Munchkin (Card Game)
Munchkin is the second best card game ever (that first-place honour goes to Magic). It's made by Steve Jackson Games, and the spirit of the game is true to its name. There are tons of expansions and new sets for it, such as Munchkin Cthulhu, Munchkin Impossible, Super Munchkin and they're ALL compatible with each other.
The goal of the game is simple: be the first player to get to level 10, or level 20 if you're playing with the (HIGHLY recommended) EPIC Munchkin rules. Playing the game is simple: you get handful of cards representing your adventurer's starting equipment, and each time it is your turn you draw a card from a pile and reveal it. Something (good or bad) described on the card then happens to you like in a old-school CYOA book, be it a monster challenging you, a trap you need to avoid, etc...
You obtain levels mostly by killing monsters (such as Level 10 Net Troll, Level 20 Katrina, Level 1 Plushy Skull, etc). These monsters can be enhanced (or diminished) by you or the other players with potions, spells, charms, (poor) extra wandering monsters, etc. when you manage to kill a monster, you will get one or more levels (depending on how tough it is/was made) and also obtain Treasures, which munchkins love. These special cards can allow you to cheat, use 4 swords at once, wear 3 helmets, etc.
The fun part is: The rules actually tell you cheating is legal unless you get caught and actively encourage you to be the one to get to lvl 10 (or 20) by any means necessary, including backstabbing the other players with cards designed especially for that endeavour and exploiting the deliberately vague rules that allow you to abuse loopholes to comical levels. This can lead to epic lulz and/or frothing neckbeard rage and table-flipping.
Fucking buy Munchkin. It's not as expensive as Magic, not as shit as Yu-Gi-Oh, and not as Weeaboo as Pokémon. It is only $25 a set retail and cheaper online, and takes maybe 30 min to learn/explain to new people (but longer to fully grasp the nuances). BUT, all bullshit aside, it's an addictive game that will definitely be the best $18-25 you've ever spent. For everyone's safety and sanity, just make sure in advance everyone is aware the point of the game is to be the biggest That Guy possible or you'll risk ruining friendships.
Expansions[edit]
The expansions for the base Munchkin game are:
- Munchkin 2: Unnatural Axe
- Munchkin 3: Clerical Errors
- Munchkin 4: The Need For Steed
- Munchkin 5: De-Ranged
- Munchkin 6: Demented Dungeons (adds dungeon cards to the game)
- Munchkin 6.5: Terrible Tombs
- Munchkin 7: Cheat with Both Hands
- Munchkin 8: Half Horse Will Travel
- Munchkin 9: Jurassic Snark
Spin-Offs[edit]
All of the following are compatible with both the base game, the base game expansions, and each other, allowing for the ridiculous combinations of your choosing. This isn't even close to a complete list, by the way.
- Munchkin Adventure Time
- Munchkin Bites
- Munchkin Bites 2:Pants Macabre
- Munchkin Blender
- Munchkin Cthulhu
- Munchkin Cthulhu 2: Call of Cowthulhu
- Munchkin Cthulhu 3: The Unspeakable Vault
- Munchkin Cthulhu 4: Crazed Caverns
- Munchkin Dice
- Munchkin Fu
- Munchkin Fu 2: Monky Business
- Munchkin: Impossible
- Munchkin Miniatures
- Munchkin Nightmare Before Christmas
- Star Munchkin
- Star Munchkin 2: The Clown Wars
- Star Munchkin: Space Ships
- Star Munchkin 3: Diplomatic Impunity
- Super Munchkin
- Super Munchkin 2: The Narrow "S" Cape
- The Good, The Bad, and The Munchkin
- The Good, The Bad, and The Munchkin 2: Beating a Dead Horse
- Munchkin Booty
- Munchkin Booty 2: Jump the Shark
- Munchkin Booty: Fish and Ships
- Munchkin Axe-Cop
- Munchkin The Guild
- Munchkin Skullkickers
- Munchkin Penny Arcade
- Munchkin Fairy Dust
- Munchkin Conan
- Munchkin Zombies
- Munchkin Zombies 2: Armed and Dangerous
- Munchkin Zombies 3: Hideous Hideouts
- Munchkin Zombies 4: Spare Parts
- Munchkin Apocalypse
- Munchkin Apocalypse 2: Sheep Impact
- Munchkin Apocalypse: Mars Attacks!
- Munchkin Pathfinder
- Munchkin Pathfinder: Gobsmacked!
- Munchkin Starfinder
- Munchkin Starfinder: I Want It All!
- Munchkin Warhammer 40,000
- Munchkin Warhammer 40,000: Faith and Firepower
- Munchkin Warhammer 40,000: Savagery and Sorcery
- Munchkin Age of Sigmar
With multiple expansions it sometimes becomes a bastard quick game, and so Steve Jackson Games offers rules for Epic Munchkin, that modifies some of the game and allows players to go to level 20. Those rules are here: Epic Munchkin
Munchkin Quest[edit]
Munchkin Quest is the same concept, only it's a board game with a more complex long system of things. It's a tileset with miniatures and like three decks and a bunch of even more messed up crazy stuff as each tile represents a room where multiple whacky hijinks can happen. The first expansion, Munchkin Quest 2: Looking For Trouble, is out now as well and adds two more characters and more rooms and monsters and stuff. It's not compatible with any other version of Munchkin. It also takes forever and a whole day to play.
Munchkin: The RPG[edit]
SJ Games also made a few books adapting the Munchkin card game to their own D20 system. Unfortunately, they are currently out of print.
Munchkin: Quacked Quest[edit]
There's also a video game from Asmodee Digital called Munchkin: Quacked Quest, released in 2019. Instead of being a straight adaptation of the card game, it's a co-operative dungeon crawler that borrows the aesthetic and end goal. The 38% positive Steam review total indicates how well that worked out.
External links[edit]
| Card Games | |
|---|---|
| Collectible Card Games: |
Call of Cthulhu - Cardfight!! Vanguard - Fire Emblem Cipher Force of Will - Jyhad - Magi-Nation Duel - Magic: The Gathering Netrunner - Pokémon - Star Wars: Destiny CCG (Dead) - Yu-Gi-Oh |
| Other Card Games: |
1000 Blank White Cards - 7th Sea - Apples to Apples - Bang! Cards Against Humanity - Coup - Decktet - Dominion - Dvorak F.A.T.A.L. - Keyforge - Mafia - Mag Blast - Mao - Munchkin Race for the Galaxy - Sentinels of the Multiverse - Tanto Cuore |
| Traditional Card Games: |
Bridge - Cribbage - Mahjong - Solitaire/Patience - Poker - Rummy - Tarot |