Buy Happy Salmon. Both games come from Exploding Kittens, both have art by The Oatmeal, and both teach in about a minute. Only one of them holds up once the novelty wears off. We rate Happy Salmon 5/5 Bamboo and 4/5 Pandas, and Exploding Kittens 5/5 Bamboo and 2/5 Pandas. The gap is all in the Pandas.
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There are two exceptions, and they’re real: if you only ever play with two people, or you need a game you can play sitting down without noise, Exploding Kittens is the one that works. Everything else below explains why Happy Salmon wins the rest of the time.
| Happy Salmon | Exploding Kittens | |
|---|---|---|
| Players | 3–8 | 2–5 |
| Play time | ~90 seconds a round | ~15 minutes |
| Age | 6+ | 7+ |
| Turns | None, everyone plays at once | Yes, one at a time |
| Player elimination | No | Yes |
| Reading needed | None | Some card text |
| Noise level | Loud, standing up | Seated, table talk |
| KPG Bamboo / Pandas | 5 / 4 | 5 / 2 |
Why Happy Salmon Holds Up and Exploding Kittens Doesn’t
Exploding Kittens runs on printed jokes, and jokes wear out. The first time a kid reads a Tacocat card, it’s funny. Once a group has seen every card, what’s left is a luck-driven draw-and-hope loop. Our Exploding Kittens review puts it bluntly: most copies get played twice and shelved.
Happy Salmon runs on people, and people don’t wear out. It’s the same reason 6 Nimmt! and Sushi Go Party! stay in rotation on our best card games for a BBQ list. The fun comes from four humans yelling “Fish Bump!” at each other, not from anything printed on a card. That’s why we’ve played it 30-plus times as a family and it’s still fun.
Happy Salmon also has no downtime. Everyone plays simultaneously, so nobody sits and waits. In Exploding Kittens, you spend most of the game watching other people take turns, and if you explode early, you watch the rest from the sidelines.
Which Is Better for Kids?
Happy Salmon, and it isn’t close. It has no reading, no card text and no rules exceptions, just four actions to shout and act out. Speed and volume decide the winner, so young kids can genuinely win: our six-year-old has won several rounds against the adults.
Exploding Kittens asks kids to read card text, remember what Nope and Favor do, and handle getting knocked out. Player elimination is rough on young kids, which is why it rarely makes our best board games for families shortlist. The first kid who explodes has to sit out while everyone else keeps playing.
What parents often assume: Exploding Kittens is the kid game because the art is cartoon cats and the jokes are silly.
What actually happens: Happy Salmon is the one that works for younger kids. It’s rated 6+ against Exploding Kittens’ 7+, needs no reading, and never knocks anyone out.
When Exploding Kittens Is the Better Buy
“I only play with my partner. Which should I get?” Exploding Kittens, reluctantly. Happy Salmon needs at least three players and has no 2-player mode. Exploding Kittens technically supports two, although our review calls two-player “a coin flip with extra steps.” Honestly, a pair is better served by something from our best 2-player games list.
It’s also the pick when you can’t be loud. Happy Salmon’s rulebook tells you to stand up and clear the chairs, and the game works because everyone shouts. On a plane, in a restaurant or at a table with a sleeping baby upstairs, Exploding Kittens is the one you can play.
Finally, if your group wants a turn-based game with a sliver of bluffing, Exploding Kittens offers it. Secretly sliding the Kitten back into the deck and keeping a straight face is a real moment. Happy Salmon doesn’t have anything like it.
Price and What’s in the Box
Both are cheap impulse buys. Exploding Kittens lists Happy Salmon at $12.99 on its official product page, for 96 cards in eight colored decks. Exploding Kittens usually sells for a few dollars more.
Neither box needs sleeves, inserts or upgrades. If you’re choosing only one, the tiebreaker is player count: Happy Salmon seats up to eight, while the original Exploding Kittens box tops out at five. The Exploding Kittens Party Pack seats up to 10, but it’s a bigger, pricier box.
The rule: if your group is three or more and can make noise, buy Happy Salmon. If you’re two people, or somewhere quiet, buy Exploding Kittens.
Check Happy Salmon price on Amazon →
Check Exploding Kittens price on Amazon →
If you want more detail on either game first, read our full Happy Salmon review. If you want Exploding Kittens-style chaos with a physical twist, Throw Throw Burrito is another Exploding Kittens game, and it sits between the two.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Happy Salmon made by the same company as Exploding Kittens?
Yes. Exploding Kittens acquired Happy Salmon from North Star Games in 2021 and re-released it with art by The Oatmeal, the same artist behind Exploding Kittens. The game itself was designed by Ken Gruhl and Quentin Weir.
Which is better for young kids, Happy Salmon or Exploding Kittens?
Happy Salmon. It’s rated 6+, requires no reading, and never eliminates anyone. Exploding Kittens is rated 7+, uses card text, and knocks players out, which is hard on younger kids.
Which is better for 2 players?
Exploding Kittens, because Happy Salmon can’t be played with two at all. Its minimum is three players. Exploding Kittens supports two, though it’s at its best with four.
Which game is better for a big party?
Happy Salmon. It supports up to eight players with the current edition, a round takes about 90 seconds, and nobody waits for a turn. The original Exploding Kittens box tops out at five players (the Party Pack stretches to 10) and runs about 15 minutes.
Do Happy Salmon and Exploding Kittens have the same art?
The current Exploding Kittens edition of Happy Salmon features artwork by The Oatmeal, who also illustrates Exploding Kittens. The original 2016 North Star edition of Happy Salmon had different art and came in a zippered fish pouch.
Should I buy both?
Only if you regularly play with both two people and bigger groups. For most families, Happy Salmon covers game nights of three or more better, and it’s the one that still gets played after the first week.