Alright, this one is quite interesting. It is not the type of game we usually cover here on the site. However, the game designer, Nathan, sent me a personalized video message asking for help with the game. He seemed genuinely excited about it and how it might be received by us. I have a soft spot for that kind of personal touch! Nathan described it to me as a mix of Exploding Kittens and UNO, but with monkeys. That combination alone didn’t really grab my attention, except for the monkeys part. But he went on to say that you never really have to wait for your turn to play, thanks to some special “always-play” cards. He also told me that the artwork was hand-drawn by a former Disney artist. Okay, fine. You got me, Nathan, I am in. But is the game actually any good? Let’s get it to the table and find out.

How To Set Up Bananarchy Card Game

Setting up the game is straightforward. First, separate the different decks of cards. Then, give each player a single point Banana card. Next, shuffle the rest of the Banana cards and place them face down in a stack, showing the rotten side. After that, shuffle the Monkey cards and deal five face-down cards to each player to form their starting hand. Place the remaining Monkey cards into a separate face-down deck. Finally, give the Active Player card to the person who last ate a banana. You are now ready to play. So far, it is quite simple!

How To Play Bananarchy Card Game

Play moves around the table, starting with the active player. On their turn, they will draw one Monkey card into their hand and then play one Action card. They can play as many ANYTIME cards as they wish, provided they read the card out loud so everyone knows its effect and how it is being played. Other players can also play ANYTIME cards whenever they want, and they can play REACTION cards to counter the effects of cards being played on them. It is quite frantic! Because of this, you must read out the powers of the cards you are playing.

The active player ends their turn by declaring it out loud, so everyone knows the play has moved on. They will then re-draw their hand back up to five cards and pass the Active Player card to the next person.

Before you draw on your turn, instead of playing cards, you can choose to discard all your cards and refill your hand. Alternatively, you can stash a previously gained Banana card by turning it horizontal. However, when you do this, you must discard and refill your entire hand as well, and you can only stash one card at a time. This is important because there are many ways to steal other players’ un-stashed banana cards. In this game, bananas are points!

How Do You Win Bananarchy?

The game continues until the final Banana card is drawn from the deck. At that point, all players will score the Banana cards they managed to keep to the end of the game. There are a few scoring cards in the game that you may draw from the Monkey card pile; these can act as multipliers to gain extra points. However, any banana cards you have had flipped over will score you negative one point. The player with the most points wins!

Is It Fun? Bananarchy Card Game Review

If you enjoy “Take That” mechanics in games, and you liked card games like UNO and Exploding Kittens (which is how this game was pitched to me), then I think you will love this! It could well become a huge family favorite for you. It has that same type of chaos, random exchange, and constant state of fluctuation in who is winning. It is hard to run away with a lead in this game, and older players won’t necessarily be able to use strategy to outwit other players. This means families of all ages can enjoy the chaotic nature of this game on an equal playing ground.

That said, if you don’t enjoy this sort of chaos, random play, and “take that” mechanics, then this won’t be for you. Hence my score. For a “Take That” card game, this is great. A wonderful game. If you don’t like “Take That,” then this will be terrible for you. So, it is hard to score. One mechanic leans so heavily into your potential enjoyment.

Why it’s fun

Bananarchy leans hard into fast, chaotic, always-on card play, and that’s exactly where its appeal lies. The ANYTIME and REACTION cards mean you are rarely sitting back waiting for your turn, with the table constantly shifting as players interrupt, counter, steal, and sabotage in real time. Add in the scramble to protect and stash your bananas, plus the ever-present threat of them being flipped or stolen, and you get a game that stays loud, lively, and unpredictable right through to the final draw.

Why it’s not

That same chaos will be a deal-breaker for some. Strategy takes a back seat to timing, luck, and opportunism, and players who like to build careful plans or feel in control of their fate may find it frustrating. The game is deliberately swingy, and just when you think you’re safe, someone can pull the rug out from under you. This is fun for the right group but exhausting for the wrong one.

Pros

• Constant interaction with very little downtime
• Easy to learn and quick to get going
• Works well for families and mixed-age groups
• Strong “take that” energy and dramatic moments
• Thematic, playful presentation
  

  Cons

  • Very random and swingy
  • Little room for long-term strategy
  • Can feel overwhelming for quieter players
  • Not suited to those who dislike direct player conflict