Uno – XBOX Live – Review

Platform: Xbox 360
ERSB: Everyone
Genre: Arcade
Number of Players: 1-4 online
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Release Date: May 2006
Official Website
Writer: Trina

Rating: Halos: 9.0

I remember being so excited to get a 360 at Zerohour last year. Thinking about all the promises the console had. Being so excited about the power I could unleash with this awesome new gaming machine. Fast forward to today where most of what I use the 360 for is Xbox Live Arcade. So I figured I would start writing reviews on the arcade games.

A little history about Uno. The original Uno is a card game that was developed in 1971. The card deck consists of four colors: red, blue, green and yellow. The numbered cards go from 1-9. There are action cards like “skip” which skips the player sitting next to you, or “draw two” which makes the player next to you draw two cards. Most action cards affect the player next to you. Either left or right, since there are some cards the flip the direction of play. The point of the game is to get rid of all the cards in your hand. You do that by adding to the discard pile either a matching number or a card matching the color. You can also change the color with “Wild” cards.
In regards to the 360 Arcade version you can play a quick match which dumps you into any match that is open. You can create a match with particular rules and let people join in, or you can play by yourself. There is an additional version on the 360, the 35th anniversary edition. This version has different music and a party theme to it. The card play is the same except for the addition of the 35 card which you must play a 3 or a 5 after.

Graphics:
The graphics are simple and nice. Not much to it. I like that the colors are vibrant.

Controls:
The controls are simple. A little too simple, because, for some reason, before every turn it likes to remind you how you can play. Also, it automatically picks a card that you can play; while you can change the card and choose another, this simplification of the game by the programming can be annoying.

Sound:
I have to admit that the music is a little soothing to me. It’s like elevator music. Although be careful because after the second or third hour of playing, if you aren’t talking over the music you might find yourself in a trance. Another part of the sound is people talking. You can use your microphones in this game and it’s actually very much encouraged. Think of any group of friends that get together to play poker or another card game. It’s the same principle. Be aware if you do not like using the microphone, some people will kick you out of a room because they want people to talk.

Flow:
The flow can be slow, especially if someone leaves mid-game. A way to speed up the flow is to only join games that are elimination games. This setting eliminates a player when they cannot play a card.

Fun Factor:
I would say that Uno has a relaxing fun factor. It’s not going to wow you, but sometimes it’s nice to make new friends and chat while playing a simple game. I have added many people to my friends list by playing a round or two of Uno.

Is there a female playable character:
Unless your avatar is female then no, but this game is a totally gender neutral game. It’s my experience that many women play the Uno arcade game.

Replay Value:
Very high. I play this anytime I don’t have a lot of time to play an RPG, or when I just feel like laying on the couch. Your experience is different every time because you can play with different people and talk about anything while you play. Also there are a lot of achievements to unlock in Uno.

It wasn’t hard to make this, but it was a stroke of genius to add it to the Xbox Arcade lineup. It’s fun and simple to play, which sometimes is the exact type of game you need after a long day at work.