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Uno
by arleek
UNO was always a favourite game to play with my brothers when we were kids, so much so that most of the cards are bent and torn, and we still play it now (with our children, not just us adults!) So when my Mum bought my 6 year old UNO for her birthday in January, I was really pleased, because it's a kids game that I don't mind ... playing.
***UNO***
UNO is a card game designed for kids but adults can play too and get just as much enjoyment as the children. It is aimed at children aged 7 and upwards, but my 4 & 6 year old both play it and soon picked up the rules, although the 4 year old has to be reminded to concentrate!
**Pack Contents**
In the pack you will find 108 playing cards (the same size as standard cards) and the instructions.
The cards are very brightly coloured and you have:
19 Blue cards (0-9)
19 Green cards (0-9)
19 Red cards (0-9)
19 Yellow cards (0-9)
These are your standard cards, but you also have some very special cards (action cards), and if you get some of these in your hand you know you are going to have a good game. These are:
8 Draw Two cards (to make the next person pick up 2 cards)
8 Reverse cards (to change the direction of play)
8 Skip cards (next person misses a turn)
4 Wild cards (choose the colour of play)
4 Wild Draw Four Cards (choose the colour of play and next person picks up 4 cards)
So as you can see there is a massive variety of cards to play with, and you might think this is overwhelming for children, when they have to remember what everything means. But surprisingly, my kids have picked it up really well and as you play the game it's really easy to learn what everything means.
**Object of the Game**
The idea of the game is to be the first player to get rid of all your cards, and I have just noticed on the rules that you can score points as well (we have never played this way, even when we were kids - my parents obviously thought this was too complicated for children). Anyway, you accumulate points from the cards your opponents are left holding, and the first to 500 wins. So I suppose this extends the game play, and maybe this is why it's aimed at 7 and above, because younger children probably couldn't sustain their interest until someone reaches 500 points!
**The Game**
You can have between 2 and 10 people playing, and each player gets 7 cards, and the remainder of the deck is put in the middle (known as the DRAW pile). The top card of the DRAW pile is turned over and this is the start of the DISCARD pile.
The first person to take a turn must either match the colour of the top card on the discard pile, or match the number (or action such as a skip card or a pickup 2). For example, if the card on the discard pile is a green 2, then the player can either put any green card down, or any coloured number 2. If they can do either of these then they just place their card on top and play moves onto the next person. If they can't match the colour or the symbol, but they have a wild card in their hand, they can place this card down and change the colour of play (preferably to a colour that is in their hand); if they can't match the colour or the symbol, and don't have a wild card, then they must pick the top card up from the DRAW pile. If they can use this card, then they can play it immediately if they wish, if not then they must keep it in their hand and await their next turn.
And that is basically it, play moves on until someone runs out of cards; oh and one last thing, when a player is left with only one card they must shout 'UNO!' before the next player takes their turn. If they forget to do this and it is noticed by other players, they must take two cards from the DRAW pile.
**Playing**
At first I wasn't sure how the kids were going to get along with this game, but my 6 year old daughter loved it immediately, but boy does she hate to lose! Each game can vary greatly in length and excitement; it all depends on what cards you are holding in your hand and how you use them. It's always so much more fun if you have a lot of 'action' cards because you can cause havoc with your opponent's game, especially if Grandad is playing, who tends to get the brunt of it, much to my daughter's delight! And she loves to remind him that he forgot to say 'UNO!'
If you have a lot of number cards in the game, then the game can be over pretty quickly, but if you have a lot of action cards then the game play is extended and it is fun to watch other players squirm as you make them pick up 2 cards, or miss a turn. A player can be on their last card and expecting to win on their next turn, but you can change all that by changing the colour, making them miss a turn or pick some cards up...that player who thought they were about to win, could very easily end up with a handful of cards again. You can be devious if you have been paying attention, you can work out what colours particular players may or may not have in their hand, and then use your wild cards (if you have any) tactically to ensure they miss another turn because of the colour you have chosen (obviously this is way beyond the abilities of a 6 year old, but it's fun for any adults in the game).
My 6 year old loves to use her action cards and has a little glint in her eye when she puts one down and knows that I am going to miss my next go, or have to pick up 2 (or even 4) cards. It is a really entertaining game, and as adults you can handle the fact that you are going to end up with a big stack of cards in your hand when another player is about to shout UNO, and as an adult you can overplay your disappointment at losing and being dealt a rough hand, which makes the kids find it even more entertaining and funny. However, if a child (especially my daughter) is at the brunt of several action cards then the tone of the game changes and she is in tears and crying because she didn't get to say 'UNO' or get rid of all her cards. So sometimes I have to be tactical and make sure I use my cards wisely so that she wins at least one game, even though I tell her 'it's not the winning that counts, it's the taking part' because once she is crying and screaming about not winning, the whole mood is blown. But I still let her lose most of the time because how will she ever learn!?
**Final Thoughts**
If you have never played UNO before, and you like card games, I recommend you buy this (especially if you have kids). It is a fantastic way for families to get together and have fun; it really is an entertaining game, especially when your kids are just starting to grow out of playing the babyish monotonous games such as 'Shopping List' and 'Memory'. With UNO you can have a bit more fun, and you never quite know how the game is going to pan out. And the great thing is that it doesn't come in a massive box, so doesn't take up much storage space!
Even though the recommended age is 7+, younger children can still have fun with it, I suppose it depends on how they are with their concentration skills and whether they recognise colours and numbers, my 6 year has no problems whatsoever, and my 4 year old can play pretty well too, although she tends to lay all her cards out on the floor and forgets when it's her turn and places random cards on the pile...but she never forgets to shout 'UNO!'
**Price and Availability**
UNO is currently available on Amazon for £5.40 (April 2013) but I have seen it around the shops, even in Asda for around the £5 mark.
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