The uno card game is played with either two or four players and is so easily understood, ages five and over can enjoy uno card games. With a deck of 108 cards divided into four different colors (red, blue green and yellow), each player starts out by being dealt seven cards. The remaining cards are placed out in front, in the middle of all players and the top card is turned over and placed beside the original stack of cards so everyone can see it. This is the discard pile. The object of the uno card game is to “go out” or to have played all your cards. As soon as the player plays their last card, they must say “UNO”, or they have to draw two cards and try to “go out” all over again, allowing someone else to win the game.

Most effectively accompanied by popcorn and pop, the uno card game was perfect for our family of four to play on nights when there was nothing on television. The uno card game can be played over and over until everyone has a chance to win, or can be used to go “the best out of three”, etc. Because our family was introduced to the uno card game at such a young age, we would actually play to see who would have to do certain chores around the house for that week; parents included! It was great fun for the kids to win and “assign” their chores to one parent or another. Just waiting for the next weekend night to hit for a new round, the parents finished the chores and jokingly “vowed” to win the next game! It made for some fun vying back and forth among family members; something that is missed in most by now.

There are specialty uno card games out now, like Barbie Uno (remember this game can be played by children ages five and over), and for the boys, Batman Uno. With an endless array of these games, everything from Family-Guy Uno to Sesame Street Uno; Dog Uno (featuring a “fetch” card) to The three different versions of The Simpsons Uno, each uno card game incorporates original cards “suited” specifically to the deck being used. These provide not only some diversity among the interest in players, it also creates a “new” feel to each game as the decks all look different, but are played in the same manner with the same rules. There are even specialty versions for the Xbox 360 such as live versions called Project Gotham Racing Uno and Elements of Power Uno. The latter, just released in 2006 is the most recent Uno game on the market today.

There are records for the fastest round and the longest round listed in the Guinness Book of world records. The 35th anniversary of the uno card game was celebrated with a new deck and 330 players playing all at one time! Although 35 years have passed, the love of UNO has not diminished, only grown. There are few card games, board games excluded, that have stood the test of time like the card game UNO.

There is still a deck of UNO cards in the drawer at home. I think the original one we played with got pop all over certain cards and the deck was thrown away, but with family time degenerating itself with each passing decade, it’s nice to know that while family values doesn’t really mean the same thing, the card game UNO does!