Uno Flex

Game 29# of the “Now & Then Summer Marathon 2024” and the fourth in our “Uno” sub-series is “Uno Flex” Played with Jack(9) and Katie.

“Uno Flex” for the most part plays very similarly to regular “Uno,” but there are some key differences that make this by far my favourite version of “Uno” I have ever played.

The key normal rules are the same, but each player gets a power card. This is a card that has a tick on one side and a cross on the other. Many cards that you play will have the main card but will then have a flex side, which will give you increased abilities. In some cases, this just allows you to get a different colour. For instance, if green is the colour being played, you could potentially play a red card with a green flex, even though the colour would then still stay as green. Equally, cards such as the draw two cards can be played normally, or if you use the power card and play the flex side, you can actually target who is going to draw those two. This kind of decision-making—what are you going to use your flex power on, when are you going to use it, and who are you going to potentially use it against—opens up an area of strategy you don’t often see in “Uno.”

When playing the game, there were several times that I found myself in a conundrum of having two or three possible options open to me. Should I use my flex to get rid of a card that I’m not convinced I can get rid of, or do I use my flex to force one of my opponents to pick up two because they’re getting a little bit low?

There are also cards that allow you to regain your power card. So if you have one of these in hand, you can potentially play your flex early, knowing that you can then play a card to reset that flex and get that ability back.

I have played a lot of variations of “Uno,” and “Uno Flex” is by far my favourite. It offers way more strategy than you normally see in a game of “Uno,” and there is actually quite a lot of decision-making involved in when to play your flex card and which flex card to use. Trying to work out what is in other people’s hands is more important than ever. If you are going away this summer and looking for some small card games to play, especially knowing that you’re going to be playing with relatives who aren’t as confident with more modern games, “Uno Flex” offers the familiarity of “Uno” with far more compelling gameplay than you normally get with an average game of “Uno.”

I really liked this not just as a better version of Uno but a gane in it’s own right.

Don’t worry, I know there have been a lot of positives the last few days—there are some negative reviews coming.