Do you like kittens? What about explosions? What about combining the two and Exploding Kittens? If you said yes, what’s wrong with you? That all sounds rather brutal, cruel and quite frankly, messy. Thankfully, Exploding Kittens, from the games maker Exploding Kittens, is an hilarious card game where no actual kittens are harmed, and no real explosions occur, unless you count exploding into laughter.
Exploding Kittens: Original Edition is a card game for 2-5 players, aged 7+ with a playing time of approximately 15 minutes. The aim of the game is simple, avoid getting an Exploding Kitten and you won’t explode! You might even win the game.
In the box:
- 56 Cards
- Instructions
The cards are made up of 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.
If you love playing card games that and fun, then Exploding Kittens is an hilarious tension-packed game that will keep you on the edge of your seat laughing. 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 eclectic collection.
The goal 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.
It is an easy game to learn and play and involves more than just trying to avoid picking up an explosion card. The deck is also stacked with other 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 who is going to explode. It’s the tension of not knowing that makes this game so much fun. If you explode, you lose. Don’t explode and you win!
Before you can start playing there is some setting up to do, as with most games. You need to 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 only put in one less than the number of players – so if 4 people are playing, only add back in 3 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.
Somebody must start, so pick a player to begin. 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.
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 the instruction is complete 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 to do 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, I have enjoyed playing Exploding Kittens. Games from Exploding Kittens are always fun, although I don’t think that is as much fun as A Game of Cat & Mouth, but they are very different games. That said, Exploding Kittens is a great 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 thinking and planning are 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 it is a card game, the cards are not numbered but have some excellent illustrations. Some are incredibly funny, with hilarious illustrations by The Oatmeal (a cartoonist) and have witty card names and descriptions.
I 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 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 explode. A fun game that is a different kind of Russian Roulette.
A fantastic game that will leave you exploding in laughter.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £19.99
For more information, visit www.explodingkittens.com. Available to buy from Amazon here.
DISCLOSURE: All thoughts and opinions are my own. This review uses an affiliate link which I may receive a small commission from if you purchase through the link.
