The 10-Hour Review is meant to give an at-a-glance look at a game, for the busy and/or short-attention-spanned gamer.

I love telling stories. I’m not sure if my storytelling bug started with gaming, or if games were a result of my storytelling bug, but it’s in my blood. And the Once Upon a Time: The Storytelling Card Game is the answer to all problems! My newfound love and joy!

If you’re looking for a quick, fun game friends or family can enjoy, Once Upon a Time: The Storytelling Card Game is the A+ choice. It’s great for all ages, from having a sleepover to a hangover. The general gist is telling a story using your hand, with the “Happy Ever After” card bringing it all to a close.

In addition to these Happy Ever After cards, you could also get dealt:

• Characters, or people the story’s about (ex., a princess)
• Items, or objects of importance in the story (rings, magic spells)
• Places that the story occurs in (rivers, mountains, prisons)
• Aspects that describe the characters, places and items in the story (disguised, things that can talk)
• Events that move the plot forward (people meeting, parting, etc.)

Some of these are special “interrupt cards” that let you overwrite a card that’s put down. For example, we had someone play a cursed ring, but an interrupt turned it into a ring that could talk. The interrupt has to match the kind of card it’s overwriting. For example, an interrupt card with a river can override a card of castle.

There are three ways for the story to pass to another player. The first are these interrupts.

The second—and most unlikely, in the group I played in—was that the storyteller wasn’t able to come up with anything for five seconds.

The third was something being mentioned that wasn’t played on a card, but existed on a card another player could play. For instance, a player mentioned a forest, but didn’t play a forest card. I had a forest in hand, so I was able to play the forest as a place in the story, then I resumed the story from that point.

The best part about this game? It’s versatility! The stories go relatively fast and are reminiscent of mad libs or the TV show, Who’s Line Is It Anyway?

If interested, you can purchase Once Upon a Time: The Storytelling Card Game for around $16 – $20 at several websites:

• SciFi Genre – Free shipping with orders more than $75!
• Amazon.com – Free shipping with orders more than $25!
• Games and Jigsaws
• CCG Armory

And if you get really into it, consider the expansion, Dark Tales. You can also purchase the official Once Upon a Time: Blank Storytelling Cards to create an expansion all your own.