles – Base Set
Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Skull & Shackles – Base Set launches players into a daring high-seas adventure, embodying pirates and outlaws in the notorious island chain known as the Shackles. This cooperative card game is set in the popular Pathfinder universe and builds upon the mechanics introduced in the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game series.
Nominated for 2 awards.
More details for Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Skull & Shackles – Base Set- 1 - 4 Players
- 90 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Smash Up: Munchkin
More details for Smash Up: MunchkinPlayers combine two twenty-card decks from different factions to create a forty-card deck and compete to destroy more bases than their opponents. Each faction adds unique powers and mechanics, making every combination an exciting experience. The game features base cards with varying challenges and abilities, and players score points based on their standings when a base is destroyed.
- 2 - 4 Players
- 30 - 45 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Easy to learn
Smash Up: World Tour – Culture Shock
More details for Smash Up: World Tour – Culture ShockThe world tour continues! To explore every continent, five factions are included for a whole lot of fun at the price of four.
- 2 - 4 Players
- 45 - 60 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Wrath of the Righteous – Base Set
More details for Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Wrath of the Righteous – Base SetThe Abyss awaits! When the city of Kenabres is overrun by a horde of demons, only you can save the world. In this epic adventure path, players journey into the Abyss to battle the malevolent minions of the demon lord Deskari, evolving into mythical heroes who can face the greatest legends of Golarion.
- 1 - 4 Players
- 120 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Clout Fantasy
More details for Clout FantasyPlayers have a stack of chips, each with hit points ranging from 0 to 6. They must form a stack of 15 chips without exceeding a certain number of Clout points. Players take turns throwing the chips into the play area, with different effects triggered by how the chips land. Some chips have abilities like protection or poisoning, while others can weaken opponents or enhance nearby chips. After all chips are played, players count up their remaining chips and score extra points for proximity to others, with the player holding the most Clout points declared the winner.
- 2 - 6 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Easy to learn
The Ninth World: A Skillbuilding Game for Numenera
More details for The Ninth World: A Skillbuilding Game for NumeneraThe Ninth World is a card game for 1 to 5 players that can be played competitively, cooperatively, or solo. Players assume the roles of a Nano, Jack, or Glaive, each described by an adjective, a noun, and a verb phrase. Characters explore the realm of the Steadfast or venture into the mysterious lands beyond, making strategic decisions to spend their skills wisely while competing for valuable cards. In cooperative mode, players work together against creatures threatening the city, while in solo mode, one must face the challenges alone.
- 1 - 5 Players
- 30 - 60 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Apocrypha Adventure Card Game: Box One – The World
More details for Apocrypha Adventure Card Game: Box One – The WorldPlayers can engage in the Apocrypha adventure card game cooperatively or with a game master in a role-playing format. Set in a world on the brink of an apocalypse, players encounter monsters visible only to their characters. The game features a rich narrative, deck-building mechanics, and character development, where players unlock fragmented memories that grant new powers. Each mission presents unique challenges and objectives, often involving the pursuit of hidden threats. The base box includes 584 cards, dice, rulebooks, and character tokens, with expansions adding further content and complexity.
- 1 - 6 Players
- 60 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Hard to learn
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