UNO

It's funny how the way we play games has come full circle. UNO was always my mother's bargaining chip at family events, the game she would whip out to try and pull us all together for a warm Waltons moment.

To me it was a distraction, dragging me away from Sonic The Hedgehog and various other assorted Sega fanfare.

Yet, now UNO has become a bonafide video game in its own right, and not for the first time either. Gameloft's translation to mobile is UNO redesigned for the Pokemon generation. This is a 'gotta have 'em all' approach to what is otherwise a simple matching-up card game, adding collectables galore to an already enduring and addictive title.

For those worried that these added knobs and bobs might have sullied UNO's snap-happy appeal, fear not. If all you want to do is have a bash at the game with standard rules, then Gameloft's UNO doesn't disappoint.

What is different, however, is the Tournament mode, which endeavours to string together a series of games into one meaningful contest. By and large, it's pretty successful at doing it, too.

Those new to the game won't take long to adapt to the quick nature of its play. With a set of numbered cards (1 to 9 in red, green, yellow and blue) and a collection of 'action cards' that do everything from make your rival miss their turn to pick up four more cards, the aim of UNO is to get rid of all the cards in your hand by matching them - either in colour or number - with the card at the top of the discard pile.

UNO lets you play with up to three rivals in both Tournament and Quick Play modes, with the latter letting you play with friends - assuming you don't mind passing the phone between you, that is.

But it's the Tournament that's the bread and butter of mobile UNO, setting you a never-ending stream of challenges and targets to keep you rolling on.

The basic aim, of course, never changes. Winning is always your prime goal, but UNO adds points into the equation, with topping 5,000 the route to ultimate victory.

This is where things get a little more complex. As well as picking up points for winning, UNO gives you added bonuses for playing certain cards (reversing the cycle of play or changing the card colour, for instance), meaning it's often more fruitful to get caught up in a tight battle that rages on rather than a quick smash and grab.

There's also a series of new rule modes that take the foundations of UNO and turn them on their head. UNO 7-0, for instance, involves a lot of card swapping. Playing a 7 lets you trade your hand with a player of your choice, while 0 switches everyone's cards clockwise.

'Jump-In' rules let you play a card whenever it matches the one at the top of the pile, whether it's your go or not. When all these factors are combined, UNO switches from a game that relies on strategy to one of utter randomness, tipping one way and then the other, often before you've had a chance to get your bearings. One thing remains, however: it's always, always bags of fun.

All in all, the awards and achievements that Gameloft's UNO doles out for winning matches - wallpapers, icons and so forth - are little more than harmless fluff that might draw in those eager for something to hoard. The meat of UNO is and always will be the fast paced play anyone can pick up within minutes.

Collect-a-thon or not, it's all here and in fine form.