Like Uno, But More Counting

Skip-Bo was thought up in the 1960s by a Ms. Hazel Bowman of Brownfield, Texas. Fast forward over forty years later and we have Skip-Bo: Castaway Caper for your computer. I don't know if this is exactly what Ms. Bowman had in mind when she thought the game up, but it's fun nonetheless.

In Castaway Caper, you're pretty much playing for your life, so you had better win. You've traveled to a remote island and upon arriving, the natives inform you that your visit has angered the Great Volcano. Sure enough, there's a thick plume of smoke rising out of the top of it and that doesn't seem right to you. If you don't how to play, I sure hope you're a fast learner.

Rules

The rules may seem complicated at first - simply due to the sheer amount of them - but the game is actually incredibly simple. The object is to be the first to clear your stock pile of cards, of which there are thirty. You do this by placing them in the center of the table on one of the four building piles, in numerical order. If you don't have any cards in your hand of seven that you can currently play, place a card in one your four discard piles to end your turn.

Whenever your turn roles around, you'll take cards from your stock pile to replenish your hand back to seven. Once your stockpile is empty, you win. It doesn't matter if your cards are in your hand, your discard piles, or the building piles.

Scoring is simple, too. You get a certain amount of points for each cards you play. You get a multiplier for every consecutive card you play.

Game Types

Aside from Classic mode, there are two other modes that can play.

Speed mode plays exactly like the normal mode, only with stock piles of ten instead of thirty, effectively cutting the game in thirds.

Team mode partners you up with a computer player. The first team to deplete both of their stock piles wins the game.

Adventure Mode

Adventure mode follows the plot I mentioned above, where your arrival on the island has angered the volcano and only some rousing games of cards will calm it down. You'll travel all around the island, competing against anyone looking for a game. As in most games, you name your character, but here you also decide what he or she looks like through a pretty customizable character creation menu. While your character may not exactly come out looking like your doppelganger, you can definitely make them unique.

Skip-Bo is a Must Own

I'm a big fan of card games, so perhaps I'm a little biased, but I had an amazing time playing Skip-Bo: Castaway Caper and I don't see myself putting this one down any time soon. It's fun, it's humorous, and it's incredibly pleasing to the eye, so what more could you ask for? I can't think of a better way to kill time than this product right here.