Most people should buy the Original Edition. It is the 56-card game everyone means when they say Exploding Kittens, it seats two to five, and every expansion works with it. Buy the Party Pack for six to ten players, and Zombie Kittens if your group hates sitting out after they explode.
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Every version uses the same core rule: draw a card, and if it’s an Exploding Kitten with no way to stop it, you’re out. The boxes differ in card count, player count and which extra card types are mixed in.
This comparison is built from the publisher’s rulebooks and store listings, read on October 3, 2026. We reviewed the Original Edition; we have not played every box below, and we say so where it matters.
| Version | Cards | Players | Age | List price | Price per card |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original Edition | 56 | 2–5 | 7+ | $19.99 | $0.36 |
| Party Pack | 120 | 2–10 | 7+ | $24.99 | $0.21 |
| NSFW Edition | 56 | 2–5 | 17+ | $14.99 | $0.27 |
| Grab & Game | 42 | 2–4 | 7+ | $9.99 | $0.24 |
| 2-Player Edition | 32 | 2 | 7+ | $7.99 | $0.25 |
| Zombie Kittens | 61 | 2–5 | 7+ | $19.99 | $0.33 |
| Recipes for Disaster | 121 | 2–5 | 7+ | $24.99 | $0.21 |
| Good vs. Evil | 53 | 2–5 | 7+ | $19.99 | $0.38 |
| Rage Mode | 65 | 2–5 | 7+ | $19.99 | $0.31 |
| Curse You! | 67 | 2–5 | 7+ | $19.99 | $0.30 |
Prices are the publisher’s list prices from the official Exploding Kittens store. Amazon is often lower. The 2-Player Edition was out of stock at the publisher when we checked.
The Original Edition Is the Right First Box
The Original Edition is the baseline, and it’s the safest purchase. It has 56 cards for two to five players, and it’s the deck that all three expansions were written for.
It also comes in two tins at the same $19.99 list price. The Classic Tin has the same 56 cards. The 10th Anniversary Tin adds eight bonus “legacy” cards that the product page says are reprinted for the first time in years.
Our Exploding Kittens review gave the Original 5/5 Bamboo and 2/5 Pandas. It is very easy to teach and mostly luck. If that trade sounds fine for your family, this is the box.
Check Exploding Kittens Original Edition price on Amazon →
The Party Pack Is for Six or More
The Party Pack is the only version that seats more than five without an expansion. It has 120 cards and plays two to ten, according to the official Party Pack rules.
You don’t use all 120 cards every time. Cards are sorted by a paw-print mark:
- 2–3 players: only the cards with a paw print.
- 4–7 players: only the cards without one.
- 8–10 players: every card.
It also mixes in card types from the Imploding Kittens expansion: Targeted Attack, Alter the Future, Draw From the Bottom and Feral Cat. At $0.21 a card, it’s tied for the cheapest box per card on the list.
Check Party Pack price on Amazon →
Zombie Kittens Fixes Player Elimination
“What’s the difference between Exploding Kittens and Zombie Kittens?” In Zombie Kittens, dead players keep their cards and keep playing.
The 61-card deck replaces Defuse with a Zombie Kitten card. It saves you from exploding, and it must also bring a dead player back if there is one. Dead players can still play any card marked NOW, according to the Zombie Kittens rulebook.
That targets the complaint we made in our review of the original: getting knocked out early by luck, then watching everyone else finish. On paper, Zombie Kittens is the version to pick if that bothers your table. We haven’t played it, so we can’t tell you how it feels over a full game.
The publisher says it plays alone or mixed with any other version.
Check Zombie Kittens price on Amazon →
Rage Mode and Curse You! Are the 2026 Boxes
Two new versions were listed on the publisher’s store in July 2026. Both are standalone games for two to five players at $19.99.
Rage Mode has 65 cards and a Rage Cat figure. On your turn you can pass the figure to another player and steal a random card from them, and that can’t be Noped. It adds a Booby Trap Kitten that is safe to draw but explodes on whoever steals it.
Curse You! is a legacy-style deck. It has 67 cards and seven sealed packs, and the winner of a game opens the next pack to add a card to the deck for good. It introduces Charm and Curse cards.
The common assumption: “Rage Mode” is a setting or a house rule for the normal deck.
What it actually is: a separate boxed game with its own 65 cards and rulebook. The publisher’s page doesn’t say whether it mixes with other decks, so don’t buy it as an add-on.
Check Rage Mode price on Amazon →
The Rest, in One Line Each
- Recipes for Disaster. 121 cards and 13 recipe cards that list preset decks. It includes Imploding, Streaking and Barking Kitten cards, but the product page says it does not include every card from the Original Edition.
- Good vs. Evil. 53 cards plus Godcat and Devilcat cards and a playmat, based on the Netflix series. An Armageddon card hands one to each of two players.
- NSFW Edition. The same 56-card game with adult art, rated 17+. Don’t buy it for kids.
- Grab & Game. A 42-card travel deck for two to four. You’re dealt five cards, not seven, and See the Future shows two cards, not three.
- 2-Player Edition. A 32-card deck with a single Exploding Kitten. Our player count guide covers whether two-player is worth it.
Worth knowing: “Exploding Kittens 2” is not a card game. It’s a video game from Marmalade Game Studio, released in August 2024 on phones and Steam.
Exploding Kittens: The Board Game is also a different game. Players race along a pop-up board instead of just drawing from a deck. It seats two to six.
Which Version Works With the Expansions?
The Original Edition is the safe base for all three expansion packs. The publisher’s pages also list the Party Pack, NSFW Edition and 2-Player Edition as compatible, and Good vs. Evil’s page says it combines with any expansion.
If you want more cards later, buy the Original now. Our Exploding Kittens expansions ranked guide covers which pack to add first.
Shopping for a family gift? Our best board games for families list has games with more decisions at the same price.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best version of Exploding Kittens?
The Original Edition for most groups of two to five. It has 56 cards, costs $19.99 at list price and works with all three expansions. Pick the Party Pack for six to ten players.
What is the difference between Exploding Kittens and the Party Pack?
The Party Pack has 120 cards and seats two to ten players, against 56 cards and two to five for the Original. It also includes Targeted Attack, Alter the Future, Draw From the Bottom and Feral Cat cards.
Is the NSFW Edition a different game?
No. The NSFW Edition plays the same as the Original Edition with 56 cards. The art and jokes are adult, and the box is rated 17+.
Can you mix different Exploding Kittens versions together?
Some of them. The publisher says Zombie Kittens can be combined with any other version, and the three expansions work with the Original, Party Pack, NSFW and 2-Player decks. The Rage Mode page doesn’t say either way.
Is Exploding Kittens 2 a new card game?
No. Exploding Kittens 2 is a digital game from Marmalade Game Studio, released in August 2024 for iOS, Android and Steam. There is no boxed card game with that name.
What is Exploding Kittens Rage Mode?
Rage Mode is a standalone 65-card version listed in July 2026. It adds a Rage Cat figure that lets you steal cards, plus Booby Trap Kittens and Reverse Attack cards. It seats two to five.
Which Exploding Kittens version is best for kids?
The Original Edition or the Party Pack, both rated 7+. Avoid the NSFW Edition, which is rated 17+ for adult art and jokes.