Intro/First Impressions

Surprise! The Crazy Cat Lady likes the game with cats! Actually, I was horrified by the exploding cat concept when I first heard about it, but my horror was misplaced and dissipated quickly during our first game with the NSFW version. The images aren’t as offensive as they are hilarious. Dirty humour? Check. Inappropriate themes? Check. Ridiculously-named cards? Check check. The family-friendly version has hilariously-named cards, ridiculous illustrations, and all the same fun. Stack your hand with defensive and offensive cards, avoid the Exploding Kitten, and be the last one standing to win the game. It's strategy, thievery, sabotage and quirky illustrations all wrapped up in one cute box. What's not to love? The Oatmeal really came through on this game.

Thoughts

​Exploding Kittens is so easy to learn, and while I was disappointed it maxes out at 5 people, I was delighted to discover you can combine versions to increase the number of players. (Also, there's now an "Imploding Kittens" expansion which changes the max players to 6. Awesome.) It may seem like a game you’ll get tired of quickly, but if you think this, you’re wrong. The game is equally challenging with two people as it is with five, because the number of Exploding Kitten card adapts to the number of players. The only way to survive an Exploding Kitten is to avoid this card completely or to use your Defuse card.  You may not want to play four or five games in a row, but it’s definitely a game to keep in your stockpile for a quickie, or to give your brain a bit of a rest.

​Throughout the game, you’ll see action cards and non-action cards, many hilariously-titled. Overly-Prolific Mama Cat, for instance, with kittens shooting out of her. Every card has a purpose, even the ones that don't actually have an action tied to them. A pair of non-action cards allows you to steal cards, a triplicate may allow you to steal a specific card, and five different non-action cards let you sift through the discard pile. (Hello, Defuse card!) 

What I like about Exploding Kittens is how quickly it turns from a placid, I-want-to-stack-my-hand pickup game into aggressive warfare. Once someone lays down an action card, all bets are off, and everyone jumps into the fray, trying to one-up other players or disable them completely. It’s a simple, easy to learn game with a lot of twists, and a lot of opportunities to die. Tension runs thick, and you constantly wonder whether you should have played your last action card before drawing. You never know when you’re going to draw an Exploding Kitten, and if you don’t have a Defuse card: ka-boom!

Oh, and did I mention? Once you draw an Exploding Kitten, even if you’re dead, you get to insert the card secretly back into the draw deck, anywhere you want—you can even count how many cards down to place the Exploding Kitten. So your friend who stole your Defuse card and laughed when you died? It’s payback time.

Meow!

Conclusion

This is a great addition to your game stash. If you love kittens, if you hate kittens, if you love thievery, this game has something for everyone. It's a quick little game to play and as fun with two as it is with six. Cursing and ganging up on people abounds, and everyone is equally able to win or lose. There's strategy in your cards, but sometimes, there's no way to avoid the inevitable explosion. We play a lot of games that I question the age recommendations, but this isn't one of them. It's suitable for adults and older kids alike, and at  around $25, it's a no-lose buy.