A game 'for horrible people'
Its US creators describe it as a despicable and awkward "party game for horrible people", and yet Cards Against Humanity is flying off the shelves across Perth as its popularity grows around the world.
Stores struggle to keep up with demand for the boxed Australian edition of the irreverent game.
It sells for $47.95 at Mt Hawthorn store Diabolik Books and Records. Manager Sam Baker said it was selling extraordinarily well, with dozens of boxes sold since the shop "jumped on the bandwagon" in March.
"We're selling out consistently," he said. "I'm getting better at keeping up with requests but we had patches where we completely underestimated the demand.
"It's one of those games that is played with groups of people who have an amazing time, laugh and find it completely outrageous, then half the group goes out to buy a copy the next day."
The game was created by friends for a New Year's Eve party and proved such a hit a campaign was launched in Chicago on crowd-funding platform Kickstarter in 2010, raising more than $US15,000 in 60 days.
About 15 per cent of the US game was changed "to adapt it to a vapid, fun-loving culture" in Australia, the creators said.
The British edition was adapted to an "outmoded culture".
The game came under fire from US groups which found some cards in poor taste and offensive.
One black card in the Australian edition says: "I waited six months at the Christmas Island immigration detention centre and all I got was (blank)."
Another says: "This year, Australia's Parliament will officially apologise to the Aboriginal population for (blank)."
Mr Baker said Cards Against Humanity challenged boundaries and could be "not very" politically correct, depending on how players responded - by playing it straight, funny or off-colour.
"A lot of people like that sense of cheekiness, so they can make humour about these things and find it hilarious," he said. "Some groups have said, 'I would rather that card didn't exist because I don't feel that my race should be a punch line'.
"At the same time some people argue any subject could be used for humour if used appropriately.
"But there is nothing in the game that restricts how you play, so it really is up to the players.
"It's kind of unspoken that the person who is the most inappropriate wins, so it can mean people cross into types of humour they would personally not come up with, but because they have been dealt the cards, they feel comfortable playing the card and receiving the kudos if it wins."
