what is setup

the rules
exploding kittens
recipes for disaster

players: 2-5
contents: 121 cards
13 recipe Cards
5 blank recipe cards
cone of shame
Field Guide
EXPLODING KITTENS? Exploding Kittens: Recipes for Disaster
includes 13 Recipe Booklets describing different 4 Shuffle the deck with the extra Defuse
Cards (if any), then deal the correct
The game is played by shuffling a few ways to play. The Recipe Booklets are explained number of Starting Cards face down to
Exploding Kittens into the Draw Pile. in detail on the other side of this sheet, but for each player. You can look at your hand, but
Then players takes turns drawing a card until now just pick one that looks interesting to you keep it secret.
someone draws an Exploding Kitten. and matches the number of players you have.
each player starts with

ple
If this is your first time opening the box, we’ve 7 CARDS

am
ex
already put the Recipe “Nope Sauce” in its own PLUS 1 DEFUSE

bundle so you can get started immediately.

1 Pick a Recipe Booklet and open it. Build a

deck using the ingredients listed on the inside
defuse cards
CRUNCH
Each player is dealt a Defuse Card listed in the
of the Booklet.
MUNCH
MUNCH

selected Recipe. Defuse Cards are the most powerful

CARD COUNT cards in the game because they are the only cards
that can save you from Exploding Kittens. If you draw
For some Recipes, the number of copies of a card an Exploding Kitten, you can play the Defuse Card
you need depends on how many people are playing: instead of exploding. Then reinsert the Kitten back
in the the Draw Pile anywhere you’d like in secret.

ple
CARD TYPE: card count:
When that happens, the person who drew the card

am
ex
explodes. They are now dead and out of the game. exploding kitten # PLAYERS -2

For example, this means you should insert enough Want to hurt the player right after you? Put the Kitten
Exploding Kittens to equal the number of players right on top of the deck. If you’d like, hold the deck
minus 2 (i.e. if you had 5 players, you would insert under the table so that no one else can see where
3 Exploding Kittens). you put it.

Some cards will show a (2x), (3x), or (5x) next to the Try to get as many Defuse Cards as possible.
card type.
This process continues until there’s only
1 player left. That person wins the game.
5 Insert the Exploding Kittens (and Imploding Kittens,

ple
The more cards you draw, the greater your
CARD TYPE: card count:
if applicable) you set aside back into the deck.

am
4

ex
chances of drawing an Exploding Kitten. 2x
attack [2x]
HEY! DON’T READ THESE RULES!

Those numbers are part of the name of the card,

BASICALLY and don’t affect how many cards you should add
to the deck.

6
INSTEAD, GO ONLINE and watch

Shuffle the deck and put it face down in the middle

READING IS THE WORST WAY TO
LEARN HOW TO PLAY A GAME.

of the table to form a Draw Pile.

our instructional video:

if you explode, you lose.

2 Now that your deck is assembled, remove any
www.recipes.game

and you are full of incendiary loser sadsauce. This is your Draw Pile.
Exploding Kittens, Imploding Kittens (if applicable),
and Defuse Cards from the deck and set them aside.
if you don’t explode, YOU WIN.
and you are full of greatness. good job, buddy.

and all of the other cards 3 Find the “Each Player Starts With” section on the
Recipe Booklet. This tells you how many Defuse
Cards each player starts with (if applicable), as
will lessen your chances of getting exploded
well as how many Starting Cards to deal from
by Exploding Kittens. the deck to each player.

For example (Be sure to leave some space for a Discard Pile as well.)
ple

each player starts with

7 CARDS
am

You could use a See the Future

ex

7
PLUS 1 DEFUSE
Card to peek at the top few 3x
see the future (3x) Pick a player to go first. (Some sample criteria:
cards in the Draw Pile. If that most excited about going first, most intimidating
reveals an Exploding Kitten,
Look at this part of your Recipe Booklet odor, shortest spleen, etc.)
you could then use a Skip Card skip
to end your turn and and deal that many Defuse Cards to
each player. If there are extra Defuse
8
avoid drawing it.
WHAT

You’re ready to start!

I DO

Cards, insert them back into the deck.

Copyright Exploding Kittens 2021
 taking your turn Example Turn the cone of shame what is A RECIPE?
1 Gather your cards into your hand and then
do one of the following:
YOU SUSPECT THE TOP CARD IN THE DRAW PILE IS AN “EXPLODING
KITTEN.” SO INSTEAD OF PASSING AND THEN DRAWING A CARD TO END
The first player to forget either whose turn
comes next or the direction of play will become
a human direction indicator and must wear the
In this box is a collection of the best cards from
Exploding Kittens, Imploding Kittens, Streaking
Kittens, and Barking Kittens. This huge
YOUR TURN, YOU DECIDE TO PLAY A “SEE THE FUTURE” CARD ALLOWING
Cone of Shame for the rest of the game. collection of cards contains the raw ingredients
PLAY YOU TO PRIVATELY PEEK AT THE TOP 3 CARDS IN THE DRAW PILE.
Rotate the cone around your head so that the
for 13 new ways to play Exploding Kittens.
Play a card from your hand by placing it FACE UP
on top of the Discard Pile. Follow the instructions on correct arrow indicating the direction of play is
the card. facing forward for all players to see. Whenever a
Read the text on 3x
See the Future
deploy the special-ops
(3x)
bunnies. Reverse Card is played, rotate the Cone around
WHAT
a card to learn
I DO

your head to indicate the new direction of play.

what it does.
If you look particularly awesome wearing the
After you follow the instructions on the card, you can
play another card. You can play as many cards as
Cone of Shame, be sure to share your pics
you’d like. While viewing the 3 top cards you with us at @gameofkittens.
Privately view the top

or
three

see that you were right, and the

cards of the draw pile.

top card ( the carD you’re about to

(3x) See the Future 3x

PASS draw ) is an “exploding kitten.”

The Recipe Booklets in the box each contain
instructions on how to assemble the cards
Play no cards.
you’ll need to play that particular version of
the game. Want to play a game that’s only

2 End your turn by drawing a card from the top

of the Draw Pile into your hand and hoping
it’s not an Exploding Kitten.
2 minutes long? There’s a Recipe for that.
Want a version that lets you spy on other
players? There’s a Recipe for that too.

special combos
You decide to play an
“attack” card to end your Ingredients
Ingredients Sticky Fi
A game ngers
turn and force the next
CARD TYPE: card card
count: CARD TYPE: generawh
cardandcount: ere
l cri stealing,
CARD TYPE: count: CARD TYPE: card count: minality thieve

Play continues clockwise around the table.

players: are rew ry,
24-5
(Read this after you've played your first game)
arded.
exploding kitten
exploding kitten # PLAYERS
# PLAYERS TACOCAT
TACOCAT 4 play tim
e:

player to take 2 turns. Defuse

2x
Defuse

Attack [2x]
# PLAYERS +1
# PLAYERS +1
4
Rainbow Ralphing Cat
Rainbow Ralphing Cat
Zombie Cat
4
4
4
15

Attack [2x] 44 BeardZombie Cat 4 4

Remember
2x
Skip Cat

Skip I'll take that

44 Feral Cat
Beard Cat 6 4

TWO of a kind
MARK 4 2-5 pla
I'll take that 41 Feral Cat each sta yers
rts wit
7 CARDS h
6
Play as many or as few cards as you’d like, then draw
Streaking Kitten 5 pla
or each sta yers
ATTACK (2x) MARK ingredients CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE 4 PLUS 1 DEF
USE 5 CARDS
rts wit
h

unleash the catterwocky. PLUS 1 DEF

a card to end your turn.

2x USE

Playing matching Pairs of Cat Cards (where

Streaking Kitten 1
ingredients CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

Play-or-Pass, then Draw. you get to steal a random card from another
Each recipe contains the ingredients for a
Play-or-Pass, then Draw. player) no longer only applies to pairs of Cat
standalone deck. If you've played Exploding
Cards. It now applies to ANY pair of cards with
Kittens before, some Recipes and ingredients
but then another player plays the same title (a pair of Shuffle Cards, a pair of
the might seem incomplete or unusual. But each one
Skip Cards, etc). Ignore the instructions on the
Do not draw any cards. Force
a “NOPE” card which cancels next player to take two turns.
2x
has been carefully crafted. Try them as they are
PARTY PACK

cards when you play a combo.

ATTACK
your “attack,” so it’s still
(2x)

written, and then try your own modifications!

Ending the game

your turn.
We’ve also included 5 blank Recipe Booklets
so you can invent your own version of
Exploding Kittens. Even more versions
Eventually every player will explode except
are available at
for one, who wins the game!
You won’t ever run out of cards in the Draw Pile
You don’t want to draw that top www.recipes.game
card and Explode, so you play a
because there are always enough Exploding
Kittens (or Imploding Kittens, if applicable) “SHUFFLE” card and randomly three of a kind
to kill all but 1 player. shuffle the Draw Pile. When you play 3 matching cards (any 3 cards
with the same title), you get to pick a player and
name a card. If they have that card, they must
three more things Shufflofebat farts descends from give one to you. If they don't have it, you get
A good strategy is to save your cards early in
a plague

nothing. Ignore the instructions on the cards

the sky.

the game while the chance of exploding is lowest.

when you play a combo.
You can always count the cards left in the With the deck freshly
Draw Pile to figure out the odds of exploding. shuffled, you draw the I’d like your Defuse, please. Just pick a Recipe, put it together, and play!
top card to end your turn
There is no maximum or minimum hand size.
If you run out of cards in your hand, there’s no
special action to take. Keep playing. You’ll draw at
and hope it’s not an Shuffle the draw
pile

Shuffle
stop reading! go play!
“EXPLODING KITTEN.” If you have questions about specific cards, you
least 1 more card on your next turn.
can look them up in the field guide.