UNO Attack Rules: The Complete Guide (2023)

Basana Saha

Updated:

UNO Attack is a variation of the classic card game UNO. The objective of the game is to get rid of all your cards before your opponents do.

The game is played with a special deck of cards that includes number cards, action cards, and a deck of cards with the UNO Attack logo on them.

But before you start playing, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the UNO Attack rules. In this article, I will give you a rundown of how to play the game and some tips for strategizing your way to victory.

UNO Attack Rules

So, let’s get ready to shuffle up and deal – it’s time to learn and play UNO Attack!

Things to Know Before Playing UNO Attack game

Number of Players

UNO Attack can be played with 2 to 10 people. The minimum age of a player must be 7. 

The Objective of the Game

The objective of the game is to get rid of cards as fast as possible. 

Things You Need to Play UNO Attack

A group of players needs the following to play the UNO Attack game: 

Contents of the Game Number of Items
1 to 9 Blue card 18
1 to 9 Green card 18
1 to 9 Red card 18
1 to 9 Yellow card 18
Hit 2 cards – 2 each in blue, green, red, and yellow 8
Reverse cards – 2 each in blue, green, red, and yellow 8
Skip cards – 2 each in blue, green, red, and yellow 8
Discard All cards – 1 each in blue, green, red, and yellow 4
Trade Hands cards – 1 each in blue, green, red, and yellow 4
Wild cards 4
Wild All-Hit cards 4
Wild Hit-Fire cards 2
Card Launcher 1
Rulebook 1

UNO Attack Card rules

Reverse Card

When this card is played, the direction of the game gets reversed. Play left becomes play right. 

Skip Card

With this card, the turn of the next player can be skipped. 

Hit 2 Card

When this card is played, the next player must hit the launcher button twice. Their turn is then over, and the game continues with the next player. 

Wild Card

This card allows the player who plays it to play any color of his or her choosing. It can be played on any card.

Interestingly, a wild card can be played with the opponent having a playable card in their hands. 

Discard All Card

When this card is played, the player must have all of the cards in their hands in the same color.

For example, if a yellow 7 is in the discard pile, the player may discard all the yellow cards in their hand, with a yellow Discard All card on the top. 

Trade Hands Card

When this card is played, the player discarding the Trade Hands card must trade their hand with another of their choosing.

Older UNO Attack Action Cards and Their Rules

Wild All Hit Card

When this card is played, the player calls a color, and each player beginning with the player to the left must press the launcher button once. If the launcher does not shoot out any cards, then play continues with the player to the left.

If any card is shot out, it must be added to the player’s hand who activated the launcher before the next player hits. The player who played the Wild All Hit card does not press the launcher button. Play then continues as normal.  

Wild Hit Fire Card

When this card is played, the player calls a color. Then next player in the direction of play must press the launcher button until the launcher shoots out cards. The activating player then adds those cards into their hands and forfeits their turns.

Then play continues as normal with the next player. When one card is left, the player must shout “Uno” before playing next to the last card. Failure to do so will result in the player hitting the launcher button twice. That is if the player is caught is another player. 

If the player forgets to yell “Uno” before the card touches the discard pile, but the player catches themselves before another player catches them, the player is safe and not subject to the penalty.

A player may not catch another player for failure to say “Uno” until their second last card touches the discard pile.

Also, a player may not catch another player for failure to say “Uno” after the next player begins their turn. Beginning a turn is defined as either playing a card or hitting the launcher button. 

If a player goes out by discarding a Wild All Hit card, or a Wild Hit Fire card, all players must follow the normal rules for those cards.

In some versions of Uno Attack, where the discard pile is placed on the top of the launcher, once the discard pile reaches the top plastic stopper that holds the cards in place, reshuffle the discard pile and reload it into the launcher and continue to play as normal. 

How to Play UNO Attack Game?

How to Play UNO Attack Game

Components Before Setup

To set up the UNO Attack launcher before playing the game, you will need the following items:

  1. The UNO Attack launcher: This is a plastic card dispenser that is included in the UNO Attack game. It is shaped like a cylinder and has a button on top that launches a stream of cards when pressed.
  2. The UNO Attack cards: These are special cards with the UNO Attack logo on them that are included in the UNO Attack game. They are used to activate the card dispenser.
  3. Batteries: The UNO Attack launcher requires three “C” batteries, which are not included in the game.
  4. A table or flat surface to play on: You will need a place to lay out the cards and the card dispenser.
  5. Players: UNO Attack can be played with 2-10 players.

Setting Up the Game

Here is the side, top and inside view of the UNO Attack Launcher
Here is the side, top and inside view of the UNO Attack Launcher

To set up the UNO Attack launcher, follow these steps:

  1. Open the battery compartment on the bottom of the launcher.
  2. Insert three “C” Alkaline batteries, making sure to follow the correct polarity as indicated in the battery compartment.
  3. Close the battery compartment and press the button on top of the launcher to test it. The launcher should launch a stream of cards when the button is pressed.
  4. Remove the bottom and top half of the Launcher and connect them by Pushing the RED UNO Top to the base of the Purple color at an angle. Once it is attached you will find a click sound that would ensure the launcher is attached properly.
  5. Set up the rest of the game as you normally would, including shuffling the deck and dealing the cards to the players.
  6. When it is your turn, you can play a UNO Attack card by placing it on the discard pile and pressing the button on the launcher. The launcher will launch a stream of cards, and you must draw as many cards as were launched from the dispenser.

That’s it! You are now ready to play UNO Attack with the card launcher. Now, let’s explore the steps to play the game.

Playing the UNO Attack Game

First, shuffle the cards and deal seven cards to each player. Deal on the card face-up in the middle of the table to make a discard pile. Then put the rest of the cards inside the card launcher face down.

The player to the left of the dealer goes first. On a player’s turn, they can discard a card in hand in the same color or number as the top card on the discard pile. If they cannot play a card, they can press the button on the card launcher.

Therefore, during play, the launcher must be rotated toward the player whose turn it is. The card launcher will shoot a random number of cards for them to add to their hand. If nothing happens, the play moves to the next player.

If any cards are still left sticking out of the launcher after activation, the player who activated the launcher must take these cards and add them to their hand. Play continues clockwise around the table.

Players can also play special cards from their hands on their turn. When the player has one card in their hand, they must yell, “Uno.”

If a player catches someone not saying “Uno” after playing their second to the last card, that player must press the launcher button.

Whoever discards all of their cards first wins the game.

How does scoring work in the game?

When a player is out of cards, he or she will get points for cards left in the hands of the opponent players. The following are the points: 

Cards Points
All cards through 9 Cards Face value
Skip 20 
Reverse 20
Discard All 30
Hit 2 20
Trade Hands 30
Wild 50
Wild Hit Fire 50
Wild All Hit 50
Source: Instruction Sheet Official

Ending the Game

The player who scores 500 points first wins the game. 

Difference between Old and New Attack Gameplay

Change in Cards

The new cards are Hit 2, Trade Hands, Discard All, Wild All Hit, and Wild Hit Fire. 

Change in Rules

The new card rules are added to the original version of Uno to form Uno Attack. 

Change in Launcher

The introduction of the card launcher is the striking difference between the original Uno and Uno attack.

In the original version, players draw cards from a deck of cards, whereas in the Uno Attack version, players press the launcher button. The launcher shoots random cards.   

Comparing with similar other UNO Games

As this is a very different variation as compared to the classic UNO, here I compare this game with other variations like UNO Extreme, UNO Blast, and UNO showdown.

UNO Attack vs UNO Extreme

The basic rules of Uno Attack and Uno Extreme are the same. The only difference is that Uno Extreme comes with exciting Uno Extreme Hit cards. Therefore, it can be considered the latest version of Uno Attack.

The second difference lies in the card launcher. The card launcher of Uno Attack makes one sound, but the same in Uno Extreme makes multiple sounds. 

UNO Attack vs UNO Blast

UNO Blast is a more volatile version of the UNO Attack. The game contains an electronic Card Blaster that makes the game even more exciting and unpredictable.

However, the game’s goal remains the same as that of the UNO Attack. 

UNO Attack vs UNO Showdown

The rules of UNO Attack and UNO Showdown are the same. However, the UNO Showdown has showdown action cards, and the game comes with an electronic device called Card Catapult.

It looks like the card launcher of UNO Attack but serves a different purpose. It is used for a showdown between two players over the possession of a card.

My Thoughts on UNO Attack Game

Hello readers!

If you’re not familiar with UNO Attack, it’s a variation of the classic card game UNO that adds an element of chance and excitement with the inclusion of a card dispenser.

The game is easy to learn and can be played with 2-10 players, making it a great option for parties or family gatherings. The objective is the same as in traditional UNO – be the first player to get rid of all your cards.

However, in UNO Attack, you can also launch a stream of cards from the card dispenser by playing one of the special UNO Attack cards. This adds an element of surprise and can change the course of the game in an instant.

We had a blast playing UNO Attack, and the card dispenser added an extra layer of excitement and laughter to the game. It was also a good way to improve our reaction time and hand-eye coordination.

The only potential downside is that the card dispenser can be quite loud, so it might not be the best choice for playing in a quiet setting or with very young children who are easily startled by loud noises.

Overall, I highly recommend giving UNO Attack a try. It’s a great game for a fun and entertaining evening with friends and family.

Conclusion

In conclusion, UNO Attack is a thrilling twist on the classic card game that adds an element of surprise with the inclusion of an electronic card shooter.

By following the UNO Attack rules and using strategic thinking, you can come out on top in this fast-paced game.

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or new to UNO Attack, these rules will help you have a fun and fair game with friends and family.

I hope you enjoyed reading this post and found this helpful.

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Basana Saha