Matthew BaileyIf you’re interested in the game after reading this review, check the comments for a Little Board Gamers exclusive 10% off money-off voucher as well as an extra 3 days to claim the “early bird discount” on top.
SnippSnapper is a deck-shredding, card-based party game that follows along the same lines as something like Uno, but it’s different enough to make this one well worth checking out.
Because everyone plays at the same time, it works much better with a larger group than most similar card games do.
You start the game by dealing all the cards out to everyone. Some players will end up with more than others, and that’s just the way it is. The rulebook even says that life isn’t fair! If you’re playing with different ages, one thing that worked really well for us was making sure younger players had fewer cards to begin with.
The key part of the game is the magic spell
SNIPP – SNAPP – SNURRE – BASSERULLE – KORINTIBUS!
Every time you lay down a card, you must say the next part of the spell. Once everyone has their cards, you place a monster card face-down in the centre. This is the monster you’re all fighting for.
You take turns starting each round by placing a card and saying the first word, Snipp. From that point, it’s a race. Unlike Uno, where play moves to the next person, anyone at the table can jump in. To do so, they must play a card of the same colour and one number higher. Thirteen wraps back down to one. The next person to play must shout Snapp, and this continues with Snurre – Basserulle – Korintibus. The player who places the final Korintibus card wins the battle, neutralises the monster, and keeps that card along with its points.
This is a really clever twist because, while you’re trying to get rid of your cards, you’re also aiming to be the fifth person to play in the sequence. Sometimes it’s better to hold back a card rather than rush in. There are also lightning-bolt wild cards called Power Cards that can be played at any time, and these are definitely worth saving for the right moment.
If the spell is broken, meaning the five words aren’t said correctly or the sequence can’t be completed, the monster wins. The last player to lay a card must then follow the penalty on the back of the monster card. These range from messing with your own hand to interfering with others’ scores, although there are a few positive ones too.
Play continues until one player gets rid of all their cards. The moment that happens, the game stops immediately. That player claims the remaining cards from the table, while everyone else loses ten points as a penalty for not finishing first. The player with the highest score at the end wins.
It’s a really simple game at heart, but there’s enough extra depth to make it stand out from other fast-paced card games. Having to remember the spell, everyone playing at once, and the fun penalties that come with the monsters all combine to make this a great and genuinely different deck-shredding experience.
We’ve included it in our Halloween coverage largely because the Kickstarter launches today, so make sure you check the comments for a Little Board Gamers discount if you decide to back it. While there are monsters involved, it’s a game that can be enjoyed all year round, not just during spooky season.
The component quality is really high and the box itself is beautiful and really premium.
As well as being a solid and unusual deck-shredder, it also works brilliantly with large groups. The only real issue, and it’s hard to avoid, is that when everyone dives in at once it can be tricky to see who got their card down first, especially if the pile isn’t in easy reach of everyone. Still, that didn’t spoil our fun. I played this with the boys and they really enjoyed it, but it really shone when I played with a full group of twelve students at my local game club. It was definitely frantic fun.
It’s always great to see new deck-shredding games joining the line-up of “like Uno, but better than Uno” games, and this one has just enough clever twists to make SnippSnapper well worth a look.
Disclaimer: The creators provided me with an opportunity to test out a prototype copy of SnippSnapper. I have not been paid for this review in any way and do not benefit if you use the discount code or not. All of my thoughts and opinions are my own.
Discount Voucher just for Little Board Gamers that gives a flat 10% extra discount off the Kickstarter and extendes the early bird discount valid until the 26th
