What Schnitzel shares with Uno and Exploding Kittens
- Learn in one round, no rulebook marathon.
- Action cards that hit other players: Swap, Attack, Overwrite, Spy.
- A Nope card. Yes, like that one. And Nopes can be Noped.
- Instant chaos moments: one X card worth 666 points ends the game immediately.
- Works with big groups: 2 to 8 players.
What is different
1. Memory instead of a hand
Your 4 cards are face down and you only know 2 at the start. Knowing what you hold (and remembering what your opponents swapped) is the skill.
2. Lowest score wins
You are racing to the lowest total, not to empty your hand. But if you do empty it with direct discards, you win instantly.
3. You choose when it ends
Think you are lowest? Yell “SCHNITZEL!” and everyone gets one last turn. Bluffing a confident call is half the game.
4. Quick rounds
About 8 minutes per game, so it is easy to play a tournament in one evening.
How Schnitzel™ plays in 60 seconds
Everyone gets 4 face-down cards and peeks at 2 of them. On your turn you draw a card or take the top of the discard pile and swap it into your row, or throw it away. The goal is the lowest total, so you want to get rid of the 9s and 10-point action cards and keep the -5s and 0s.
Discarded action cards can be used straight away: Peek at your own card, Spy on everyone else, Swap blind with an opponent, Attack someone with an extra card, or Overwrite your whole hand with theirs. When you think you are lowest, yell “SCHNITZEL!” and everyone gets one last turn. Unless someone plays a Nope.
And there is the X: one card worth 666 points that ends the game the moment it shows up.
Game night tips
- Play first to 3 wins, or keep a running score over several games.
- Invent house rules: the official rules encourage it.
- For younger players, use the kids rule: under 10s may check their own cards when it is not their turn.
Bring something new to game night.
Get Schnitzel™FAQ
Is Schnitzel like Uno?
It shares the quick rules and action cards that hit other players, but instead of emptying your hand you try to get the lowest score with 4 hidden cards.
Does Schnitzel have a Nope card like Exploding Kittens?
Yes. The Nope card cancels another player’s action or their “Schnitzel!” call, and a Nope can be Noped.
Is Schnitzel good for adults?
Yes. It plays as a family game, but adult groups enjoy the bluffing, memory and sabotage. It handles up to 8 players.
How long is a game?
About 8 minutes per game.
