We just posted our review of two Mattel variants and now we have another one. Phase 10 Flip adds the same Flip feature from Uno Flip: one side of the deck is the standard Phase 10 game and the reverse is a completely different set of cards. Phase 10 is a strategy game with rummy elements and the Flip adds another layer of complexity to the strategy. My brother bought this game and I loved it so much that I had to share it with you!
Before I start the review, though, I want to applaud Mattel’s accessibility measure with the Phase 10 decks. Phase 10 is color-reliant for game play, which makes it difficult, if not impossible, to play if you are color blind. To make them accessible to color-blind players, the cards are marked with different symbols for each color.
What’s in the box?
A deck of Phase 10 Flip cards. Phase 10 cards are numbered and colored and each round requires a particular collection of cards to be played, including sets (matching numbers) and color runs (sequential runs of cards that are all the same color). The Flip side is Wild! Literally! And there are six Phase Reference cards, which details the required hands of each phase and helps you keep track of which phase you’re on. There are now special cards in both decks. If you discard a card with the clip sign (a card with an arrow), everyone must flip their hand to the Wild side. The discard pile and draw deck must be flipped, as well, but open phases stay on whichever side they were opened. The cards are now all wild as to color. On both decks there are star cards, which are wild numbers (wild number and color on the Wild side!).
TOP TIP: Beware the flip! Every card on the Wild side is wild, which means anyone who has an open phase can more easily discard their extra cards.
How to play Mattel’s Phase 10 Flip:
The same rules apply to Phase 10 Flip as to Phase 10. Each player gets dealt ten cards and a Phase Reference card. At the beginning of the game, the regular Phase 10 deck is in play. Once the cards have been dealt, the remainder of the deck becomes the draw pile, which should be in the center of the playing area and should be Wild side up. On each player’s turn, they draw a card, add it to their hand, then either lay down their phase hand or discard one of their cards. Until you open your hand, your hand must be 10 cards. To open a hand, you have to have both elements of the phase completed. If you can open, lay down to two elements of the phase face up. If you can add cards from your hand to either phase or to any other player’s open phase, you can do that now. And your goal now becomes to be the first player to discard all of their extra cards, either onto open phases or the discard pile.
The phase rounds are individual to each player, so if your opponent opens a phase and plays all of their cards before you can open your phase, then you remain at that phase while your opponent moves on to the next phase. That’s why each player has their own Phase Reference card.
TOP TIP: Use a paper clip, post it arrow, or some other form of marker to keep track of your phase progress. You don’t want to have to play a phase over again, especially as they get more difficult to complete.
How to win Mattel’s Phase 10 Flip. There are ten phases of play per game. The player to complete Phase 10 first wins. You can keep track of points throughout the game, if you want to eliminate ties at the end, but we usually don’t bother. If you don’t have time to play 10 phases, you can set a limit to the number of phases you play or just play until time runs out.
Phase 10 Flip is marked 7+ for age recommendations and is designed for 2-6 players. This is a card game that fits in a box smaller than a paperback book, so it’s packable and travel-friendly, even on airplane or train pull down trays, though you might have to get creative when the phases start opening. Phase 10 Flip is fun and challenging and can be as competitive (or not) as you want.
٭٭٭٭٭Highly recommended
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