News: 0177809953

  ARM Give a man a fire and he's warm for a day, but set fire to him and he's warm for the rest of his life (Terry Pratchett, Jingo)

Everybody's Mad About Uno (msn.com)

(Tuesday May 27, 2025 @11:20AM (msmash) from the draw-four-enemies dept.)


More than 50 years after its debut, Uno has achieved unprecedented popularity among adults, but its resurgence is creating problems and confusions as players disagree on fundamental rules. WSJ, [1]in a fun story

[2]non-paywalled source

:

> Think politics divides? Try mixing competitors with different views on stacking "action" cards, or getting everyone to agree on the true power of the Wild card. And nobody can seem to decide whether staples of the game of their youth -- like mandating players yell "Uno!" when they have one card left -- are socially acceptable at a bar with strangers.

Mattel has responded by actively settling rule debates on social media, definitively stating that stacking Draw 2 cards is prohibited, while simultaneously embracing the game's divisive nature through marketing campaigns. The company's "Show 'Em No Mercy" variant, featuring more aggressive rules, became the second-best-selling card game in the United States last year according to research firm Circana, trailing only classic Uno itself.



[1] https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/everybodys-mad-about-uno-mattel-f24805ef

[2] https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/general/everybody-s-mad-about-uno/ar-AA1FysWk



We Don't Talk About Crazy Eights (Score:2)

by Pseudonymous Powers ( 4097097 )

If a game doesn't have hit points, I might as well be pushing a hoop down the street with a stick.

Re: (Score:2)

by JamesTRexx ( 675890 )

I'm sure the guy turning a corner and ends up with that hoop at speed between his legs will feel hit points.

The one who played with the hoop as well if they're caught.

The internet is an environment and... (Score:3)

by PubJeezy ( 10299395 )

The internet is an environment and native advertising is pollution.

WTF is Uno? (Score:2)

by Mr. Dollar Ton ( 5495648 )

The Fiat car? The Arduino board? The thing that crashes Libreoffice?

Re:WTF is Uno? (Score:5, Informative)

by RobinH ( 124750 )

It's a commercial version of the classic card game Crazy Eights, and this is just a viral marketing scheme.

Re: (Score:3)

by Mr. Dollar Ton ( 5495648 )

Thanks. That should have been the first line in the summary.

WTF is crazy eights? (Score:2)

by Viol8 ( 599362 )

Never heard of either.

Re: (Score:2)

by klashn ( 1323433 )

You could piece together what they're talking about if you know the company "Mattel" and also when they reference "Draw 2" cards.

You could have also clicked either link.

Re: (Score:2)

by Mr. Dollar Ton ( 5495648 )

Why should I?

Is it too hard to type "a board game, Uno that allegedly everyone is mad about", but which is actually largely unknown?

Re: (Score:2)

by JamesTRexx ( 675890 )

One word: clickbait.

Re: WTF is Uno? (Score:1)

by Albinoman ( 584294 )

Largely unknown? Maybe to youngins who grew up on phones, not socializing. It seems to be a family thing. Some families play board and card games. Other families are boring

Re: (Score:2)

by msauve ( 701917 )

That would have been even more confusing, since it's a card game, not a board game.

>largely unknown

UNO has been one of the top selling games globally (including board games) for decades, and is #1 in the US. And, [1]by one measure it's the top-selling game in the world [cnn.com]. You must live a sheltered life.

[1] https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/03/business/uno-card-game-popularity-cec/index.html

Re: (Score:1)

by Tablizer ( 95088 )

An STD

Never knew (Score:2)

by timeOday ( 582209 )

We play UNO at the kitchen table pretty often so I was surprised when we played with another family recently at how many differences there were in what we thought were the rules.

Now you're telling me no stacking +2 ? Huh.

Agree before you play (Score:2)

by fropenn ( 1116699 )

It is a favorite game with my family but we always have to agree upon the rules verbally before we begin playing. A combination of conflicting and vague rules across UNO sets along with various adaptions and house rules make it impossible to know what to expect unless we agree to them before starting a hand. It's also fun to allow different dealers to change one rule, but that gets confusing after awhile!

Re: (Score:2)

by xevioso ( 598654 )

All of these issues have already been solved by a game that's been around for 30 years: Magic: The Gathering.

It has elaborate and straightforward rules about stacking effects, resolving effects, players with priority, "APNAP" (Active players, or the player whose turn it is, playing effects and resolving them vs non-active players), and Instant-speed spells vs Sorcery-speed spells. All of this is an integral part of the game and a fundamental thing any Magic player needs to learn. The "holding priority" st

You're supposed to say Uno (Score:2)

by Kitkoan ( 1719118 )

When you only have one card left. [1]It's a Mexican game. [youtube.com]

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPq2Pc1g4Hg&ab_channel=VitzyPie

I think it's a reasonable barometer. (Score:2)

by argStyopa ( 232550 )

If you're actually upset about the interpretations of grey-area or unclarified rules in the card game UNO, then that's a strong determinant signal that either:

- you have a pretty fucking great life, or

- you're oblivious

The Senseless Generation. (Score:1)

by geekmux ( 1040042 )

> And nobody can seem to decide whether staples of the game of their youth -- like mandating players yell "Uno!" when they have one card left -- are socially acceptable at a bar with strangers.

First off, I'd love for anyone to find those grown-ass adults from the 80s who were playing Uno in a fucking bar. Then I'd love to interview the idiots from this century who believed the AI-sponsored shit that told them that was actually a thing. Ever.

Did AI write this complaint? I'm starting to believe it did.

And lastly, at no point have I ever started reading the rules of a fucking card/board game and wonder "how should I change this according to my current environment?" The FUCK is wrong with you moro

I couldn't care less ... (Score:3)

by Qbertino ( 265505 )

... about Uno.

Even though I did get into Board/Tablegaming 18 months ago and attend the local boardgame meetup once or twice a week.

Right now I'm regularly playing [1]Scythe [boardgamegeek.com] ( [2]with [boardgamegeek.com] [3]extensions [boardgamegeek.com]) and [4]Roll for the Galaxy [boardgamegeek.com] ( [5]with extensions [boardgamegeek.com]) .

And I've got a stack of other premium boardgames waiting to be played intensely.

All of them waaaaay more interesting than Uno.

[1] https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/169786/scythe

[2] https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/199727/scythe-invaders-from-afar

[3] https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/223555/scythe-the-wind-gambit

[4] https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/132531/roll-for-the-galaxy

[5] https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/175754/roll-for-the-galaxy-ambition

Like monopoly house rules? (Score:2)

by Joe_Dragon ( 2206452 )

Like monopoly house rules?

Re: (Score:2)

by taustin ( 171655 )

One would be hard pressed to determine which game is more prone to house rules. But Uno would likely win.

After a while you learn the subtle difference
Between holding a hand and chaining a soul,
And you learn that love doesn't mean security,
And you begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts
And presents aren't promises
And you begin to accept your defeats
With your head up and your eyes open,
With the grace of a woman, not the grief of a child,
And you learn to build all your roads
On today because tomorrow's ground
Is too uncertain. And futures have
A way of falling down in midflight,
After a while you learn that even sunshine burns if you get too much.
So you plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting
For someone to bring you flowers.
And you learn that you really can endure...
That you really are strong,
And you really do have worth
And you learn and learn
With every goodbye you learn.
-- Veronic Shoffstall, "Comes the Dawn"