Exploding Kittens: Party Pack – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Exploding Kittens: Party Pack

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

Board Game2017

75%

WISE Score

7.1

Board Game Geek

Russian Roulette with cartoon cats—absurd, quick, chaotic fun for groups who don't take game night too seriously.

Exploding Kittens: Party Pack

Board Game

7+, 2017

75%

WISE Score

7.1

Board Game Geek

Russian Roulette with cartoon cats—absurd, quick, chaotic fun for groups who don't take game night too seriously.

4.7

7.1

Jump to

Also rated on

4.7

7.1/10

View →

Where to Play

Amazon

Our reviews and ratings are 100% unbiased, but as an Amazon Associate, Screenwise earns an affiliate fee if you buy a book or game by clicking one of our links. We don't get any credit if you just Google it instead :)

Screenwise Verdict

Exploding Kittens became a cultural phenomenon for good reason—it's genuinely funny, dead simple to learn, and creates moments of genuine tension and laughter around the table. The artwork is distinctive, the premise is absurd, and it gets groups of mixed ages playing together quickly.

That said, it's not going to win awards for strategic depth. This is a party game through and through: high on luck, light on strategy, heavy on chaos. The player elimination mechanic is a bummer if you're knocked out early, and the novelty does wear thin after 20+ plays.

But for what it is—a quick, silly icebreaker that works with big groups and doesn't require a PhD to understand—it delivers. It's the board game equivalent of a summer blockbuster: fun, accessible, a bit shallow, but everyone leaves smiling. Just don't expect Settlers of Catan levels of replayability.

Age Fit

Best for ages 7-16, though adults often enjoy it at parties. Younger kids (7-9) will get the rules but may struggle with the strategic timing. Teens and adults appreciate the absurdist humor and social chaos. It's a gateway game that works across ages but isn't deep enough to hold serious gamers' attention long-term.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

The game has absurdist humor with quirky illustrations of exploding kittens and bizarre card names, but it's cartoonish rather than mean-spirited. The 'take that' mechanics involve sabotaging opponents (forcing them to draw cards, skipping their turns), which can create some friction, but it's all in good fun for a party game. The humor skews silly rather than crude, though the premise of kittens exploding is darkly comedic. Works well for families who appreciate offbeat humor and don't mind a bit of competitive chaos.

Imaginative

The game's premise is genuinely weird and creative—Russian Roulette with cats is not your standard board game concept. The card illustrations by The Oatmeal (Matthew Inman) are distinctive and quirky. However, gameplay itself is fairly straightforward luck-based card drawing with light strategy through hand management. It doesn't invite creative problem-solving or open-ended play, but the absurdist theme and artwork give it personality that stands out in the party game space.

Safe

Board games are inherently safe, and this one has no concerning content for its 7+ age rating. The 'exploding kittens' are cartoon illustrations, not graphic. The competitive 'take that' mechanics can create some player conflict, but that's standard for party games and actually teaches kids to handle losing gracefully. Player elimination means some people sit out after being knocked out, which can be a bummer in longer games, but rounds are quick (15 min). No gambling mechanics, no inappropriate themes. The social dynamics are typical party game fare—some friendly sabotage but nothing toxic.

Enriching

This is a light party game (BGG weight 1.07) focused on entertainment rather than deep strategic thinking. Players learn basic probability assessment (when to play defuse cards, when to risk drawing), hand management, and risk evaluation. The push-your-luck element teaches decision-making under uncertainty. It's great for social bonding and getting groups laughing together. However, there's limited skill ceiling—luck plays a huge role, and strategic depth is minimal. It's enriching in the sense that any face-to-face social game builds connection, but it won't teach complex strategy or problem-solving.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Genuinely funny premise and artwork from The Oatmeal that kids and adults both enjoy
Super quick to learn (under 5 minutes) and plays fast, making it accessible for mixed-age groups
Scales well up to 10 players, perfect for big family gatherings or parties
The tension of drawing cards creates genuine excitement and laughter
Teaches basic probability and risk assessment in a low-stakes, silly context

⚠

What to Watch For

Player elimination means knocked-out players sit and watch—can be boring if you're first out
High luck factor frustrates kids who want more control over outcomes
The 'take that' mechanics (forcing opponents to draw, stealing cards) can spark sibling conflicts if someone's a sore loser
Novelty wears off after many plays—it's more 'fun' than 'deep'

Conversation Starters

"When you had to decide whether to play your defuse card or risk it, what made you choose?"
"Which card power do you think is the most useful? Why?"
"How do you feel when someone forces you to draw extra cards? Is that fair game?"
"If you could design a new card for this game, what would it do?"

Deep Dive

The Oatmeal Factor

If you aren't familiar with the webcomic The Oatmeal, the art style here might feel like a fever dream. Designer Matthew Inman brought his specific brand of absurdism to the deck, which is the primary reason this game works. It’s not just "a cat game." It’s a game where you play a "Magical Hippo Potato" or a "Tacocat" to save yourself from a fiery feline demise.

For kids, this humor is a massive hook. It feels slightly rebellious and weird without actually crossing into territory that's truly inappropriate for a ten-year-old. The visual gags provide a necessary distraction from the fact that the gameplay is essentially a high-speed version of Uno with higher stakes.

The "Take That" Friction

The core mechanic of Exploding Kittens is what board gamers call "Take That." You aren't just trying to win; you are actively trying to make your cousin or your dad explode. You’ll use cards to skip your turn, peek at the top of the deck, or force the next player to take multiple turns.

This creates a specific kind of social friction. In a group of ten—which this Party Pack is specifically built for—the chaos is dialed up to the max. Because the game uses player elimination, there is a genuine sense of dread as the deck gets thinner. If your family handles "mean" gameplay poorly, this might lead to some pouting. However, because a round usually wraps up in fifteen minutes, the sting of losing doesn't last long. You just shuffle and go again.

Scaling to the Party Pack

The standard version of this game caps out at five players. The Party Pack is the superior version for families because it scales all the way to ten. It achieves this by essentially doubling the deck and tweaking the card distribution.

If you are playing with only three or four people, the Party Pack can feel a bit bloated and slow. It really shines when you have six to eight people crowded around a coffee table. At that scale, the "Russian Roulette" aspect feels more unpredictable. You can’t really track who has the Defuse cards anymore, and the social deduction—trying to figure out if your sister just put the Exploding Kitten back on the top of the deck to spite you—becomes the best part of the night.

The Media Crossover

It’s worth noting that while the card game is a staple for middle-schoolers and families, the brand has expanded into other areas that aren't quite as wholesome. If your kids get hooked on the game and start looking for more "kitten" content, you should check the Exploding Kittens TV Show Age Rating before letting them jump into the Netflix series. The show is rated TV-MA for profanity and crude humor, which is a major departure from the family-friendly chaos of the tabletop version.

If They Liked This...

If your group enjoys the "play a card, screw over a friend" loop but finds the luck factor here a bit too high, the next logical step is something like Unstable Unicorns. It keeps the cute-but-deadly theme but adds a layer of strategy regarding how you build your "stable."

But for a pure icebreaker that requires zero setup and can be explained to a grandmother and a second-grader at the same time, the Party Pack remains the gold standard for chaotic card games. It’s loud, it’s fast, and it’s one of the few games where losing is almost as funny as winning.

Ask Anything

Get a personalized guide on any topic