Side-by-side images of Jamie Foxx as Max Dillon and Electro with 'Smash or Pass' text overlay

Smash or Pass

2010catchphraseclassic

Published November 10, 2026

Smash or Pass is a yes/no game where a player picks 'smash' (would hook up) or 'pass' (would not) in response to a photo of a person or character. The phrase ran as an offline party game before Urban Dictionary logged it on October 17, 2010, and by January 2017 YouTube channel De'arra & Ken 4 Life turned it into a dedicated video format that drew 5.7 million views.

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Overview

A typical round shows a photo of a celebrity, fictional character, or stranger, and the respondent answers 'smash' or 'pass' with no third option4. The challenge turns into deadpan comedy when the subject is a cartoon, Pokemon, or inanimate object2. YouTube versions take the form of reaction compilations organized around themes like Disney villains, anime cast shots, or a single franchise roster6. A mobile app by Go Casual Games swaps the friend for a crowd-vote screen that shows how other players ruled5.

Origin & Background

Platform
Urban Dictionary / YouTube (viral spread)
Date
2010

Smash or Pass circulated offline as a party game well before social media, with players calling out celebrity names and giving a one-word verdict3. The online record begins on October 17, 2010, when a user going by I.F. Definitions submitted an Urban Dictionary entry for the phrase, giving it a written form that could spread through forums and chat rooms4.

How It Spread

Smash or Pass stayed within forums and chat rooms until YouTube couple De'arra & Ken 4 Life uploaded 'SMASH OR PASS!!? (Celebrity Edition)' on January 10, 2017, reaching 5.7 million views over six years1. The video opened the format to themed reaction compilations from other creators6.

Later in 2017, Go Casual Games released a Smash or Pass mobile app that showed a photo, logged the pick, and revealed the aggregate vote; its last update landed on April 17, 20205. Markiplier posted a Pokemon-focused Smash or Pass on February 12, 2022, passing 10 million views in three months and shifting the genre toward anime and video game characters2. Follow-up compilations applied the question to full franchise cast lists7.

Timeline

2010-10-17

I.F. Definitions submits an Urban Dictionary entry for Smash or Pass, giving the phrase its first written online record.

2017-01-10

YouTube channel De'arra & Ken 4 Life uploads 'SMASH OR PASS!!? (Celebrity Edition)', which reaches 5.7 million views over six years.

2017

Go Casual Games releases a Smash or Pass mobile app that shows photo results alongside the majority vote from other players.

2020-04-17

Go Casual Games pushes its final update to the Smash or Pass mobile app.

2022-02-12

Markiplier posts a Pokemon-focused Smash or Pass that crosses 10 million views in three months and reorients the genre around anime and video game characters.

How to Use This Meme

One player shows a photo or short clip of a person or character and asks the other to answer 'smash' if they would be willing to sleep with them or 'pass' if not4. YouTube versions typically wrap the question around a theme such as a franchise roster or celebrity lineup1. The mobile app replaces the friend with an aggregate vote reveal5.

Frequently Asked Questions