On the cards: UNO turns 40

Get ready to 'skip', 'draw two' and 'reverse' as the iconic card game originally developed in 1971 by a barber from Hungary celebrates four decades of existence

On the cards: UNO turns 40

Get ready to 'skip', 'draw two' and 'reverse' as the iconic card game originally developed in 1971 by a barber from Hungary celebrates four decades of existence

Everyone has a favourite UNO memory, which might explain why manufacturers Mattel India are gearing up to commemorate the classic card game turning 40 with the launch of a special UNO anniversary pack.

Played in kitchens, dens, and recreation rooms since 1971, the four-colour card game has sold more than 200 million packs, globally. Close to 140 special editions have been marketed around the world since, including Disney Princess UNO, Peanuts UNO, and High School Musical UNO.

Flashback
A barber named Merle Robbins in Ohio, USA, created the game in 1971. Originally from Hungary, Robbins conceived the game in order to resolve an argument with his son about the rules of Crazy Eights, a similar shedding-type card game where the objective of the game is to discard or 'shed' all the cards from one's hand.

The original decks were designed and made on the family dining table. Robbins and his family saved $8,000 to make the first 5,000 UNO packs. Initially, Robbins sold the decks out of his barber shop.

A decade later, in 1981, Robbins sold the rights to UNO to International Games for $50,000 plus royalties of 10 cents per pack. Today, the game is produced by toy manufacturer Mattel in 80 countries, and has sold 150 million packs worldwide.

Special pack
The UNO 40th anniversary pack has a special card that includes a unique number that entitles buyers to guaranteed gifts. Get a chance to win gold coins, silver coins, Mattel gift Hampers and diamond jewellery from Surat at half-price. The anniversary pack is available at major retailers nationwide for Rs 99.

Did you know?
* UNO translates to 'one' in Italian and Spanish
* An UNO card game is sold every three seconds
* Half a billion UNO cards are printed every year
* UNO is played with a special 108-card deck
* There is a critically acclaimed Norwegian film by the same name directed by Aksel Hennie
* The X-Men Uno pack includes the "Mutate" card, which allows the player to either exchange all their cards, except one, from the draw pile or force another player to do the same.