Exploding Kittens is a fast, silly, “last-one-standing” card game about avoiding catastrophic cat explosions while using sneaky action cards to mess with your friends.
It is easy to learn, plays in around 15 minutes, and has become one of the most successful party card games ever made.
What is Exploding Kittens?
Exploding Kittens is a lightweight party card game for 2–5 players (up to 9 if you combine two decks) where players draw cards until someone pulls an Exploding Kitten and is instantly out of the game – unless they can defuse it.
The tone is deliberately ridiculous, with artwork and humour from Matthew Inman of The Oatmeal, and card effects featuring things like laser beams, taco cats, and magical enchilada powers.
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The game was designed by Elan Lee, Matthew Inman, and Shane Small and first released in 2015 after a record-breaking Kickstarter campaign.
It is marketed as a “family-friendly, party game for people who are into kittens and explosions and sometimes goats,” and the original edition is generally recommended for ages 7+.
​What’s In The Box?
The standard Exploding Kittens Original Edition comes in a compact box containing a 56-card deck plus a short rules leaflet.
Inside the deck are:​
- Exploding Kitten cards
- Defuse cards
- Action cards like Attack, Skip, See the Future, Shuffle, Favor and Nope
- “Cat” cards that are mostly used in combos
There are family-friendly editions and separate NSFW editions, plus multiple expansion packs (e.g. Imploding Kittens, Streaking Kittens) and spinoff games, but the core box is totally self-contained and works fine on its own.
The small footprint, quick setup and minimal components make it easy to throw into a bag for parties, holidays and pub nights.
How Do You Play?
At the start of a game, all Exploding Kitten and Defuse cards are removed from the deck.
Each player is dealt a starting hand (commonly 4–7 cards, depending on edition) plus one Defuse card.
Then, a number of Exploding Kittens equal to the number of players minus one is shuffled back into the main deck along with any leftover Defuse cards.
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On your turn, you may play any number of cards from your hand, resolving their effects, and then you must end your turn by drawing a card from the deck (unless a card lets you avoid drawing).
If you draw an Exploding Kitten, you must reveal it immediately; if you do not have a Defuse card, you are out of the game, but if you do, you play your Defuse, discard it, and secretly place the Exploding Kitten back into the deck wherever you like.
Key Card Types And What They Do
The core of the game is learning what each card allows you to do and when to use it.
The main types are:
- Exploding Kitten: If drawn, you explode and lose unless you play a Defuse; if you cannot, you discard your entire hand and leave the game.
- Defuse: Cancels an Exploding Kitten; you then sneak that kitten back into the deck at any position, setting traps for future players.
- Attack / Slap: Ends your turn without drawing and forces the next player to take multiple turns in a row, dramatically increasing their chances of exploding.
- Skip: Immediately ends your turn without drawing, effectively dodging a potentially dangerous top card.
- See the Future: Lets you peek at the top few cards of the deck, giving you crucial information about what’s coming.
- Shuffle: Shuffles the draw pile so no one knows where the Exploding Kittens are sitting.
- Favor: Forces another player to give you a card from their hand.
- Nope: Cancels another player’s action card (but not Exploding Kittens or Defuse), adding a strong “take-that” and bluffing element.
Some cards simply show bizarre cats and have no text; these are used in sets (e.g. two-of-a-kind, three-of-a-kind or five different cards) to steal specific or random cards from other players or retrieve a card from the discard pile.
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The game continues until all but one player has been blown up by kittens; the last surviving player wins.
Is Exploding Kittens Fun To Play?
Exploding Kittens is built around tension, push-your-luck decisions, and take-that interaction rather than deep strategy.
Every turn ends with a card draw that might be harmless or might blow you up, and most of the fun comes from reading the table, managing your hand and timing your “Nope”, Attack or Defuse cards.
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The humour is intentionally absurd and a bit dark, with weird cat illustrations and over-the-top card text reminiscent of The Oatmeal’s comics.
Table talk, bluffing, and mock drama are a big part of the experience, which makes it especially lively with the right group of friends, families with older kids, or casual gamers.
Player Count, Age Range and Playtime
The base game supports 2–5 players, and two decks can be combined to support up to 9 players, making it very flexible for small gatherings and larger parties.
Official guidance usually lists it as suitable for ages 7+ for the original edition, with a separate NSFW deck clearly marketed for adults due to more mature humour.
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Most games take around 10–20 minutes, depending on player count and how cautious or chaotic your group is.
Because rounds are so short, it is easy to play several games back-to-back, rotate players in and out, or use it as a warm-up or filler game on a bigger game night.
Expansions and Spin-offs
Exploding Kittens has grown into a full brand with multiple expansions and spin-off games built on the same humour and simple, chaotic style.
Popular expansions and variants (sold separately) include:
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Imploding Kittens – adds new cards, a cone of shame and raises the player count.
Streaking Kittens – introduces a new “Streaking Kitten” mechanic and other twists.
Barking Kittens – adds team play and more strategic options.
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There are also related titles like Throw Throw Burrito, You’ve Got Crabs and Bears vs Babies from the same publisher.
Plus, there is a Netflix mobile game and animated series deal announced in 2022, showing just how big the brand has become.
For most people, though, the Original Edition is the best starting point, with expansions as optional extras once the base game has seen plenty of table time.
How Popular and Successful Is It?
Exploding Kittens became a phenomenon on Kickstarter, raising over $8.7 million dollars from more than 219,000 backers, making it one of the most-backed projects in the platform’s history.
That early success translated into long-term popularity: the game has gone on to sell at least 20 million copies worldwide, consistently ranking among the top-selling card and party games across major retailers.
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Its success helped kickstart a wave of quirky, visually distinctive party card games and turned Exploding Kittens LLC into a major casual games publisher.
For buyers, this popularity signals that the game has strong staying power, ongoing support and plenty of potential opponents who already know how to play.
Who Will Enjoy Exploding Kittens?
Exploding Kittens is best suited to families with children around 7–12 who enjoy silly humour and can cope with being knocked out of a round without taking it too seriously.
It also works very well for casual gamers and mixed-ability groups who want something they can teach in a couple of minutes and play while chatting, eating or drinking.
Party groups that enjoy take-that interaction, bluffing, shouting “Nope!” at each other and laughing about the time someone hid a kitten on top of the deck are likely to get the most out of it.
It is less ideal for groups that dislike player elimination, because someone can be knocked out early and must wait for the next game, or for players who prefer heavy strategy and longer, more tactical experiences.
Since the randomness and top-deck tension are very much features rather than bugs, the game can feel frustrating if you are not on board with that style of play.
Is It Worth Buying?
For most households and friend groups looking for a quick, funny filler game, Exploding Kittens is worth buying, especially at typical card-game price points.
You get an easy-to-teach rule set, distinctive artwork, and a high-energy experience that works across ages and gaming experience levels, which makes it extremely versatile for holidays, parties and casual evenings.
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On the plus side, you can explain the objective and basic actions in under five minutes, and even non-gamers usually “get it” after a round or two.
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The randomness of card draws, the psychological game of hiding or re-planting Exploding Kittens, and the constant table talk keep it fresh for many, many plays in social settings.
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It comes in a pocket-sized box, and 15-minute playtime means you will actually bring it along and play it, rather than leaving it on a shelf.
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However, player elimination means someone may be sat out for a few minutes if they explode early, which not every group enjoys.
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Luck plays a large role; while there are meaningful decisions (when to Defuse, when to attack, when to “Nope”), it is not a deeply strategic game and won’t satisfy players looking for long-term tactical depth.
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The humour, while generally light-hearted, leans into absurd violence (exploding cats); most families are fine with this, but very sensitive players may dislike the theme.
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If you want a fast, chaotic, laugh-out-loud card game that works for teens, families and non-gamer friends, Exploding Kittens is a strong recommendation and has the sales numbers and staying power to back it up.
For sheer, silly entertainment in a small box, Exploding Kittens delivers exactly what it promises.
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