Cards are discarded by matching either the number/symbol, or the color, with the current face-up discard pile card. The object is for players to discard their hand of dealt cards until they have no cards left, before other players can do the same. Uno is played with a custom deck of 108 cards (4 suits of 25 cards each, and 8 bonus Wild cards). Back to Basics: Rules and Gameplay of Uno So how did this humble homemade card game that originated in an Ohio barbershop gain such widespread appeal? Let‘s analyze the basic gameplay that made Uno catch fire. Indeed, it has become one of the most universally beloved family card games in history. According to Mattel‘s own statistics, Uno is now part of an estimated 80% of US households that play games.

It‘s now sold in over 80 countries, has been translated into 30 languages, and over 150 million decks have been sold. Since Mattel‘s acquisition, Uno has exploded in popularity across the globe. That year, toy giant Mattel purchased the rights to Uno and began mass-producing it, taking the game worldwide. By 1992, over 6 million decks of Uno had been sold across the USA. Robbins‘ key innovation with Uno was adding action cards like Skip, Reverse, and Draw Two on top of numeral cards and suits.Īfter being prototyped in Robbins‘ barbershop in Reading, Ohio, the game steadily spread through small-scale production and direct sales by Merle and his sons.

The original decks were made by his family with thick 2-inch by 2-inch cards, because that was the size of card stock they had available.

In 1971, a humble barbershop owner named Merle Robbins invented Uno based on the late 19th century game Crazy Eights. From Barbershop Origins to Global Domination: The Evolution of Uno But thanks to the 'Uno Reverse' meme‘s popularity online, you may be wondering – does this card actually work the same way in real-life Uno as it does in all the jokes? Let‘s take a hands-on look at the history, rules, and strategy behind one of the game‘s most crucial cards. Chances are you‘ve played the classic card game Uno plenty of times and seen the iconic Reverse card in action.

Uno reverse card with hearts