Buy Imploding Kittens first. It is the only Exploding Kittens expansion that adds a sixth player, and its 20 cards give you more control over the draw pile than anything in the base box. Streaking Kittens is second and the cheapest. Barking Kittens is third.
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There are exactly three expansions. The official Exploding Kittens store lists nine card games and three expansion packs, and none of the three works without a base deck. This ranking comes from the official rulebooks, card lists and list prices. We have not played all three packs, so there are no play-session claims below.
| Rank | Expansion | Cards | Extra piece | Players | List price | Price per card |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Imploding Kittens | 20 | Cone of Shame | Up to 6 | $14.99 | $0.75 |
| 2 | Streaking Kittens | 15 | None | No change | $6.99 | $0.47 |
| 3 | Barking Kittens | 20 | Tower of Power crown | No change | $14.99 | $0.75 |
List prices are from the publisher’s store on October 3, 2026. Amazon prices move, so check before you buy.
1. Imploding Kittens Is the One to Buy First
Imploding Kittens fixes the base game’s biggest limit: the original box stops at five players. The official product page says the pack lets you play with up to six.
The 20 cards break down like this, according to the official Imploding Kittens rules:
- Imploding Kitten (1). The first player to draw it puts it back in the deck face up, anywhere. Whoever draws it face up later is out. It can’t be Defused and it can’t be Noped.
- Reverse (4). Reverse the turn order and end your turn without drawing. With two players it works like a Skip.
- Draw From the Bottom (4). End your turn by taking the bottom card.
- Feral Cat (4). A wild cat card for pairs and three of a kind.
- Alter the Future (4). Look at the top three cards and put them back in any order.
- Targeted Attack (3). Pick any player to take two turns, not just the next one.
Eight of the 20 cards, Alter the Future and Draw From the Bottom, let you reorder or dodge the top of the draw pile. That matters because our Exploding Kittens review scored the base game 2/5 Pandas for being mostly luck. Alter the Future and Draw From the Bottom are the cards that give players an actual choice.
The pack also includes a foam Cone of Shame. A player who forgets whose turn it is wears it, and it points in the direction of play, which helps once Reverse cards start flying.
Check Imploding Kittens price on Amazon →
2. Streaking Kittens Is the Cheapest Upgrade
“Is Streaking Kittens worth it?” At a $6.99 list price, yes. It is 15 cards with no props, and it costs less than half of either other pack.
The headline card is the Streaking Kitten. While it is in your hand, you can hold one Exploding Kitten without exploding. The official Streaking Kittens rules also require you to add one extra Exploding Kitten, so the deck holds as many kittens as there are players.
The rest of the pack is a grab bag of single cards:
- Super Skip (1) ends every turn you owe, which cancels a stacked Attack.
- See the Future 5x (1) and Alter the Future 5x (1) work on the top five cards.
- Swap Top and Bottom (3) swaps those two cards without looking.
- Garbage Collection (1) makes every player put a card into the deck, then shuffles.
- Catomic Bomb (1) moves every Exploding Kitten to the top of the draw pile.
- Mark (3) turns a random card in someone’s hand to face outward.
- Curse of the Cat Butt (2) makes a player play blind with their hand face down.
The common assumption: the smallest, cheapest pack must be the weakest.
What the card list shows: Streaking Kittens has the single most dramatic card in any expansion. Catomic Bomb puts every kitten on top of the deck at once, and the next few players have to deal with it.
Check Streaking Kittens price on Amazon →
3. Barking Kittens Adds the Most Rules
Barking Kittens is the most complicated pack, which is why it ranks last for most groups. It has 20 cards and a wearable crown, according to the official Barking Kittens rules.
The two Barking Kitten cards work as a pair. Play one, and whoever holds the other has to Defuse or explode. If nobody holds it, the player who played it becomes the target.
The Tower of Power card comes with the crown. The wearer keeps a six-card stash in it, and anyone who steals from that player takes from the crown instead of the hand.
The other cards are I’ll Take That (4), Personal Attack 3x (4), Potluck (2), Bury (2), Share the Future (2), Alter the Future NOW (2) and one Super Skip.
Worth knowing: Personal Attack makes you take three turns in a row, not another player. It is a way to dig through the deck fast when you know the top cards are safe.
Buy it third, after the other two, if your group already plays often and wants more to track.
Check Barking Kittens price on Amazon →
Which Base Decks Work With the Expansions
All three packs work with the Original Edition, and the publisher’s product pages say they can also be added to the Party Pack and the 2-Player Edition. The Barking Kittens rulebook names the NSFW Edition as a valid base deck too.
Two things to check before you buy:
- Language. Every expansion page warns that non-English packs don’t work with English decks.
- Card overlap. The Party Pack already includes Targeted Attack, Alter the Future, Draw From the Bottom and Feral Cat cards. If you own it, Imploding Kittens adds less, so start with Streaking Kittens.
Recipes for Disaster already includes Imploding, Streaking and Barking Kitten cards. Our guide to every Exploding Kittens version covers which box includes what.
Do You Need an Expansion at All?
No. The base game plays fine without one, and the rules of Exploding Kittens don’t change when you add a pack. Each expansion only adds cards and one setup tweak.
An expansion makes sense in three cases: you have six players, your group has played the base deck enough to be bored, or you want more ways to control the draw pile. For a group of six or more, compare the cost against the Party Pack, which seats up to 10. Our player count guide has the numbers.
If you have none of those problems, skip the expansions and spend the money on a different game. Happy Salmon comes from the same publisher and plays nothing like it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Exploding Kittens expansions are there?
Three: Imploding Kittens, Streaking Kittens and Barking Kittens. The publisher’s store lists exactly three expansion packs. Boxes like Zombie Kittens and the Party Pack are standalone games, not expansions.
What is the best Exploding Kittens expansion?
Imploding Kittens. It adds a sixth player and 20 cards, including Reverse, Draw From the Bottom and Alter the Future, which give players more control over the draw pile.
In what order were the Exploding Kittens expansions released?
Imploding Kittens came first in 2016, Streaking Kittens second in 2018 and Barking Kittens third in 2020. The publisher labels them the first, second and third expansions.
Can you use all three Exploding Kittens expansions together?
Yes. Each pack adds its cards to the same base deck, and each rulebook explains its own setup change. Mixing all three adds 55 cards to the 56-card Original Edition.
Do the expansions work with the Party Pack?
Yes, according to the publisher’s Party Pack page. The Party Pack already contains several card types from Imploding Kittens, so Streaking Kittens adds the most that’s new.
Can you play an Exploding Kittens expansion by itself?
No. All three expansions need a base deck such as the Original Edition. They don’t include enough Defuse or Exploding Kitten cards to play alone.
Does Imploding Kittens let you play with more people?
Yes. The Original Edition seats two to five players, and Imploding Kittens raises that to six. For seven to ten players you need the Party Pack.