So what is Unstable Unicorns? (or UU as it shall heretofore be referred to). UU is a card game created by Ramie Badie, the man who created the clothing site "teeturtle.com". If you are a regular on tee turtle, you know that he has a penchant for taking the inherently disturbing (unicorns with chainsaws) and making it seem cute and harmless. And that's really what UU is at heart, a slightly disturbing game that's so darn cute, it seems innocent.
Before I get carried away, let me say that I have only played the two player version. This version of the rules has you take out about 30 cards from the base kit and any from the expansion sets which refer to those cards which were taken out. Also me and my wife did not play with any of the expansions we got, Apocalypse and NSFW, because it was a work night and our two year old was awake. Anyway, I'm going to talk about the game for a little bit now.
I won't go into a deep description of the rules, (you can find those here: https://www.unstableunicorns.com/pages/rules) but let me say, don't be fooled by the simplicity of the mechanics. On your turn, you draw a card, you play a card, if you can't/don't want to play a card, you draw another card. The first player to have seven unicorns in play wins. Seems easy enough, but understanding how card effects chain together lends a depth of strategy that I really dug into. Also there are special cards with "Neigh" in their title which you can play at any time to stop any other card from being played. Know when to play you "Neigh" and how effects will have synergy turns this into a deep strategy game. Or you can just play like my wife, and just not think to hard about it all.
And this is where I get into praising the game. My wife has kicked my trash every time we've played. I always plan out my next moves well in advance, and she always finds a way to unintentionally wreck my plans. The game feels fair and balanced, because there's always uncertainty creating a fun back-and-forth, even with just the two player version. You are literally only one card away from losing it all or winning it all, and that makes it exciting at any given moment.
UU feels like a cross between "Killer Bunnies" and "Munchkins", except it fixes the major issues I have with those games. It's hilarious and whimsical like KB, yet who wins isn't left entirely to a roulette at the end of the game. Munchkins has a problem of nobody messes with anyone until a person is about to win, and then all the bad cards that can be played get dumped on that poor player. And the next player who's going to win. And the next. Until finally after artificially dragging out the game length for another hour, everyone has exhausted all possibilities and someone wins just by surviving. UU fixes this by making it a constant struggle. The do-bad-stuff-to-opponent cards aren't meant to be played at the end to keep someone from winning, they are meant to be played at the beginning and middle to give you an edge.
Honestly, I can talk about this game for a lot longer. And I probably will update this post as I get a chance to play with a larger group of people. Let me end with just saying that Unstable Unicorns is a well thought out, excellently executed game. It can be kid friendly, or decidedly un-kid friendly with the NSFW expansion, so pick your poison wisely. I recommend this game, maybe not to the super hardcore DnD/Arkham Horror crowd, but if you and your friends want to burn 30 minutes at lunch or are sick of watching Marvel movies, get Unstable Unicorns. Play it. Enjoy the game and the human interaction. You won't be disappointed.
*Edit: We have now gotten to play the game with multiple people and every available expansion pack. The only thing to note here is to make sure you are playing with a group of people who are good sports. The game can be confusing and sometimes what should happen when and how isn't self explanatory. This happens in every tabletop game, but in UU, there is not an extensive FAQ to resolve differences. So for the love of all that is holy, don't play with someone who will try to twist and argue the meaning of cards just so they don't get disadvantaged*
PS: Here's some artwork from the website, that appears on cards.
PPS: Seriously, I thought it would be find because I love "Cards Against Humanity", but if you or your friends lean even a little towards the straight laced side, stay away from the NSFW pack. You have been warned.PPPS: I might make a youtube video talking/showing this game. If I do I will provide a link to it.