There have been a number of versions of UNO Stacko released over the years. The earliest versions of the game included a die, while the newer versions don’t have one. The main part of this post is about the newer versions of the game as outside of couple of years, most versions of the game follows the newer rules. At the end I will address differences with the older versions of the game.
Are you looking for specific UNO Stacko rules? | Setup | Playing the Game | Blocks | End of Game | UNO Cube |
Setup
Choose a player that will start the game. The start player is responsible for building the tower. To build the tower, lay three blocks next to one another on the table. Then take three new blocks and place them on top of the tiles on the table. These new blocks should be turned so the ends face the opposite direction as the previous level. Keep doing this until all of the blocks have been added to the tower. You can use the loading tray/instructions in order to help straighten up the tower.
The game does not specify who starts the game. Play passes left/clockwise to start the game.
How to Play UNO Stacko
The start player chooses one of the tiles from the tower and tries to remove it from the tower. They can choose any block as long as it is not on the top level of the tower.
After removing the block, the player places it on top of the tower to create a new level. The block should be placed so the end points to the opposite direction as the previous level of the tower.
The next player then has to remove a block from the tower. They will look at the block removed by the previous player. They must choose a block that matches the color or the number of the last removed block. If the last removed block was a Wild, they will have to remove a block that matches the color chosen by the previous player. They can only remove a block from a level below the last completed level (the top level that has three blocks on it).
After removing the block, you will place it on top of the tower. Once the current level is completed (has three blocks), you will create the next level by turning the blocks so the ends face the opposite direction.
Players will keep taking turns until someone knocks down the tower.
Rules for Removing and Placing Blocks
There are a couple rules you must follow when removing blocks from the tower and placing them at the top of the tower.
Whenever any player tries to remove a block from the tower, they can only use one hand. You can switch what hand you end up using, but only one hand can touch the tower at a time.
You can touch blocks to see if they are loose before choosing which one you want to remove. If you choose not to remove a block though, you must restore it to its original position before touching another block. You can only use one hand to test blocks.
The current player can always try to straighten the tower in order to make it more stable. They can only use one hand though.
Your turn ends as soon as you let go of the block after placing it on the top of the tower.
Should a player ever touch the tower with both of their hands at the same time, another player can call out “UNO”. The player who touched the tower with both hands then has to remove and place two blocks. The player that calls out UNO chooses what color of blocks that the player has to remove.
Blocks in UNO Stacko
There are some special blocks in UNO Stacko. When you remove one of these tiles and place it on top of the tower, you get to take a special action. Early 1990s versions of UNO Stacko did not have any of these unique blocks.
Reverse
Whenever a player removes a Reverse block from the tower, the turn order changes. If play was moving clockwise, it will now move counter-clockwise. If play was moving counter-clockwise, it will now move clockwise.
After you place a Reverse block, the next player in turn order has to take a block that either matches the color of the Reverse block that was just taken or a Wild block.
If there are only two players, the next player has to pull two blocks that match the color of the Reverse that was played.
Skip
The Skip block forces the next player in turn order to lose their turn. The player after them in the current turn order has to take a block that matches the color of the Skip that was just removed, or they have to take a Wild block.
If there are only two players, the next player has to remove two blocks that match the color of the Skip.
Draw Two
When you take a Draw Two block and place it on top of the tower, the next player in turn order has to remove two blocks. The two blocks they remove must match the color of the Draw Two block played by the previous player. They add both chosen blocks to the top of the tower.
After the player has finished removing and placing the two blocks, the next player in turn order after them then has to remove a block that matches the color of the last block that was removed.
Wild
Wild blocks are unique as they match every other block. When you remove a Wild block, you choose the current color. The next player in turn order has to remove a block that matches the color chosen by the player who played the Wild block.
Since Wild blocks are always wild, you can remove them instead of any other block that you would otherwise have to remove.
End of Game
UNO Stacko ends whenever a player makes the tower fall. The player that makes the tower fall, loses the game.
The last player to successfully remove and place a block on the top of the tower, wins the game.
UNO Cube
Most of the rules from older versions of UNO Stacko (1990s) are the same as newer versions of the game. Older versions of the game did use an UNO Cube though. Instead of choosing a block that matches the most recently removed block, you roll a die. What you roll on the die, determines what block you can remove from the tower.
If you roll a number, look at the number and its color. You can choose any block that matches the number or color that you rolled. You can only take blocks from below the top completed layer of the tower. Place the block you removed at the top of the tower. Each layer should point in the opposite direction as the previous layer.
Should you roll a Reverse, you will not remove any blocks from the tower. Instead you will pass the die to the player in the opposite direction than play was previously moving in. If play was moving clockwise, it will now move counterclockwise. If it was moving counterclockwise, it will now move clockwise. Play will continue in this new direction until Reverse is rolled again.
When you roll Draw Two, you will not remove any blocks. The next player in turn order does not roll the die. Instead they choose two blocks from the tower to remove and place at the top of the tower. They can choose any color/number to remove.
Components
Newer Versions (Late 1990s to Present Day)
- 45 Blocks
- Instructions/Loading Tray
Older Versions (Early 1990s)
- 48 Blocks
- UNO Cube
- Pushing Tool
- Instructions/Loading Tray
Year: 1994 | Publisher: Mattel | Designer: Jim Keifer | Artist: Kinetic
Genres: Dexterity, Family
Ages: 7+ | Number of Players: 2-10 | Length of Game: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Light | Strategy: Light | Luck: Moderate-High
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For more board and card game rules/how to plays, check out our complete alphabetical list of card and board game rules posts.