With its simple gameplay and easy-to-follow rules, UNO has been a favorite game among kids and adults since the early 1970s. If you're looking for card games like UNO, either because you love it or need a fun, new alternative, we've got you covered. Our Facebook fans shared their best recommendations for card games like UNO, and we added a few of our favorites, too. You'll notice variations like UNO Flip and UNO All Wild are missing, and that's because we wanted to share entirely different games that still build on the classic elements of UNO we all enjoy. We think any of these options will be a winner!
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Virus
In this "contagiously fun card game," a virus escapes a lab and players are fighting to protect their organs. Cards are divided into organs, treatments, viruses, and medicines, and players want to protect their organ cards while stopping rivals with virus cards. The first player with four healthy organs is the winner. Kids will enjoy the simple rules and get a kick out of the theme, as well. (8+, 2-6 players)
SkyJo
This casual game brings the benefit of using math skills while you play. The goal is to collect the lowest score at the end of each round. Every player starts with 12 cards face down and then flips two face up. Players work towards earning the lowest total score by swapping out their cards (or doing nothing) when they pick from the draw or discard pile. When one player has 100 or more points, the game ends and whoever has the lowest number wins. (8+, 2-8 players)
Taco vs Burrito
This easy-to-master game was created by a 7 year old and is amusing from start to finish. Players add ingredients to their taco or burrito and can shift the score by adding Tummy Aches or a Hot Sauce Boss to a meal. Keep an eye out for The Health Inspector or Order Envy—they can surprise you and ruin everything! (7+, 2-4 players)
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza
In Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza, players race each other to slap a match between a card and the word being said. Action cards will keep you on your toes and the fun continues until the first person is out of cards. Expect lots of laughs in this uniquely-named game that can play mind tricks on you. (8+, 3-8 players)
L.L.A.M.A
Players can either play a card, pick a card, or quit on every turn, with the goal of playing all their cards and avoiding llama cards and markers. The main rule of the game is just as the name says—Don't LLAMA (Let Llamas and Markers Accumulate)! (8+, 2-6 players)
Connect Four
The classic board game is now a card game! Play begins by drawing a Mission card, which assigns players with a pattern to replicate with the cards they draw. Watch out for Power-Up cards, which can change the course of the game in seconds. The simple objective and rules make this a great game for younger players. (6+, 2-4 players)
Skip-Bo
Made by the creators of UNO, this game is all about sequencing your cards in ascending order and seeing what twists and turns the Wild cards add to the game. Strategy goes a long way, and the first person to use up all of their cards wins. (7+, 2-6 players)
DOS
DOS is a riff on UNO's race to get rid of all your cards, but game play focuses on adding up numbers instead of matching cards. The hardest part may be remembering to yell "DOS!" instead of UNO when you're down to your last two cards. (7+, 2-4 players)
Trash Pandas
Just as the name says, everyone makes like raccoons in this game and tries to acquire food and treasure cards or use them to create mischief in the game. The goal is to stash as many cards as possible by the time the deck runs out. Younger players may need a game or two to catch on to the strategy, but will be in on the fun in no time. (8+, 2-4 players)
No Thanks
In this English-language version of the German game Geschenkt, players compete to have the lowest score at the end of the game. Cards earn a player points, while chips negate points. The rules are simple—players either pick up the face-up card that's displayed or use one of their chips to say "no thanks" and pass on the card. Whoever picks up the card also gets all the chips on the table, making strategy an important element. (8+, 3-7 players)
Phase 10
Take a cue from Rummy and use your cards to complete 10 different phases, including runs of numbers, two sets of three, seven cards of the same color, and more. Wild and Skip cards add to the entertainment in this game that's great for the whole family. (7+, 2-6 players)
Spot It!
Pattern recognition leads game play in this quick and easy card game. Each card features different symbols, but at least one symbol matches on every card. Reveal one card and then another. The player to spot the matching symbol first wins the reveal card, and whoever has the most cards at the end of the game wins. While this game says it's for ages 6 and up, we think younger kids will catch onto the matching idea pretty quickly. Because it doesn't have any small pieces, it's also easy to throw in a bag and play while you're out and about. ( 6+, 2-8 players)
The Game
In this teamwork-focused game, players work strategically to collect and discard all of the cards on the table, building two decks of cards up in number order and another two decks of cards down in number order. Players beat The Game if they use all 98 cards. Part of the challenge is following the rules of what teammates are allowed to say to each other—they can give hints, but never reveal what's in their hand. (8+, 1-5 players)
Looking for more ideas for simple, fun board games? Check out our blog post on games you can play in 20 minutes or less.
