Uno

Genre: Card Game

Players: 1-2 Co-Op (Local) / 2-4 Competitive / Team Competitive (Local Wireless / Online)

Game Company Bad Behavior Profile Page: UbiSoft

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Review:

Uno is a videogame version of the classic Card Game that was first created in 1971, with the Nintendo Switch version first releasing in 2017, with an update to accommodate new DLC options releasing in 2021. As this game has been around for far longer than the Nintendo Switch version (and the videogame industry as a whole, for the most part), I’ll be focusing mainly on the presentation, features, options, and performance of this game.

I should note that this release has multiple DLC options for those looking to expand the game to include other variants like Uno Flip! and versions of the game inspired by other UbiSoft properties like Rayman, Rabbids, Let’s Dance, and Immortals Fenyx Rising, but for the sake of this review I’ll just be looking at the core experience for the game.

When it comes to the presentation and performance, this version of Uno fares about as well as one can hope, with a slick, colorful presentation featuring some expressive transition effects, and energetic music. There’s nothing here that’s super-impressive, but it works well enough for the game itself, although the loading times seem a bit high for such a simple game.

As for the gameplay… yup, this is Uno, all right. The controls here have been reasonably simplified and work well on a gamepad, with optional touchscreen controls that work just as well, and the pacing of the game is fairly swift, as well it should be.

And when it comes to options, players have the ability to play with various modifiers, team battles, and there’s even a decent tutorial here. Really, the biggest thing functionally wrong with this package is stuff that’s not really the fault of the game but the format and the userbase – namely, local multiplayer is limited to co-op only, and online multiplayer is limited by empty online servers. This may be due to the fact that the game’s $10 price tag is a bit on the high end.

Look, I’ll be honest, I’m not especially fond of Uno as a card game. I personally feel like it leaves too much of its gameplay up to chance, and there’s often not much utility for players on their turn. And even that much can take a while to happen, as most attacks that players make will rob a player of their turn. However, if you’re a fan of the physical card game looking for a videogame version, this does the job well, although you’ll be limited in your selection of opponents. If that still sounds enticing to you, give this game a shot.

tl;dr – Uno is a videogame version of the classic Card Game that does a good job bringing the game to the Nintendo Switch, with a good presentation, good controls, and a good set of options. Unfortunately, the game is limited by Uno’s design, resulting in a lack of multiplayer options. Also, the game seems a bit pricey, and the load times could be better. Still, if you want Uno in videogame form, this succeeds in doing exactly that.

Grade: C+

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