When it comes to selecting a game for family night, you stand there looking at the board shelves or delving into the depths the games cupboard and the classics, that we all have, always seem to stand out; Monopoly, Scrabble and Cluedo. I love these games but they don’t always have to be the go to games. For those seeking something a little more offbeat, quirky board games have carved out a delightful niche. These games thrive on absurdity, unexpected twists and laugh-out-loud moments, offering a refreshing break from traditional strategy or trivia formats. They’re perfect for families who love to mix silliness with competition, and when it comes to these types of game, who are better than Exploding Kittens! We love playing Exploding Kittens games, especially the original card game of the same name, now we get to play Exploding Kittens: The Board Game, which has been adapted from the wildly popular card game. This expanded version amps up the chaos, adds new layers of strategy and delivers a riotous experience that’s ideal for players of all ages.
Exploding Kittens: The Board Game is a chaotic and interactive board game for 2-6 players, age 7+. With a playing time of around 20 minutes it combines strategy and humour and plenty of board flipping fun.
In the box:
- 65 Action Cards
- 26 Move Cards
- 1 Pop-Up Game Board
- 6 Standees of Classic Characters
- Instruction Manual
- Field Guide
The aim of the game is to make it to the end of the board, from the litter tray to the ribbon, without landing on the Exploding Kitten, navigating a board that is filled with traps and challenges and players trying to sabotage you to manipulate the board to their own ends. The wrong move will see the board flipped, putting you on a new path.
To set up the game to play is straightforward. Unfold the board, so that the blue calm side is showing, and place it on the table – not in the centre like most board games but at the far edge so that everybody can sit in front of it. Each player picks a playing character and places it on the start of the board, the litter box. Shuffle the Action Cards and deal 5 to each player (keep yours secret from the other players). Place the remaining Action Cards face down on the table near the board. Separate the Danger Magnet cards from the Move Discs and place them face up near the rear of the board. Shuffle the Move Discs and place them face down near the board. And finally, pick a player to start the game – it doesn’t need to be the youngest, it can be the loudest, funniest or whatever your deciding criteria is.
Now the fun can begin. The starting player plays as many, or none, of the Action Cards from their hand as they like (these have actions such as Defuse, One Small Step, No, Flip and several more). Then flip a move disc and place it face up on the table for all to see – this has a number on it and determines how many spaces you move on the board. When moving, you will land on a number space (tells you how many Action Cards to pick up and put back in your hand), a space that has another player’s character on it (you then move yours to the next available space) and finally, the dreaded Exploding Kitten space (there are only 2 in the blue calm mode of the game, 9 in the red Chaos mode) – land on one and you need to swap places with the player in last place). Play continues until a player reaches the ribbon and wins the game. But beware – some Action Cards and Move Discs say “Flip the Board” – that doesn’t mean throw a tantrum and flip the board off the table. When instructed to Flip the Board, you flip the board like turning the page in a book and the red Chaos mode will be revealed, a 3D pop-up version of the board with a much more dangerous path to navigate. You continue on this path trying to reach the ribbon while desperately trying to avoid the multitude of Exploding Kitten spaces until you reach the end or one of the cards tells you to flip again. And to win isn’t that easy either, to land on the winning ribbon space you need to land exactly, so if you need 1 move to land, picking up a Move Disc with 2 is no good – don’t get the correct number and you need to follow the loop path that moves you backwards on the board to try again.
Overall, we think that Exploding Kittens: The Board Game is superb. It takes the fun, excitement and originality of the original card game and gives it a fantastic boost. We just loved the fast-paced and unpredictable gameplay, with each turn offering the potential for sabotage, surprise or survival. Anyone that has played the original game (or other Exploding Kittens titles) will be familiar with character playing pieces: like the Tacocat and Hairy Potato Cat.
The game has very simple rules and only takes a few minutes to learn the game mechanics (the video tutorial on the Exploding Kittens website makes it easier to understand – although the printed instructions are straightforward to follow) and there is a handy Field Game if you want to know more about what each Action Card does.
The board is brilliant. The blue mode is nice and calm, not so difficult a path for players to navigate. But where’s the fun it that? Once flipped, which is just like turning the page in a book, it explodes into chaos with its 3D pop-up background, its red colouring, explosions, fire and exploding kitten and is so much more difficult to navigate adding in some fun tension.
We think that this is a fantastic (or rather, funtastic) game. It would make an purr-fect addition to any family game shelf. While retaining the anarchic spirit of the original card game it has added new dimensions that make it even more engaging and fun. It doesn’t matter whether you are dodging explosions or plotting your next move with a sly grin, this game guarantees laughter, surprises and memorable moments. For families who love their game nights with a side of chaos and creativity, this quirky gem is definitely what’s good to play.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £24.99
For more information, visit www.explodingkittens.com. Available to buy from Amazon here.