Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Latest Loot: Munchkin

We were at Target yesterday and I ran across the Munchkin card game.  I had seen it there months ago and passed on it with the intention of getting it "next time".  I never saw it again for the next several months until yesterday. As I picked it up I noticed the price was only $12.48 because it was on the clearance aisle.  I immediately threw it in our cart and we continued our shopping.
 
I have not played it yet but I have read through the rules.  My impression is that this game can be a lot of fun.  I have also visited the web site and downloaded all of the free support documents available.  I also noticed that there are many expansion sets, boosters, game sets in other genres and licenses, a board game, and even a set of role-playing game books based on Munchkin.
 
I figured there has to be some other people out there in the blogosphere that have experience with the Munchkin line of games.  I have a few questions for anyone that has the inclination to answer them:
 
Are the other sets like Star Munchkin,  Munchkin Fu, Munchkin Conan, Munchkin Pathfinder, etc. just the same game ever so slightly tweaked or do they offer any new content/options?
 
Are there any sets that you would recommend?
 
Would you recommend the Munchkin Quest board game?
 
Would you recommend the Munchkin RPG?
 
Thanks to any and all who take the time to answer.

5 comments:

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  2. My wife and I have a couple of sets: the original Munchkin, Munchkin Fu, and the Munchkin Fu expansion. I've only played a couple of times, but it's my understanding that all of the card sets are compatible--different races, monsters, loot, etc. but the same game mechanics. I can't help you with the board game or RPG.

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    1. Cool. I kind of figured the RPG was not meant for serious play or anything so I really would not be very interested in it. The board game is something I would definitely like to try.

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  3. Munchkin is a lot of fun, though if you play with a lot of people at once (5+) and you are playing in a cut-throat way with everybody attacking anyone who gets a level or two ahead, it can take a long time. Each individual game is quite good, and has its own jokes since a lot of it is the silly cards and illustrations. They are all compatible, though most of them introduce new rules just for the set (besides reskinning so that, e.g. in Munchkin Booty Race becomes Accent). Later games often incorporate rules first introduced in earlier ones. For example, in Star Munchkin, there's a new category of card: Side Kick. Many Side Kicks have certain powers of their own, but even if they don't they can be sacrificed to save you from Bad Stuff (Red Shirts). In addition, you can combine any -aser weapons into a single weapon, summing the bonuses. So a Laser can be combined with a Maser to create a Laser-Maser, and so on up to the Laser-Maser-Graser-BoBaser-Bananafanafofaser. I don't really know anything about the board game or RPG, though I've heard that the latter is funny but maybe not really playable except as a one-shot goof.

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    1. It sounds like Munchkin shares some similarities with the old Illuminati game if you play with a large group or in a cut-throat manner. That's a good thing! I believe I will probably get Star Munchkin or the Pathfinder one soon...lol.

      I have seen the RPG books and I flipped through them in the store. They are pretty funny but I don't think you could play any sort of long term play with them. Who knows? I did have Teenagers from Outer Space and we played that several times with a group of six.

      The board game is where my other interests in Munchkin is focused. I would like to try it out but I have yet to see it in any store.

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