Exploding Kittens

Why it's in our library

We keep Exploding Kittens on our kids-and-families shelf for groups who like a card game with a little suspense.

How to play

The goal is to be the last player still in the game.

To set up, take the Exploding Kitten cards and the Defuse cards out of the deck. Give each player one Defuse, then deal everyone a small hand from the rest. Shuffle back in one fewer Exploding Kitten than there are players, plus any spare Defuses the box rules call for, and set the deck face down.

On your turn, play as many action cards from your hand as you like, or none at all. Then end your turn by drawing the top card. Actions can let you finish your turn without drawing, make the next player take two turns, peek at the top few cards, shuffle the deck, or make another player hand you a card of their choosing. Cat cards do nothing on their own, but a matching pair lets you take a random card from someone else. A Nope cancels another player's action, and it can be played at any time. It helps to say early that Nope can cancel almost anything except a Kitten or a Defuse.

If you draw an Exploding Kitten, play a Defuse straight away. Then secretly slide the Kitten back into the deck wherever you choose. If you have no Defuse, you are out.

The game ends when only one player is left, and that player wins.

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