Although I’ve been playing it on my phone forever, I have FINALLY acquired my very own copy of Exploding Kittens. My only lament is that I wish I had bought it sooner.
Much like the app version, Exploding Kittens is card game where the objective is to get rid of all your cards without drawing the exploding kitten card from the deck. Every player starts the game with one Defuse card in their hand of 8 starter cards, which is the only way to stay alive if you have the misfortune of drawing the namesake card.
A nice twist to the exploding kitten was introduced in the expansion pack, Imploding Kittens. If you draw the imploding kitten from the deck, you don’t “blow up” right away and you don’t need to waste your Defuse card(assuming you still have it in your hand, or were lucky enough to get another one from the draw pile). Instead, you return the card to the Draw Pile, face up. If you happen to be the poor sucker whose fate it is to draw it, you’re automatically out of the game.
My favorite aspects of the phone version are the vast array of characters you can choose as your avatar. While you cannot chat with the other players in your game, you can make your avatar “speak” with a selection of taunts and comments. Personal favorites are the Flying Spaghetti Monster and the T-Rex. Their taunts crack me up. Second are the sound effects of the cards. The digital game is full of meows and purrs that make playing it a little something extra.
Oh, did I mention there’s a NSFW-Adults only version, too? No? Well, now you know. Same cards, slightly naughtier drawings, though who could possibly get offended by cartoon boobs?
Featuring the most adorable (and hilarious) illustrations by The Oatmeal, Exploding Kittens is a fun game for everyone. If you have a large family, I suggest purchasing the party pack which comes with enough cards for 10 players. While the game is fun enough with just 4-5 people, a larger group can turn the game into all-out war.
The physical version of Exploding Kittens gets an A+++ from me. I’ve been trying to teach my 4 year old how to play. She kinda gets the groove it it, but not fully. I do love listening to her giggle endlessly about cat butts and cat beards. Just spending time with her fills me with joy, but next time we play she’s going to rue the day. (insert evil laugh)
Disclaimer: I bought this game at a local retail store. It was not given to me for review. However, this post contains links which will lead you to the product’s page on Amazon. You are under no obligation to make a purchase. But, not only would you be helping out this site, you will have a great time with your purchase.