Skull King is a trick-taking game similar to Oh Hell!, Wizard, and Spades, where players bid on how many tricks they think they'll win each round. The game uses a 66-card deck with special pirate-themed cards including Pirates, Mermaids, and the Skull King himself, creating a hierarchy where different card types trump others in unique ways.
Where to Buy
If BGV helped you pick your next game, buying through our links helps our small team keep the site running.
The Verdict
based on 17 reviews
“Skull King offers a thrilling and engaging experience, perfect for players who enjoy strategic card games with a twist. The combination of unique cards, simultaneous bidding, and precise scoring creates a game full of surprises and challenging decisions.”
“Skull King rocks our “let’s play again” game meter. We highly recommend Skull King for a fun game for your family!”
The reviewers enthusiastically recommend Skull King, highlighting its engaging trick-taking gameplay and the thrilling bidding mechanism that adds a 'spicy' and competitive element, making it a highly enjoyable and memorable experience for players.
“What is most important to me is this: is it fun? And Skull King has delivered fun to my family and friends in spades!”
“Skull King is definitely for fans of the trick taking genre and due to its increased complexity it won’t win over anyone who doesn’t like trumps etc. But for fans of trick taking this has to be in your collection.”
The reviewer highly praises Skull King as a phenomenal and really cool trick-taking game that adds enjoyable twists to the genre. They found it very fun, interesting, and easy to learn, appreciating the quality of its components and theme.
Skull King is highlighted as a fun, pirate-themed trick-taking game that stands out with its wacky elements and unique 'super trump' cards, earning it a spot among the best in its genre.
“A Pair of Meeples found Skull King to be an exceptionally fun and unique trick-taking game for 3 or more players, praising its simultaneous bidding mechanism and the unique blend of silliness and tension it creates. However, they strongly advised against playing it with only two players, stating that the game loses its substance and becomes hollow at that player count.”
“A trick-taking card game like Spades or Oh Hell!, but with a more pirate-y aesthetic, Skull King works great at two players, making it a strong runner-up to our list of the best board games for couples.”
The reviewer highly recommends Skull King as a great trick-taking game suitable for all ages and family play, particularly praising the added depth from expansion cards and its strong performance with higher player counts. While noting minor issues like complexity for younger players and a less ideal two-player experience, the reviewer considers it a great light filler game worth keeping.
“It’s a deck of cards which packs a big punch and creates a lot of fun and laughter, as players are pitted against each other to predict the number of tricks they will win.”
“Skull King has been a wonderful addition to my collection. It provides a great bridge from traditional card games to modern board games.”
“The 'feel' of the game is genuinely fun, but with depth: hitting or missing your target elicits cheers and cusses in equal measure.”
The reviewer highly recommends Skull King, stating it is a fun trick-taking game that he truly enjoys, especially appreciating how the game's complexity and excitement increase over the rounds.
The reviewer highly recommends Skull King as a fun and strategic trick-taking game, praising its fresh bidding mechanism, despite finding the score pad tedious to use.
“Skull King is one of the better trick taking games I have played. The wide range of player counts (two to six) it accommodates is a definite plus.”
“It is Wizards perfected and accessible for anyone to enjoy. Highly recommended for classic card game lovers.”
Where to Buy
If BGV helped you pick your next game, buying through our links helps our small team keep the site running.
