Most gamers will have heard of the game Spot It! (aka Dobble), even if they haven’t played it. In that game, players are looking for symbols which match across two cards. Each pair of cards, thanks to some clever mathematical equation, has just one matching symbol type, so the idea is to be as quick as possible to spot (and shout out) which symbol is on both cards. So how does party game UpRoar!, from McMiller Games, pull off a similar trick, for an entirely new spin on the formula? Let’s find out!
How to Play UpRoar!
With UpRoar!, there’s 8 words, rather than symbols, on each card. Words are color coded, so can be matched by color as well as by the word itself. However, rather than just shouting out the word itself, UpRoar! instead asks players to make the noise associated with the word or words.
Check out the example in the above image. You’ve probably spotted the matching word, but if you haven’t: it’s Zombie. So if you were playing a different game, you’d probably shout out the word “Zombie”, right? In UpRoar!, you’ll need to make the sound of a zombie.
Turns play out extremely simply; a chosen player shuffles the deck and places two cards face up on the table. The first player to imitate the sound of whatever is matched on the cards wins them both. Then another player is chosen to “deal”, and the process continues until all cards in the deck have been claimed. The player with the most cards wins.
As Columbo was fond of saying: “Just one more thing…”; if UpRoar! itself is the matching word, you must shout UpRoar! to win the cards. Not only that, but the points are doubled for UpRoar! matches, so they’re worth four cards, rather than two, at the game’s end.
Is UpRoar! Fun to Play?
McMiller Games really know how to get the party going with their games, and UpRoar! is no exception, especially as it has rules which can support 5+ players, with team play options.
Though UpRoar! has a familiar formula in terms of its basic mechanics, imitating sounds is such a unique twist, and adds some genuinely hilarious moments. Even though the card designs are fairly plain, this is necessitated by the nature of the game, and it’s well worth pointing out that there’s no plastic used at all in UpRoar!, making it a completely environmentally friendly game, packaging and all.
The Card Gamer Verdict
A noisy, rambunctious twist on a familiar formula, upRoar! is brilliantly easy to learn and teach.
Making the sound of the object or concept on the matching words in UpRoar! adds hilarious moments to the game, as players try to imitate or embody words such as “Superhero” with just their voice.
UpRoar! is another winner from McMiller Games. Though it’s not exactly the deepest experience, it never fails to raise a smile, and players of any age can pick it up and have a great time.
You can buy UpRoar! from Amazon. Check out our reviews of other all ages, family games, such as Fire in the Hole! and Super Meow.
