Uno is a very popular card game with children, teenagers, and adults. Like many card games, there are plenty of variations with Uno Attack being one of the most adventurous and interesting. So, let’s take a closer look at the Uno Attack rules.
Since this game is a variation of Uno if you already know how to play that game learning the Uno Attack rules should be a much simpler process. However, if you haven’t played Uno before don’t worry Uno Attack isn’t overly complicated once you learn how the cards work.
What is Uno Attack?
Uno Attack was created in 2011 and in some countries, it goes by the name Uno Extreme. There are differences between Uno Attack and regular Uno, the main one being that in Uno Attack players don’t draw their cards from a deck!
Instead, a special card launcher is used to draw cards. Players push a button on the launcher which will then shoot out cards. Now as I’m sure you can guess this launcher is more than just a delivery method it really is the star of the game in many ways.
Because of this more exciting delivery system, Uno Attack grew to be a very popular game with children. Watching cards shootout is certainly fun and Uno Attack is easy to recommend for board game nights.
How to Play Uno Attack
What You’ll Need
Uno Attack would make a great 2 player card game but it can easily be played with a group as well! Up to 9 people can play Uno Attack but to play you will need a special Uno Attack set which includes the card launcher and cards you need.
Uno Attack is produced by Mattel and finding a game set isn’t overly difficult. Check out the product below for an example.
The Launcher
Like we mentioned earlier the card launcher is the big difference in Uno Attack. The launcher adds an element of risk to the game which makes Uno Attack a very strategy focused card game. If you press the button then you could be hit by a storm of cards that you’ll need to add to your hand.
However, the launcher won’t always fire which means you could be safe. This uncertainty makes Uno Attack a very fun game to play because you have no idea how things will work out. The launcher is simple and easy to set up and you’ll be using it a lot during Uno Attack.
We’ll talk more about how to use the launcher in our “how to play” section below. One thing to remember is to listen out for the ding sound when you push the button. This means the launcher did register the button press.
The Cards
Unsurprisingly Uno Attack utilizes an Uno card deck. In Uno Attack the deck has 106 cards, due to using a launcher this game can only be played with Uno cards. Whereas in some Uno variations you can play with regular playing cards.
To help simplify how the cards work we have separated them into 2 categories, number cards, and special cards. Number cards are quite simple, they are numbered 1 – 9 and come in 4 different colors.
The colors are normally red, blue, green, and yellow like in a standard Uno card set. You will get two of each card which will give you 72 number cards in total. The rest of the deck is made up of special cards.
If you have played Uno before you may already be familiar with some of them. But some of these special cards are exclusive to Uno Attack.
The Special Cards
There are a number of special cards in Uno Attack and learning the rules to how they play can be a little tricky at first. Below, we have listed all the special cards and how they work. After a few games remembering how these cards play should be second nature.
Reverse: This card reverses the direction of play. For example, if you’re playing clockwise you’ll now go counter-clockwise.
Skip: This card skips the next player’s turn.
Wild Card: Wild cards are very valuable as they allow you to change the color of the deck to any of your choosing.
Hit 2: If you play this card the next player will have to hit the card launcher button twice. Their turn is then up. Play continues with the next player as normal.
Discard All: This card allows you to discard all your cards of the same color. You’ll still need to match the card on the discard pile but instead of just playing one card if you have others of the same color you can play them all.
Trade Hands: Arguably one of the best cards in the game. With this card, you switch all your cards with another player. You can choose whichever player you want to trade with.
Wild Hit Fire: With this card, you call the color at the top of the discard pile. However, the player who moves after you must also hit the launcher button until it shoots cards. They will then add the cards to their hand and lose their turn.
Wild All Hit: With this card, you can again choose the color of the card on top of the discard pile, and then every other player must press the launcher button once.
Uno Attack Rules and Gameplay
The Aim of The Game
The aim of Uno Attack is quite simple, be the first player to score 500 points. That might sound like quite a lofty goal, but in Uno Attack points are scored using the number of cards your opponent has left. So, hitting 500 might not take you as long as you might first think.
But of course, it all depends on your cards, strategy, and a little luck. Read on to find out exactly how Uno Attack is set up and played.
Setting Up A Game
The first thing to do is work out who the dealer is under the standard Uno Attack rules all players should pick a card from the deck. The highest number card wins and they become the dealer. Any special cards act has a zero during the selection process.
The dealer will then shuffle the cards and give 7 out to each player. Then they’ll take a single card from the deck and place it in the center, this will act as the discard pile. Then the remaining cards in the deck will be placed in the card launcher.
You can now start play, with the dealer going first and then moving clockwise to the next player. With your hand of 7 cards, you’ll need to find a way to play a card. This can be done in a number of ways, let’s say the card on the discard pile is a yellow 5.
You could play a card of the same color or the same number. If you can’t play a card then you will need to press the card launcher. The launcher may shoot out one card, many, or none at all. If it does shoot out cards you will need to add them to your hand. This ends your turn and the process repeats for every other player.
Going Out
To win a round of Uno Attack you need to use all the cards in your hand. This is called going out but it isn’t quite as simple as playing all your cards. Once you get to your last card you need to shout/ declare uno to the other players.
If you fail to do this and another player notices then you will incur a penalty. This means you will need to press the card launcher twice. If you do play your last card then the round is finished and the scores are added up.
Only the player who uses all their cards will get points. Your points are totaled up using the cards your opponent/s has left. If you’re playing with a large group then someone might get to 500 points in just one round.
But in smaller games, it could easily take a couple of rounds till someone wins. The points awarded to the winner are based on the cards left in the other player’s hands. The scores for each type of card are listed below.
- Number card points are awarded at face value.
- Reverse, Skip, and Hit 2 cards award 20 Points.
- Discard All and Trade Hands cards award 30 Points.
- Wild, Wild Hit Fire, and Wild Hit All award 50 points.
Uno Attack – A Fun Twist On A Classic
So, that is everything you need to know about Uno Attack. It’s a fun twist on the classic card game and sure to be a great time. Whether it’s being played by 2 players or with a large group Uno Attack is sure to entertain.
