The Spicy UNO rules take the usual game of UNO and adds a different spin to the standard gameplay to create a new, different, and fun game.
UNO’s classic game can occasionally be a bit too simplistic for keen card players, so Spicy UNO addresses that issue with a new variation in gameplay.
It follows much of the same rules as UNO but encourages a lot more interactivity with other players, so like the Cops and Robbers card game Spicy UNO is ideal as a party game with your pals.
If this sounds like a version of UNO you can get on board with, then be sure to read our guide on the Spicy UNO rules below.
What Is Spicy UNO?
Of course, the game of Spicy UNO would not be possible without the original UNO, a card game originally made in North America by Merle Robbins.
Allegedly, Merle got into an argument with his son whilst playing another card game, Crazy Eights. UNO was born as a result of their argument to get past the disagreement.
If you’ve ever played Crazy Eights, then you will recognize that Spicy UNO is a hybrid of the game and UNO.
Number of Players Required: 5 – 10 players.
Who Can Play It: Anyone, but aimed more for teenagers and adults.
Difficulty: Easy to play and understand.
Length of Play: 10 – 15 minutes.
Similar to: Racko; Phase 10; Sushi Go Party; Bohnanza; UNO Roboto
Main Objective: Become the first player to get rid of all their cards before all other players.
Why we love it: You would struggle to find anyone who hasn’t played or heard of UNO, and Spicy UNO turns the fast-paced, fun gameplay up to 11. If you’re a fan of variations in games, then Spicy UNO is definitely for you.
Playing Spicy UNO – What You’ll Need.
Spicy UNO only needs a full deck of regular UNO playing cards. Being such a popular, well-known game, choose your favorite versions such as Emoji or Super Mario edition.
Any version you go with though, will have the following, including the standard version:
- 32 special action cards (Skips, Reverses, Draw Twos, Wild, and Draw Four Wild)
- 20 green numbered cards
- 20 blue numbered cards
- 20 red numbered cards
- 20 yellow numbered cards
You’ll also need a sharpie for a specific reason which we will cover later on in the guide. Playing with your group around a table is also a good idea as well.
How To Set Up Spicy UNO.
Set up for any game of UNO is straightforward, and Spicy UNO is no different.
Simply shuffle the deck of cards and deal out 7 cards to each player. The unused cards get placed in the middle of players as the draw pile.
During gameplay, players also place their cards in the middle as the discard pile. When the draw pile finishes, turn the discard pile over to make a new draw pile.
Spicy UNO Rules and Gameplay.
Spicy UNO rules mostly follow the standard UNO rules that you play but add in additional card abilities to mix everything up.
Starting the Game.
Start the game by turning over the top card from the draw pile and place it face up as the card that the starting player will need to follow.
Whoever’s left of the dealer begins the game by playing one of their cards on top of the starting card.
How to play Spicy UNO – The Basics.
A good starting point for understanding Spicy UNO is to understand the standard UNO game rules, as these are also used in the spicy version of the game.
Players take turns around the circle to lay a card that is either the same color or the same number as the previous card on the discard pile.
If a player doesn’t have a card that they can play, they must pick one up from the draw pile and add it to their hand.
Players who manage to carve their hand down to 1 card shout ‘UNO’ to the circle.
The first player to successfully get rid of all their cards wins the game.
UNO Special Action Cards
Some cards aren’t numbers which are action cards that have different powers that can help or hinder you during the game.
- Wild card – features 4 cards with each color displayed – lets a player pick what color the rest of the circle has to abide by.
- Reverse card – Background in 1 of the 4 colors with 2 arrows pointing away from one another – Switches which was round the circle the game plays.
- Draw 2 – Background in 1 of the 4 colors with a +2 in the corners – The next player to the left or right misses a turn and has to pick up 2 cards from the draw pile.
- Wild Draw 4 card – Displays all 4 cards of each color with +4 in the corners – The next player to the left or right misses a go and picks up 4 cards from the draw pile. The player who plays the card also picks the next color.
Related: What does shuffle hands mean in UNO
Extra Rules to Playing UNO Spicy
Add the following rules to make your game of UNO spicy:
- Slap on 6 – If a player lays down a card with the number 6, everyone must slap the deck, with the last player picking up 2 cards from the draw pile.
- Silent 7’s – If a 7 gets played, all players must play in silence until the next 7. Any player who talks in this period draws 2 cards.
- Trading 0’s – If a player lays down a 0, they can force another player to swap hands with them.
- Playing Out of Turn – Any player can lay down a card out of their turn if they have the same card in their hand. The gameplay continues from the player who plays out of turn.
- Stacking Pluses – If a +2 or +4 gets played, then you can stack them to avoid having to pick them up. Whoever it lands on who doesn’t have their own plus card picks up the number laid.
- Asking for help – If a player cannot go, rather than draw from the draw pile, players can ask the circle for help. Players can offer any card from their hand even if it doesn’t help out.
Scoring In Spicy UNO.
There isn’t a specific scoring system in Spicy UNO, but remember the sharpie we advised to have as part of the equipment you’ll need?
Whoever wins the game gets to sign their final card, which secured the win with their name. This gives a unique deck of memories as you continuously play Spicy UNO over time.
Related: UNO Spin rules
Frequently Asked Questions.
Is there anything in the Spicy UNO rules about players calling ‘UNO’ on their last card?
Calling UNO on the last card is undoubtedly controversial in UNO. In fact, UNO developers had to break their silence on the often talked about last card ‘UNO’ rule in reply to a tweet by NBA star Donovan Mitchell.
Simply put, no matter the form of UNO you play, it is vitally important that ‘UNO’ gets called when a player only has 1 left. Spicy UNO is no exception to this ruling.
Can you use the UNO Attack machine while playing Spicy UNO?
The UNO attack machine spits cards at players instead of having a draw pile, and there’s no reason why you can’t use it with Spicy UNO as well.
Alternative games to Spicy UNO.
Spicy UNO is definitely a card game that you can quickly introduce to your next friend or family game night.
If you’re the type of person that likes games that are just as fast-paced as Spicy UNO, then be sure to take a look at the 5-minute dungeon or the SushiGo Party.
For other card games that are fun but require a little more strategy, learn how to play Unstable Unicorns or check out the Nertz card game.
Not forgetting the array of board games that we supply guides to, check out some of our favorites like the Pandemic board game or the Risk board game.
