Uno Rush Review

The original Xbox 360 version of Uno was one of the first downloadable games for the new Xbox Live Arcade marketplace. Most gamers scoffed that a game so simple and childish was brought over to their cutting edge next-gen system. But something happened. Before the Wii came out and institutionalized the phrase "casual games,"people discovered that the demo was oddly compelling. Guys found that their girlfriends were willing to give it a try. It calmed the adrenaline shakes of playing Call of Duty 2 online before heading to bed. Uno was engaging but not overtly complex. Flash forward to today. Uno is still in the weekly top ten arcade games played over Xbox Live.

So how is a sequel made of a classic, simple game? The developers wisely took advantage of the key difference between playing this game on a console and sitting around a table. The computer acts as an impartial but crazy, time-obsessed referee. Make a choice! Quick! Too slow! On to the next player! Uno Rush removes the more relaxed flow of the original and replaces it with the compelling strategy–under-pressure format of games like Tetris.



The basic mechanics of Uno are intact. Match either the color or number of the top card of the discard pile. But instead of waiting to take a turn, if the player has arranged his/her hand correctly, he/she can discard all the cards one after another. The main skill of the game is frantically rearranging your hand while the other players take their turns. You must simultaneously order your cards and predict what will be on the top of the discard pile. Those who are lucky, smart and quick can get rid of all of their cards in a single hand. But remember to call "Uno" when down to the last card because jealous opponents can punish you with additional cards.

One of the drawbacks of the original was that a big necessity of the game was to keep one's cards secret. A group in the same room couldn't play together. Uno Rush lays out the cards for everyone to see. So multiplayer gaming has become a party game akin to Rock Band. Four people in the same room want to play? No problem. Smaller groups or solo players will substitute missing opponents with computer AI or people on the net. In addition to the standard rules, there's a nice mix of alternate variants. For example, Elimination drops players from the round if they fail to use a card three times during their turns. There are also slower-paced modes for novices.



The game gets a boost in the graphics department by adding Xbox Live avatars to the screen. He/she gloats and grimaces during game play. A nice touch is that the right joystick, not used for anything in gameplay, controls the direction that the avatar is looking. It's nothing huge, but the ADD set will have fun with it to flirt with the cuter avatars that surround them.

Night owls will regret losing the slow pace that allowed so many of them to fall asleep playing the first Uno. But the rest of us will welcome the fast pace and social aspects that Uno Rush brings to the table. The virtual table, on the TV. Not the family-game-night table in the kitchen.


Fun factor: Imagine crossing Uno with Tetris.

Game length: Hours upon hours. But this time your significant other will be losing sleep right alongside you.

Difficulty: Easy to learn, but hard to master. Depends on those playing against you.

On the negative side: The relaxed play that made Uno popular is gone.

Bang for your buck: This is going to be played a lot. Well worth the 800 MS points.