There are some classic board games that stand the test of time, games such as Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit, Chess, Scrabble, The Game of Life and Rummikub – all these games are still going strong and played by millions of people around the world. Rummikub (apparently pronounced as rummi-cube), the number sequencing game, is now celebrating its 70th year and have released a quality stylish version with premium black tiles with the numbers in primary colours, black racks, black playing mat and black fabric tile bag, all housed in a stylish black tin – it is called Rummikub Black.
Rummikub is a tile-based strategy game combining elements of the card game Rummy and Mah-jong, with a similar look to Scrabble without the board and using numbers instead of letters. It is a game for 2-4 players, aged 7+ with a playing time of about 60 minutes. It is suitable for families as well as adults.
The idea of the game is to get rid of all your tiles on your rack by building number groups (a group of 3 or 4 tiles with the same numbers but in different colours) or runs (a set of consecutive numbers in the same colour).
Rummikub is a very simple game to learn and play, but it takes a bit of strategic thinking to win.
In the tin:
- 106 Rummikub Tiles (numbered 1 to 13 in 4 different colours plus 2 jokers)
- 4 Rummikub Curved Tile Racks
- Tile Mat (4 pieces that slot together)
- Cloth Bag
- Black Tin
- Rules
Rummikub is a great game of strategy combined with a bit of luck. It is a constantly changing game as the tiles on the table are constantly adjusted in runs and groups which gives every player a chance to win. Rummikub Black is a premium anniversary edition with the same excellent game play but with premium quality pieces, a mat to play on and all supplied in a superb glossy black tin.
Rummikub is a numbers game for 2 to 4 players and setting it up to play is extremely easy. All players receive 14 tiles, which they place on their tile rack. The remaining tiles are placed face down on the table. Once each player has sorted their tiles on their rack, each player selects a new tile from the centre of the table and the player with the highest number gets to start first.
On the first round, players on their first turn must lay down a group or run on the table that is worth 30 points or more (adding up all the numbers placed will give you your points total). If a player is unsuccessful in trying to lay down their initial 30 point run or group that player must select a new tile and add it to their rack, and that players turn ends.
A run is a set of 3 or 4 consecutive number tiles in the same colour, e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4 in red. A group is a set of 3 or 4 tiles of the same number but in different colours, you can’t have 2 of the same colours, e.g., 1 (red), 1 (white, 1 (yellow) and 1 (blue).
After the initial run, going forward each player on their turn must lay at least 1 tile from their rack. This can be either adding a new group or run or manipulating one that has already laid (e.g., adding a 4 to a sequence of 1, 2, 3 already on the table). If a player can’t play a tile, they must take one from the pile and add it to their rack and then play goes to the next player.
The game continues around the table until one player has laid all their tiles on the table and called out, “Rummikub”. If you are playing more than one game, the losing players add up the values of their remaining tiles and the total of all losing players tiles is given to the winner as a positive score, while each losing player receives a minus score to the value of their own remaining tiles. After a few games, the player with the overall highest number of points is the declared the victor.
Overall, Rummikub is a very simple game to learn, easy to play and an extremely addictive game. It is an excellent game of thinking and strategy, combined with a small helping of lady luck.
At the start of the game, it can be a bit slow whilst the initial building up of sets and groups. But whilst waiting for your turn you can be arranging your own tiles on your rack into possible playing groups and trying to work out any other permutations in your head for your next move. You can speed up game play with the use of a timer, although depending on who is playing, we feel that if playing the game with children it would ruin the game by adding in too much pressure for them to try and work out their number combinations (although it does work well with older teenagers and adults).
I loved the addition of the playing mat; I think it is excellent as it means that the tiles don’t slide around on the table.
Rummikub Black is a premium quality set that makes a great to any board game shelf. It is supplied in a simple but quality looking black tin. The tin and most of the components are good quality, the only part that I think let down the quality of this set was the tile racks; they just feel a little bit flimsy and not as premium quality as the rest of the set.
This black version of the game is excellent. It still has the same addictive fun for the whole family to play, just with better quality pieces and a mat to play on. It really is a fun game for everyone. The quality, feel and look of this set is excellent.
Rating: 4.5/5
RRP: £49.99
For more information, visit www.johnadams.co.uk. Available to buy from Amazon here.
Disclosure: I received this item for free for the purposes of writing an honest and impartial review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This review uses an affiliate link which I may receive a small commission from if you purchase through the link.
