Exploding Kittens sounds like a rather cruel, brutal, horrible and quite frankly, messy game to play. Thankfully, this isn’t a game where young cats are detonated into fiery little pieces. Exploding Kittens is actually a hilarious kitty powered strategic card game of Russian Roulette from the very different games maker Exploding Kittens. It’s for people who are into kittens and explosions, and laser beams, and sometimes goats. No actual kittens (or goats or any other animals) are harmed, and the only real explosions that occur are when the players explode into laughter.
Exploding Kittens: Original Edition is a card game for 2-5 players, aged 7+ with a playing time of approximately 15 minutes and only takes 2 minutes to learn. The aim of the game is simple, avoid getting an Exploding Kitten card and you won’t explode! Who knows, you might even win the game.
In the box:
- 56 Cards
- Instructions
The game of Exploding Kittens is a card game. It is made up of 56 cards; 4x Exploding Kitten cards, 6x Defuse cards, 4x Shuffle cards, 4x Bearded Cat cards, 4x Hairy Potato Cat cards, 4x Rainbow-Ralphing Cat cards, 4x Favour cards, 5x Nope cards, 4x Skip cards, 5x See the Future cards, 4x Attack cards, 4x Tacocat cards and 4x Cattermelon cards.
Exploding Kittens is an hilarious tension-packed card game that will keep you on the edge of your seat, not in fear or terror, but laughter. Hopefully you will stay there and not be exploded by a not so loveable kitten. It is a game that has kittens, goats, magical enchiladas, weaponised back hair and explosions! What an diverse collection of cards to keep players entertained.
With these weird and wonderful cards, the aim of the game is to avoid drawing an exploding kitten card from the deck. If you do, you’re out of the game. Unless, of course, you have a defuse card that can save you from a purr-fect explosion.
The instructions are straightforward and easy to follow, it only takes a couple of minutes to learn the game. It involves more than just trying to avoid picking up a very dangerous kitten card. The deck is stacked with cards that can help you avoid, move, or even steal the exploding kittens, as well as cards that can scupper your opponents in different ways. It’s the luck of the draw, you never know what’s going to happen next, or what player is going to explode. The tension and anticipation of not knowing what is coming next makes this game so much fun. If you explode, you lose. Don’t explode and you win!
Before you start exploding kittens in your kitchen or living room there is some setting up to do. Remove the four Exploding Kittens cards and the six Defuse cards from the deck. Shuffle the remaining deck and deal four cards to each player. Give each player one Defuse card. Players must not let the other players see their cards. Insert the Exploding Kittens cards back into the pack – you must put back in one less than the number of players – so if 4 people are playing, only add back in 3 Exploding Kitten cards. Add the extra Defuse cards back into the pack. Shuffle the deck again and place the deck in the centre of the table within easy reach of all players, this is now the draw pile. Play can now begin, will you explode or not? Or will you be able to defuse the kitten with a laser pointer or catnip sandwich?
To start playing, you need to pick a player to start. You can use the criteria in the instructions (most impressive beard, most intimidating odour or shortest spleen) or you can just pick your own equally funny (or not so funny) criteria to decide. Or simply with the youngest or eldest player.
The starting player begins by flipping over a card from the draw pile and places it face up on the discard pile. The card will have instructions to follow, once that instruction is completed, that player can either draw another card or end their turn by drawing a card and placing it in their hand (keeping their fingers crossed that it’s not an exploding kitten). Players can use the cards in their hand to defuse exploding cards or play a card with different actions such as skip a card, attacking another player etc. Play continues until there is only one player left that hasn’t exploded.
Overall, we have really enjoyed playing Exploding Kittens. Games from Exploding Kittens are always fun. An excellent fun and very strategic card game. It is so easy to learn, fun to play and suitable for all ages.
Whilst players rely on the draw of a card, it is also a game that requires a lot of strategy and bluffing. Players need to know when it is best time to play a card from their hand, so strategic thinking and planning is key. Players also need to try and be aware of how many Exploding Kittens are left in the deck, and how likely they are to draw one. And with the strategy and clever card play, a sense of humour is a must to enjoy the absurdity of the game.
Whilst Exploding Kittens is a card game, the cards have no numbers on them, but they do have some excellent illustrations. Some are incredibly funny, with hilarious illustrations by Matthew Inman aka The Oatmeal (a cartoonist) and have witty card names and descriptions.
We think that this is an excellent quick and fun game for family game nights. It never gets old, and every round is different, unpredictable and full of fun and laughter.
Exploding Kittens: Original Edition (there are also expansion packs and other versions such as Cat Burglar, NSFW, Barking Kittens, Exploding Minions etc.) is a fun and enjoyable card game. You will be laughing as you play and will be cheering when your friends, kids and other family members are betrayed and explode. A fun game that is a different kind of Russian Roulette.
A fantastic game that will leave you, your family and your friends exploding in laughter.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £19.99
For more information, visit www.explodingkittens.com. Available to buy from Amazon here.
