One of the most popular games of all time comes to the Xbox Live Arcade.
If you’re unfamiliar with this game, first let me apologize, then you’re in luck. The core mechanics are still as easy to pick up as they were back in 1971 when it was originally released. This version of the game sees up to four players dealt a hand of color-coded cards and one placed face up in the middle. Players take their turns by placing cards that correspond to the number or color of the one in the middle, and if a card cannot be played they must draw another one. This continues until someone is left with only one card, at which point they let everyone know by shouting “Uno!” Once someone runs out of cards, the game is over. There is a little bit more to it than that, but simply playing it is enough to learn the tricks of the trade.
The game allows certain variants in gameplay at the host’s disposal, thus allowing him or her to customize the rules to a certain degree. Like instead of drawing a card when you can’t play one, the game might be set to elimination, in which case you would just press B and be eliminated from that round. The host also has the power to set the amount of points needed to win a match, with the default number being 250. Team play is also implemented into Uno, and that requires a whole other strategy for the game. Although it has a good amount of host customization, you feel like there should be more. Especially with a game like Uno.
Multiplayer is probably where you’ll be spending most, if not all, of your time with this game. It supports quick match as well as custom matches that fit your particular style. There is single player however, but this is just you playing with three other computer controlled players, and nobody wants that. Voice and video are both supported in Uno, although you might want to turn the latter off every once in a while, because you never know what some people will do. Leaderboards are here as well, and track just about everything you do within the game, plus give you some great evidence while trying to trash talk your friends. We all know Uno is all about the trash talk right?
When Uno first shipped, you could download the 35th Anniversary pack right along with it. This put a whole new spin on the gameplay, as well as add some new visual effects. It gave the game a New Year's Eve vibe with confetti, streamers, and noisemakers, and also introduces a special card that, when played, demands that the next player throw down either a 3 or a 5 card. As time went on, more and more packs were released for download. Packs like the PGR 3 and Kameo ones continued the trend of altering the visuals and gameplay of Uno.
For less than you’d pay for an actual pack of Uno cards, you could be playing it on the Xbox 360, and that’s a pretty good deal for anyone, unless you’re one of those people that just plain hate Uno. In that case you wouldn’t even be reading this review now would you? So if you’re looking for some simple, yet fun, online play, or are just looking for a great place to chat with multiple friends at the same time, Uno might just be the game you’re looking for.
~Mike Pelletier