So we finally got our hands on a couple of packs of the Carnage Edition of the Karnival Death Heads and thought we should share our thoughts…
If you’re behind the picture, the Death Heads were the first plastic deck put out by the Karnival crew and the Carnage Edition is basically the same design but on regular Bicycle card stock.
We put a couple of packs side by side so you can see the difference. Notice my Death Heads box is a bit worn because against all my preconceptions I actually really liked the handling and wear of the originals!
(On a minor side point, I think USPCC must have read my review of the Karnival Infernos because the cellophane was much easier to take off! Or maybe I’m just getting better at it in my old age…)
When you compare the decks side to side, the first thing you notice is the weight. The Carnage Edition are much lighter, as you’d expect I suppose.
They also have different faces. I presume this is because the original Death Heads use Fournier faces and the Carnage Editions use standard Bicycle pips.
The exception to that are, as ever, the Aces and the Jokers which have been given the Death Head treatment.
The Bicycle stock handles as well as it ever has done. In the past we have had some questions about the stock getting thinner and flimsier, but this no longer seems to be an issue and these handle like a dream. I suppose if you’re not very good with cards they might handle like a nightmare. But they’re up to most things. If you can bring yourself to overlook my excessively highlighted thumb you will see they fan very easily…
Bottom line – this is everything you liked about the original Death Heads, but on Bicycle Stock. And the skulls may come in handy in time for Halloween…
Snap them up direct from BBM for £4.99. If you like them that much you can even buy an uncut sheet!
PS watch this space for a chance to win a load of awesome Karnival decks in our Halloween competition…
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