UNO
Designed by: Merle Robbins
UNO is a simple card game that has been around since 1971 and is very easy to pick up and play.
The deck is made up of a bunch of numbered cards, some of which have symbols on them: skip, reverse or draw 2. There are also wild cards. Everyone is dealt seven cards and play begins.
On your turn you simply play a card to the discard pile; the only rule being that either the number or colour must match (or you can play a wild). If you can’t play a card, you pick up instead – and if you can play the new card, you may do so. But you can choose not to play and add it to your hand instead.
The first player to be rid of all their cards wins – but when you only have one card left, you must (loudly) say “Uno” to forewarn your opponents.
There are numerous variations and house rules you can play: win a certain number of rounds, score points… but that’s the basic game.
Sam says
Uno is fine, and even fun. It’s nice and simple, but for me it also wears out its novelty rather fast. The basic game is pretty much all luck, so there’s no great satisfaction to be had from something that is to a large degree being played for by fate. I understand why it still sticks around, and I will and do even play it occasionally, but I think even young kids will relish having a little more control than this hardy perennial gives them.
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Take That!
You can be hit by the special cards, so there's a combative element.
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Fidget Factor!
Low. It's a fast-playing game.
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Brain Burn!
Low - play a card, if you can.
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Again Again!
Cards come out randomly, but outside of that Uno doesn't have a huge amount of variation.
