Why Look Beyond UNO?
UNO, the world’s most recognized card game, has earned its place in practically every home, hotel drawer, and family vacation bag. Its universal appeal comes from its simple rules and colorful cards that appeal to players of all ages. But if you’ve played UNO countless times, you might be looking for something fresh that captures that same accessibility while delivering new experiences.
The perfect family card game should be:
- Easy to learn so everyone can join in
- Quick to play without dragging on too long
- Engaging enough to keep everyone interestedStrategic enough to reward thoughtful play
- Balanced so everyone has a chance to win
While UNO delivers on many of these points, it has some well-known frustrations: games that drag on too long, aggressive “take-that” mechanics that can upset younger players, and limited strategic decisions. The good news? Game designers have created excellent alternatives that maintain UNO’s accessibility while addressing these weaknesses.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the top 10 card games similar to UNO that might just become your family’s new favorite. Each recommendation includes what makes it special, who it’s best for, and direct links to purchase.
| Product Image | Product Name / Our Rating / Price | Primary Button |
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Best UNO Alternative
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Underrated but great
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Best Classic Family Game
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Best Step Up in Complexity
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Best For Silly Fun
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Wait, what’s wrong with UNO? Isn’t it a Classic Board Game for a Reason?
It’s important to note that we at The Board Game Collection don’t actively dislike UNO. What UNO does—perhaps better than any other game—is get people of all ages and experience levels to the table. I have happy memories of playing UNO with all kinds of groups, and it never fails to get people talking and engaging with one another, which is what any good game should do.
Now as an adult, I’ve played UNO with my own children, bringing it full circle. And while I still keep a deck in my collection for nostalgia’s sake, I don’t find myself bringing it out very often, because there are a few important aspects about UNO’s gameplay that could be improved:
UNO is too long
In my opinion, a great game never should never outstay it’s welcome. But what does that really mean? It has to do with the drama of the game – how long after the most dramatic moment in the game is the end? Is the drama of the game worth the amount of time it takes to get to it?
The highest drama point in UNO is when a person gets down to their last two cards. Because the game is based entirely on the luck of the draw, this can sometimes be a drag. Conversely, if somebody gets a bunch of Wild cards on the deal, the game might fly by so fast that everyone else around the table might feel cheated. These aren’t always the case, but, it isn’t very consistent. Because of its intended audience, UNO should be a quick light game with opportunities to play multiple quick rounds so lots of people have a chance to win. I wish that game length was more predictable.
UNO can be a little mean
Skip, Draw 2, Draw 4, calling “UNO!” when someone has one card – all ‘take-that’ type mechanisms that can feel targeted. Sometimes these lead to funny moments, other times they lead to people having no chance of winning, but in general they lead to conflict. While this can be a teaching opportunity, it keeps the game from being that light, welcoming experience we are looking for with entry-level family card games.
UNO doesn’t have much, if any, strategy
I once read an article from a guy who had done a deep statistical analysis on whether, if given the choice, you should focus on matching the color or the number when playing UNO… Let’s not overcomplicate it, but the answer is you should go with the number. UNO is a game of luck. I’m not saying that a light game shouldn’t have elements of luck, and many of our choices also have those elements. Luck is fun and can be an excellent equalizer. But, the trick here is that a great game should offer players some interesting decisions. UNO doesn’t offer a lot of those.
What Card Games Like UNO Should I Play Instead?
First and foremost, keep playing UNO if you love it – we aren’t trying to yuck your yum here. But it is worth asking the question: are there other inviting, colorful games that can get your family and friends around the table without all of these weaknesses?
And if you haven’t looked around lately, you might be surprised at how easy it is to play a great fast-paced card game.
Here’s a list of 10 Card Games Like UNO we recommend that maintain the simplicity and accessibility for every family member, but also address these specific shortcomings. Give one of these card games a chance at your next game night and you’ll experience a perfect blend of enjoyment and strategy, ensuring delightful moments for both the young and the young at heart.
Our Top 10 UNO Alternatives
Hungry Monkey
What Makes It Special: Hungry Monkey is a great little shedding game (a game where the objective is to get rid of all your cards, like UNO) with lots of silly luck, a bit of memory, and charming, colorful artwork. You take turns drawing cards and playing onto the discard pile, like in UNO. You also have four cards face down in front of you and over the course of the game you are trying to replace the cards you start with with cards that will be easy to get rid of during the final phase of the game. Many of the cards have interesting effects that let you either manipulate or view the cards in front of you or allow you to get rid of cards.
Game Mechanics: Players take turns drawing cards and playing them onto a discard pile (similar to UNO), but you also manage four face-down cards you’re trying to optimize throughout the game. Many cards have special effects that let you manipulate these cards or shed cards from your hand.
Why Choose It Over UNO?
- Predictable game length: The two-phase structure ensures games don’t drag on
- More meaningful decisions: Strategic card management without losing simplicity
- Delightful theme: Charming monkey artwork appeals to all ages
- Better replay value: Each game presents different strategic challenges
Hungry Monkey is still lucky and chaotic, similar to UNO. But, while anyone can win, because this game has more decisions there’s an opportunity to be clever in how you set yourself up for when you get to the final phase – as opposed to UNO, where whoever draws the right cards wins. Kids and adults alike will get into the drama as players race to ditch their cards at the end of the game.
No Thanks! – Best Classic Alternative
What Makes It Special: No Thanks! has rightfully become a modern classic because it offers a masterclass in elegant game design. With just 33 cards and some tokens, it creates tension-filled decisions every turn.
Game Mechanics: Each turn presents a single card and a simple choice: take the card (and collect its potentially negative points) or spend a token to pass. Run out of tokens, and you’ll be forced to take cards. Connected number sequences count only as their lowest value, creating clever risk-reward
Why Choose It Over UNO?
- Every decision matters: Simple yet meaningful choices each turn
- Consistent playtime: Finishes reliably in 15-20 minutes
- Keeps everyone engaged: Players are invested in every turn, not just their own
- Elegant design: Proves a game doesn’t need complexity to be strategic
While No Thanks! may lack some of the silliness of UNO, it gets everyone around the table engaged, even during opponent turns, since their decisions matter too. Its simple elegance is hard to beat, and it’s a game that should really be in every collection.
Sea Salt & Paper – Most Beautiful
What Makes It Special: Sea Salt & Paper combines beautiful nautical-themed origami artwork with tactical set collection and hand management. This pocket-sized game packs impressive strategic depth into a small package.
Game Mechanics: Unlike UNO where you’re dealt a hand of cards, here players start with nothing and build their collection through strategic drafting. Each turn offers the choice to take face-up cards or draw new ones. Players collect various sea creatures that score in different ways, from mermaids that reward color sets to special pairs that trigger bonus actions.
Why Choose It Over UNO?
- More player agency: Strategic choices rather than luck-based play
- Beautiful artwork: Stunning origami-style sea creatures
- Compact travel size: Perfect for vacations and restaurants
- Tactical depth: Rewards planning without overwhelming complexity
For Sale– Best for Teaching Economic Concepts
What Makes It Special: For Sale is a widely regarded as one of the best quick-playing auction games ever designed. Its two-phase structure creates the perfect blend of competitive bidding and clever card play.
Game Mechanics: In the first phase, players auction for properties ranging from a cardboard box to a space station. Then, in the second phase, they sell these properties to earn the most money. Success requires both smart bidding and strategic timing of when to play your properties.
Why Choose It Over UNO?
- Engaging auction mechanics: Bidding creates natural player interaction
- Perfect information: All cards are face-up, eliminating blind luck
- Satisfying two-act structure: Clear game progression with a definitive end
- Playful art: Properties range from outhouse to luxury castle with humorous artwork
There’s bluffing, there’s push your luck, there’s table talk, there’s rug-pull moments. It’s everything that calling someone out when they forget to say UNO is when it’s at it’s best. You are playing a game with your friends, and you love your friends, but it’s fun to see them sweat a bit, not knowing what you are going to do, and there aren’t a lot of things more satisfying that keeping your poker face just long enough to surprise everyone with an amazing play. It’s all in good fun and is extremely accessible. You can get a lot of different groups to the table with this one and you’ll always have a good time.
Cockroach Poker – Best for Silly Fun
What Makes It Special: Cockroach Poker might be the most fun you can have with a single deck of cards. This pure bluffing game creates laugh-out-loud moments as players try to determine who’s telling the truth about the cards they’re passing.
Game Mechanics: On your turn, place a card face-down in front of another player and declare what creature is on it (roach, fly, rat, etc.). Are you telling the truth? They must decide whether to call your bluff, look at the card and pass it along with their own declaration, or accept it. The first player to collect four of the same creature loses.
Why Choose It Over UNO?
- Why Choose It Over UNO?:Pure social interaction: The game is about reading people, not the luck of the draw
- Generates stories: The bluffing creates memorable moments every game
- Quick playtime: Games typically last 15-20 minutes
- Always engaging: Everyone pays attention to every turn
However, it does need to be noted that, unlike UNO, where there’s a single winner, Cockroach Poker has only one loser. While this might pose a challenge for some family members, as it has the potential to feel more mean-spirited if people gang up on the player in the worst position. So that’s something to keep in mind, but in all the times I’ve played it it’s quick and light and fun and people are far more likely to be laughing than upset.
The simplicity of this game and the potential for years of enjoyment make this one an auto-buy in my opinion. This is an absolutely essential card game. Buy it, start taking it with you places, and thank me later.
Take 5 – Our Editor’s Pick
What Makes It Special: Take 5 (or 6 Nimmit!) creates the perfect blend of tension and strategy as players simultaneously select cards, hoping to avoid being the one who must take penalty points.
Game Mechanics: Players simultaneously select a card to play, then place them in ascending order on one of four rows. If you place the sixth card in a row, you must take the first five cards as penalty points. The player with the lowest score wins.
Why Choose It Over UNO?
- Simultaneous play: No downtime between turns
- More player agency: Strategic choices rather than luck-based play
- Perfect length: Games conclude in 15-20 minutes
- Scales well: Works great with various player counts (3-10)
If you’re seeking a card game that offers that blend of simplicity and strategy, Take 5 is a fantastic choice.
Skull King – Best for Traditional Card Game Lovers
What Makes It Special: Skull King is a trick-taking card game with a pirate theme. Players are trying to acquire ships and treasure by playing suited cards to win different tricks. I grew up playing a version of this with a standard deck of cards called Diminish, but in this one there are special cards like mermaids and Pirates with different effects that improve the scoring and the game play, making it well worth picking up a copy.
Game Mechanics: Each round, players predict how many tricks they’ll win, then play cards following suit if possible. Special cards like mermaids and pirates add twists to the standard trick-taking formula. Score points by accurately predicting your performance or by capturing valuable cards.
Why Choose It Over UNO?
- Self-balancing difficulty: Bidding mechanic means even “bad” hands can win
- Teaches classic card game skills: Perfect gateway to traditional card games
- Clear end conditions: Predetermined number of rounds
- Engaging theme: Pirates and treasure appeal to multiple age groups
This is the kind of game that can easily become a family staple and one you play over and over with the same group. An easy recommendation for a family with tweens. It does such a great job of getting you out of thinking about just what you are doing, but trying to predict what other players have and what they might play on their turn. Quite a bit different from just hoping a player switches it to blue and that they don’t drop a +4 Wild card on you.
Love Letter – Most Portable
What Makes It Special: Love Letter is a simple card game that comes in a signature velvet bag. You are a suitor trying to get your love letter into the hands of the princess. Some members of the court will help you, but some might get in your way. Players take turns playing character cards with different effects trying to find ways to identify what cards your opponents are holding, knock them out, and be the last one standing.
Game Mechanics: Players start with one card and draw another on their turn, then play one. Each card represents a character with a unique ability, from the Guard who can guess opponents’ cards to the Princess who loses you the game if discarded. Last player standing or highest card at round’s end scores a point.
Why Choose It Over UNO?
- Ultra-portable: The original micro-game fits in a pocket
- Perfect length: Rounds last 5 minutes, full games 15-20 minutes
- Social deduction: Reading opponents matters more than luck
- Elegant design: Every card serves a purpose in a tight, balanced system
Love Letter is perhaps the original microgame, with only 18 cards and some tokens, but it packs a lot of punch for a game you can take anywhere. It’s a quick thinking deduction game that manages to get more done with a quarter as many cards as most popular card games.
Sushi Go Party! – Best for Large Groups
What Makes It Special: Sushi Go Party! combines adorable sushi-themed artwork with the engaging card-drafting mechanic popularized by more complex games. The “Party” version includes multiple menu options for endless variety. Different cards score in different ways, so while this is a simple game (also recommended as one of our best games for 8 year olds) there is bit more to it than you’ll find in a game like UNO.
Game Mechanics: Players draft cards by selecting one from their hand, placing it in front of them, then passing the remaining cards to their neighbor. Different sushi types score in unique ways – some want sets, others want the most, and some gain value from combinations.
Why Choose It Over UNO?
Sushi Go Party! does an excellent job of getting you thinking about what the people you are passing to might choose. Because you only get one card from each hand, you’ll always be passing away some cards that you’d really like. If you can think like your opponents, you’ll be able to give yourself a better chance of seeing those desired cards when they come around again.
- Simultaneous decisions: Everyone plays at once with minimal downtime
- Strategic depth: Meaningful choices without overwhelming complexity
- Adorable artwork: Sushi with faces is irresistibly charming
- Modular design: Mix and match menu items for variety
If you’re looking for a game, with a lot of replay value, than I would recommend getting Sushi Go Party! instead, which gives you more menu items to choose from when creating the deck you will draft from.
Check out our Full Review of Sushi Go! here
Abandon All Artichokes – Bonus Pick
What Makes It Special: Abandon All Artichokes introduces deck-building mechanics (popularized by games like Dominion) in an approachable, family-friendly package with veggie-themed artwork.
Game Mechanics: Players start with a deck full of worthless artichoke cards and gradually acquire better vegetables with special powers. The goal is to draw a hand without any artichokes, which requires strategic acquisition and removal of cards from your personal deck.
Why Choose It Over UNO?
- Deck improvement: Satisfying progression as your deck gets better
- Different paths to victory: Multiple strategies to try
- Educational value: Introduces deck-building concepts
- Adorable theme: Vegetable characters appeal to all ages
It’s an equalizer and can be played by pretty young kids. Its charming design, especially the Artichoke shaped tin, will make it one that kids pick out to play consistently and is a great way for them to learn how deck building games work. As kids get older it stays silly but becomes more competitive and is a tactical race where you can try new strategies every time you play. The powers also encourage a lot of player interaction, so it’s still a very social game and one that is excellent for families.
Comparison Chart: UNO vs. Alternatives
| Game | Complexity (1-5) | Age | Players | Time | Key Advantage Over UNO |
| UNO | 1 | 7+ | 2-10 | 30+ min | Original benchmark |
| Hungry Monkey | 1.5 | 8+ | 3-6 | 15 min | Predictable game length |
| No Thanks! | 1 | 8+ | 2-6 | 15 min | Every decision matters |
| Sea Salt & Paper | 2 | 8+ | 3-7 | 30 min | Strategic card selection |
| For Sale | 1.5 | 10+ | 2-4 | 20 min | Auction mechanic |
| Cockroach Poker | 1 | 8+ | 3-6 | 15 min | Social Bluffing |
| Take 5 | 1.5 | 3-10 | 20 min | Simultaneous play | |
| Skull King | 2 | 8+ | 2-8 | 30 min | Self-balancing difficulty |
| Love Letter | 1.5 | 10+ | 2-6 | 15 min | Deduction elements |
| Sushi Go Party! | 2 | 8+ | 2-8 | 20 min | Card drafting |
| Abandon All Artichokes | 2 | 10+ | 2-4 | 20 min | Deck building |
Conclusion – Your Next Great Card Game Is Out There
In the realm of family-friendly card games, you don’t have to limit yourself. Do yourself a favor and try out some more modern board games that can truly take your experience to the next level. The variety of different games in this list means that there should be something here to appeal to everyone. Remember that what UNO does best is get people to the table – and all of our picks do that too, but with these, nobody will want to leave.
There’s nothing wrong with the classics. But maybe leave the worn-out standard deck of UNO cards on the shelf for an evening and try any of these excellent family card games. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by what they have to offer – the fun and the memories they’ll help you create.
Can’t decide which one to pick up! Why not pick up a handful. And if you are looking for a great way to store all these great new games, don’t miss our review of the Gamegenic 600+, which can hold all these and so much more. It’s how I keep all my great card games organized and portable.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are these games suitable for all ages?
Most of these games are indeed suitable for a wide range of ages. However, it’s always a good idea to check the recommended age range on the game’s packaging or online description.
Where can I purchase these games?
Each game’s title is linked directly to its Amazon page for easy purchasing.
What is the average duration of these games?
The duration varies by game. Some, such as Cockroach Poker, can be played quickly, while others, like For Sale, might require more time. It’s best to check each game’s estimated playtime.
Can these games be played with two players?
While these games are primarily designed for in-person play, some may be adaptable for virtual play using video conferencing tools and digital platforms. However, the experience may differ from an in-person game.
Can these games be played virtually?
While these games are primarily designed for in-person play, some may be adaptable for virtual play using video conferencing tools and digital platforms. However, the experience may differ from an in-person game.
What if a game I purchased is missing pieces or has a manufacturing defect?
Most publishers offer excellent customer service and will replace missing or defective parts. Contact the publisher directly or the retailer where you purchased the game for assistance.
