Super Squad High Game Review

Disclosure: Meeple Mountain received a free copy of this product in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. This review is not intended to be an endorsement.

Super Squad High is a 1-4 player cooperative, worker placement, narrative adventure with a dash of memory elements mixed in. Players take on the roles of high school students who moonlight as superhero crime fighters, struggling to balance the fate of the world with their report cards. A big, bad villain lurks in the shadows, causing mayhem and strife. Our heroes must unmask the villain and foil their scheme before time runs out! However, life isn’t simple for the average teenager. Players must work together to maintain their grades, fight crime, and keep up their social lives—all before they can save the world. If players can uncover the villain’s identity, scheme, and motive, they’ll engage in the final showdown. Survive the finale, save the world, and claim victory—just in time for band practice!

Prom is Cool, But Have You Ever Defeated a Giant Space Robot?

The game lasts five rounds, each representing a school day split into morning, afternoon, and night—because even superheroes have a schedule. Players win by defeating the villain but lose if the crime deck runs out, if a player starts a round with an “F” (failing algebra and the city is too much), or if all five damage tokens are used (superheroes aren’t that tough). At the end of each day, students get some rest, action spaces cycle and a new round begins—until victory or disaster strikes.

Players pick a hero type and power, fusing them into a superhero identity. (Catchy names are essential)  Each type comes with unique asymmetric powers that can be activated anytime by spending tokens earned throughout the game’s activities—studying, hanging out, or fighting crime. Powers are enhanced further with costume cards that add a fun deck-building element. Players place two superhero meeples per time slot, but actions are limited, so plan wisely! Homework matters, too—fail your classes, and the team loses. Completing assignments earns checkmark tokens, which fuel superpowers. But school isn’t the only challenge—crime is always lurking!

Somebody Help! There’s Arson at the Waterfront and a Cyber Attack on Campus!

Each round, crime cards spawn with a disaster—kidnapping, robbery, bomb threats, you know, classic high school problems. Players must tackle two action spots per crime before time runs out, or they’ll face penalties that make the final showdown harder.

Crime-fighting involves rolling dice, with different results causing player damage, building damage, classmate knockouts, or skipped turns. Players can mitigate damage with costume cards, teamwork, or sheer dramatic sacrifice. Success earns rewards, like “Like” tokens which is the social currency needed to activate powers—even superheroes thrive on validation.

Sooo, Who Do You Have a Crush On?

Between saving the city and passing algebra, social life still matters. Friendships and romances aren’t just fun drama—they help uncover the villain! Players chat with classmates to secretly peek at their personality tokens, but memory is key.

At night, players can hang out or date, answering themed questions about their classmates. Guessing correctly strengthens the bond, unlocks new action spaces, and brings the team closer to unmasking the villain. Each classmate can have only one bestie or sweetheart, so claim your title while you can.

To trigger the final battle, players must build enough relationships to reveal all three villain cards.

Once the villain is exposed, the final battle begins! Players face a gauntlet of dice rolls, with penalties based on how much crime got out of hand earlier. The showdown works like regular crime checks—just way harder. Survive, and the city is saved. Fail… and maybe summer school offers superhero training.

“Hero to the City, a Mystery to the Attendance Office” – School Secretary

On the surface, Super Squad High looks like a light, friendly game full of cool powers and butt-kicking action. BUT beneath all the spandex, there’s a sneaky Euro waiting to test your strategic chops.

The worker placement system is cleverly executed, reinforcing the sense of “prepping” and “execution” phases. With limited action spots—many of which are time-restricted—players must carefully plan who takes which action and when. More than once, we found ourselves scrambling because we couldn’t get the right players in the right places, forcing us to adapt on the fly.

Managing costume cards is another puzzle in itself. Poor planning leaves players unprepared for crime fighting, and I appreciate that Super Squad High is mostly deterministic. Players always know when crime cards will appear, how many will be drawn, and which costume cards will be required, along with the specific dice rolls. Specializing in different costume suits allows the team to divide and conquer. The only real elements of chance come from dice rolls and villain penalties—but even those can be mitigated with careful planning. Experienced players could “math out” each round, turning every decision into a layered strategic puzzle.

My favorite mechanic in this high school showdown? The relationship-building with classmates. I haven’t played many memory-focused games, but this one nailed the concept. Friendships aren’t just a fun side activity—they’re mandatory to win the game (just like in real life!). At first, I was confident I’d remember a few symbols easily… only to blank when I needed them a round later. The hangout prompts add an extra layer of fun, making the recall game more engaging and personal. I found that answering in a storytelling style—rather than just blurting out the symbol—added creativity and plenty of laughs. And if memory isn’t your thing? No problem—the game allows teammates to take over that role, keeping things flexible.

Balancing the three core systems—homework, crime, and relationships—is where the game truly shines. No single aspect overshadows the others, and each must be addressed for the team to win. Every round feels like a puzzle: What can we keep afloat, and what are we willing to let slide? At a glance, the cover art might suggest a lighthearted family game, but make no mistake—this is a challenge. All my wins and losses came down to razor-thin margins. Just like any good superhero squad, communication, and selfless teamwork are the keys to victory.

That said, not everyone will love the ever-looming doom of crime cards. One player compared the constant pressure to Arkham Horror—if you’re not a fan of impending catastrophe, this might not be your jam. The game rewards open planning and strategy—knowing your team’s strengths early can prevent disasters later.

The Kryptonite? Repetition

While the game offers variety through villain types and classmate traits, the core loop of actions and consequences remains largely the same—which might feel repetitive after multiple plays. Fortunately, Super Squad High includes a ton of extra modules to mix things up:

• Multiverse Mode – Combines two copies of the game for an eight-player superhero epic. I couldn’t pull this off, but I need to see a gameplay video of this madness someday.
• Villain Powers – Adds ongoing negative effects that make each villain feel more dynamic and dangerous.
• Dilemmas (My Favorite!) – Heroes don’t just battle crime—they also juggle school, family, and extracurriculars. Maybe they need to prep for the big game, help out at the family restaurant, or (gulp) pass that impossible math exam. These start as negative effects but can be resolved for a bonus. Adding both villain powers and dilemmas made the game brutally difficult, but if I had to pick one, I’d take dilemmas every time.

The game also offers solo and campaign modes. The campaign stretches across four plays, with heroes leveling up and villains becoming tougher each time. No matter how you configure it, you’re in for a blast.

Super Squad High is a gorgeously produced, lighter Euro that lets you don capes, save the world, and test your strategic mettle—all while trying to pass algebra. The highly asymmetric powers allow players to feel like the hero when it’s their time to shine. When hope seems to be lost, the rest of the super squad will have your back. Just don’t forget to turn in that history term paper by Monday!