02 March 2025
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Supposedly the greatest card game of all time, but what did our reviewer think of Flip 7?
Written by Chris Marling
It takes some stones to put ‘The greatest card game of all time!’ on your game box. It’s just this kind of bravado that can serve you well in Flip 7 - or just as easily send screams of delight around the table as you bust one more time. Because while Flip 7 certainly isn’t the best card game of all time by any serious metric I can think of, it is a fast-paced and entertaining push-your-luck game. Better still, it should be just as well received by your family after a family dinner as it will around a late-night convention table.
Playing Flip 7
In the box, you’ll find a pack of around 100 cards and a rules sheet. Shuffle the cards, and you’re ready to play. The game works with as few as three players, peaks around six, and can easily accommodate 10 or more. One card is dealt to each player face up, with any special abilities on them triggering immediately (we’ll get to that in a bit). Then, one at a time, players take cards until they either stick or bust. At the end of a round, everyone scores their points (or not on a bust), with rounds continuing until one player hits 200 points and triggers the end game (complete the round, highest score wins). 
If you’re getting a strong Blackjack vibe, you’re in the right ballpark. The card deck is made up of 12 twelves, 11 elevens, etc, right down to 1 one. Draw two of the same number cards and you bust, but if you manage to get seven different number cards you gain 15 points and the round ends immediately (meaning anyone after you misses out completely). Sure, a skilled player can do a fair amount of card counting. But will Lady Luck be smiling on them?
And even if they get ahead, in Flip 7 you usually get a chance to drag them back into the pack - which is where the special cards come in. The remaining 15 cards in the pack don’t count as number cards, so you can draw as many of them as you like. Some simply add or multiply your round score. But the action cards (there are three of each, which trigger immediately) allow you to freeze an opponent out of the round, get a second chance when drawing a duplicate number, or force you to immediately flip three additional cards.
Flip 7 Game Review
The game is incredibly elegant and you’ll find few games where the rules get out of the way quicker. However, as with many party-style games, this does mean it relies on being played in the right spirit to succeed. I’ve seen this played at raucous volumes, but on occasion, I’ve also seen it met with blank faces. Also, while I’ve seen a lot of gamers loving it, it certainly isn’t a gamer’s game. Rather than being a negative, this is one of its strengths. I took it to work for a game lunch and, after initial scepticism, it was a hoot. The previous game lunch offerings had been Uno and Jenga so as you imagine, I was relieved it got the thumbs up.
While I still baulk a little at paying more than £10 for a little card game (there’s a war on you know!), I grudgingly accept it’s now the norm. And to Flip 7’s credit the artwork and card quality are of a very high standard. So while no, it isn’t the greatest card game of all time (that’s Race for the Galaxy, obviously), it does slot satisfyingly into the push-your-luck party game niche alongside the likes of Can’t Stop and Celestia.
Verdict on Flip 7 Card Game
It is a great light filler for gamers, as well as being perfect for non-gamer family gatherings.
If you liked Can't Stop, you'll like Flip 7. A fast-playing push-your-luck experience with light rules, no setup time, and accommodating plenty of players, whether gamers or not.
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About Flip 7
Designer: Eric Olsen
Publisher: The Op Games
Time: 20m
Players: 3+
Ages: 8+
Price: £14
What's in the box?
- 94 Cards
- Rules sheet