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Home » Blog » The Best Family Games

Exploding Kittens: A Portable Family Card Game You Can Pick-up In 5-Minutes

Published: Jan 21, 2021 · Modified: Sep 8, 2022 by Zina Harrington · Post may contain affiliate links

Exploding Kittens is a family favorite and is a portable game you can pick-up in five minutes. This easy to learn card game is hilariously fun and great for on-the-go play.

The card game Exploding Kittens Game layed out on a table with the cards displayed.

Exploding Kittens remains a quick go-to option for fast, funny, family entertainment.

You'll love that this simple game is portable and a simple on-the-go purse option. We've played this hilarious card game with random kids before ski practice, with grandparents while waiting for dinner to be served at a restaurant, and even on a picnic table with friends while camping.

It's short, simple, and fun.

In this Exploding Kittens post:

Skip ahead to the information most relevant to you!

Jump to:
  • Exploding Kitten | Game Description
  • Important Parent FAQs
  • Is Exploding Kittens right for your family?
  • How To Play Exploding Kittens
  • Family Game Reviews of Exploding Kittens

Exploding Kitten | Game Description

PLAYERS: 2-5
PLAYING TIME: 15 minutes
AGE: 7+
AMAZON RATING: ★ Stars | Customer Reviews

GAME DESCRIPTION: Exploding kittens is a card game for people who are into kittens and explosions and laser beams and sometimes goats.

In this highly-strategic, kitty-powered version of Russian roulette, players draw cards until someone draws an exploding kitten, at which point they explode, they are Dead, and they are out of the game -- unless that player has a defuse card, which can defuse the kitten using things like laser pointers, belly rubs, and catnip sandwiches. All of the other cards in the deck are used to move, mitigate, or avoid the exploding kittens.

Exploding Kittens is the most-backed crowdfunded project ever, the most-funded game in the history of Kickstarter, and has paved the way for peace and tranquility in the modern world.

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Important Parent FAQs

Not sure if Exploding Kittens is the right game for your family? Here are a few common parent game FAQs answered.

The game is...

  • PORTABLE — It is great for on the go.
  • EASY TO LEARN — The super-simple instructions are written on the cards themselves for quick reference.
  • EASY TO PLAY — Very casual.
  • REPLAYABLE — My tweens want to play it non-stop, I get bored of it.
  • HUMOROUS — I've got one word for you: Tacocat.
  • DESIGNED WELL — I wouldn't call it beautiful, but the graphic design is definitely entertaining.

GET THE GAME

Is Exploding Kittens right for your family?

Let's go beyond the game itself and talk about your family's needs and preferences. Here are a few common family FAQs answered.

The game is...

  • FUN FOR ADULTS + KIDS — We play this at family gatherings with aunts, uncles, and grandparents.
  • SEMI-STRATEGY FOCUSED — Strategy can help, but it is by no means required.
  • FUN FOR NON-GAMERS — A great family game for casual conversations.
  • NOT MATH DEPENDENT — Math is not required.
  • READING HEAVY — There are instructions as to what each card does/offers, but after a few rounds, you start to pick up what the different cards do quickly.

ORDER ONLINE

Young girl holding Exploding Kitten cards with the following quote written overtop, "Life is more fun if you play games."

How To Play Exploding Kittens

In this section you will find:

  • How To Play In A Nutshell
  • The Official Exploding Kittens Rules
  • Getting Started Video Tutorial
  • A Sample Round Video

How To Play In A Nutshell:

  • In the deck of cards are some "Exploding Kittens." You play the game by putting the deck face down and taking turns drawing cards until someone draws an Exploding Kitten.
  • When that happens, that person explodes. They are now dead and out of the game. The more cards you draw, the greater your chances of drawing an Exploding Kitten!
  • This process continues until there’s only one player left, who wins the game.

READ THE INSTRUCTIONS

Cartoon characters playing a game of Exploding Kittens.

The Official Exploding Kittens Rules

This game was created by a writer who also does graphic design, and that is evident in the Exploding Kitten written instructions. Take a quick peek! Visually learn how to:

  • How to set up
  • Take your turn
  • End the game

Exploding Kittens Video Tutorial

If your family learns faster with a video, here's the official Exploding Kitten tutorial.

Sample Round of Exploding Kittens

Want a bit more depth? Here's a sample round of Exploding Kitten.

Family Game Reviews of Exploding Kittens

We lovingly call our family-quartet The Core Four. We believe a family that plays together stays together — and is less prone to fistfights. Here is our family game rating system.

Family Game Rating System

★★★★★ — I love this game and am always excited to play.
★★★★ — I like it!
★★★ — Meh. It's ok.
★★ — You're gonna have to talk me into playing this one.
★ — I never want to play this stinking game again.

Exploding Kittens | 4.5 out of ★★★★★

Our game closet is overflowing, and we're here to share our favorite finds with you.

RELUCTANT GAMER MOM — ★★★★
I've always been a big fan of The Oatmeal and Matthew Inman, so of course, I am a fan of Exploding Kittens. I like that the game includes how to info on each playing card, making it easy to learn.

GAMER DAD — ★★★★★
I like it because you can partner up with younger kids and teach them to play. There's a perfect amount of randomness and strategy.

GAMER DAUGHTER 1 —  ★★★★★
I like to play it because it is short and the cards are hilarious. I like to play this game with my sister, actually with everyone.

GAMER DAUGHTER 2 — ★★★★
Exploding Kittens is really fun. The pictures are really funny, but there's a lot of strategy involved too, which I like.

GAMER CAT —  Negative ★★★★★'s
This game is morbid.

CORE FOUR FAMILY RATING — 4.5 out of 5 Stars

ORDER EXPLODING KITTENS

A photo of a live cat standing over the Exploding Kittens card game with the quote, "This is morbid" written overtop.

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