Anyone who can hold five cards in their hand and count to twelve can play. The larger the group, the better the game. Another fun aspect is that you can always make it last however long you want. You can deal any amount of cards; if you want to play a quick game before work, deal five. If you've got some time to kill, deal thirty-five. It's all up to you.

However, if you can possibly find an older edition of the game, I would recommend it. The old versions had a sliding tray that made for easy access of the cards, while the newest one is a little trickier to put away. Then again, that can always be solved by putting the cards in a plasic bag or different container, but with 162 cards, it's easy to lose some.

Also, in the deck, they include some blank cards that they tell you to throw away. I've kept them, thinking they could be used as a make-shift card if you lose one, but they're quite annoying to keep track of. You might want to follow the directions in that aspect.

Overall, it's a great game. Very entertaining for all ages. Highly recommended.

18 of 20 found the following review helpful:

We're hooked! Classic, addictive family card game for all ages  Mar 08, 2006
By Jennifer M. Macleod "yiddishe supermama"
This is a game I play with my kids or alone with my husband - we're all hooked. It's simple and quick to learn, without a lot of gimmicks you find with other prepackaged card games ("no, Mom, the floppit can only go in the quirzy pile when it's a gorpin turn and otherwise you have to pass to the limburger.")

I like SkipBo because the kids often win, not because we're letting them but because they've got a better hand, better luck, better strategies; whatever. You don't have to feel like you're letting them win - it happens naturally. And then they feel naturally smart, or lucky, and gloat for hours. If an adult does win, the kids usually accept that it's fair and square.

About my only complaint with this game is that there are about a thousand cards that come in the deck. Shuffling is no simple matter for me, a small-handed person. I generally separate the deck into two piles, shuffle those, then shuffle them together the best I can. But it's impossible for the kids to do on their own, and makes game setup a little tedious at the very beginning.

Skipbo is flexible in that you can choose to play the full 30-card game (takes a while, so bring a snack and choose a comfy cushion!) or a quicker game with only 15 or even 10 cards. You can play with two players or more, though I recommend using fewer cards with more people because otherwise the game will take forever - not entirely a bad thing!!

Why is it that the low-tech, deceptively simple games and toys are the ones we keep coming back to time and again?

Invest ten bucks in this game or buy someone a set for a birthday present. You'll be thanked many times over in the form of kids asking politely if they can cream you once again... :-)))

11 of 13 found the following review helpful:

Skip Bo -- Easy And Fun to play!  Jan 25, 2002

My grandmother showed me this game years ago! I have gone through two decks of skip-Bo playing cards. (162 cards each deck.) If we are not playing Scrabble; we are playing Skip-Bo. Fun for the whole family!

If your kids know their colors and how to count to 12 they can play. Or, you can teach them to count to 12 using this game.

Skip-Bo is easy and fun to play. Fun to play at parties. Try it!

4 of 4 found the following review helpful:

A Great Gift!  Dec 09, 1999

This card game is so fun!My daughter received itfor Christmas one year andthe deck is almost wornout. We play all the time.It is wonderful to passthe time and it works wellwith just two players. Since this is a card game,it is easy to transport toparties and such. It willmake a good stocking stuffer or gift for ateenager. Be careful...you might get hooked!

6 of 7 found the following review helpful:

I'll never get tired of this game!!  Aug 21, 2003
By E. Remsing
Ever since I was a little girl I have loved this game. Not only do kids enjoy this game but adults too. My family still plays this game every time we get together and the youngest of us is 21! I love the fact that this game has a strategy component and it's not just based on luck. I'm always on the edge of my seat planning my next move. My family and I have introduced this game to several friends over the years and they've become just as hooked as we are. It's always "just one more game." Try it out and you'll see. I promise you won't be let down.

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