ElevatorUp™ - The Ultimate Lift for Family Fun! Smiles, Laughter, and Memories packed into a Card Game for 2-5 players, ages 7+

This is an endearing, light family game. The skill of the game comes from anticipating how your opponents will play and trying to use the tempo of the game against them. Anyone with trick-taking experience will bring that skill to bear in phase 1 (trying to get rid of your hand and the draw deck) and phase 2 (trying to get rid of your open hand on the table). Phase 3 is an equalizer, emphasizing luck, because if your cards are bad, you may be forced to draw the discard pile again and lose the lead you have over others. This ensures that young kids have a chance to win against adults. It's light and fun. In a sense, Phase 3 is a potential catch-up mechanism. I would agree with some of the lower-starred comments (unnecessarily harsh in my opinion) that the rules could be improved. However, I will try to explain in a succinct way the full strategy of the game: You are trying to get rid of all of your cards first to win. This happens in three phases: Phase 1 (Play from your hand): Play cards from your hand, mostly to the discard pile. If you can play a number card equal to or higher than the last number card showing in the discard pile,* you do so. If you have more than one of the same number, e.g., three 5s, you may (but do not have to) play all of them together. Then you replenish your hand back up to three cards. The next player will do the same. If you cannot play a card equal to or higher than the number showing you must draw the entire discard pile. Essentially, the table is working together to deplete the draw deck as fast as possible while trying to force other people to draw the discard pile. Special cards change the rules a bit. Most importantly, a few allow you to play the special card onto a face-up card—your own or an opponent's. This will force the next play to be higher than the card in the face-up pile rather than the discard pile. It's a way of getting out the bind of not being able to beat the discard pile. But if you play the card on someone else's face-up pile, they will have it for later use in Phase 2. The goal in this phase is to keep from having a large hand by the time you get to Phase 2. Phase 2 (Play your face-up cards): You essentially use your cards on the table as an open hand, which means everyone else knows what you hand and may try to optimize play against you. If you are unable to play a card from your face-up pile, as always, you draw the entire discard pile. Phase 3 (Play your face-down cards): Once you no longer have any face-up cards, you draw your face-down cards one at a time as your play. Very luck driven. If your card is a special card or higher than the discard pile number, you put it on the discard pile. Play passes to the next person. If you are unable to play the card, you take the discard pile. In a sense, the Phases go from most control and skill to least control and skill. So in Phase 1, you have more opportunity to play strategically than in Phase 2. In Phase 3, there is no strategy. You get what you get. Of course, in Phase 2 or 3, if you end up picking up a discard pile, you are temporarily in Phase 1 again, playing from your hand. There are a few other special rules, but overall, this is the framework and tempo for the game. ElevatorUp fits well into the categories of: family game night, kids playing together, or for more serious game players, a beer-and-pretzels game or as an intermezzo between heavier games.

This game is easy to learn and so much fun! We play it from 7- 15. It is a huge hit in our home! We even took it camping.

This is a great little card game that has a unique premise. Our family, ages 11-52 all enjoyed playing it together. I recommend it for something different and quick.

This was a fun game to play with the family. We're always looking for unique games, and this one's great!

Smaller than expected. Cards sized for kids hands. Not sure if I'll keep it for the $12 I paid for it. Seems overpriced and don't want to open it because then I might not be able to return it. Kind of disappointed.

I got this and several family game's as "Pickle Gifts." It's a tradition I began several years ago with my grand children. You hide a Pickle Ornament (I hide several) and the child who spots them gets an extra novelty gift. This fun tradition has grown from three grand children, to a boyfriend and girlfriend of two of them. Not sure where it originated, but the kids look forward to it every year

This has been a great addition to our games. It’s quick to learn and rounds are quick also. We have had fun and all of us can enjoy it ages 5 to adult! Look up how to play on YouTube as the creator has a quick video explaining play if you aren’t sure of something. I also like that it doesn’t feel super similar to our other games that we grab for quick play - sleeping queens, sushi go, skyjo, uno etc... Also great for game-schooling with little ones as it reinforces number sequencing in a fun way.

Congrats to the teen who invented this game! Good try, but no cigar. I’ve played card and board games for decades. Seldom have I come across rules that are as confusing as these! The video rules and example on-line game do not help one bit! Good luck learning how to play this game. My suggestion… back to the drawing board, young man, your game is very frustrating. The best thing I can say about it is that it’s cheap!