Which Expansion

It's a Wonderful World expansions

Base game: 1–5 players45 minLa Boîte de Jeu3 expansions checked
  1. #1 overall

    It's a Wonderful World: Corruption & Ascension

    Buy this first

    BGG rates it 8.12 from 2,111 ratings, above the base game. BGG owners recommend it and say they will not play without it.

    Needs: Needs the base game (It's a Wonderful World); the Ascension cards are shuffled in or left out as you choose.

    Adds: A separate deck of Ascension cards with corruption cards, pair scoring and bigger point values, plus an extra Oceania empire card and components for more players.

    Fixes: Gives a higher scoring ceiling and a corruption trade-off that BGG owners say makes games more varied.

    Expansion1–7 playersAdds more rulesFine for any group
    DetailsReference:View on BoardGameGeekBuy:La Boîte de Jeu
  2. #2 overall

    It's a Wonderful World: Leisure & Decadence

    Depends on your group

    BGG rates it 8.02 from only 366 ratings. Owners disagree: some say the unlocked modules add real depth, others say it is only for campaign fans.

    Needs: Just the base game

    Adds: A campaign of six scenarios with envelopes and secret boxes, plus Culture and Celebrities and Workers modules you can keep using in normal games.

    Fixes: Adds scripted scenarios and persistent modules for groups that like campaign play.

    Scenario pack1–5 playersAdds more rulesBest for experienced groups
    DetailsReference:View on BoardGameGeekBuy:La Boîte de Jeu
  3. #3 overall

    It's a Wonderful World: War or Peace

    Depends on your group

    BGG rates it 7.73 from 1,267 ratings, slightly above the base game. It suits groups who want a campaign, and the publisher sells it only inside the Heritage box.

    Needs: Just the base game

    Adds: A five-scenario campaign in envelopes where your choices tip the story towards peace or world war, with extra cards and rewards carried between games.

    Fixes: Adds scripted scenarios with story and carry-over rewards to a game otherwise played as repeated score chases.

    Scenario pack1–5 playersAdds more rulesBest for experienced groups
    DetailsReference:View on BoardGameGeekBuy:La Boîte de Jeu

Need the base game?

Reference:View on BoardGameGeekBuy:La Boîte de Jeu

Stuck between two?

It's a Wonderful World expansions: quick answers

Which It's a Wonderful World expansion should I buy first?

It's a Wonderful World: Corruption & Ascension. BGG rates it 8.12 from 2,111 ratings, above the base game. BGG owners recommend it and say they will not play without it.

Is It's a Wonderful World: Corruption & Ascension worth it?

Our verdict: buy this first. It adds: A separate deck of Ascension cards with corruption cards, pair scoring and bigger point values, plus an extra Oceania empire card and components for more players.

It's a Wonderful World: Corruption & Ascension or It's a Wonderful World: Leisure & Decadence: which first?

We’d buy It's a Wonderful World: Corruption & Ascension first. See the side-by-side comparison for what each adds and needs.

Other games’ expansion guides

Rankings are our editorial picks, built from the reviews linked on each expansion page. Last checked 2026-10-15.