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Exploding Kittens: How to Play the Original Edition

Learn the core rules of Exploding Kittens: Original Edition, from the goal and turn loop to what happens when a player draws an Exploding Kitten.
2-minute read By Animalso Team

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In Exploding Kittens: Original Edition, players take turns playing cards and drawing from a shared deck, trying to avoid an Exploding Kitten. Draw one and you are eliminated unless you can defuse it. The last player still in the game wins.

1. Make sure you have the Original Edition

This guide is for Exploding Kittens: Original Edition, not every game or expansion in the series. Rules and card sets can vary, so use the instructions for the edition in your box.

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The manufacturer lists the Original Edition as a 56-card game with an instruction manual, for ages 7 and up, with 2–5 players and a 15-minute play time. These are the product listing’s specifications, not independent measurements. The manufacturer says the cards feature original illustrations by The Oatmeal. See the official Original Edition listing.

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2. Set up the deck using its manual

Use the setup instructions in the Original Edition manual that came with the game. The precise setup—including which cards to remove, how many cards to deal, and how to prepare the draw pile—depends on the edition’s instructions; don’t substitute setup directions from another Exploding Kittens game.

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The manufacturer’s rules page links to game instructions, and its instructions index lets you look up a game by name.

3. Know what you are trying to do

Avoid being eliminated by an Exploding Kitten and stay in the game longer than everyone else. If other players are eliminated, the last player remaining wins.

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4. Take turns, then face the draw

The game’s central risk is drawing from the deck: players keep taking turns until someone draws an Exploding Kitten. During a turn, action cards can change what happens before a draw or affect the draw pile. Follow the Original Edition manual for the exact turn sequence and the wording of each card.

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5. Use action cards to manage risk

The manufacturer’s Original Edition listing summarizes card functions as “skip, attack, shuffle, or defuse.” These actions can affect turns or the draw pile, but the listing is not a substitute for the card text: check your manual for what each card does and when it can be played.

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6. Resolve an Exploding Kitten draw

If you draw an Exploding Kitten, you are out unless you can defuse it. The manual explains how to resolve a defuse and return to play; follow its instructions rather than assuming that a card interaction from another edition applies.

7. Keep expansions separate from the base rules

Imploding Kittens, Streaking Kittens, and Barking Kittens are listed by the manufacturer as expansions. They are optional additions, not requirements for playing the Original Edition. Add one only when you have its instructions and want to use its additional cards or rules.

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The product listing warns that non-English versions of Exploding Kittens are not compatible with English versions of expansion packs. Check the language of the base game and expansion before combining them.

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8. Check the manual when a card raises a question

For card-by-card effects, timing, setup details, or an unusual situation, use the Original Edition manual. The publisher’s rules page also provides a sample round and directs players to the instructions for their game. A rule excerpt for Party Pack is not a reliable substitute for the Original Edition’s own rules.

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