Best Exploding Kittens Card Games
Exploding Kittens has grown well past its original card game into party packs, cooperative spinoffs, and physically active games. Here are 4 real picks across that range.
By the USA Toy Deals Team · Updated July 2026 · 7 min read
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The original Exploding Kittens game built the brand, but the company has since released dozens of spinoffs across genuinely different formats: bigger group packs, cooperative games, and physically active games that leave the table entirely.
The 4 picks below cover that range, from the original itself through a Netflix-tie-in spinoff and a dodgeball-style physical game.
For a cooperative-focused pick specifically, see our cooperative card games guide, which covers one Exploding Kittens title in more depth alongside non-Exploding-Kittens options.
Compare our picks
| Toy | Best for | Ages | Price | Bottom line | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★ Exploding Kittens Original | Best Starting Point | 7+ | $ | Exploding Kittens earns its reputation as a reliable family card game: it teaches in one round, plays fast, and holds up for repeat game nights with kids around age seven and up. It will not satisfy players chasing deep strategy or a huge variety of card types, and the artwork's cheeky sense of humor is worth previewing if you are buying for an easily rattled child. For most families looking for something to pull out instead of screens, it delivers exactly what it promises. See how it compares with the rest of the line in our [Exploding Kittens buying guide](/guides/best-exploding-kittens-card-games). | See price |
 Exploding Kittens Party Pack | Best for Bigger Groups | 7+ | $$ | Exploding Kittens Party Pack does what it promises: it takes the same easy-to-learn, slightly deranged card game and stretches it to fit a full room instead of a small table. It doesn't require owning the original box since it comes with its own 120-card deck, and reviewers consistently mention it working across a wide age range at the same table. It won't satisfy anyone chasing real strategic depth, this is a light, chaotic filler by design, but for a family that regularly plays with more than 5 people, it solves a real problem the original box can't. See how it compares with the rest of the line in our [Exploding Kittens buying guide](/guides/best-exploding-kittens-card-games). | See price |
 Exploding Kittens Good vs. Evil | Best Themed Spinoff | 7+ | $$ | Exploding Kittens Good vs. Evil delivers what it promises: the same fast, easy-to-teach card game the brand is known for, reworked around a good-versus-evil theme with a genuine new mechanic in Godcat, Devilcat, and the Armageddon face-off. It's a standalone game, so you don't need the original box to play it, and reviewers consistently point to it working well for families who already know Exploding Kittens and want a fresh variation, especially fans of the Netflix show. It's not a dramatic reinvention of the formula, so don't expect a different game underneath the new cards. See how it compares with the rest of the line in our [Exploding Kittens buying guide](/guides/best-exploding-kittens-card-games). | See price |
 Throw Throw Burrito | Best Physical Game | 7+ | $$ | Throw Throw Burrito earns its reputation as one of the more physical party games out there, and it delivers on that promise: real card strategy wrapped around genuine dodgeball chaos, with foam burritos soft enough for the roughest family game night. It works best for families and friend groups with a bit of room to move and a tolerance for noise, and it makes an easy gift for anyone who already likes fast, silly party card games. | See price |
How the Exploding Kittens Lineup Splits
Player count and game type, competitive, cooperative, or physical, matter more than which spinoff has the newest branding.
What to check before buying an Exploding Kittens spinoff
- Standalone versus expansion: most spinoffs are standalone games, not expansions requiring the original.
- Player count: the original supports 2-5, the Party Pack scales to 10, check against your usual group size.
- Competitive versus cooperative: most Exploding Kittens games are competitive, a smaller number are explicitly cooperative.
- Physical versus tabletop: a few titles, like Throw Throw Burrito, involve actually throwing things, not just playing cards.
4 Real Exploding Kittens Games
Best Starting Point
The original game that started it all: draw cards, betray your friends, try not to explode. 2 to 5 players, 15 minutes.
Best for Bigger Groups
More players, more cards, more chaos: scales the base game up to 10 players instead of 5. The pick for a family that regularly plays with a bigger group.
Best Themed Spinoff
A standalone spinoff built around a good-versus-evil theme with a playmat, inspired by the brand's Netflix show. A different flavor of chaos, not an expansion requiring the base game.
Exploding Kittens Good vs. Evil
Standalone good-vs-evil spinoff with a playmat, inspired by the Netflix show.
Best Physical Game
A card-matching dodgeball hybrid: collect matching cards, then actually throw soft foam burritos at other players. The most physically active title in the lineup.
Throw Throw Burrito
Card-matching dodgeball hybrid with soft foam burritos, the most physical game in the lineup.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Game | Players | Format | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original Edition | 2-5 | Card game | First-time buyers |
| Party Pack | 2-10 | Card game | Bigger groups |
| Good vs. Evil | 2-5 | Themed card game | Netflix show fans |
| Throw Throw Burrito | 2-6 | Physical card game | Active play |
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions
Do I need the original Exploding Kittens to play the spinoffs?
No, almost all Exploding Kittens spinoffs, including Good vs. Evil and Throw Throw Burrito, are standalone games that don't require owning or having played the original first.
What's the difference between the Party Pack and the original?
The Party Pack uses the same core rules as the original but adds more cards to support up to 10 players instead of the original's 5-player maximum.
Is Throw Throw Burrito actually physical, or just a card game?
It's genuinely physical: players collect matching cards, then throw soft foam burritos at each other, closer to a dodgeball game with cards than a game played sitting at a table.
Are any Exploding Kittens games cooperative instead of competitive?
Yes, a small number of titles, like That Escalated Quickly, are explicitly cooperative. See our cooperative card games guide for that pick and others.