Zoo Mania

Zoo Mania - Fun animal-themed card game that plays like UNO.

Zoo Mania is a card game that appeals to kids with its whimsical, brightly colored zoo animals. It plays very much like the card game UNO. During play, cards are matched by color or number, or wild cards are played.

There are four sets of cards number 0-9. The sets are red rhinos, green giraffes, yellow zebras and purple alligators. They are laminated and measure 2.25" x 3.5". 

Object: 
Be the first player to play all the cards from their hand.

Set up:
Shuffle the cards. Deal nine cards face-down to each player. Put the rest of the cards in a face-down stack on the table. Turn the first card over and place it beside the deck of cards. This is the discard pile.

Play:
Player take turns matching the card on the top of the discard pile by number, color or by playing a wild card. If the player does not have a card to do any of these things, he draws a card from the draw pile. If he can play it, he does. If not, his turn is over.

The person who plays a wild card calls out the player he wants to be the "victim". The victim either follows the directions on the card or plays a "reverse" card which reverses the card back on the player who played it. If it goes back to the initial player, he must follow the directions. 

Here are the different wild cards:

• Draw 3 stampede card - draw 3 cards and add them to your hand.
• Draw 1 danger card - draw 1 card and add it to your hand.
• Hide/lost your turn card - lose your next turn.
• Exchange cards - exchange your whole hand with another player
• Escape your loss card - play this card when another player has played a wild card on you to avoid the penalty of a wild card.

Play until one player runs out of cards. The rest of the players then receive points for each card that they are still holding. Those point values are listed in the instructions. Play several rounds, adding all the points together, and the player with the fewest points is the winner.

Try this:

• Deal fewer cards. The game typically goes faster but it is less to watch and hold for beginners.
• Take out all cards except the number cards for beginners. Teach one rule (wild card) at a time and add those cards back in. When the player has that rule, add another.
• Hold the deck in the non-dominant hand and push each card off with the thumb to deal. Take it with the dominant hand and pass it.
• Practice drawing cards off the deck by separating them one at a time and not toppling the deck.
• Practice shuffling.
• Separate any two colors from the deck. Shuffle them. Place the deck face-up on the table and put one card of a color on the left of the deck and one card of the other color on the right of the deck. Separate and pick up one card at a time from the deck and place it on the card with the matching color. Play through the whole deck, being careful not to topple the draw deck or slide cards off as you lift.
• Sort cards into piles by number or color.

If you are interested in purchasing this game or just want more information, click on the image below.