The hit card board game Munchkin is being adapted into a video game, bringing the classic, albeit somewhat ridiculed, dungeon-crawler to Steam later this year.
A tongue-in-cheek dungeon crawler that we think is one of the best card games out there, Munchkin puts you in the shoes of an upstart adventurer. You and your party of competitive budding heroes will take turns attacking satirical creatures, collecting loads of loot, and discovering various magical items.
It's pretty silly. Munchkin is essentially one big spoof that takes aim at the self-indulgence of classic high-fantasy games like Dungeons & Dragons. You'll use items like the horned helmet and napalm staff to take down equally strange creatures with names like Plutonium Dragon and Floating Nose.
This upcoming digital adaptation, scheduled for release this fall, looks like a faithful recreation of the original card game. As announced (opens in a new tab) by developer Dire Wolf Digital, it will allow you to play the Munchkin online multiplayer games, or a series of single player challenges, on PC, Android and iOS devices. Even his cartoonish art style seems to have been picked up directly.
Splitting dungeon exploration
Although Munchkin has been one of the most popular tabletop card games of the last twenty years, it has earned quite a controversial reputation. It is often touted as a fantastic entry game for newcomers to the hobby. Its simple rules can be learned quickly, its art is charming, and it draws on many mechanics that players may be familiar with from video games.
It also encourages a lot of interaction between players. As you break down dungeon doors, you'll take every opportunity to stab your friends in the back. A big part of the game involves chanting your way to victory, throwing monsters at your friends to force them to call for help, and taking their treasure for yourself. Expect to make plenty of sneaky trades, before inevitably breaking those promises to win a bigger slice of the loot-laden pie.
But there are also those who curse Munchkin, presenting it as an overly simplistic game with long playtime that certainly didn't improve the game's image.
The novelty of his fake fantasy world might eventually wear off, but don't consider the Munchkin a total joke. It's a fast-paced dungeon crawler at heart that's as good at making you laugh as it is at testing your friendships. One for those who prefer stupidity to strategy.
This adaptation is certainly in good hands. Dire Wolf has developed several digital board game adaptations in the past, including the asymmetrical strategy game Root, the charming city-builder Everdell, and the board game Game of Thrones. All have been well received for the complete transfer of the original board games to a sleek digital interface.