Card games like UNO: 8 alternatives worth playing
Updated September 28, 2026
UNO® belongs to a big family of 'shedding' games: be the first to get rid of your cards by matching the one on the table. Some of its relatives are traditional games you can play with a normal deck; others are boxed games with their own twist. Here are eight worth knowing, plus the official variants, with an honest note on how each one differs.
Prism Riot, the free game on this site, is our own entry in the family — an original colour-matching game with 65 modes that runs in your browser. It's on the list too, clearly labelled as ours.
Play with a normal deck of cards
- Crazy Eights — the closest relative. Match suit or rank; 8s are wild and name the next suit. Many families add 'a 2 makes the next player draw two'. Needs one standard deck for 2–5 players. Play it free: Prism Riot's Crazy Eights tables.
- Mau-Mau — the Central European cousin of Crazy Eights. Jacks are usually wild, 7s make the next player draw, 8s skip, and you must say 'Mau' on your last card (or draw a penalty).
- Switch (also called Black Jack) — a British version with more action cards: typically aces change suit, 2s make the next player pick up two, and in the Black Jack variant a black jack means pick up five. House rules vary a lot by region.
- Speed (Spit) — a two-player race with no turns: both players shed onto shared piles at the same time, playing a card one higher or lower. Frantic rather than tactical.
Boxed games in the same family
- Taki — an Israeli colour-matching game whose signature card lets you play every card of one colour in a single turn. Feels like UNO with combo turns.
- Phase 10 — a rummy-style game: complete ten 'phases' (sets and runs) in order. Slower and more strategic than a shedding game, with Skip and Wild cards that will feel familiar.
- Skip-Bo — build shared piles from 1 to 12 to empty your stockpile. Less 'take that', more planning.
- Official UNO variants — Flip (a light and a dark side), No Mercy (huge draw cards and a knockout rule) and Attack (a card launcher) change the feel more than you'd expect. Prism Riot has original takes on all three ideas: Eclipse, Merciless and Eruption.
Play free online, no download
- Prism Riot (our game) — 65 modes in the browser: 4-player tables, 2-player duels, Crazy Eights, stacking, 7-0, jump-in, Pass & Play for up to four people on one device, 120 solitaire-style puzzles and daily challenges. Free, no account.
- If you want the classic feel, start with Prism Battle; for two people, Prism Duel; for chaos, Merciless or House Party.
How to choose
- Want the same game with a normal deck? Crazy Eights or Mau-Mau.
- More action cards and arguments? Switch or Taki.
- Longer, more strategic game night? Phase 10 or Skip-Bo.
- Just two of you and five minutes? Speed, or a Prism Duel online.
- Young children? Crazy Eights with 5-card hands, or Prism Riot's Chill Table with gentle rivals.
Frequently asked questions
What card game is most like UNO?
Crazy Eights. It has the same core — match colour/suit or number, wilds change the suit, first to empty their hand wins — and needs only a standard deck.
Can you play a game like UNO with regular cards?
Yes: Crazy Eights, Mau-Mau and Switch all use a standard 52-card deck. See our guide to playing with a regular deck for a full card mapping.
Is there a free game like UNO online?
Prism Riot is an original colour-matching card game that's free in your browser with no download or sign-up — 65 modes, against the computer or with friends on one device.
Is Prism Riot the same as UNO?
No. It's an original game with its own deck, cards (FLIP, FREEZE, SHIELD, SWAP) and rules such as the Riot Meter. It isn't affiliated with Mattel; UNO is named only to describe comparable games.