EXPLODING KITTENS Party Card Game Instruction Manual
- June 13, 2024
- EXPLODING KITTENS
Table of Contents
EXPLODINGKITTENS Party Card Game
Product Information
The product is a game called “Original Edition” developed by Exploding Kittens. It is a party game that challenges players to interpret words and phrases while following specific rules. The game is designed for players aged 3 years and above. It contains small parts that can be a choking hazard, so it is not suitable for children under 3 years old.
Product Usage Instructions
- Form two teams: Team Glad and Team Mad. If there is an odd number of players, assign one player as the permanent judge who will enforce the rules.
- Sit around the table in alternating team positions.
- Team Glad goes first and selects a player to be the Neanderthal Poet. Place the Poet Point Slate in front of them.
- The Poet chooses whether all players will read from the gray or orange side of the Poetry Cards for the entire game.
- A player from Team Mad who can see the card in the Poet’s hand receives the NO! Stick.
- Set up the table with the following items: Poet, Poet Point Slate, a handful of Poetry Cards, NO! Stick, Team Point Slate, and Sand Timer.
- If you are the Poet, the opposing team starts the timer while you take the first Poetry Card. Your goal is to make your team say either the 1-point word (easy) or the 3-point phrase (hard) using only words with one syllable.
- All players on your team can shout out words at the same time to guess the word or phrase. When someone guesses correctly, say “Yes!” and place the card on the appropriate spot on the Poet Point Slate.
- If you start with the 1-point word and guess it correctly, you can choose to place the card in the 1-point spot or try for the 3-point phrase. However, if you break any rules along the way, you lose the earned point and must place the card on the Oops (-1 point) spot of the Poet Point Slate.
- If you start with the 3-point phrase and your team says the 1-point word, follow the rules above as if you had started with the 1-point word.
- If you want to skip a card before earning any points, say “Skip!” and place the card on the Oops (-1 point) spot of the Poet Point Slate.
- Continue playing and drawing new Poetry Cards until the timer runs out. Note that you can never earn more than 3 points from a card.
- Remember, if it feels like cheating, it’s cheating!
Original Edition
ORIGINAL GAME DESIGN BY FRANCESCA SLADE AND JACOB MATTHEWS DEVELOPED BY
EXPLODING KITTENS
WHAT IS THIS?!?
It’s good to be a Poet.
It’s good to be a Neanderthal.
What isn’t good is being both of those things at the same time.
As a Poet, you’d love to recite thoughtful prose like:
The mighty Woolly Mammoth makes a mockery of my tiny hairless body.
But as a Neanderthal, you’re only capable of saying:
The most strong big thing with
trunk and much hair make fun of my too-small bald bones and skin.
The trouble for you is that as a Neanderthal, you don’t know any words that
are more than one syllable.
The trouble for your team is that they’re listening to a Neanderthal recite
poetry.
GOAL
Score the most points by correctly interpreting words and phrases.
SETUP
- Form two teams (Team Glad and Team Mad). If you have an odd number of players, the extra player is the permanent judge. They are not on either team but will always stand next to the Poet and use the NO! Stick to enforce the rules.
- Sit around the table in alternating team positions.
- Team Glad goes first and picks a player from their team to be the first Neanderthal Poet and puts the Poet Point Slate in front of them (see image below).
- The Poet chooses which side of the Poetry Cards all players will read from (gray or orange) for the whole game.
- A player from Team Mad who can see the card in the Poet’s hand gets the NO! Stick.
- Set up the table like this:
GAMEPLAY
If you are the Poet, the opposing team starts the timer while you take the first Poetry Card. Begin trying to get your team to say either the 1-point word (easy) or the 3-point phrase (hard) using only words with one syllable.
Everyone on your team can shout out words at the same time when trying to guess the word or phrase. When someone is correct, say “Yes!” and put the card on the appropriate spot on the Poet Point Slate.
-
Starting with the 1-point word: If you start with the 1-point word and get it correct, shout “Yes!” and then you can either put your card in the 1-point spot or try for the 3-point phrase. However, if along the way you accidentally break any rules, you lose the earned point and must put the card on the
“Oops” (-1 point) spot of the Poet Point Slate. -
Starting with the 3-point phrase: If you start with the 3-point phrase and your team says the 1-point word, shout “Yes!” and follow the rules above as if you had started with the 1-point word.
-
Skipping: If you want to skip a card before earning any points, you can say “Skip!” and put the card on the “Oops” (-1 point) spot of the Poet Point Slate.
In all cases, draw a new Poetry Card to continue playing until the timer runs out. NOTE: You can never earn more than 3 points from a card.
You Can
- You can only speak using words with one syllable.
- You can say any word on your card AFTER a Guesser has said that word.
You Can’t
- You can’t say any word, part of any word, or any form of a word that is on the Poetry Card (unless someone on your team has already said it out loud).
- You can’t use gestures/charades.
- You can’t use “sounds like” or “rhymes with.”
- You can’t use initials or abbreviations.
- You can’t use other languages.
We’re sure there’s more that we just didn’t think of, but just remember― If it feels like cheating, it’s cheating!
The NO! Stick
When it is the other team’s turn, grab the NO! Stick and stand beside the
Poet. If they violate any of the rules above, shout “NO!” and hit them
gently(ish) with the NO! Stick. The Poet must then put the Poetry Card in
their hand on the “Oops” (-1 point) spot on the Poet Point Slate.
ENDING YOUR TURN
Each Poet’s turn continues until the timer runs out. If you’ve earned any
points for the Poetry Card in your hand, put the card in the appropriate space
on the Poet Point Slate. Then move ALL the cards from the Poet Point Slate to
the right spots on the Team Point Slate. It is now the other team’s turn.
WINNING
When all players have had one turn as Poet (or both teams have had the same
number of turns as Poet), add up each team’s points on the Team Point Slate.
The team with the most points wins the game.
CHALLENGES
If the Poet feels they were penalized incorrectly, they shout “Wait!” and turn the timer on its side. Decide as a group if the challenge is valid. Then decide as a group what to do with the Poetry Card in question. We’re not going to give you a lot of rules here…but as you aggressively debate about personal pronunciation, accents, and that one rule about syllables you learned in school, please try to remember that this is just a game and really probably not that important.
If you’re one of those people who MUST HAVE the official answer, head over to
How Many Syllables™:
www.HowManySyllables.com
After a challenge is resolved, turn the timer upright and continue.
PRO TIP
Avoid saying single words and then waiting for your team to guess! Instead,
try speaking in full sentences like this example.
PRACTICE
Now you know all the rules, but before playing, try one practice round!
You now have the 1-point word, so you call it out and say:
Then put the card in the 3-point area of the
Poet Point Slate and draw another card to continue.
PLAYING WITH 2 OR 3 PLAYERS
2 Players
Both players are on the same team and switch off being the Poet. Play with
just the Poet Point Slate (you don’t need the Team Point Slate). After each
player has been the Poet three times, add up your points:
- 10 points or less: This Team Bad
- 11-30 points: Team is So-So At Make Words
- 31-49 points: Team Have Much Big Brain
- 50 points or more: A Stunning Evolutionary Exemplar
3 Players
Players rotate between three roles: Poet, Guesser, and Player-with-Stick. Poet
and Guesser only use the Poet Point Slate. They cooperatively earn points and
add cards to the Poet Point Slate. Player-With-Stick makes sure no rules are
violated and earns no points.
At the end of the round, Poet and Guesser add up the points they’ve earned and
record points on a piece of paper.
Next, discard all used Poetry Cards into the box, rotate each player’s role,
and start the next round. After each player has been Poet twice, the player
with the most points wins.
For example:
Player A and Player B begin the game as Poet and Guesser; they each earn and
record 10 points.
Next, Player B and Player C rotate and each earn 5 points. Finally, Players A
and C rotate and each earn 20 points.
At this point in the game, Player A has 30 points, Player B has 15 points, and
Player C has 25 points.
To determine the winner, keep playing until each player has been the Poet
twice!
HEY! DON’T READ THESE RULES!
Reading is the worst way to learn how to play a game. Instead go online and
watch our instructional video:
POETRY4NEANDERTHALS.COM/HOW
© 2023 Exploding Kittens | Made in China
7162 Beverly Blvd #272 Los Angeles, CA 90036 USA
Imported into the UK by Exploding Kittens Oceana House,
1st Flr 39-49 Commercial Rd Southampton, Hampshire SO15 1GA, UK Imported into
the EU by Exploding Kittens 10 Rue Pergolèse, 75116 Paris, FR
support@explodingkittens.com |
www.explodingkittens.com
LONP-202304-27