Cal walked in while I was uploading some pictures for this blog post and said, “Whatcha doing, Mom?” I told her I was getting ready to share yet another game. As she looked over my shoulder, she incredulously asked, “You mean, you haven’t posted about Skyjo yet?!” We all really, really like this one!
Whenever I’ve got a game night to attend, I often lead with this game. It’s easy to walk a person through a practice round without having to explain a ton of rules. I also love that up to 8 people can play, and the rounds are fairly short.
I can think of two other games that are comparable to Skyjo: Grandpa Beck’s Gnoming Around and Play Nine. If you already own either of those, I don’t think you need to buy this too. The mechanics of all 3 games are similar. I just happened to get introduced to Skyjo first; I fully own my bias.
I’m trying my hardest to come up with some kind of “negative” about the game so that I’m being transparent about the pros and the cons… but I’m kind of at a loss! It’s solid!
Number of Players: 2-8
Age: 8+
Playing Time: 30ish minutes
Object: Get the lowest score as quickly as possible by flipping, exchanging, and revealing cards.
Rules Rundown: Here’s a link to an unofficial copy of the rules – or follow along below for a quick run-through of how to play.
First, deal out 12 cards to each person. Every player will make a facedown 4×3 grid. Before play begins, flip up any 2 cards. Place the draw pile in the middle of the table. The person who has the highest point total showing will go first.
On each turn, draw a card from the draw pile or from the discard pile. After looking at that card, decide if you would like to keep it or not. If you want to add it to your grid, you must exchange it with one of your current cards. It doesn’t matter if the card is hidden or not. (Obviously, you are taking a risk if you decide to replace one of your hidden cards, but sometimes the risk pays off!) You can also decide to discard the card you chose, but if you do so, you’ll automatically flip up one of your hidden cards.
There is one special feature. If you happen to place 3 identical cards in the same column, they cancel out! Discard those 3 cards, eliminating the column and bringing your total score down.
The round is basically over when someone has flipped over all of his cards. (Any players who did not get to finish the current round are allowed to take one final turn.) Turn over any remaining hidden cards, tally up your points, and write them on the score card. *Important! If the player who went out does not have the lowest score, he must double his score. Yikes!
I hope you enjoy Skyjo as much as I do!
Ang’s Rating: 8/10
The Mitcheners 