Daniel@ladybedlamlabs

It’s hard to go wrong with Uno as a fallback when no-one can agree on a game to play or mental exhaustion has kicked in and you need something you can play with muscle memory and a limited amount of concentration.

Pace is fast, so you might not be able to sustain a conversation while playing, but play is simple so its an excellent game to keep in the car and pull out at coffee shops when the mood strikes you.

Nowadays you can get Uno in many style variants – Simpsons, Mario Bros., etc., but gameplay remains the same. I daresay you could pull out a deck in a cafe in France, Nigeria, or Uzbekistan and find players nearby.

Consisting solely of a deck of cards, its the ultimate portable game.

Loot is an engaging, simple card game designed for kids. Players try to sail merchant ships worth victory points past pirate ships controlled by other players. Someone trying to steal your merchant ship? Send out a pirate fleet of your own to rescue it!

Adults playing without kids will soon wish for more depth, but kids will enjoy the mechanics and the fun card art. The one tricky mechanic is the lack of a constant draw – new players will find themselves reaching for the deck automatically when instead they should play a pirate or merchant ship.

As said, the art is good and the cards firm but a little slippery. Instructions are sufficient. Game can be learned within five minutes, and play lasts for about 20 minutes. Best with 3-5 players.

The random quality of the placement of the magnets – well-designed makes for edge of the seat tension among the child set, and plenty of humor for the whole family. The quick play (30 mins max) makes a nice change from the hours long crusades called Clue or Monopoly.

Art is good. Directions are easy to understand. With 2 male and 2 female avatars, your children may need to be flexible on gender selection.

I tried this out with my six year old son at one of the gaming rooms at Comic-Con last year (2013). The level of distractions at CC might have something to do with my boys lack of interest – he jumped ship within 4 rounds, but I found it quite enjoyable.

For those seeking an intro to Catan, or something less resource intensive than the adult game, I recommend a run at Catan Jr.

I also won a stuffed sheep!