Navigating the Wild World of Meme Expansion Packs from Someone Who’s Bought Too Many

As I sit here surrounded by what can only be described as a small fortune’s worth of meme card game expansions, I realize I might have a problem. But my borderline obsession with collecting “What Do You Meme” image packs has given me a unique perspective I feel compelled to share. After countless game nights, disappointed purchases, and genuine gems discovered, I’ve compiled everything you need to know before swiping your credit card on yet another expansion pack.

My Journey Into Meme Collecting Madness

Let me take you back to where it all began. Three years ago, a friend brought the core “What Do You Meme” game to a housewarming party. By midnight, we were crying with laughter, and I was already mentally calculating how quickly Amazon could deliver my own set. Little did I know this would spiral into what my partner now refers to as “the meme situation” in our storage closet.

Finding the perfect image pack for your specific friend group is the single most important factor in maximizing your game night experience. This seemingly simple insight took me thousands of dollars and dozens of disappointing game nights to fully appreciate.

Understanding the What Do You Meme Ecosystem

Before diving into specific recommendations, let’s break down what we’re working with. The “What Do You Meme” universe has expanded dramatically since its inception, now featuring:

• Core sets (the foundation of your collection)
• Themed expansion packs (focusing on specific categories like “relationships” or “college life”)
• NSFW editions (when you want to make your parents uncomfortable)
• Limited edition releases (often tied to trending topics or seasons)
• Celebrity and pop culture specific packs (for the fandoms in your life)

The standard format remains consistent: caption cards paired with image cards to create hilarious combinations. But the quality, replayability, and audience fit vary wildly between releases.

Core Sets: Your Foundation

I’ll start with the basics—the core sets that serve as your entry point into the world of “What Do You Meme.”

The Original What Do You Meme

The OG set remains a solid starting point with 435 cards (360 caption cards and 75 photo cards). The image selection features classic memes that have stood the test of time—Success Kid, Distracted Boyfriend, and Confused Math Lady all make appearances.

What works: The universal recognition factor. Even your least internet-savvy friends will recognize most images.

What doesn’t: After 3-4 playthroughs, you’ll start seeing repeats. Some of the memes now feel dated (sorry, Bad Luck Brian).

My take: Still worth owning as your foundation, but you’ll want to expand quickly. I find myself using the caption cards frequently while gradually replacing the image cards with fresher options.

Family Edition

After a particularly traumatizing experience playing the original game with my in-laws (never again), I invested in the Family Edition. With 300 caption cards and 65 family-friendly image cards, it promises clean fun.

What works: Genuinely appropriate for mixed company and still surprisingly funny. Great for when kids might be around.

What doesn’t: Sometimes feels like it’s trying too hard to be “safe.” The image selection isn’t as inherently humorous.

My take: Keep this on hand for holiday gatherings or when you need a PG version. Not your everyday go-to unless you regularly play with younger family members.

NSFW Expansions: When You Want to Test Friendships

The NSFW Base Set

My friend group skews toward the “nothing is off-limits” end of the humor spectrum, so this was an early purchase for me. With 360 caption cards and 75 photo cards that push boundaries, it delivers exactly what it promises.

What works: When played with the right crowd, these cards generate some of the most memorable (if uncomfortable) moments. The shock value alone can make for unforgettable reactions.

What doesn’t: Extremely situation-dependent. Bring this out with the wrong group, and you’ll create the most awkward silence of your life. Also, the humor relies heavily on shock value, which diminishes with repeated plays.

My take: Worth having in your collection but use with extreme caution. I’ve created a separate box for these cards that only comes out after midnight when we’re certain of our audience.

Fresh AF Expansion

Despite the name suggesting otherwise, this pack isn’t necessarily more adult-oriented than others. It contains 50 new photo cards and 150 caption cards designed to update your core game with more current memes.

What works: Genuinely fresher content that helps rejuvenate a stale base game. The caption-to-image ratio is generous.

What doesn’t: Some memes already feel dated just a few years after release. The price point feels high for what you get.

My take: A decent refresh option, but I’d prioritize theme-specific expansions that better match your friend group’s interests.

Themed Expansions: Finding Your Niche

This is where the real magic happens. The themed expansions are where you can tailor the game to your specific friend group.

Basic Bitch Expansion

I picked this up on a whim and was genuinely surprised by how well it resonated with my friend circle. With 50 photo cards and 155 caption cards centered around “basic” culture, it consistently delivers laughs.

What works: Extremely relatable content for millennials. The images perfectly capture the pumpkin-spice-and-Instagram aesthetic that we simultaneously mock and participate in.

What doesn’t: Narrow demographic appeal. If your friends don’t get the references, this falls flat.

My take: One of my most-used expansions. The caption cards integrate well with other image sets too, making it versatile beyond its theme.

Party Game Expansion

Marketed as adding a “game night” element to your regular gameplay, this expansion introduces 25 photo cards and 100 caption cards with a party vibe.

What works: The action-oriented caption cards add a new dynamic to the game, sometimes requiring players to perform tasks or answer questions.

What doesn’t: The novelty wears off quickly, and some of the action elements disrupt the flow of the regular game.

My take: Fun for one or two game nights but lacks staying power. I’ve cherry-picked about 30% of these cards to keep in my regular rotation.

Stoner Expansion

As someone living in a state where recreational use is legal, this 50-photo, 150-caption expansion appealed to a specific subset of my friends.

What works: Highly targeted humor that absolutely lands with the intended audience. Some genuinely creative pairings emerge from these cards.

What doesn’t: Extremely niche. If your friend group doesn’t partake, most of the humor will be lost.

My take: Consider your audience carefully. When matched with the right players, this is a top-tier expansion. Otherwise, it’s a waste of money.

Pop Culture Specific Expansions

TV Show Expansions (Friends, The Office, etc.)

I’ve collected several TV-specific packs, including Friends, The Office, and Rick and Morty expansions. Each contains roughly 50 photo cards and 100-150 caption cards themed around the respective shows.

What works: Fandom-specific humor that creates inside jokes within inside jokes. The recognition factor adds an extra layer of appreciation.

What doesn’t: Extremely dependent on everyone at the table being familiar with the show. Even casual viewers might miss references.

My take: These are best purchased for specific game nights when you know all attendees are fans. The Friends expansion was a huge hit at a themed party but fell completely flat when played with my colleagues who hadn’t watched the show.

Movie Expansions (Marvel, Disney, etc.)

Similar to the TV expansions, these focus on specific film franchises. I’ve tried the Marvel, Disney, and Harry Potter packs.

What works: High-quality images that capture iconic movie moments. Great for themed game nights.

What doesn’t: Limited utility beyond fans of the specific franchise. Some feel like cash grabs with minimal thought put into the caption cards.

My take: The Disney pack surprisingly has the broadest appeal due to generational nostalgia. The Marvel pack is extensive but requires everyone to be caught up on the MCU to fully appreciate.

Limited Edition and Seasonal Releases

Holiday Expansions

I’ve collected both the Holiday and Halloween themed expansions, each with approximately 50 photos and 100-150 captions.

What works: Perfect for seasonal gatherings. The holiday pack has become a tradition at our annual Christmas party.

What doesn’t: Obviously limited utility throughout the rest of the year. The Halloween pack in particular feels forced in some of its caption cards.

My take: Worth purchasing if you host regular seasonal gatherings. Otherwise, your money is better spent on more versatile expansions.

Pandemic Edition

Released during the height of COVID-19, this pack features quarantine and pandemic-themed content with 50 photo cards and 100 caption cards.

What works: Captured the zeitgeist of a unique historical moment. Some genuinely clever observations about lockdown life.

What doesn’t: Already feeling dated as the world returns to normal. Some jokes hit too close to home for those who experienced significant pandemic-related losses.

My take: An interesting time capsule that will either become increasingly irrelevant or gain nostalgic value, depending on how society processes the pandemic in retrospect.

Creating the Perfect Custom Mix

After years of collecting, I’ve developed a system for curating the optimal play deck that I now use for all game nights. Here’s my approach:

1. Assess your audience first. Before each game night, I mentally catalog who will be attending and adjust my deck accordingly.
2. Maintain a base ratio of 3:1 caption cards to image cards. Too many images dilutes the game; too many captions becomes overwhelming.
3. Refresh about 30% of your deck each time you play with the same group. This keeps the game feeling fresh while maintaining enough familiarity.
4. Create specialized sub-decks for different occasions. I maintain separate collections for family gatherings, close friends, work events, and “2 AM with my most inappropriate friends” scenarios.
5. Remove cards that consistently fall flat. I keep a mental note of cards that never get chosen or always create confusion rather than humor.

The Psychology Behind Effective Meme Cards

Through my extensive (perhaps excessive) experience, I’ve identified patterns in what makes certain cards work better than others:

Universality vs. Specificity Tension: The best cards find the sweet spot between being recognizable to a broad audience while still feeling personal and specific.

Recognition Factor: Images that trigger immediate recognition generate stronger reactions. This is why the classic memes in the base set still work despite being older.

Cultural Context Balance: Cards that require too much specialized knowledge to understand often fall flat, while those that are too generic lack punch.

Emotional Resonance: Images that capture authentic emotions consistently outperform those that feel staged or contrived.

Cost-Benefit Analysis: Are Expansions Worth It?

Let’s talk money. The core game typically retails around $30, while expansions range from $15-25. If you’re like me and have invested in numerous expansions, you’re looking at potentially hundreds of dollars spent on cardboard memes.

Value Calculation: I’ve found that a good expansion provides roughly 3-5 hours of fresh gameplay before the novelty diminishes. At $20 per expansion, that’s about $4-7 per hour of entertainment—cheaper than a movie but not insignificant.

Diminishing Returns: There’s a definite point of diminishing returns. My first five expansions dramatically improved our game nights, while the next ten added incrementally less value.

Strategic Purchasing: Rather than buying everything, I now recommend focusing on 1-2 core sets and 3-4 expansions that perfectly match your regular playing group’s interests and humor style.

Storage and Organization Solutions

A practical consideration often overlooked: where do you put all these cards? After trying several systems, here’s what works for me:

Categorized Box System: I use a card storage box with dividers separating cards into categories: core images, specialized images (by theme), general captions, adult captions, and specialized captions.

Pre-Game Curation: Before each game night, I select appropriate cards and create a playing deck specifically for that evening.

Labeling System: I use a small dot system on card backs to quickly identify which expansion a card belongs to when it’s time to reorganize.

Digital Inventory: I maintain a spreadsheet tracking which expansions I own, their approximate card counts, and notes on which groups they work best with.

When to Retire Cards: The Meme Lifecycle

Memes have lifecycles, and recognizing when a once-beloved image has lost its cultural relevance is key to maintaining a fresh game experience.

Cultural Expiration: Some references become dated quickly (remember Clubhouse memes?), while others have surprising staying power (Distracted Boyfriend remains effective years later).

Overexposure Factor: Even great cards become less funny with repeated play. I rotate out cards that have been featured in winning combinations multiple times.

Offensive Recalibration: What seemed acceptably edgy a few years ago might feel inappropriate today. I regularly reassess older cards against evolving social standards.

Custom Cards: The Ultimate Personalization

When you’ve exhausted commercial options, creating custom cards takes your game to the next level. I’ve experimented extensively with this approach:

Personal Photo Cards: Using inside jokes and photos of your friend group creates an unmatched personalized experience. I created a set featuring embarrassing photos of our core game night crew that’s now requested at every gathering.

Local Reference Cards: Caption cards referencing local establishments, regional jokes, or shared experiences consistently outperform generic options.

Production Quality Matters: Investing in proper card stock and printing makes a significant difference in the playing experience. My early attempts at printing on regular paper were disappointing.

Legal Considerations: If creating cards using copyrighted images or considering selling custom creations, be aware of potential intellectual property issues.

The Future of “What Do You Meme”

As the game continues to evolve, several trends are emerging that will likely influence future releases:

Digital Integration: The line between physical card games and app-based experiences continues to blur. I expect to see more AR features or companion apps.

Increased Personalization: Publishers are likely to offer more custom printing options as personalization technology becomes more accessible.

Faster Release Cycles: To capture trending memes before they become stale, publishers will likely accelerate their release schedules for certain packs.

Cross-Brand Collaborations: Expect more partnerships with media properties, celebrities, and brands seeking to capitalize on meme culture.

Ethical Considerations in Meme Card Games

An aspect rarely discussed: the ethics of commercializing meme culture. Many of the images used in these games originated from individuals who never consented to or profited from their likeness becoming famous.

Source Attribution: The game rarely acknowledges the origins of the memes it features, raising questions about credit and compensation.

Cultural Appropriation Concerns: Some memes have specific cultural contexts that can be lost or misrepresented when commercialized.

Consent Issues: The subjects of many popular memes never consented to becoming the face of particular jokes or emotions.

While these concerns don’t necessarily diminish the enjoyment of the game, they’re worth considering as conscious consumers.

My Top 5 Must-Have Expansions

After all this analysis, here are my definitive recommendations for expansions that provide the most value:

1. Basic Bitch Expansion – Consistently delivers laughs with a wide audience while remaining versatile enough to integrate with other themes.
2. Fresh AF Expansion – Provides necessary updates to the core set’s sometimes dated references.
3. Stoner Expansion – For the right audience, offers the highest laughs-per-card ratio of any expansion I’ve tried.
4. NSFW Base Set – Creates memorable (if occasionally uncomfortable) moments that define game nights.
5. TV Show Expansion matching your group’s favorite show – The personalization factor makes these worth the investment if you regularly play with fans.

Conclusion: Building Your Perfect Collection

As I look at my admittedly excessive collection of “What Do You Meme” expansions, I realize that the perfect collection isn’t about quantity—it’s about curation. Finding the perfect image pack for your specific friend group remains the single most important factor in maximizing your game night experience.

Start with a core set, add 2-3 expansions that perfectly match your regular players’ interests and humor sensibilities, and focus on curating the perfect deck rather than continuously buying new packs. Rotate cards regularly, be mindful of your audience, and don’t be afraid to remove cards that consistently fall flat.

The joy of “What Do You Meme” isn’t found in having the most complete collection—it’s in those perfect moments when just the right caption meets just the right image, and you can barely hear the next player over the sound of uncontrollable laughter.

And isn’t that what memes are really about? Not just the images or captions themselves, but the shared experience of laughing together at our collective absurdity. Whether you’re a casual player or a borderline obsessive collector like me, approaching your purchases thoughtfully will ensure your meme game nights remain fresh, relevant, and worth every penny spent.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go organize my collection again. The holiday expansion won’t sort itself back into storage until next December.