Illustration by Ed Appleby
‘Munchkin: Rick and Morty’ card game review
By Ed Appleby, Senior Columnist
4.5/5
Nihilism is a fascinating thing. When you accept that the world is just big and uncaring and that nothing you do has any meaning or effect on this cold world, it means you have to take the simple hedonistic joys where you can, even if it means turning your friends and families into viscous piles of space snot.
Munchkin: Rick and Morty (2017) is a PVP game for three to six people designed by Casey Sershon and published by USAopoly/Steve Jackson Games. In the game, players take the roles of characters from the Rick and Morty cartoon as they adventure through the universe, kicking in doors and fighting monsters. Other players can help or hinder as you take on all kinds of creatures from Amish Cyborgs to Evil Morty. Victories increase your level and gain you treasures, while defeats have all sorts of nasty repercussions. The first player to reach level 10 wins.
I reviewed Munchkin (2001) a few years ago, so I’m going to focus on what’s different—and, in my opinion, better—with this version. First of all, this version is absolutely brutal! Traps are much more frequent and can have devastating effects, including losing large amounts of your treasure, being unable to help or be helped until you go up in level, or being affected by the last two traps that were in play. There were many moments where I felt like I wasn’t just playing against the other players, but the game itself as well.
There is also a sharp increase in complexity with this version. Players start out with random character cards that already add rules specific to each player, and the effect of equipment can change if it is paired with certain classes, allies, or other equipment. The new allies can add their own effects to the game, and one-off cards can add huge unexpected bonuses to either you or the monster.
There is also a much higher level of randomness in this version compared to other versions of Munchkin—some classes have you trying to predict dice outcomes for combat bonuses, while others have you trying to rhyme in order to boost the effectiveness of one-off cards. This version also introduces a new type of creature called a parasite, whose strength is randomized.
I would highly recommend Munchkin: Rick and Morty to any fan of Rick and Morty, or any fan of Munchkin. As to how a non-Rick and Morty fan would respond to the game, let’s just say I have watched a grand total of two episodes and I thought the game was great—even though I didn’t get all of the jokes.
