Rules

The rules of Unuudo are quite simple and may be familiar if you have played a similar-sounding game.

Dealing & Starting

First, the dealer must deal an equal number of cards to each player from a well-shuffled deck of Unuudo cards. In a standard game, each player is dealt 10 cards although this may be reduced when there are many players or to speed up the game. If just one card is dealt, all players must immediately call "Uno" upon picking up their card. If they fail to do so they are instantly out.
The starting player should be picked randomly (e.g. dice roll) and the starting direction is always anti-clockwise unless the top card is a switch-direction in which case it is clockwise.
If the opening card is a special card (lose 2, lose 4, gain-a-go, switch direction, colour change), the effects of this card apply to the starting player and.

Gameplay

Once the game has started, each player takes turns to play a card onto the discard pile. A card can be played if it is of the same colour or the same symbol (number, or special card) as the top card of the discard pile, or if it is a wild-card (lose 4 or change colour). If a player is able to play, then they are required to. If they are unable to play, they must pick up one card from the draw pile. If this card can be played, then it must be played; if it cannot be played, then this player passes. Only one card can be played per turn (although turns can be skipped and gained through special cards).

If a player goes down to one card, they must call "Uno". This must be called every time they go down to one card including if they pick up then play the card that they picked up. If they fail to call "Uno" and the next player has played or passed, they may be called out by another player or spectator and they will then lose their card and go out of the game. Lost cards go at the bottom of the draw pile.

The winner is the last one with cards after all other players have gone out.

Special Cards

There are a variety of special cards in Unuudo.

• Gain-a-Go When played, the next player is forced to play twice. This functions like two turns for the player; as such, cards must be played onto the discard pile, and not placed at the bottom of the draw pile. If they play a special card, it affects the next player.
• Switch direction When played, the direction of play is changed e.g. clockwise from anti-clockwise.
• Switch colour This card is a wild-card; it can be played on top of any card. It allows the user to choose the colour.
• Lose Two The next player loses two cards of their choice (and puts them at the bottom of the draw pile) and their turn is skipped.
• Lose Four The next player loses four cards of their choice (and puts them at the bottom of the draw pile) and their turn is skipped. The user must also choose the colour.

A player cannot go out of the game via a lose two or a lose four card - they instead go down to one card. They can, however, go out by playing twice due to a gain-a-go.