GENRE
	Miscellaneous
	DEVELOPER
	Black Lantern Studios
	PUBLISHER
	DSI
	NUMBER OF PLAYERS
	1-4
	CONNECTIVITY
	No
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Remember the golden days of childhood, when you could ride your bicycle for miles on end, fort up in a tree house and play baseball in the middle of the street? But what did you do on those other days? You know, when the sun wasn't completely visible, and the rain drizzled down the gutters, the wind blew fierce and where did all the outdoor fun go? Well, on those days, maybe you whipped out a deck of cards and played a game called Uno. Or, on alternate days, Skip-Bo, if you felt like a more involved challenge. For gamers who prefer their cards in digital form, DSI has made both classic games available on one GBA Game Pak.

visuals

The distinct cards are accurately represented, both in color and in style; and effect cards, like Uno's Draw Four, are animated when played. While a game based around cards by necessity isn't going to be a graphical powerhouse, developer Black Lantern Studios did include an option for players to select from several different visual backgrounds for the card games. Some of these are animated, which is a small, but nice touch.

audio

Just like the backgrounds, the game's music can also be changed prior to initiating a game of Uno or Skip-Bo. Music varies from calming to the appropriately-titled Tense track. Essentially, the diverse selection of tracks lets players determine how intense they want their card-playing sessions to be.

gameplay

As the package and title of Uno/Skip-Bo indicate, Uno and Skip-Bo are often linked together. This is because both games are owned by the same company, Mattel; but in truth, the two are unrelated to one in every way.

At its core, Uno is a game about matching. Four players are each given an equal amount of Uno cards, and then take turns trying to match cards in their hands to the face-up card in the center of the table. If a player has a card in his hand that matches either the color or the number of the face-up card, then he may put that one on top of the other, and the play goes to the next player. If not, the player has to draw a card from the pile. Action cards can cause different effects, such as reversing the order of play or forcing another player to draw additional cards. The object of the game is to have no cards, and the player must yell "Uno!" when only one card remains (simulated by the R button) or face a penalty.

Conversely, Skip-Bo involves linking numbers in numerical sequence. Each player has a chance to go up sequentially from 1 to 12 on four different stacks. Once a stack reaches twelve, it is removed and a 1 card can be played. Wild cards (called "Skip-Bo") can be placed anywhere, and so are invaluable when trying to keep a turn going. In theory, a turn could continue indefinitely until all cards are played, but this is highly unlikely. The object is to play all cards in one's hand and in four separate discard piles until they are gone.

The games are presented well, and variable rules and skill settings can make it a different experience each time. While four players is the preferred number, it can be set at a different amount if desired. Some new effect cards have also been generated, for those who like to experiment with varying rule sets. The different game modes also give the game staying power, such as Endurance mode, where players that lose rounds are eventually knocked out, or Timed mode, where each round lasts for only a set period.

multiplayer

Four players can play Uno/Skip-Bo together on the same GBA or DS. Players can enter their own names and hand the system back and forth between turns. Game linking is, unfortunately, not supported.

overall

If you're looking for a well-translated version of these classic card games, this is definitely the way to go; although DS owners will want to consider the DS version of the game. Those familiar with the traditional rules of the games will be able to start right away; anyone who hasn't played Uno or Skip-Bo before will want to brush up on the rules before giving it a go. This is an easy pick-up-and-play title, and the real strength lies in the multiplayer mode, which can be especially useful for long car trips when there aren't enough systems to go around. While playing card games may not necessarily be as exciting as fighting off invaders from Mars, it can certainly provide an interesting and rewarding way of spending some time, especially in the company of others.

7.5/10