Does the idea of killing monsters and stealing from your friends sound like a good time to you? If so, you’ll love the hilarious card game Munchkin, a D&D-inspired game that takes the dungeon experience and flips it on its head. Grab the Horny Helmet and vanquish the Plutonium Dragon to level up in this fantastic card game that will keep you laughing the entire time.
Kicking Down the Door
In Munchkin, each player begins their turn by “kicking down the door”, which involves drawing a Door Card from random. Door Cards belong to several different categories. The first are Curse Cards, which give you a certain negative effect. If you have the bad luck to draw a Curse Card, you may end up having to forfeit your turn or go back a certain number of levels. These usually come with funny little drawings such as the “Duck of Doom”, which curses you for being silly enough to pick up a duck in a dungeon (what were you thinking?)
Door Cards can also be Item, Race, or Class Cards that you get to add to your hand to be played at a future time. These can be helpful in attacking opponents during their turns or in giving yourself a valuable boost in fighting monsters. The last kind of Door Card is a Monster Card, which pits you against a ferocious creature in an opportunity to either level up or suffer the consequences.
Level Up but Don’t Get Killed
Munchkin begins with all players starting at level 1. Whoever is the first to reach level 10 is declared the winner, but you’ll have to fight off some monsters if you want to level up. Monster fights will pit your total level against the level of the monster to decide who wins the round. The real excitement of the game comes from the fact that your fellow players can either choose to help you defeat the monster (in exchange for Treasure Cards) or add another monster to the mix to try and crush you.
If you win the fight and defeat the monster, you can draw a certain amount of Treasure Cards and level up. If you lose, however, you’ll have to roll the dice to try and get away. Anything less than a five will force you to deal with the “Bad Stuff” on the monster card, which can result in losing levels or Treasure Cards. You may even die as a result of losing the battle, which doesn’t disqualify you from the game but does force you to end your turn and draw a new hand for equipment.
Munchkins Sequels and Expansions
Munchkin has spawned countless sequels that can be played on their own or added to the original game for an even wilder good time. Munchkin Adventure Time is based on everyone’s favorite show on Cartoon Network, incorporating art and characters from the series. Munchkin Booty sets the game on the high seas, forcing you to battle vividly drawn pirates drawn by Guest Artist Tom Siddell. Expansions such as Munchkin Apocalypse add natural disasters, zombie takeovers, and alien invasions in addition to new mechanics for more complex gameplay.
Kill, Steal, and Stab: The Munchkin Way
Munchkin is playable by 3-6 players, so it’s definitely well suited for small to medium groups of friends who’ve grown tired of playing the traditional Dungeons and Dragons card game. Newcomers to card games will also find plenty to love with the simple rules and amazing illustrations done by John Kovalic, which add a unique level of style and fun to the game.
Munchkin is suitable for ages 10 and up, so families can definitely get a kick out of all that it has to offer. With a playing time of one to two hours, you can make an entire night out of a game without losing interest. Thanks to its potential for cooperation and ruthless backstabbing, Munchkin is a game that can make or break friendships in an instant. If you’re looking for a game with humor, strategy, and excellent artwork, Munchkin and any one of its numerous expansions will provide countless hours of fun.
