UNO MASTER Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Battery Notice
• Goal of the Game
• Contents
• Setup
• UNO in Brief
• Game Rules
  • Choosing the Dealer
  • Starting the Discard Pile
  • Action Card Functions
  • "Draw 2" Card
  • "Reverse" Card
  • "Skip" Card
  • "Wild" Card
  • "Wild Draw 4" Card
• End of the Game
• Scoring
• Winner
• Penalties
• Two-Player Rules

Battery Notice

Three alkaline AA (LR6) batteries are required for the UNO MASTER game and are not included. To insert the three batteries, the battery compartment cover on the base of the UNO MASTER unit must be opened.

• Removing and inserting the batteries (illustrated).
• Do not use rechargeable batteries.
• For best performance use only alkaline batteries, i.e. 3 x 1.5 V alkaline AA (LR6).
• If the product does not work, check whether the batteries are inserted correctly or whether they are empty.
• Non-rechargeable batteries must never be recharged.
• Never combine alkaline batteries with standard batteries (zinc-carbon).
• Never mix old and new batteries. (Always replace all batteries at the same time.)
• Use only batteries of the same or a similar type to those recommended above.
• Make sure the batteries are inserted in the indicated orientation.
• Always remove old or exhausted batteries from the game.
• Avoid short circuits.
• Always remove the batteries when the toy is not used for a longer period.

Goal of the Game

The goal of the game is to be the first player to score 500 points. A player scores points when he has played all of his cards before his opponents. He is credited with the points of the cards his opponents still hold in their hands.

Contents

112 cards as follows:

• 19 blue cards – 0 to 9
• 19 green cards – 0 to 9
• 19 red cards – 0 to 9
• 19 yellow cards – 0 to 9
• 8 "Draw 2" cards – 2 each in blue, green, red and yellow
• 8 "Reverse" cards – 2 each in blue, green, red and yellow
• 8 "Skip" cards – 2 each in blue, green, red and yellow
• 4 "Wild" cards
• 4 "Wild Draw 4" cards
• 4 blank UNO cards (to be disposed of before playing)

UNO MASTER unit + 6 rubber feet

Setup

Press the 6 rubber feet into the holes on the underside of the base of the UNO MASTER unit.

UNO in Brief

As soon as the cards are shuffled, 7 cards are dealt to each player. The remaining cards are placed face down in the recess of the UNO MASTER unit provided for the draw pile. These cards form the draw pile. The top card of the draw pile is turned over and placed in the opposite recess of the UNO MASTER unit. This card forms the first card of the discard pile. The player to the left of the dealer begins. He must place a card of the matching number, colour or corresponding symbol on the top card of the discard pile. Example: if a red 7 is showing, the player must either play a red card or a 7 of any colour. As an alternative, he may also play a Wild card. (See ACTION CARD FUNCTIONS.) If the player does not have a matching card, he must draw a card from the draw pile. If the drawn card can be played, it may be played immediately. If it cannot be played, the next player is up.

If a player has only one card left, he must call "UNO" (which means "one"). If he forgets to do so, he must draw two cards from the draw pile, but only if he is caught by another player before the next player continues the game.

Players may, for tactical reasons, decide not to play a playable card. If this is the case, they must draw a card from the draw pile. If this card is playable, it may be played immediately. After drawing a card, the player may not play any card he already held in his hand before.

As soon as a player has no cards left, the round is over. The points are added up (see SCORING), and the next round begins.

Game Rules

Choosing the Dealer

Each player draws a card. The player who has the card with the highest number deals the cards. Action cards count as zero. The player to the left of the dealer opens the game.

Starting the Discard Pile

Once the cards have been dealt, the remaining cards are placed in the recess of the UNO MASTER unit provided for the draw pile (see the front of the box). The top card is turned over and placed in the opposite recess of the UNO MASTER unit. This card forms the first card of the discard pile. If the top card of the draw pile is an action card, the rules for it apply. (See ACTION CARD FUNCTIONS.)

UNO MASTER is played according to the same basic rules as the UNO card game, except that the game is played against the clock.

The UNO MASTER unit is switched on by pressing the red UNO timer in the middle of the unit. The unit is switched off by pressing and holding the UNO timer for longer (the timer must be held down).

Players set the speed of their game themselves by setting the switch to 4, 6 or 8. Example: if the switch is set to 6, each player has 6 seconds to carry out his turn.

When the unit is switched on, the light blinks until the first player presses the UNO timer.

After placing his card on the discard pile, each player must press the UNO timer in the middle of the unit. If the signal tone sounds before the player has pressed the UNO timer, he must draw 2 cards from the draw pile. A player must also press the UNO timer after he has drawn cards as a penalty. If a player fails to draw the cards and press the UNO timer before the signal tone sounds, he must draw 2 further cards. The next player is then up, and this player must press the UNO timer to continue the game. For a more exciting game, the number of cards to be drawn may be increased to four.

Action Card Functions

The functions of the action cards and when they may be played are explained below.

"Draw 2" Card

If this card is played, the next player must draw two cards, may not play a card, and must press the UNO timer. If this card is revealed at the start of the game, the same rules apply. This card may only be played on a card of the matching colour or on another "Draw 2" card.

"Reverse" Card

This card reverses the direction of play. If play is running clockwise, play continues counterclockwise after this card is played, and vice versa. This card may only be played on a card of the matching colour or on another "Reverse" card. If this card is revealed at the start of the game, the dealer places one card, and the player to the right of the dealer continues the game.

"Skip" Card

The next player who would be next in turn after this card must skip his turn. This card may only be played on a card of the matching colour or on another "Skip" card. If the "Skip" card is revealed as the first card, the player to the left of the dealer is skipped, and the player to the left of him opens the game.

"Wild" Card

The person who plays this card may choose the colour that is to be played next, which may also be the colour of the previously played cards. A "Wild" card may be played at any time, even if the player has another playable card in his hand. If a "Wild" card is revealed as the first card, the player to the left of the dealer may choose the colour to be played.

"Wild Draw 4" Card

This card is the most valuable card in the entire game. The person who plays this card may choose the colour to be played. In addition, the next player must draw 4 cards from the draw pile, skip placing a card, and press the UNO timer. The "Wild Draw 4" card may only be played if the player does not hold a card in his hand that matches the colour of the card on the discard pile. (See PENALTIES!) If the player holds a card of matching number or another action card in his hand, the printed text reads: "darf der die 'Zieh 4 + Farbenwahl' Karte ausspielen" ("may play the 'Wild Draw 4' card"). [Transcriber's note: this sentence is transcribed as printed. Its meaning is unclear and it may be a misprint for "may not"; the preceding sentence and the PENALTIES section are the operative rule.] If the "Wild Draw 4" card is revealed as the first card, it is returned to the draw pile and the next card is turned over.

End of the Game

A player who forgets to call "UNO" while playing his second-to-last card, but corrects this before another player catches him, is "saved" and does not have to draw penalty cards (2). Players who forgot to call "UNO" can no longer be caught once the next player is already up, i.e. once he has already drawn a card from the draw pile or is already in the process of placing a card.

If the last card of a player is a "Draw 2" or a "Wild Draw 4" card, the next player must draw two or four cards. These cards are counted when the winner's score is determined.

If no player has played all his cards before the draw pile is used up, the top card of the discard pile is taken and the pile is reshuffled. The removed card is the first card of the new discard pile. The remaining cards of the reshuffled pile form the draw pile and are placed in the recess of the UNO MASTER unit provided for the draw pile.

Scoring

The first player to play all his cards receives the points of the cards his fellow players still hold in their hands. The cards count as follows:

• All number cards (0–9) – face value
• "Draw 2" – 20 points
• "Reverse" – 20 points
• "Skip" – 20 points
• "Wild" – 50 points
• "Wild Draw 4" – 50 points

Winner

The WINNER is the first player to have collected 500 points. The game may, however, also be scored so that after each round the point total of each individual player is added to his total from previous rounds. If one player then reaches 500 points, the player with the lowest point total wins.

Penalties

Players who give their fellow players game advice must draw four cards.

If a "Wild Draw 4" card is played wrongly (i.e. the player who plays this card could have played a card of the matching colour), and the player of this card is challenged, the players let the clock run out, and the challenged player must show his cards to the challenger. If the "Wild Draw 4" card was played wrongly, the player must draw 4 cards. If the card was played correctly, the challenger must draw 2 additional cards on top of the 4 cards. Only the player who, because of the discarded "Wild Draw 4" card, would have to draw the 4 cards may challenge the player of this card.

If a player presses the UNO timer before he has completed his turn, he must draw 4 cards from the draw pile.

Two-Player Rules

Special UNO rules for two players:

1. The "Reverse" card functions like a "Skip" card. The player who plays the "Reverse" card may immediately play another card.
2. The player who plays a "Skip" card may immediately play another card.
3. If a player plays a "Draw 2" card and the other player has drawn two cards, the first player is up again. The same principle also applies to the "Wild Draw 4" card. In all other cases the normal UNO rules apply.