Exploding Kittens

1 Overview

Exploding Kittens is a card game about avoiding a cat-shaped bomb. The deck is mostly harmless - but hidden within are Exploding Kitten cards. If you draw one without a Defuse, you're out. The rest of the deck is a collection of action cards designed to help you avoid the explosion and redirect it toward your friends.

Created by Elan Lee (Xbox) and Matthew Inman (The Oatmeal), it raised over $8.7 million on Kickstarter in 2015 and remains one of the fastest-selling card games ever. It's extremely quick to learn and brutal to your relationships.

2 What You Need

• 56-card deck (standard edition):
  • 4 Exploding Kittens
  • 6 Defuse cards
  • 4 Attack cards
  • 4 Nope cards
  • 4 Skip cards
  • 4 See the Future cards
  • 5 Favor cards
  • 5 Shuffle cards
  • 20 Cat cards (various)

3 Setup

1. Remove all Exploding Kitten cards and Defuse cards from the deck.
2. Deal 7 cards to each player. Include exactly 1 Defuse in each hand.
3. Insert remaining Defuse cards back into the draw pile.
4. Insert Exploding Kittens back into the draw pile (one fewer than the number of players - e.g., 3 Kittens for 4 players).
5. Shuffle the draw pile. The player who most recently used a litter box goes first.

4 How to Play

On your turn:

1. Play any number of action cards from your hand (or none).
2. End your turn by drawing a card from the top of the deck.
3. If you draw an Exploding Kitten: show it to everyone. If you have a Defuse card, play it - you're safe! Return the Exploding Kitten to any position in the deck (secretly). If you have no Defuse card, you're eliminated.

Key Cards

• Skip: End your turn without drawing. Play to avoid drawing.
• Attack: End your turn without drawing AND force the next player to take 2 turns.
• Nope: Cancel any card except an Exploding Kitten or Defuse. Can be played at any time.
• See the Future: Peek at the top 3 cards of the deck.
• Shuffle: Shuffle the draw pile (randomizes where that Exploding Kitten is hiding).
• Favor: Force another player to give you one card of their choice.
• Cat cards (pairs): Play 2 matching cat cards to steal a random card from any player.

5 Winning

The last player remaining after all others have drawn Exploding Kittens (and failed to Defuse them) wins. If you're the second-to-last player standing, you still must end your turn by drawing.

6 Tips

• Hold Defuse cards late. You only need one Defuse per Exploding Kitten you draw. Don't waste them early on a low-risk draw.
• Use See the Future constantly. Knowing what's coming lets you plan Skips and Attacks. Use it aggressively.
• When you Defuse, bury the Kitten deep. The bottom of the deck is safest if there's only one other player left. Middle is best in multiplayer.
• Nope is most powerful on Favor and Attack. Block an Attack coming at you or prevent someone from stealing your cards.
• Attack the player with the most Defuses. Force them to draw twice. Burn their safety net.