Which Munchkin Do You Have?
This should be a simple question to answer, but I was asked earlier, and didn't have a great answer.
I've been a fan of Steve Jackson Games' Munchkin pretty much since its release. A pal had a copy and we played it, and I was hooked. I didn't (and still usually don't) have too many opportunities to play such a game, so I didn't get my own copy for a while.
Eventually, I happened by an exclusive at Target version, Munchkin Oz, and grabbed a Wizard of Oz themed copy of the game. I was aware there were a few other themes, but again, didn't have anyone to play with. Turned out that the Wizard of Oz was more of a hook than the hacking and slashing, so a few peeps at work would play with me a time or two.
Then a different friend of mine introduced me to a wicked little site that would aggregate things and sell them in weird collections. He happened by while I was watching a video of Wil Wheaton, Steve Jackson, and others, playing Munchkin on his TableTop video series, and he mentioned he thought there was a bundle of Munchkin on this site. Sure enough, there was a drop with a bunch of the base sets in it, and it included some expansions. For a little too much money than I should have spent (but less than nabbing the sets individually) for a few too many starter kits and expansions, I ordered the bundle, and the hook was set.
I don't remember the exact contents of the bundle any more, but I know I haven't opened all of them. I also fell a little into completionist nightmare, as I sought to get more of the expansions, add-ons, and themes to complete my Munchkin habit. It probably turned into a full-blown problem for a while, which has since abated, as I found I wasn't able to articulate which bits of the Munchkin world I own. And it bit me when I came home with a new one I thought was amusing, only to find I'd already found it amusing and purchased it previously.
Because of some of the repeated cards in the different kits, and because they'll toss in some stray promo cards when you order directly from Warehouse 23, I'm sure there are a lot of overlapped cards. I don't have a good way of getting a list of those random cards (nor do I foresee a way to collect those directly) without tearing into the shuffled decks and trying to identify the source of each added card. I'm not quite that keen on the process that might involve, although I have considered doing it on occasion.
Instead of looking at each of the cards, I thought it might behoove me to at least make a list of all of the Munchkin things I have in my collection, maybe someplace I can return to and update if necessary. This list should help reducing the risk of repeating purchases of kits, like that recent discovery of a second Munchkin Druids. This list is created by checking the stacks for the boxes, and looking into a box that has most of the expansion packaging, and looking into some of the game boxes, where I also stowed some unopened packs and packaging for some of the expansions before I started collecting them elsewhere. The list of what I own is meant to be comprehensive, but I do leave open the opportunity for a package not saved or missed in the scanning.
Munchkin Not Munchkin
I have a few things that aren't Munchkin card games, but are Munchkin related, and would probably be considered if someone was so minded.
Dire Wolf Munchkin
This isn't a direct Steve Jackson Games version of a Munchkin card game, but is a digital version of Munchkin made in a partnership with them. Still, for a quick Munchkin fix, and for noting that it is in my collection of Munchkin, here it is.
This digital version of the game works on iPad, Android, and Steam. It uses the same Munchkin artwork and follows the basic flow of the game. It does have Online Play, but I've never created an account to challenge strangers (or maybe friends?) on the Internet. It offers challenges and random solo play, but doesn't seem to have a way to pass a device between multiple human players, so it's you against the AI players. It doesn't really allow cheating (such as sneaking illegal cards onto the table, or miscounting before the end of your turn), so it's a bit of a stickler for the rules. When playing the "AI" players, they tend to team up against the human player, or rather seem to help each other more than the human. It also doesn't work with more than one player assisting another player, largely because of the auction system it has to "choose" who helps, wherein it seems the AI is chosen a lot more than the human when an AI asks for help, cutting the human off from any treasures. Small things, all.
This isn't supposed to be a review of that...just a mention that I have that version of Munchkin, too.
There are currently a pair of expansions, which I also purchased, each adding 112 "cards" to the game.
- Set 2 - Unnatural Axe
- Set 3 - Clerical Errors
Especially having seen how they use the art and "animate" the battles, my nerd brain often jumps to ways that the game they have could be expanded to fit with any Munchkin theme or expansion kit, marrying the real world (as in, already created cards and rules) with the digital. I'm glad they don't, because it would be disastrous for fighting off the urge to get one more expansion!
Munchkin Gloom
Not a Munchkin game, but still a Steve Jackson Games offering, Munchkin Gloom is a Gloom game based on Munchkin, not the other way around. I have a couple of Gloom games, including the original and Cthulhu Gloom, which are both completely different to play than Munchkin, but are still very fun. This version of Gloom builds characters and stories in the Gloom style, but uses Munchkin characters and story bits.
Munchkin Panic
Munchkin Panic is another of the few Munchkin things that are more the mash-up than the source of a different Munchkin theme. This is a version of Castle Panic using Munchkin characters and actions. Castle Panic (to which I was also introduced on TableTop) is a game where the monsters are trying to work their way up a channel to a castle in the middle, while the players are working together, trying to defend the castle. I don't have Castle Panic, but I also have a version with a zombie attack called Dead Panic. Munchkin Panic is a Steve Jackson Games offering, but mine remains unopened.
Munchkin Mat of Mayhem
Not a card expansion, but a sizeable add-on to the game, I own the Munchkin Mat of Mayhem, which is a big play mat where the players can track their progress through the game, with a few rule add-ins to boot.
It is just a big rubberized mat with a ring of circles printed on it, allowing the players to work their way from the center to the outside. The rings are divided into sections with benefits, for example level 2 offers either +1 to run away or +1 in combat, and each subsequent level needs to be an area adjacent to the player's current area as they move. Other rules apply. Player game pieces from other expansions can be used. This is also mostly themed for the main Munchkin games, but can be used with essentially any themed game as they are fairly generic benefits.
Munchkin Board of Health
A cross-game aid, the Munchkin Board of Health includes a couple of game boards, styled for Munchkin Cthulhu and Munchkin Zombies, some new cards for each, and some game tokens. Similar to the game board included in the deluxe editions and some of the other themed games, these boards give players a more visual way to trek through the game.
Munchkin
For my base pack, I have a copy of Munchkin Deluxe from the big bundle I got way back when. It's the same set of cards as the regular Munchkin game, but it also includes a game board and player pieces to help visualize player progress through the game levels. Added to this I've got a set of Munchkin Boxes of Holding (set 1), which were intended to hold all of the blended expansions, but it turns out I have more cards from expansions than the boxes hold! Luckily I do have another expansion that includes more Boxes of Holding, but the deluxe box can't hold all of those Boxes of Holding. As it is, the Boxes of Holdings I tucked inside the deluxe box don't allow the deluxe box to close all the way.
Grouped below are the basic Munchkin expansions, either called-out as expansions of the base game, or expansions with the same basic backing; although some of the other kits also use the same basic backing, and can be rolled into the base game if desired--I'll note that in the different games as I go. I'll group the expansions noted for other themes with their themes. Some of the expansions I have are already shuffled into the deluxe kit (or their appropriate themed version, for those kits), while some are either still unopened or at least still unincorporated. I'm not going to call out which are already opened or shuffled in or both.
Munchkin Hidden Treasures
The Munchkin Hidden Treasures expansion includes a variety of cards from other expansions. Notably, it includes the booster packs Munchkin Knights and Munchkin Marked for Death (which I also have separately).
Munchkin Unicorns and Friends
A guest-artist fueled Kickstarter campaign, the Munchkin Unicorns and Friends expansion introduces a number of animal-based cards to the game, and add-ins like kill-o-meters and boxes of holding. Mine is unopened, waiting for a reason to be included in the big kit. The rewards did include Munchkin Love Shark Baby, too.
Munchkin Numbered Expansions
I own the Munchkin Expansions numbered 2-10. They start all of their numbered expansions at #2, I suppose with the base kit being the unnumbered #1, much like you can't really have a "first annual" anything without a lot of optimism and hope; you have to wait until the second one to call it an annual thing, right?
- Munchkin 2 - Unnatural Axe
- Munchkin 3 - Clerical Errors
- Munchkin 4 - The Need for Steed
- Munchkin 5 - De-Ranged
- Munchkin 6 - Demented Dungeons
- Munchkin 7 - Cheat With Both Hands
- Munchkin 8 - Half Horse Will Travel
- Munchkin 9 - Jurassic Snark
- Munchkin 10 - Time Warp
While I won't call them all out, all of these have been shuffled in already, except #6 and #10.
Munchkin Halloween Pack
I have a bag of these packs that are intended to be given away at Halloween. I've incorporated at least one set of them into my game, and have given some to friends and visitors who trick-or-treat. There are only four cards in each of the included packs, so it isn't a big add-on, and I think I've gotten some of them from other add-on moments, too.
There's a similar, kit for giving away at Christmas, called Munchkin Stocking Stuffers.I have some Stocking Stuffers attached to the Holiday Edition, but not separately, unless they've come as other promos or add-ons.
Just for noting the theme, a better gift option, Munchkin Christmas Lite, comes with a bunch of Christmas themed cards, in a complete game set, for a lot less than a normal Munchkin kit. I don't have one of those, though. Completing the gift thought, they also offer a Munchkin Gift Pack, which includes three complete Munchkin games.
Blister Packs
Additionally, there are a few sets of blister packs, foil packs, large and small box expansions, or other collections of cards that require a base set to expand.
- Munchkin Bosses
- Munchkin Clowns
- Munchkin Cows
- Munchkin Curses
- Munchkin Dead & Deadlier
- Munchkin Dragons
- Munchkin Dragon's Trike
- Munchkin Druids (x2)
- Munchkin Fowl Play
- Munchkin Gets Promoted 2
- Munchkin Hipsters
- Munchkin Love Shark Baby
- Munchkin Marked for Death
- Munchkin Something Fishy
- Munchkin Squids
- Munchkin The Guild
- Munchkin The Red Dragon Inn
- Munchkin Tricky Treats
- Munchkin Witches
Promotions
I also have a number of "bookmarks" and other bits that are meant to be used in the games. I don't tend to use them, because some of them suggest destroying them (instead of just removing them from play) when used. Some of the promotion kits include cards for other Munchkin themes, but for as close as I can get to complete, here's a list of the bundles I can still identify.
- Exclusive Warehouse 23 Munchkin Booster 2011
- Exclusive Warehouse 23 Munchkin Booster 2012
- Exclusive Warehouse 23 Munchkin Booster 2013
- Exclusive Warehouse 23 Munchkin Booster 2014
- Mini Expansion Pack December 2019
- Munchkin Dragons: Four More
- Munchkin Witches Promo Pack
I don't have the Exclusive Warehouse 23 Munchkin Booster 2010, which was probably before I found and started ordering from their site directly They also don't list years other than 2010-2014 on the site. Also, reading the descriptions on the munchkin.game site seems to indicate that most of these cards are in the Munchkin Hidden Treasures expansion, which I also own.
I have one inconveniently named Munchkin Promo Card Pack New, which must refresh occasionally, right? And another that simply says "here are some cards" and lists a couple of the themed games; I haven't opened it (or really any of these listed packs) to know what's inside.
And, as mentioned, there are a number of loose cards collected from orders and other things along the way, most of which have been shuffled in, but some remain loose. For the really interested, or to remind me to look later if I ever get around to trying to identify missing individual cards, SJG puts a list of all of the promo cards on their site.
Munchkin Big Box
I have ordered the Munchkin Big Box from their Kickstarter campaign, which is due to be delivered in March 2025. It includes a bevy of cards collected from other places, blank and new cards, boards, dice, kill-o-meters, bits, bobs, and other pieces.
There was quite a bit of arguing about some of the stretch goals and whether to include one of them with another thing SJG had going on. I don't know if this kit will be sold separately, or will remain an exclusive Kickstarter deal.
Munchkin 2010 Holiday Edition
I have an unopened, limited release of the Munchkin 2010 Holiday Edition with holiday themed box art, the Waiting for Santa expansion pack inside, a blister pack of Stocking Stuffer cards on the outside (four packs to give away), game coins, a bookmark, and a greeting card to send to a friend. I don't think there's anything special about the game cards inside; in that I think it's a basic Munchkin game plus the expansion packs. I got it as an add-on to another order.
Oddly, this is not listed in the great list of everything from SJG's site, although it is one of their games, and is marked 1469 on the side (where all the games have a number).
Munchkin Apocalypse
This game is a bit more modern, with tanks and guns but not ogres or dragons, Munchkin Apocalypse also adds on calamities and disasters, and potentially game ending apocalyptic seals. Two of the packs are directly related to apocalyptic movies, and the other adds more movie-themed monsters. These cards are themed, and with the extra rules wouldn't blend well with other Munchkin kits.
- Munchkin Apocalypse 2 - Sheep Impact
- Munchkin Apocalypse: Judge Dredd
- Munchkin Apocalypse: Kaiju
- Munchkin Apocalypse: Mars Attacks!
Munchkin Cthulhu
I went through a little bit of a Cthulhu game phase, picking up a number of Cthulu-themed games, like Cthulhu Gloom, Chez Cthulhu, and more. I own Munchkin Cthulhu and all of its expansions. These cards are themed, so they wouldn't blend into other Munchkin games.
- Munchkin Cthulhu Sanity Check
- Munchkin Cthulhu 2 - Call of Cowthulhu
- Munchkin Cthulhu 3 - The Unspeakable Vault
- Munchkin Cthulhu 4 - Crazed Caverns
Munchkin: Disney DuckTales
Purchased specifically to try to intrigue the kids, Munchkin: Disney DuckTales is not to be confused with the Munchkin: Disney version of the game (which I do not own). The player takes on personas of the various Duck Tale characters, and "fight" other Disney-appropriate "monsters." It has a few other bits added to the game, making it a touch more than basic, and while the kids liked the art, they didn't catch on to the basic flow, or the additional rules. There are no expansions for this theme. These cards are themed, and with the extra rules this would be difficult to add to other Munchkin games.
Munchkin Grimm Tidings
Munchkin Grimm Tidings is a version of Munchkin with characters and monsters based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tales, and others. Same game play and card backings, so it could be rolled into the big kit. There are no expansions for this theme, but it the cards are such that they could be introduced into the basic Munchkin game, turning this theme into an expansion if desired.
Munchkin Legends
Munchkin Legends is a themed version built with a set of Munchkin cards largely based in Greek mythology, and other stories and tales, it also has a few expansion packs that I own. The card backs match the main Munchkin look, so these could be folded in with other Munchkin kits as an expansion.
- Munchkin Legends 2 - Faun and Games
- Munchkin Legends 3 - Myth Prints
Munchkin Marvel
In the earlier days of the Marvel movie universe explosion, a couple Marvel-themed Munchkin games were released, where players can be the heroes and fight the villains from the various movies and comics. Munchkin Marvel has two expansions that add more heroes, villains, and tools that I own. The card backs are themed, and with the extra rules this would be difficult to blend into a bigger Munchkin kit.
- Munchkin Marvel 2 - Mystic Mayhem
- Munchkin Marvel 3 - Cosmic Chaos
Munchkins & Mazes
Munchkins & Mazes is a version of the basic game with an almost recursive set of characters, monsters, and items, taking their jokes from more modern takes on gaming in general. It's got pretty much the same vibe and feel of the original Munchkin, but with a touch more modern gaming sass rolled into it. A little less "pure" to the RPGs on which Munchkin bases its original snarkiness. There are no expansions for this version, but the cards are styled like the basic game and could be included in the main Munchkin kit.
Munchkin Oz
My first kit, Munchkin Oz was originally a Target exclusive, which made me feel a little special since I worked for Target at the time, and was able to introduce the game to some of my peers at work. I have the one expansion for the theme. Munchkin Oz cards are backed the same as other basic Munchkin cards, so this could be shuffled in like an expansion itself.
- Munchkin Oz 2 - Yellow Brick Raid
Munchkin Presents Batman
Munchkin Presents Batman is a version I got from their Kickstarter campaign. This is a little different as the game is Batman, and the players try to win by building villains and completing crimes. The players "fight" the crimes, like other Munchkin games fight the monsters, and the villain player who completes the most crimes defeats Batman. The set includes game boards and player pieces, like other deluxe kits, although this isn't called out as a deluxe, it is in the bigger, deluxe-style square box, too. These cards are themed and can't be easily incorporated into the other games.
Munchkin South Park
I haven't opened this since I got it, but Munchkin South Park uses characters and jokes from the show. There are no expansions for this theme, and the cards are unique, so it can't really be rolled into the main Munchkin game.
Munchkin Scooby-Doo!
Another unopened kit, Munchkin Scooby-Doo! uses characters and jokes from the shows and movies. There are no expansions for this theme, and its card backs are branded, so it cannot be easily incorporated into other games.
Munchkin Shakespeare
I got Munchkin Shakespeare Deluxe from their Kickstarter campaign, which included a bunch of extra goodies as stretch goals, including a Kickstarter exclusive expansion, and a demo pack. I don't recall if there were any other planned expansions, but I don't see any on the Munchkin site. I still haven't opened the box that the campaign rewards came in! These cards are backed the same as other basic Munchkin kits, so this could be incorporated as a big expansion.
Munchkin Spell Skool
Munchkin Spell Skool is a version of Munchkin that focuses a bit more on the wizard kind of RPG characters, with a lot more of a Harry Potter vibe, but isn't really a licensed theme, so although the names are very similar, as I recall, there aren't HP characters in there. There aren't any expansions for this theme, but the cards are backed the same way as the main Munchkin game, so it could be incorporated as an expansion.
Munchkin Zombies
In a zombie fandom, I also have a few zombie themed games, and Munchkin Zombies didn't escape my collection. I think it may have also been in the big bundle I got from that collection site I have the larger version of the first expansion, which has a card-only version sold as Munchkin Zombies 2 - Armed and Dangerous, but the kit I have includes some player tokens and themed dice and came in the same bookshelf size box as the game. The expansion themed on The Walking Dead is based on the graphic novels instead of the television show, although the show is also based (initially) on the graphic novels, so it seems like a lot of overlap. Somewhere along the way I also got an extra pack of +6 Bag o' Munchkin Zombies. These cards are also themed, so it can't be as easily incorporated with other Munchkin themes.
- Munchkin Zombies: Armed and Dangerous
- Munchkin Zombies 3 - Hideous Hideouts
- Munchkin Zombies 4 - Spare Parts
- Munchkin Zombies Grave Mistakes
- Munchkin Zombies The Walking Dead
Star Munchkin
Curiously, as much as I'm into space-themed games, I don't actually have a base version of Star Munchkin, but I do have two of the expansion blister packs, probably included as add-ons with orders, and some loose promo cards. And there are a number of groovy-looking expansions that would fit both my space and Munchkin gaming needs! Star Munchkin cards are themed, so they can't be as easily incorporated into the other games.
- Star Munchkin Cosmic Demo
- Star Munchkin Landing Party
The Cosmic Demo is a small kit intended to introduce someone to the game, and could probably be combined with the expansion for a poorly-weighted, small version of the game.
Super Munchkin
I own a guest-artist edition of Super Munchkin, which is one of the few expanded kits for which I have none of the expansions. I do have some promo cards that were included in other kits or as gifts in orders. Super Munchkin cards are themed, so they can't easily be shuffled into the other games.
The Good, The Bad, and The Munchkin
Included in my original big bundle, The Good, The Bad, and The Munchkin is a Wild West version of Munchkin comes with all the spaghetti western expected characters and monsters. There was only one expansion, which I own. There is a re-release of a "complete edition" which includes the base box and promos, and the expansion, too. These cards are themed, and aren't so easy to incorporate with other games.
- The Good, the Bad, and the Munchkin 2 - Beating a Dead Horse
Combining Themes
Just making a note of a note I added to each of the themed games. It has never been my intent to blend my kits, especially since the main kit has so many expansions, giving it thousands of cards, but it was always neat that there was the possibility.
Many of the kits are backed by the same brown Munchkin card backs as the basic kit. The rules allow adding any cards to the game, and it is probably encouraged somewhere to blend these together. Clearly, doing so loses the thematic reason for some of the different games, but can add some variety to a potentially fixed set.
There are rules that allow blending the different themes, too, because there are often different rules where the card backs don't match. At the very least when combining themes, the draw piles have different card backs, so you know if you're going to get a card from a different game. There are rules on the Munchkin site to address the different blends of tools and characters and monsters. I'm not sure of those are completely comprehensive, so you could have a Munchkin Cthulhu monster fight a hero from Munchkin Marvel in battle, or leverage a Star Munchkin ship, but certainly possibilities exist.
Filling The Gaps
Note this is not intended as a comprehensive things of Munchkin that I don't have. Clearly, anything I haven't listed in this post is on my list of missing things. There are a few I mentioned above that I don't have, which is also mentioned above, as I discussed the themes, or whatever. But here are a couple of noteworthy things.
I have some Star Munchkin expansions, but not the base game, and I love space games, too. Of course, this opens a can of worms because it has a bunch of expansions I also don't have.
Just biting me in my completionism, Munchkin Gets Promoted is from 2013, and is out of print, but I have #2! It is a collection of other promo cards, so I may already have many of them, so maybe this isn't as missing as I think it might be.
There is another stand-alone version, I don't have, that is related to Munchkin Marvel, which I do have. the Munchkin: X-Men Edition, that can also be incorporated (but like the movie franchises, is generally separated), and its expansion celebrating the movie, Munchkin Deadpool: Just Deadpool.
There are expansions to the Super Munchkin and a lot more of the base Munchkin expansions I don't have. And there are a lot of themed games I don't have, like the vampire-themed Munchkin Bites!, the pirate-themed Munchkin Booty, or the self-evident Munchkin Steampunk. There are other show-based Munchkin Axe Cop or game based Munckin Warhammer 40,000 and their types. I'm probably missing a dozen themes or varieties of Munchkin. I'm always looking for things to collect and play with, I guess.
In reality, I don't get to play Munchkin (with other people) very often. The kids might come around, and I might just drag myself to do something software related.
At least now I can answer the question.