Spotlight On: Munchkin

August 24, 2021

The Munchkin line is a series of card games that play on Dungeons & Dragons tropes, with players starting at level 1 and competing to be the first to achieve level 10! The original game, Munchkin, originally published in 2001 leans fully into this theme as you and your friends play as heroes trying to kill monsters with magical items. The cards and items are witty and humorous, with equipment such as “Boots of Butt Kicking” and the “Pointy Hat of Power”. 

Munchkin has a satisfying run time of anywhere from one hour to two depending on the number of players and amount of time you spend laughing at the card descriptions and illustrations. It's no wonder that this game expanded into a full series with the same basic concepts adapted to an array of different themes! Other versions include Munchkin Booty (Pirate theme), Munchkin Bites! (Vampires), Star Munchkin (Space), and The Good, The Bad, and the Munchkin (Western), to name a few. While the core elements and fun flavor of the original Munchkin game remains intact, many of these later versions expand upon its rules and introduce new mechanics, which keeps the game evolving and interesting. 

Another bonus? The creator and publisher of these games is a Texas based company – Steve Jackson Games! Jackson himself started the company back in 1980, and it has expanded to over 40 employees now. They not only produce the Munchkin series, but many other quirky and engaging games including Chez, Star Traders and Illuminati. Come see us and check out what they have to offer!

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