Munchkin game

[DarkEL]

Some old friends of mine got together recently (I wasn't able to attend) to play some games and one of them brought a card game called Munchkin that sounds like it might be a blast to play.  Does anyone here have any experience with it?

I was contemplating picking up a version of the game before my parents arrive for easter but considering the my mothers "strict southern baptist upbringing", the fantasy themed version of the game is completely out of the picture. So I was thinking of picking up one of the other themes. I saw on Amazon that there is also a super-hero version and a kung-fu version.

But was wondering if anyone with any experience with those two versions could warn me of any potential dangers with those games:  i.e.

Any references to Magic, Demons, etc that might cause my mother to refuse to continue playing?
Any language, humor, or innuendo that would be inappropriate for my parents or for my 6 year old daughter?
Would the game be too difficult for grandparents or a 6 year old to learn?

I'm leaning towards the super hero version since it seems the least likely to have supernatural references and might interest my daughter more than a kung fu game

[Graham]

I tried playing the original Munchkin game with a group of non-roleplayers and they didn't have a clue about how to play a game like that, so unless you feel that they can handle the rules and the RPG aspect of it, I would really avoid it.

That being said, althrough I haven't played it, you might give Space Munchkin a try (or it might be Star Munchkin), because it has a sci-fi setting.  I would highly advise against Munchkin Cthulu.

[the Nightbreeze]

I love Munchkin Cthulu!

Even if any specific incarnation of the Munchkin games lacks subject matter to which some Fundamentaly beliefed persons would object, the humor within the games often tends to be sophomoric in every brand of Munchkin.

If moms is okay with bathroom humor, maybe you have a better shot, but I'm not very hopeful for your chances. 

[DarkEL]

How sophmoric?

i.e. would these be too much for a 6 year old?

[the Nightbreeze]

Well, for an example, in Munchkin Cthulu specifically, one's gender can spontaneously change by drawing a card.  The 20's era gumshoe cartoon man is shockingly looking at a pair of breasts we are to assume have "inflated" under his clothes a moment before the cartoon was rendered.

Benign to my humor, but what you want to explain to your youngster is your call.

[DarkEL]

Well, for an example, in Munchkin Cthulu specifically, one's gender can spontaneously change by drawing a card.  The 20's era gumshoe cartoon man is shockingly looking at a pair of breasts we are to assume have "inflated" under his clothes a moment before the cartoon was rendered.

Benign to my humor, but what you want to explain to your youngster is your call.

Well that's no so bad. The description makes it sound like it's still done tastefully (no nudity) and maybe a little funny.

I mean, i hear sophomoric humor and I think of things along the lines of Porkys, American Pie, etc.

[the Nightbreeze]

yeah, it's not that bad, but you know your crowd better than I do, and your audience concerns would make me balk.

I say sophomoric, but if you adjusted the metaphor for "actual grade level", it's more late elementary early Jr. High-ic humor.  The one "nude" Cultist card in Cthulu can barely be identified as female.  it's not like the art is explicit and realistic.  You might run into a booger or fart joke.  That sort of thing

In fact if you searched BoardGameGeek.com for Munchkin, you could see a lot of the art from the series of games.

Everyone oughtta be using that site for non-video games.  You could find a bunch of stuff for you and your tyke beyond the typical walmart offering of Parker Brother's Roll-and-Moves.  There are tons of games out there. 

Their forum community is helpful and only slightly less in-jokey than this one.

[Chaz]

I don't know that I'd recommend Munchkin for anyone other than big fans of whatever genre you're playing, and even then, it's hard for me to recommend it. 

Munchkin is essentially a comedy game that consists of a ton of inside jokes.  Unless you're very familiar with a particular genre, you won't get most of the jokes.  That wouldn't be so bad if the game itself was really good, but it's not.  It consists of each player, on his turn, playing stuff to benefit himself, and then drawing a monster card, and fighting it.  The other players will then play cards to make the acting player fail at fighting.  If you win, you gain a level and some treasure.  First person to level 10 wins.

What winds up happening is that by the end of the game, everyone's got numerous ways to screw over other players, so the endgame drags out forever.  It really overstays its welcome, and most every time I've played it, I spend the second hour (third hour too, sometimes) just wishing it would end.

Personally, for a group of grandparents, parents, and kids, I'd recommend something like Bohnanza or Carcassonne.  Both are inexpensive, easy to learn, have a good amount of depth, are fun, and their themes won't get in the way of anyone enjoying them.

Bohnanza is a game about bean farming and trading.  Each player has a hand of cards depicting different beans which they'll trade with other players in order to get the most of a single kind planted in each of their two fields, which they can then sell for money.  It's all about negotiating good trades, so there's a lot of conversation, and it's very easy to pick up on.

Carcassonne is about creating roads, farms, and cities by connecting tiles.  Think dominoes, except instead of connecting numbers, you're connecting landscape features.  As you lay features, you can claim them, and when they're finished, any that you've claimed score you points.  It's nice because the rules are simple, and the older folks can help the younger ones figure out where to place the tiles.  It's almost like a group jigsaw puzzle.

Either one of those I would think would work better than Munchkin from what  you've described.  There are some people who really love Munchkin, but I suspect even they wouldn't say it's a fantastic game to play with your parents (unless they're actually Cthulhu or D&D nuts).

[kronovan]

+1 for Carcassonne, it's an excellent game that will appeal to a variety of people. It was a multiple award winner and once you start playing it becomes very apparent why.

[Zap Rowsdower]

While I enjoy Munchkin quite a bit, it may not be right for your mom.

Instead, I'd find a copy of Apples to Apples (which was done by the guy who did the art for Munchkin.) It would probably appeal better to a mixed age group.