Uno Attack Card Meanings

Updated September 8, 2021
Friends playing UNO cards

Uno Attack only makes a few slight adjustments to the classic game, Uno, making it super easy for Uno fans to enjoy the new format. Get ready for things to get a little aggressive with the introduction of an unpredictable card launcher and several new cards that'll turn even the most casual player into a cutthroat competitor. Focused on scoring points and avoiding getting cards launched at you, Uno Attack will up the ante of your family game nights.

Uno Gets Aggressive

While a round of Uno can certainly get heated, this newer version of the popular card game turns up the heat to a thousand. Using simple technology, Uno Attack takes the beloved game and raises the stakes with its Russian roulette card-launching system. With a couple of new cards to keep the action going and the introduction of this launcher piece, you and your family can have some endless fun together. If you've played regular Uno, you'll already be familiar with a few of the cards and the concept itself, but the gameplay does differ from the original in a few significant ways:

  • Instead of drawing cards from the draw pile, Uno Attack forces you to press the launcher mechanism to see if you'll have to add any cards to your pile. Any of these cards that are shot out at you must be added to your hand.
  • Rather than trying to be the competitor who has gotten rid of their cards the fastest, you want to try to earn the highest number of points or be the first player to reach 500 points.
  • Each of the cards have a point value, and those points are awarded to the player who gets rid of all of their cards first.
  • Cards like the wild all hit and wild hit-fire increases the game's suspense by making all players be at the mercy of the card-carrying, bright-red, projectile-frisbeeing machine.

The Uno Attack Cards and Their Meanings

Since Uno Attack incorporates the card launcher, a few of the new cards - such as the "Wild Hit Fire" and "Wild All Hit" - make the game play more intense. By hitting the launcher, players can get one card or several tossed into their chest, and these must be added to their hands. If you've ever played Uno before, you'll be familiar with some of the cards already, but a few new cards seek to make the game more exciting and unpredictable.

Uno Attack Cards Meanings

Reverse

You can play a reverse card to change the direction of play. Reverse is a good card to play if you suspect that the person who has just played a hand has nothing more to play. Reversing the direction of the game will immediately bring the play back to the player who just laid a hand, and if that player has nothing left, they will be forced to press the launched until they have something to play.

Skip

Playing a skip card means that the next player to have a turn must be skipped. Skip cards are especially advantageous if the person that would be skipped is almost ready to call out, "Uno." Skipping that player will then prevent them from going out before you're able to.

Hit Two

If you play a Hit 2 card, the player whose turn is next has to hit the launcher twice and doesn't get an opportunity to lay any cards down. It's never a bad idea to saddle one of your opponents with more cards, but this is another great card to save for when the player next to you draws ever closer to Uno. Forcing them to draw another two cards will prolong their game, allowing you time to lose cards first.

Trade Hands

If you lay down the "trade hands" card, you must trade hands with the player on your left. This is only advantageous if the player on your left has fewer cards than you have. If possible, the card is best played towards the end of a game when you're trading for a hand that has only one or two cards left.

Discard All

Playing the "Discard All" card allows you to discard all of the cards of a certain color from your hand. For example, if you play a red "Discard All" card, you can let go of all the red cards in your hand. This is a great strategy to employ mid-game, and particularly if you have a lot of one specific color.

Wild

Just like in UNO, the wild card can be played on top of any color, and the player who lays it down calls out one of the four card colors to continue play. Play this card when you need to change the color to something more advantageous for the cards in your own hand. Alternatively, you can save this card until the end to be almost guaranteed of getting Uno.

Wild Hit Fires

When a player puts down a "Wild Hit Fire," they call out a new color, and the person next to them must hit the launcher until it shoots cards and adds those cards to their opponent's hand and forfeits their turn. The "Wild Hit Fire" card is best used when the player next to you has a small hand or when you need to change the color of the game.

Wild All Hit

"Wild All Hit" cards force each person in the group (except for the person who played the card) to push the launcher button. The players then must add any cards to their hands that shoot out from the launcher. Play continues for each player, so it is okay if the launcher shoots cards multiple times. The player who played the Wild All Hit card, calls the next color. Ideally, you play this card when several people around the table have small hands for maximum impact. You can also play this card if you need to change the color of the cards being played.

Get Your Trigger Hands at the Ready

What makes UNO Attack so addictive is the fact that you never know when the launcher is going to shoot out cards. This added element to game play makes the strategy more unpredictable and levels the playing field between all competitors, so younger kids and older adults can all enjoy playing against each other for a few rounds. Yet, you don't want to just get lost in the chaotic fun of pressing the launcher and seeing what happens; focusing on learning the different Uno Attack card meanings, and utilizing them effectively, will help increase your chances of winning every time.

Uno Attack Card Meanings